Need to add trailer brakes

[Laneman25]

I have a 2001 19ft. Monterey with Volvo 5.0, single axle 15 inch wheels and no brakes, towing with 99 F150. I towed it for the first time and miss having brakes. My previous boat was same size and had surge brakes with drums and worked great, so thinking of same setup, but don't know if my trailer is set up for brakes. Will try adding photos.

 

[alldodge]

Your axle will accept brakes, but the tongue and couple would need to be changed for the master cylinder.

Measure the bolt spacing on the axle flange and then find backing plates and drums the will bolt one. Could even go disc, just need a couple more parts

The easiest is electric brakes but they have there one maintenance issues over time, and no way use elect if your in salt water

 

[JASinIL2006]

If not boating in saltwater, adding electric brakes would be a snap. A number of online trailer vendors sell complete kits that would make adding electric brakes quite easy. You have the square mounting brackets, so it would be a pretty simple bolt-on procedure.

 

[Lou C]

Judging by the painted trailer I'm guessing you're in fresh water, it looks like you have a five bolt flange which means you can use 12" brakes that will give you good stopping power with a 19' boat. If your tow vehicle has a brake controller electric brakes might be an option but they are still going to be drum brakes which some people don't like for maintenance vs discs. You can find galvanized electric drum brakes if you look around.
I added surge drums to my trailer close to 20 years ago, they usually last approx 6 seasons then I might have to change the wheel cylinder (inexpensive, though compared to a brake caliper on a disc brake). At the time disc systems weren't that good, so it was a toss up between disc vs drum. Now, just about everyone would say go with surge discs.

 

[harringtondav]

I added electric brakes to my first trailer. Required an under dash controller which hooked up easily on my '99 Durango. ....wires were labeled and accessible, and wired to the seven pin hitch connector.
Brake kit included a new backing plates with magnet actuators, shoes and bearing hub/ drum combo. ...not too pricey in 1999. Simple wrench installation.
The main pain was fishing the B+ brake energizing wires through the trailer frame back to the wheels. Ground wires at the wheels was simple.
These worked great. Adjustable braking gain with a slider switch for extra grab. No unwanted braking in reverse.
If my latest trailer offered electric brakes I would have taken it. ...surge brakes with reverse solenoid cut out ain't so bad after all. ...gotta remember to bleed and replace the fluid periodically, or no brakes.

 

[JASinIL2006]

I would add that if one is to get drum brakes, the Nevr-Adjust type are particularly nice. No adjustment needed as the break shoes wear.

 

[Lou C]

When I did mine back in ‘04 the main pain was snaking the stainless brake lines thru the frame. Other than that it was easy. Still using the same Tie Down model 66 actuator. I think bleeding the brakes & flushing the fluid every 5-6 years probably helped it last that long….

 

[harringtondav]

I would add that if one is to get drum brakes, the Nevr-Adjust type are particularly nice. No adjustment needed as the break shoes wear.

...don't recall if mine had adjusters. The actuator was a long lever with the magnet facing the inside of the brake drum. The lever drove the spreading cam on the shoes. I always figured the shoes would be metal on metal before the lever ran out of travel.
I sold the boat trailer after 12 yrs of use on the brakes which still worked fine when I sold the whole rig. ....New owner had a big beefy SUV, and yawned at the brake controller. Boat/trailer was 3K# all in. He was OK.

 

[Lou C]

Most drum brakes have the star wheel adjusters just like cars had years ago. Some of our US built cars had self adjusting drums but over time this feature seemed to stop working. I like manually adjusted brakes because I can set them the way I want….

 

[harringtondav]

Most drum brakes have the star wheel adjusters just like cars had years ago. Some of our US built cars had self adjusting drums but over time this feature seemed to stop working. I like manually adjusted brakes because I can set them the way I want….

....it takes a real man to admit his mistakes:
I replaced the rear drum brake shoes on our old Caravan. When I replaced the adjuster I put it in backwards. Things were fine until the retracting adjuster allowed the wheel cylinder pistons to over extend and leak. ...long ride home with the parking brake.
At least I was consistent. When I got home I pulled both drums. LH side was on the verge of puking fluid too.

 

[Lou C]

Yep as a teenager I recall the confusion in doing my first brake job on an all drum 1956 VW…would up calling my friend whose dad was the head tech at the local Ford store….after that I learned to get pix out of a shop manual (we were broke kids then would go to the library & copy pages we needed to get the job done…)

 

[harringtondav]

Yep as a teenager I recall the confusion in doing my first brake job on an all drum 1956 VW…would up calling my friend whose dad was the head tech at the local Ford store….after that I learned to get pix out of a shop manual (we were broke kids then would go to the library & copy pages we needed to get the job done…)

Most embarrassing was I was in my '50s and had done the job many times before. Seems I forgot the rule for drum brakes: Pull both drums, but do one side at a time, using the other side as a guide. ...being a bit dyslexic didn't help the RH - LH confusion.

 

[Alumarine]

Most embarrassing was I was in my '50s and had done the job many times before. Seems I forgot the rule for drum brakes: Pull both drums, but do one side at a time, using the other side as a guide. ...being a bit dyslexic didn't help the RH - LH confusion.

I've got the same T shirt.
Only did that once when I was 16.

 

[Lou C]

Here's a comparison of 10" vs 12" drum brakes and the ones I used on the last upgrade of the old trailer (6000 lb axle).

 

[Lou C]

eventually got one of these
the cars I used it on were:
1972 Chevrolet Impala 350 2bbl
1970 Ford Torino 302 2bbl
1975 Olds 350 4bbl Quadrajet
and various cars owned by by uncle
1970 Mercury with a 429 4bbl Autolite
1965 Plymouth Belvedere 318 2bbl

 

[harringtondav]

eventually got one of these
the cars I used it on were:
1972 Chevrolet Impala 350 2bbl
1970 Ford Torino 302 2bbl
1975 Olds 350 4bbl Quadrajet
and various cars owned by by uncle
1970 Mercury with a 429 4bbl Autolite
1965 Plymouth Belvedere 318 2bbl

I've purchased the factory/OEM manual for each of the last eight vehicles I purchased. The last three were CDs. Approx $100 per, and easily paid off with the first repair.
The last three may have been a waste of money. My wrenching days are nearing an end. I saved enough pennies over the last 29 yrs with DIY that I can afford to leave any big stuff to the shop. With the quality of today's vehicles I ain't too worried.

 

[bruceb58]

Do yourself a huge favor. If you travel any distance at all, install disc brakes...preferably a good brand like Kodiak.

I hate drum brakes...both by 26' boat trailer and my 25' travel trailer have disc brakes. They both happen to be EOH but surge and disc are fine on a boat trailer.