Should I replace my surge brakes with electric on my boat trailer?

[Rupp]

It's going to cost me between 200 to 250 to replace my A60 master cylinder, new brake lines, and new hydraulic servo cylinders. I just checked and I could convert to electric brakes for around the same price or a bit more. Do electric brakes work good on boat trailers?

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[Scott Danforth]

It's going to cost me between 200 to 250 to replace my A60 master cylinder, new brake lines, and new hydraulic servo cylinders. I just checked and I could convert to electric brakes for around the same price or a bit more. Do electric brakes work good on boat trailers?

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do you have a brake controller in your tow vehicle?

if not, electric brakes wont help until you do

electric brakes wont last the 25 years your current set up did.

you may want to check. two fully loaded drum backing plates may be same price as two new wheel cylinders. since you have to replace the shoes, etc anyway. get it as a package.

however $250 to overhaul brakes is not a bad price.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Electric brakes work fine on a boat trailer, but @Scott Danforth is correct, if you don't already have a break controller, switching to electric will cost more. I personally don't care for surge brakes as I think electric provide a smoother braking experience, but they do cost more initially if you need to buy a brake controller.

 

[Alumarine]

If you tow with multiple vehicles like I do then surge brakes might be an advantage as no controller's are needed.
Also, some jurisdictions require a break away system. With electric brakes that means a battery on the trailer.

 

[Lou C]

If you have trouble keeping your trailer lights working as many do, electric brakes while they are good in principal, could be just as much as a headache. I have found surge brakes WHEN MAINTAINED, even drums, to be adequately effective and reliable for my use. While I don't tow any long distance at high speeds, I have very steep hills in my local towing area and the surge drums have worked fine for me here. A relative has a much newer trailer (2020) with surge discs, both boats weigh about the same, I have towed both and can say that in my use the drums stop just as well, but it is all low speed towing (under 40 mph) with steep hills, salt water. In two seasons time with equal towing, launching and recovering, the galvanized surge drums with zinc coated drums, show less corrosion than the non-stainless disc brakes.

 

[dingbat]

If you have trouble keeping your trailer lights working as many do, electric brakes while they are good in principal, could be just as much as a headache.

You got that right…..

Surge disc on the boat and electric on the horse trailer. Have spent more time messing with electric brakes than all other electrical problems on both trailers combined.

Spent an hour this morning under a 2 year old horse trailer after Mrs. Dingbat complained of intermittent brakes on her last trip.

Started at truck working backwards. Would have been nice if the mfg. followed a recognized wire color standard.. only matching wire color between truck (SAE) and trailer is the ground (wht.)

Anyhow, narrowed down the problem to either a short in the wiring in the frame or a bad magnetic(s). Tear off all 4 wheels and start the troubleshooting when I get home this evening.

BTW…Did I tell you how much I hate electric brakes…lol

 

[Lou C]

Electric brakes have more points of possible failure than surge brakes. With surge brakes if your actuator works, your brake lines don't leak, and your wheel cylinders/caliper pistons are not seized, your brakes will work. While electric brakes give the option of driver control over the braking force and electric over hydraulic adds the better stopping power of disc brakes, both an advantage, there are just more failure points (electrical).
So surge is a more crude/less sophisticated system so to speak, but less failure points, easier to keep working in salt water.
And don't think that disc brakes are always 100% better in salt water, yes if you use the most expensive stainless calipers and rotors, if not, the rotors rust just as bad as any drum brakes, a casual observation of trailers at boat yards in my area shows that.

 

[harringtondav]

I installed electric drum brakes and controller on my previous boat/trailer. They worked well. I liked the adjustable gain and manual activation control. ...also no back up lock out or solenoid needed.
I liked them enough that I wanted my new Shoreland'r trailer to have them. No go. Surge disc brakes only with a rev lock out solenoid. ...I love the set up.
As stated above, maintenance is the key to happiness. I've replaced auto brakes at around 16 yrs due to line rot or master cyl failure. Trailer surge brakes are identical functionally.
But trailer brake master cylinders live in the weather. Condensation is fatal. I don't know the recommended interval for fluid change and bleeding, but I reckon I'll do it every 6-7 yrs.
Per @Scott Danforth $250 is a bargain. I'd go to the same shop for automotive work for those rates.

 

[bruceb58]

I have actually owned the following brakes. I am ranking them from worst to best:

Surge drum
Electric drum
Surge disc
Electric over hydraulic disc

The first two are nearly a tie for worst. Disc brakes stop the best hands down no matter if they are surge or electric over hydraulic.

I have owned electric over hydraulic brakes now for over 20 years...no failures. I currently have two trailers with EOH brakes...a travel trailer and a boat trailer.

 

[bruceb58]

I don't know the recommended interval for fluid change and bleeding, but I reckon I'll do it every 6-7 yrs.

I change brake fluid on cars and trailers every 3 years. Most cars these days recommend the 3 year interval. The interval on my Ford F-150 is 3 years.

