Electric over hydraulic

[Snprhed]

So a couple of weeks ago I asked some questions about how to make my 1/2 ton a better hauler. Continuing with that thought better braking would be a nice addition so I thought I'd poke around adding electric over my current hydraulic disc brakes.

I have a 2014 Extreme trailer that has hydraulic disc brakes on 2 of 3 axles.

Im guessing someone here has added a system like this. Is it pretty easy to do? Were you happy with the results?

I contacted a reputable trailer shop and they quoted $1500.... I think I puckered a little, but its for the BOAT, I should have been prepared.

 

[braindead]

You puckered at $1500 when the cheapest EOH unit is $500 and they have to remove your existing hydraulic sliding tongue with a fixed tongue and paint it...

 

[ToMorrow44]

What boat are you towing? Surge brakes work very well if they’re set up right, you might be wasting your money on EOH depending on the boat.

 

[Snprhed]

26 foot Checkmate (boat weighs 4500lb)

 

[Snprhed]

You puckered at $1500 when the cheapest EOH unit is $500 and they have to remove your existing hydraulic sliding tongue with a fixed tongue and paint it...

wouldnt that make it electric only?

 

[Dkahnjob]

Having had both, I much prefer the electric over Hydraulic, but buy a good brake controller, there is a big difference between the good ones and the cheap ones on the trailer.

 

[Universal Elements]

What truck are you towing with? If you already have a factory installed controller, very important to get a EOH that is compatible.

 

[Snprhed]

2005 escalade ext

 

[braindead]

One of us is confused...

Electric over hydraulic brake systems uses an electric actuator to activate the hydraulic brakes, that's why u no longer need you're old hydraulic sliding tongue

 

[Universal Elements]

One of us is confused...

Electric over hydraulic brake systems uses an electric actuator to activate the hydraulic brakes, that's why u no longer need you're old hydraulic sliding tongue

Correct

 

[Snprhed]

You are correct, I didnt understand how it worked

 

[Universal Elements]

2005 escalade ext

I have several, the PS3 works pretty good

http://www.tekonsha.com/products/brake-controllers/53hep6N1dVJpWbG4SYkw1NyIhIlvsxqv

I have the Dexter pump for my disc brakes. They also make them for drums.

https://www.etrailer.com/Brake-Actuator/Dexter-Axle/K71-651.html

 

[Universal Elements]

You will need to install a break away kit. This is for if the trailer disconnects from the truck, the cable activates this Device which electrically sends a signal to the pump to lock the discs on the wheels.

http://www.tekonsha.com/products/brake-controllers/breakaway-kits/MFqymzvD291JmCZ9Kvv4bZx4tVzpAVeS

 

[Universal Elements]

26 foot Checkmate (boat weighs 4500lb)

For 4500 lbs, I think your surge brAkes should do pretty good. Maybe have a trailer shop check out your system and make sure all calipers work. Sometimes, due to water corrosion they may not work properly causing stopping power to decrease. Pads make a difference too.

 

[Snprhed]

For 4500 lbs, I think your surge brAkes should do pretty good. Maybe have a trailer shop check out your system and make sure all calipers work. Sometimes, due to water corrosion they may not work properly causing stopping power to decrease. Pads make a difference too.

This sounds like a smart first step

 

[River Dirt 2]

piece of cake..

 

[shunter2005]

Don't let anyone tell you that you won't see a difference with EOH. It is far superior to the old surge system and even the electric brake system (which requires you to have drum brakes). It will cost you around $800-$1000 to make the change, but I feel it's money well spent. What a difference it makes.

I converted from surge brakes to EOH this past winter. I really didn't have to, but I was going to have to rebuild my surge system anyway, so I decided to go this route as my wife and I are anticipating towing our boat a lot this summer. It was a bigger project than I anticipated. Not harder, just bigger and a lot more work.

First, I decided to go with the Carlisle Hydrastar plug and play system. No hard wiring involved. After stripping the tongue of the trailer, I had a guy weld a bracket onto the end of the tongue. Then bolted on a UFP coupler.

