Electric Trailer Brakes

[HT32BSX115]

Howdy Y'all,


I seem to remember asking this question several years ago......

Anyone out there in the land of (marine) OZ that are towing using electric trailer brakes?

When you look at what's available, the Marine specific type electrics seem to have the water immersion part of it solved.

I'd like to know how well they work on a tandem or tri-axle trailer with a heavy boat on it!



Cheers and Merry Christmas! (can we still say that?)


Rick

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Electric Trailer Brakes

they work great BUT make sure you get a good inertia sensing controller... the cheap ones are just that.... cheap... having your brakes apply the same way whether you are gently slowing or trying to avoid an accident with the light initial and slow ramp up to full is just plain crap.

FWIW I have pulled many trailes w electric brakes from small car haulers to a big tri axle with a 30' cruiser to a 48' flat deck tri with as many as 3 competition ski boats on it... heck my 36' fifth wheel rv is a tri with electric brakes and it weighs about 14k lbs... I pull it with a jeep wrangler on a tow bar behind it at usually 78 mph 1000 miles at a time... stopping is solid smooth and very easily controlled

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Electric Trailer Brakes

they work great BUT make sure you get a good inertia sensing controller... the cheap ones are just that....

Alrighty then!


What type are the "cheap" ones and what are the non-"cheap" brakes? or are you just referring to the controller?

 

[4.0l sahara]

Re: Electric Trailer Brakes

get this. He is talking about the controller.
Tekonsha P-3 Trailer Brake Controller - Proportional Tekonsha Brake Controller 90195

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Electric Trailer Brakes

yep talking about the controller.... the brakes are pretty much dummy proof.... they just work.... but the controller makes or breaks the system

 

[skyking897]

Re: Electric Trailer Brakes

+1 for the Prodigy 3 controller. Electric brakes on the car hauler, RV and boat trailer. Difference between electric and surge is like night and day.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Re: Electric Trailer Brakes

I have the Prodigy P3 controller, and it is very nice. Easy to configure and adjust.

I only have a single-axle trailer, but the electric brakes have worked fine. I unplug the trailer before I dip it, just to be cautious.

Jim

 

[batman99]

Re: Electric Trailer Brakes

Yes.

Prodigy P3 controller and previous verison Prodigy P2 controller are excellent brake controllers.

Stay away from "timed" technology brake controllers. IMO, this technology brake controller should be pulled from all store shelves and tossed in the trash cans. Yes, they are that bad.

In addition to a great "motion sensor / proportional current" brake controller technology, do use thicker 10 guage duplex wiring, solder joints, liquid tape over all joints and plastic wire loom exposed wiring. The more one can protect the bare wiring, the better. For double insulated duplex wiring (that I use on all my trailers), surf: Jacketed 2 Wire, 10 Gauge, Brake Wire - per Foot Deka Accessories and Parts 10-2-1

Also, instead of installing linear wiring (which is minimum build code), may I recommend the much better STAR wiring design instead. For this wiring, simply install duplex wiring to each wheel hub. One wire for "+" variable current and one wire for "-". For boats, don't use frame ground - run seperate ground wire to each hub. If wondering, I use STAR wiring on my single axle trailers as well. And being 10 guage wiring, each wheel hub has balanced "even" current flow. IMO, STAR design using thick 10 wiring outside the axle hallow tubes should be minimum build code. Perhaps one day it will become factory minimum build.

Hope this helps..

re:

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Electric Trailer Brakes

I use electric/hydraulic. Personally, I would still not use the electric drum brakes in salt water. I use Kodiac disc with my electric/hydraulic unit and the Prodigy P3.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Electric Trailer Brakes

I use electric/hydraulic. Personally, I would still not use the electric drum brakes in salt water. I use Kodiac disc with my electric/hydraulic unit and the Prodigy P3.

Yeah you and a whole lotta other people use those!


