Another Trailer Brake Situation
 

A friend of mine has a triple axle trailer. It has surge brakes on 3 axles,. He wants to put electric brakes on one axle and use his brake controler for extra braking power when he needs it. The surge brakes have drum brakes. Is this posible or not?

Somebody must have the answer to this

Why not dump the drums and put disc all the way around leaving it just surge. I'd think he'd get more braking power that way then just one axle having electric. Every trailer I've had with drums have been a pain and give no-where near the ability of the disc.

I agree. I upgraded from drum to disk surge on an old boat i had. Disk on one axle boat and trailer about 4k LBS stopped great with disk.

Actually that sounds like an interesting idea on the outside. That way he can have some braking while backing down the ramp and maybe some better control on wet pavement.
The downside I see is that if the electric axle is set to high, that axle will try to do hold the trailer back from pushing on the coupler and allowing the surge brakes to work at their potential, or it would smoke the brakes each time. So it would seem the electric axle would do most of the trailer braking, probably not a good idea for a triple trailer designed to haul a heavy load . Unless it is turned way down so as not to effect the surge action, then he'd have 2 axles working vs 3. I think the axles would either always be working against each other, or 1 setup not working as well as the other setup, depending on how the gain setting is set.I don't see how they would be dialed in evenly as in full surge where line pressure is equal at all wheels.

Sounds like the potential for disaster and a good way to complicate things. If he wants to get rid of the surge I would suggest electric over hydraulic and chucking the drums for discs. I spent the better part of a summer replacing drum surge brakes, everytime I would replace one thing, I would find something else that needed replaced. Only thing I still have to do is buy the EOH. Even going from drums to discs on the surge made a huge difference and this was on a 6500K package. I can't see that hybrid solution causing anything but problems, do it once, do it right and be done with it. Should be able to do three axles w/ a actuator and controller for $1500 to $2000, probably less.

How much to go from drums to discs. Where should he buy from?? I know Kodiaks are on top, what are some less expensive options for him. Thanks

I just put 6 new electric backing plates & drums on my trailer for $500. You can't buy one side of a disc brake system for that.
Disc are nice, but if I were going to do the swap, I'd just buy a new trailer with torsion axles, EOH disc brakes & lots of other stuff.

Depends, what weight rating axles does he have? This is where I bought my disc brake kits.

http://www.trailerpart.com/adddiscbrakes.htm

http://www.brakecontroller.com/maxbrake.htm

Another place, just google 'trailer brakes' and you'll find quite a few places.

http://www.trailerpartsdepot.com/ite...atus=0&Tp=&Bc=

Thats a deal. I put a new set on my trailer and they worked for about 2 weeks in salt water.Now I have to buy 4 complete conversion kits and throw away my electric drums.The disc are the bestmy 2cents.