trailer brakes

[LomitaBob]

can you convert a trailer with surge brakes to electric or something else without it costing a fortune? I am looking at buying a boat that has surge brakes on the trailer but I had bad luck with them when I was 18.

 

[Outdrive1]

can you convert a trailer with surge brakes to electric or something else without it costing a fortune? I am looking at buying a boat that has surge brakes on the trailer but I had bad luck with them when I was 18.

You can convert a surge brake trailer to electric over hydraulic. You'll need to add the pump, do some rewiring, add a battery for breakaway brakes, and either buy a new coupler or weld the one that's on there solid. You can do it yourself for about 500/700 bucks or so.

 

[Baja Pete]

I am converting my tri-axle trailer from surge to straight electric, everything new for around $650.00 (coupler, brakes, hubs, bearings, wiring, ...).

 

[mjc]

I put one of these on my trailer and love it

http://www.alko.com.au/vehicle-technology/sensabrake/

no batteries after mounting just lengthing the brake line and adding trailer wiring. simple install it if loses power it just dumps the air and brakes lockup.

 

[RitcheyRch]

That looks like the hot ticket. I might have to consider doing that to my trailer.

I put one of these on my trailer and love it

http://www.alko.com.au/vehicle-technology/sensabrake/

no batteries after mounting just lengthing the brake line and adding trailer wiring. simple install it if loses power it just dumps the air and brakes lockup.

 

[ONE-A-DAY]

Sorry for the hijack on this, but I have a question. My new boat is the first boat I have had with electric brakes, but they dont work. I am sure its something to do with how my truck is wired. My truck is wired from the factory (ford) with the round plug, and has the built in factory brake controller. All the lights work correctly, just no go on the brakes. On my old Duramax you had to install an extra fuse in the under hood fuse box to make the brake controller work. I am wondering if ford has something similar.

 

[Yellowboat]

electric of hydrolic is the way to go.

 

[CampbellCarl]

Sorry for the hijack on this, but I have a question. My new boat is the first boat I have had with electric brakes, but they dont work. I am sure its something to do with how my truck is wired. My truck is wired from the factory (ford) with the round plug, and has the built in factory brake controller. All the lights work correctly, just no go on the brakes. On my old Duramax you had to install an extra fuse in the under hood fuse box to make the brake controller work. I am wondering if ford has something similar.

Your truck's owners manual can be your best friend...............

 

[Letzgo]

Sorry for the hijack on this, but I have a question. My new boat is the first boat I have had with electric brakes, but they dont work. I am sure its something to do with how my truck is wired. My truck is wired from the factory (ford) with the round plug, and has the built in factory brake controller. All the lights work correctly, just no go on the brakes. On my old Duramax you had to install an extra fuse in the under hood fuse box to make the brake controller work. I am wondering if ford has something similar.

I have several trailers for my buisness and have had all different type of breaking systems from air, electric and original surge type breaks. my old boat trailer had surge and they only seemed to work right after they were just serviced. My last two boat trailers are surge with electric lock out for backing up hill and i have had no problems with them at all. I actually like them better then the all electric breaks on my work trailers. Is the "electric of hydrolic" that yellow boat writes about the same thing I have now or something different.

 

[Yellowboat]

something diffrent

how they work is there is a pump on the trailer that is providing presure. when you step on the brakes, your brake lights open up a soleniod allowing the presure to get to the brakes.

IMO the best way to have brakes on a trailer, had it on my 7500# dump trailer. They also let you use a controler so you adjust the persure and the like.

Its the best of both worlds, you get the power of hydrolic, but the easy of electric. No surge brake delay and no electronics at the brakes.



PS 1st google link to a system so you can see what I'm talking about

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

 

[Long Way Home]

Sorry for the hijack on this, but I have a question. My new boat is the first boat I have had with electric brakes, but they dont work. I am sure its something to do with how my truck is wired. My truck is wired from the factory (ford) with the round plug, and has the built in factory brake controller. All the lights work correctly, just no go on the brakes. On my old Duramax you had to install an extra fuse in the under hood fuse box to make the brake controller work. I am wondering if ford has something similar.

On my F150 I had to install a fuse & relay under the hood , check for a fuse/relay in a bag in your glove box, I needed a hot from my plug and I had to install it in the fuse box under the hood for my trailer..

 

[CampbellCarl]

something diffrent

how they work is there is a pump on the trailer that is providing presure. when you step on the brakes, your brake lights open up a soleniod allowing the presure to get to the brakes.

IMO the best way to have brakes on a trailer, had it on my 7500# dump trailer. They also let you use a controler so you adjust the persure and the like.

Its the best of both worlds, you get the power of hydrolic, but the easy of electric. No surge brake delay and no electronics at the brakes.



PS 1st google link to a system so you can see what I'm talking about

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

Not exactly my understanding but close. Pump you refer to takes the place of the trailer's master cylinder. Stop lights are NOT involved, the trailer system uses the elctronic feed from the truck's trailer brake controller and converts that electronic signal into a mechanical signal to energize the trailer's hydraulic system.

 

[scottietwohoty]

On my F150 I had to install a fuse & relay under the hood , check for a fuse/relay in a bag in your glove box, I needed a hot from my plug and I had to install it in the fuse box under the hood for my trailer..

One-A-Day I have this and not going to use it if you need it. Let me know? :thumbsup

 

[ONE-A-DAY]

On my F150 I had to install a fuse & relay under the hood , check for a fuse/relay in a bag in your glove box, I needed a hot from my plug and I had to install it in the fuse box under the hood for my trailer..

Did your F150 come with the factory brake controller already installed?

 

[TFH]

Why would even consider electric brakes on a boat trailer, i can tell you, you will have nothing but trouble with them. Surge braker have much more stopping power. Electric over hyd is the best brakeing system but the pump is $500.00 alone. Dollar for dollar disc is the way to go.

F150 don't come from the factory with a break controller F250 do

Trevor
Hampton Trailers

 

[RogerThat99]

Did your F150 come with the factory brake controller already installed?

My old Expedition had the tow package with the 7pin round plug. I had to ad the fuse for the brakes and the battery charger (If towing a travel trailer). My F-350 with the built in trailer brake, I didn't have to do a thing...it was all set up when I bought it new. Do you have a 150 or a 250/350?

Grads has the electric over hydraulic on his trailer for the WCF boat and says they work great.

 

[ONE-A-DAY]

Its and F150, and they do come with factory brake controllers starting in 2009 as an option. Trailer is electric / hydraulic, 4 wheel disc. I have a call in to my service guy at the ford dealer. I bought the truck at auction as a repo so it doesnt have a manual with it.

 

[paradise]

I converted my boat over to full electric brakes and couldn't be happier. As far as having nothing but problems, I could see if you were in the salt that might be true but in fresh water they are super easy and have less small parts than a hydraulic setup (drum brakes).

I love mine so I say go for it!

 

[Kahunajuice]

I am converting my tri-axle trailer from surge to straight electric, everything new for around $650.00 (coupler, brakes, hubs, bearings, wiring, ...).

Why?

 

[GRADS2009]

Sorry for the hijack on this, but I have a question. My new boat is the first boat I have had with electric brakes, but they dont work. I am sure its something to do with how my truck is wired. My truck is wired from the factory (ford) with the round plug, and has the built in factory brake controller. All the lights work correctly, just no go on the brakes. On my old Duramax you had to install an extra fuse in the under hood fuse box to make the brake controller work. I am wondering if ford has something similar.

I had the same exact problem with my Ford/trailer and this solved the problem.

http://www.southwestwheel.com/store...ctID=3858&SEName=ford-chevy-brakerite-adapter