 

[Rupp]

Electric brakes have more points of possible failure than surge brakes. With surge brakes if your actuator works, your brake lines don't leak, and your wheel cylinders/caliper pistons are not seized, your brakes will work. While electric brakes give the option of driver control over the braking force and electric over hydraulic adds the better stopping power of disc brakes, both an advantage, there are just more failure points (electrical).
So surge is a more crude/less sophisticated system so to speak, but less failure points, easier to keep working in salt water.
And don't think that disc brakes are always 100% better in salt water, yes if you use the most expensive stainless calipers and rotors, if not, the rotors rust just as bad as any drum brakes, a casual observation of trailers at boat yards in my area shows that.

I'm confused at how electric brakes have more points of possible failure than surge brakes. Everything you listed for surge brakes is a point of failure - the actuator, brake lines, wheel cylinders. For electric the only point of failure is the power to the actuator. Seems a lot less likely that electric would fail to me. This is why I'm considering replacing my surge with electric. I need a new master cylinder, new lines, new "things that push the drum shoe", and then I would have to bleed the system and adjust. With electric replacement, it's bolt on a new electric backing plate and wire.

 

[dingbat]

And don't think that disc brakes are always 100% better in salt water, yes if you use the most expensive stainless calipers and rotors, if not, the rotors rust just as bad as any drum brakes, a casual observation of trailers at boat yards in my area shows that.

I disagree.....
Couldn't keep drum brakes on the trailer more than a couple of seasons at best w/o them seizing up.

Switched to Kodiak Dacromet disc and hubs. Went 8 years before a caliper started acting up. Swapped them out for KodaGuard coated calipers two years ago. Will have to see how they hold up over time

Still running the original dacromet rotors as they are still in spec. Yes, they get surface but that wears off with a couple applications of the brake. The use of ceramic brake pads are a must for longevity

 

[dingbat]

I'm confused at how electric brakes have more points of possible failure than surge brakes. Everything you listed for surge brakes is a point of failure - the actuator, brake lines, wheel cylinders. For electric the only point of failure is the power to the actuator. Seems a lot less likely that electric would fail to me.

It’s all about MTBF… what is the most problematic system on a trailer?

 

[bruceb58]

I disagree.....
Couldn't keep drum brakes on the trailer more than a couple of seasons at best w/o them seizing up.

Switched to Kodiak Dacromet disc and hubs. Went 8 years before a caliper started acting up. Swapped them out for KodaGuard coated calipers two years ago. Will have to see how they hold up over time

Still running the original dacromet rotors as they are still in spec. Yes, they get surface but that wears off with a couple applications of the brake. The use of ceramic brake pads are a must for longevity

Yep...drum brakes just pretty much suck.

When I was using my Kodiak disc brakes in salt water, I just rinsed them off when I got home. No issues for over 10 years...lost track of the exact number of years.

 

[04fxdwgi25]

Just finished brake system conversion on my trailer. I have the Kodiak disc's on all 4 wheels and now an electric over hydraulic actuator (the conversion part). This combined with a P3 controller in the truck. Best of all the worlds in 1 package, with unlimited control, superb stopping power and zero problems.

Absolute opposite of the surge setup.

 

[harringtondav]

I change brake fluid on cars and trailers every 3 years. Most cars these days recommend the 3 year interval. The interval on my Ford F-150 is 3 years.

I guess that explains the rotted lines. I changed the same front caliper three times until I realized the flex hose feeding it had collapsed on the inside. Pressure would activate the caliper. The crud prevented it from releasing.
Advance replaced the calipers on warranty. ....I bought the hose elsewhere.

 

[Lou C]

I had that same problem with my sons ‘17 Jeep Wrangler. One of the rear calipers siezed up, replaced that & it was fine. A few months later got a dragging front brake. Thought it was the caliper again but this time it was the brake line not allowing the caliper to release.
The rubber flex lines on the trailer I never had a problem with. They & the stainless lines are same ones I installed 19 years ago.

 

[bruceb58]

I use only rubber lines on my trailers. Metal lines just rub and wear out.

 

[RetiredAFShirt]

Just finished brake system conversion on my trailer. I have the Kodiak disc's on all 4 wheels and now an electric over hydraulic actuator (the conversion part). This combined with a P3 controller in the truck. Best of all the worlds in 1 package, with unlimited control, superb stopping power and zero problems.

Absolute opposite of the

 

[jlh3rd]

I'm confused at how electric brakes have more points of possible failure than surge brakes. Everything you listed for surge brakes is a point of failure - the actuator, brake lines, wheel cylinders. For electric the only point of failure is the power to the actuator. Seems a lot less likely that electric would fail to me. This is why I'm considering replacing my surge with electric. I need a new master cylinder, new lines, new "things that push the drum shoe", and then I would have to bleed the system and adjust. With electric replacement, it's bolt on a new electric backing plate and wire.

I totally redid my karavan's surge/drum system when I bought my used pontoon about 7 years ago. '01, tandem trailer with a completely neglected, non-working brake system. So on went brand new brake assemblies, coupler/master cylinder, rubber brake lines, bearing, races and one new axle.....The brakes never worked right, never. And the left rear would consistently run hotter, and that was on the new axle. I bled, lubed, greased, and reset bearing pre load until I was blue in the face but couldn't get consistent operation.
I'm on my second year of electrics. My truck was pre-wired from factory so adding the controller was a cinch. The emergency disconnect has its own battery and test button and charges itself.
So electric has been a lot better with my experience.
I wanted to go to hydraulic disc conversion but no kit out there would fit my trailer.