I am, of course referring to the "Marine" submersible type electric brakes. They claim to even work well even when dipped in salt water. (I don't dip my trailer in salt water.....and I don't want to even put my boat in salt)

On the "Hull Truth" site, I read about a few people using the standard electric brakes on boat trailers that only were used in fresh water and most of the people said that they didn't have any real problems even after getting them wet.

They're cheap, quick and easy to replace.

The Electric over hydraulic disc brakes are pretty expensive to buy and I wonder what the pump costs to replace when a "knuckle-head " steals one at the lake's trailer parking lot?? (I know:facepalm:......I do "what-if" things a bit much sometimes!!)

Those pump/controllers aren't cheap! $500-600+ It would be no problem to just liberate one at the launch-ramp parking lot!................................(hey..... I can reduce my brake change costs:eyebrows

With reg'lar electrics there's not much to steal except maybe the back-up battery......

 

[batman99]

Re: Electric Trailer Brakes

My boat trailer was upgraded with electric brakes (using 10 guage STAR design wiring). If wondering, it uses the higher quality Dexter brand brake hubs - which are much thicker than other brands of brake drums. A few of my buddies use electric brakes on their boat trailers as well. In my region, we only do fresh water boating.

Most people encounter problems with electric brakes because they do NOT inspect / service their brakes every 12 months or 1,200 miles (which ever comes first). They don't pull hubs off to check seals or replace inner grease and they don't inspect for inner rust either. They simply drive until their boat trailer brakes stop working. Then, they decide to pull the hubs (to reactively check it out).

If one pulls the hubs and sees rust starting to form, simply wire brush the rust away. And on the non-contact areas, apply some high heat paint as well. This helps reduce / slow down rust flair ups spots. For normal fresh "clean" water exposure (which is a dip and back out), electric brakes work great. Electric brake technology (materials and metals) are much better compared to the old days.

Talk about changing times, many boat trailer makers are now offering different types of brakes. They offer disc (for salt water), they offer surge and also offer electric - from fresh water exposures. For more details, surf: BUT YOU GOTTA STOP! - Trailer Brakes: Electric vs. Hydraulic Surge - RedTrailers.com If today's boat trailers with electric brakes are DMV/DOT certified for the road, then electric brakes are safe. Especially if one applies a proper maintenance schedule.

If you want to install electric brakes on your boat trailer (that does fresh water dips), then "go for it". Simply remember to pull hubs ever 12 months, do visiual inspections and slow down the rust - if it does start to form. Works for folks (and their boat trailers) in my area....

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Electric Trailer Brakes

If you want to install electric brakes on your boat trailer (that does fresh water dips), then "go for it". Simply remember to pull hubs ever 12 months, do visiual inspections and slow down the rust - if it does start to form. Works for folks (and their boat trailers) in my area....

Sounds like that could be something added to the "winterization" process.

 

[batman99]

Re: Electric Trailer Brakes

Yes. Every spring, each wheel hub must be manually removed to perform full internal inspection (and replace parts - if needed) and re-fresh grease tasks. I do my many trailer maintenance task in spring - to remove any natual inner condensaton (and rust) that forms during winter months.

Good U-Tube video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85p7_YeGoYc

For more details of inner brake hub items to inspect, surf: http://dexteraxle.com/i/u/6149609/f/Service_Resources/Maintenance_Schedule_1-12.pdf

Hope this helps as well...

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Electric Trailer Brakes

Sounds like that could be something added to the "winterization" process.

Especially important with electric brakes since the magnet does contact the drum on the inside. If you have rust on that area, which you will certainly have on a boat trailer, your magnet can wear prematurely. Very important to check wear on the magnet surface. There are wear indicators on the magnet. Another reason why I won't use them since I boat in salt water. I would prefer not pulling my drums every 3 months to clean them.

Batman99 states in a past thread that he is a newbie boat owner as of Sept 2012. He says he does his maintenance every spring. Interesting his advice since he hasn't even gone through one spring yet with electric brakes on a boat trailer.