who has made the switch?

[Jencourt]

Sick of dealing with drum breaks sticking ,locking getting hot and boiling bearing grease!! Surge breaks is what I have. who has made the switch to disk? How do you like it. Is it really the fix all end all that the guys selling them make it sound like??

Would love to hear some feedback before dumping who knows how much into the conversion.

Thanks: Ray.

 

[spring fever]

X2 on that Ray-I'm going to switch my electro Hyd. drum brakes over next fall-I've had it!!! Good deals coming up on multiple backing plates, brake cylinders-spares and oil hubs(which are great-by the way). No hi-jack-I want to hear the results as well!!LOL

 

[Fisherman Rob]

I'm considering removing them entirely. Not sure I need surge brakes on a 1400kg boat/trailer. Haven't had the trailer that long, but I've already had one lock up in the garage, get super hot on the road, and producing a cloud of steam at the ramp. Plus they seem to thump and bump at the hitch when they apply. Not sure I like them.

 

[Busterbrown]

I had my tandem axle ezloader converted last year. I was tired of getting one or two seasons out of electric drums so I had electric over hydraulic discs put on. The differance in breaking power is very noticable . Stops much better now. I also had the springs and axles replaced at the same time. The new axles have ez lube spindles on them which allows a complete grease repack with out taking it apart. I had the work done at Burnaby Hitch and their service was very good. If I remember the total cost was around $3500 . I highly recommend the disc system

 

[spring fever]

I'm considering removing them entirely. Not sure I need surge brakes on a 1400kg boat/trailer. Haven't had the trailer that long, but I've already had one lock up in the garage, get supper hot on the road, and producing a cloud of steam at the ramp. Plus they seem to thump and bump at the hitch when they apply. Not sure I like them.

Are you referring to surge disc brakes or drum?

 

[Fisherman Rob]

Are you referring to surge disc brakes or drum?

surge drum.

 

[finaddict]

I'll weigh in as well. I would love to hear feedback from those who has converted to elec over hydraulic and drum over to disc.

 

[spring fever]

Just so everyone is onboard with this brake issue I will share where I have been over the last 11 years with my road runner 6500 trailer towing a too heavy Skagit Orca. The trailer was maxed out!! Electric brakes-Useless after 2 years and replaced, In the meantime I lost a couple of bearings- to water intrusion-replaced those. Lost an axle-last straw-put on stainless speedi sleeves. Oil bath bearings and electro hydraulic drums. The Oil bath bearings and speedi sleeves cured the bearing problems and water intrusion problems. The Electro hydraulic brakes were a vast improvement over the the electric brakes. They functioned well IF you did a complete brake job and changed fluid at the end of every season. A backing plate may get you 3 years before replacement-but the continual tear down and refurbishing adjusters drives me nuts. I am fortunate that I bought a TITAN II electro hydraulic pump which will handle discs. If you do it yourself -if you buy it out of the states from e-trailer you can get by for 1500US I am thinking of doing it to lessen maintenance-don't think it will improve my braking which is good. Maintenance is my issue. I should say I trailer 6000 km a year-more than most guys -I think

 

[Coachman]

I've had a few sets of surge drums and they are maintenance mongors. My new trailer has tandem disc and the braking power is so much better.

Easier to wash out and the electric over hydraulic takes away the lag-and-lock that surge brakes are famous for.

Surge brakes are fine if you maintain them all the time. Drum brakes are no longer on anything but trailers for a reason. The technology is way outdated.

I would never go back to surge or drum. I've never had straight electric brakes on a boat trailer. Electric magnets are not really meant for salt water.

