24ft custom pontoon boat. Tandom axel trailer, chevy 4.3 silverado. Trailer brakes REALLY neccisary?
Mostly summer use, to and from lake. No real city driving, open country roads or highway
Well, yeah. I can tell you that if you hit someone, (with no trailer brakes) and the "Slip-And-Fall" lawyer for the person you hit finds out that you had no brakes on the trailer (AKA "Blood in The Water") you're likely going to be at fault (even if the guy pulled out in front of you)
Just saying......
I have an 87 21ft Four Winns (about 5000lbs ) + steel tandem axle trailer (1000+ lbs) that originally came with only the front axle "braked" using hydraulic drum and a surge coupler.
About 5 years ago, I welded brake backing plate brackets to the rear axle, removed the older surge system and front drum hyd brakes and installed 4 "regular" Dexter electric brakes after buying a 2005 F350 with the OEM TBC (Trailer Brake Controller)
Before, when using the surge system, the brakes were always very hot after going down a long hill and once in a while if I braked heavily, it would lock the front axle brakes on the trailer. And backing up a hill on gravel or dirt, the brakes would usually lock and skid the front axle wheels........
So far, for the last 5 years or so, the electric drum brakes work flawlessly and the FOMOCO TBC just works!
If I had it to do over again, I might probably do the MUCH MORE expensive stainless disc electric over hydraulic brakes because regular electric drums don't do all that well in salt water.
I don't boat in salt water and regular electric drum brakes are no worse than the older hydraulic drums anyway..... The magnets are completely epoxy sealed so water doesn't seem to hurt them
I would not use another surge system on any trailer, and any "new" boat I get in the future will either have electric (over hydraulic disc) brakes or I'll swap them out!
Cheers,
Rick