Then I mounted the system onto the tongue of the trailer and built a wiring box to house all the wiring for the system.

Once all that was done, I found a bad rotor/hub that needed to be replaced. Did that and then replaced all the calipers and pads. (This is why it became a bigger project than I anticipated.) Also, replaced all the bearings, races and seals. While I was at it, I decided to upgrade the trailer lights to LED. Took a while but finally got everything done.

It does stop much better and I have brakes on the launch ramp and without the old dreaded clunk that almost always accompanied the surge brakes. Don't get me wrong, surge brakes, when properly maintained work well, but EOH is much, much better. Your 4500# boat will work fine with surge brakes (mine is about 5100# dry), but you will love EOH.

 

[ToMorrow44]

For 4500 lbs, I think your surge brAkes should do pretty good. Maybe have a trailer shop check out your system and make sure all calipers work. Sometimes, due to water corrosion they may not work properly causing stopping power to decrease. Pads make a difference too.

I agree with this. I’ve towed my 27 (7000lbs with trailer) with an F150 before and didn’t notice any problem stopping. The problem is most people don’t have the surge brakes set up properly.

 

[Snprhed]

Thanks for all the input, this has been very helpful

 

[Ballyhoo]

What do folks mean ss far as surge brakes being set up properly? Do you mean that they have been maintained properly?

 

[shunter2005]

Don't know about anyone else, but yes, surge brakes should be maintained to work properly. As I have always said, a surge braking system is a good viable system. I actually like them, even though I went to EOH. If you have all the internals in good working condition, they are good. My only comment about them would be that you would need to have free backing plates (if you have drum) and/or a reverse solenoid installed to make backing easier.

 

[Ricks raft]

I still have surge and the dreaded clunking.

If I'm not mistaken the big advantage of EOH for my situation is most of my lakes are in canyons with steep hills (like almost 2000' drop in a few miles) and if you try and use your gears in the vehicle to control speed then your are dragging your trailer breaks and over heat them, happens every time on mine. With EOH trailer brakes are only applied with vehicle brakes so when you let off brakes trailer is not dragging and overheating.

I'm not willing to spend the money on a good EOH but I am adding a 2nd axle of brakes on my trailer. I don't know why they would sell a trailer running roughly 5k lbs with h only one axle of brakes. It overheats my truck and trailer.

 

[McKay]

I put a hydrastar on my last trailer. Loved it over the surge. New boat and trailer already had it on there. Well worth it. They run in the $600-$700 range. Breakaway kits are about $50 if I remember correctly. Takes maybe a couple hours is all to install. Keep in mind they make different models based on how many axels have brakes.

 

[ToMorrow44]

What do folks mean ss far as surge brakes being set up properly? Do you mean that they have been maintained properly?

Yes they need to be maintained. Its also very tricky to properly bleed the system. Vacuum bleeding won't do it a lot of the time. I pressure bleed mine with a tool that I made. Some (not all) have an adjustment between the sliding coupler and the master cylinder to take out the slack or the "clunk" as a lot of people refer. If the surge brakes are working right, it will stop very well. Like I said, most people don't have them maintained or set properly.

 

[shunter2005]

I put a hydrastar on my last trailer. Loved it over the surge. New boat and trailer already had it on there. Well worth it. They run in the $600-$700 range. Breakaway kits are about $50 if I remember correctly. Takes maybe a couple hours is all to install. Keep in mind they make different models based on how many axels have brakes.

Bought my Hydrastar from Eastern Marine. $699 drive out for everything. Actuator, auto recharge breakaway kit w/battery, control adapter module (for GM and some Fords with factory installed controllers) and harness. It's cheaper if you don't have an factory installer, you won't need the CAM (kit with no CAM is about $40-$50 cheaper), but you will need an aftermarket controller.

If you already have surge disc, you can buy additional complete calipers and brackets for about $50 a side plus hoses. You will need to buy additional new rotors or hub/rotors as well. They are easy to install. All in all, it's about a $1K upgrade, but if you tow a lot up and down mountains, you will be a much happier person. So, an estimate for $1.5K isn't too bad when you are talking someone's labor.