 

[bigdogeh]

+1 for kodiak discs, brakerite II electric over hydraulic controller and e-trailer. had some serious problems with kodiak calipers purchased from e-trailer which cost me nothing but time and aggravation last summer... they put out a batch of calipers last summer that apparently had thin castings and were breaking. I had 2 calipers that broke on separate occasions. when I compared the new calipers, (direct replacements for older calipers I was replacing just to make my trailer like new again) to the old calipers it was obvious the older calipers had thicker casting in the area that snapped on the newer direct replacements. (the area that supported the outer brake pad.) needless to say I wasn't pleased. cost me a bundle and alot of time for just trying to have a safer trailer on the road. In essence all that was accomplished was that i put myself and my passengers safety at risk just trying to be pro-active and keeping my trailer in good condition. kodiak acknowledged the bad castings issue and replaced the newer 225's with the older style 225's and hopefully everything is ok now but i have a few choice words for kodiak after last summers fiasco. hopefully no one was hurt elsewhere using their calipers. hopefully they will recall the ones they sold that were defective from e-trailer also...
electric over hydraulic is the way to go though... i've had surge and didn't have alot of problems with them as i maintained them fairly well but EOH is so much quicker and with better controlled stopping power.

 

[no butts]

I made the switch 3 years ago. surge drum to surge disc.did the install myself , about 1000. for parts including actuator (tandem axel ). stopping power is great. they have been flawless. it was suggested to not let the pads wear to much as it keeps the pistons retracted less chance of corrosion.that I will do this week. Kodiak has 3 different grades these are the middle of the pack.

 

[Jencourt]

thanks for the feedback. Any one else want to weigh inn on this?

 

[cpony]

Dump the drums and go disc. Been there, done drums, never again.

 

[Tide Up]

Jencourt

We switched this year and are we ever glad we did.Just couldn't stand the drums anymore as has been stated on this post.We run from Courtenay to Alberni often and no matter how you slice it the hump is a killer and we feathered those drums up & over the hump but pretty much everytime the drum were if not hot(and sometimes real hot) they were warm.

I p[osted earlier in the year on the forum to ask some questions and got good advice about it so we went ahead.We got the complete Vortex Hub system and Tie Down engineering Disk Breaks from CV Marine and installed it our selves and we are not handy but we got er done.

Love the braking now.We've done the hump with no issues.Cool hubs etc

 

[pescador]

I am thinking about putting Kodiak disks on my 2012 tandem axle Road Runner. I agree go big and good when it comes to brakes. I've barely used my drum brakes (2000KM on trailer) and I've got an issue with them right now. Do I fix them or just install disks? Curious to hear what others say. What is the cost to do a tandem?? I've got hydraulic over electric right now. First thing I did was dump the surge. Good topic.

 

[the fog ducker]

converted to 4 wheel disc , completes Stainless package ( Burnaby Hitch ) , night and day difference
pricy , but , my trailer now slows my truck ,.

zero issues in 4 years , had my discs turned this season , like new again , stops on a dime

m2b

fd

 

[pescador]

Fog- do you remember cost?

 

[spring fever]

I am thinking about putting Kodiak disks on my 2012 tandem axle Road Runner. I agree go big and good when it comes to brakes. I've barely used my drum brakes (2000KM on trailer) and I've got an issue with them right now. Do I fix them or just install disks? Curious to hear what others say. What is the cost to do a tandem?? I've got hydraulic over electric right now. First thing I did was dump the surge. Good topic.

The first thing to check is that the electro hydraulic pump can handle discs-if it can (Discs need higher pressure) Kodiaks need 1500-Tie down I believe are less-you are half way home. Right now you can get Kodiak middle of the road discs, calipers etc for 130 a wheel-free shipping in the states. Don't forget you have bearings and seals etc-unless you're like me and have a cupboard full of spares. Wish I had done it 6 years ago. Good to note though that Fog Ducker had his discs turned after 4 years-so there is still maintenance to do but maybe not so much on a yearly basis?

 

[pescador]

Thanks SF. Sorry for hijack Jencourt. Great topic. Brakes....................... real important..

 

[Enniberg]

SF, I am wondering if you can tell me where you got the Speedi Sleeves? I think it could possibly solve a problem I have with my trailer.
I added disc brakes to my trailer a couple of years ago. They work well, but rust is an issue as they are not stainless. Would spend more to get brakes that are better suited to the salt next time.

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