Trailer Brakes

[vandy21]

I have an 18' Bayliner that sits on an escort trailer. I am looking to add trailer brakes because I tow the boat with my Volvo. The boat weight is under the towing capacity of the car, but I would still feel safer with brakes. Are there brake kits that I can buy? and if so what kind would you recommend? Also, how would I install them? Would i take them to a shop to install or is it possible to do it yourself? And when doing the installation it required for the boat to be off the trailer or not?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Trailer Brakes

The first thing you need to do is look behind the wheel to see if the axle has a square plate with four holes in it. If not, you can't add brakes as there is no way to mount the backing plates. You would need to also purchase a new axle. The boat can remain on the trailer. Do a search for trailer brakes and you will find many places to buy them. You do need new hubs, the backing plates, a hydraulic surge brake coupler (for surges brakes) or an electric brake controller for electric brakes. You also need to determine what size the spindles are (1-1/16 bearings front and rear) or 1-1/16 front, 1-3/8 rear) as the hubs you buy need to match the spindles. That then requires a specific brake size. If you are mechanically and/or electrically challenged, this is not a job you should attempt. If you have a good set of tools and are an accomplished do-it-yourselfer, have at it.

 

[vandy21]

Re: Trailer Brakes

thanks for the advice, it was very descriptive.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Trailer Brakes

good info here: http://www.championtrailers.com/

 

[vandy21]

Re: Trailer Brakes

OK, well good news, I do have that square plate with the four holes in it that you mentioned. My next question is for trailers, is there a benefit to either surge or electric brakes? Is one cheaper then the other? I have been searching a lot on the internet, but I'm not sure which type i should go with.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Trailer Brakes

Surge brakes will set you back about $125 for a surge coupler where as an electric over hydralic kit will run close to $600. The electric over hydralic setup is superior but at $600 I'll keep my present surge set up.

If getting a new trailer I'd opt to go the electric route

 

[vandy21]

Re: Trailer Brakes

I like the idea, rather the price, of the surge brakes. Are there any complete brake kits anyone would recommend?

 

[shep70057]

Re: Trailer Brakes

EMP trailers sell a complete kit.... I have the cadmium coated disc brakes and can't be any happier

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Trailer Brakes

Boat trailers and electric brakes are not the best of friends but they can be made to work and would be the least expensive and easiest to install. Surge brakes require no electrical work on the tow vehicle except for the lights and reversing solenoid. They do require running of hydraulic lines, brake bleeding, and probably much more time to install. Electric over hydraulic as mentioned is a good setup but again it's spendy and a little overkill on a small trailer. It's still your call but I think most here will suggest surge brakes.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Trailer Brakes

http://www.championtrailers.com/DRUM BRAKE KITS.htm

There is no way I would put electric brakes on a boat trailer.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Trailer Brakes

...Unless it's for freshwater only use, and there are some advantages to electric brakes... like the ability to apply the brakes without hitting the vehicle's brakes, the ability to adjust brake force from behind the wheel, no need to disable them when backing up, and a few other things.

The days when electric brakes on a boat trailer were just a flat out bad idea are gone, nowadays you still need to be careful when using 'em in salt water, but most of the electric kits now are sealed and coated and work pretty well with occasional immersion, provided you unplug them before dunking.

Also - if you don't have the brake flange plate, you can add it. Any piece of steel sufficiently thick/strong and shaped appropriately that you can weld onto the trailer will do, no need to replace the whole axle. Of course, it's about the same amount of work either way (you have to weld on the new axle stub too), so it's up to you to do.

Erik

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Trailer Brakes

Why do you have to weld in a new axle stub? Just weld on the brake baking plate (or caliper mounting plate.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Trailer Brakes

....the stopping issue aside for a moment...what about going?
Do you have enough grunt with that car/motor to effectively pull that boat far?
Is it local tripping that you will be doing?....or an extended trip?
Make sure you check this out on your car. Volvo's are tough little cars...but no torque is no torque.
I have an 18' Bayliner w/ an escort and I was towing it with a Dodge Ram 1500 V8 magnum. The truck is in good condition and tune and I was getting left behind by everything it seems. Mind you I was towing through British Columbia....and you are unlikely to ever take on nature to that extent anywhere else for as long when it comes to steep grades and strenous towing conditions.
Check out the cars capacity.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Trailer Brakes

Nobody said he had to weld on a new axle "stub". It was suggested that if the mounting plate was not there, the option is to replace the axle with one that has the plate. The mounting plates are available (I have a couple sets on hand). The problem for the do it yourselfer is most of them don't have welders. The next problem is properly locating and squareing the plate. Get it crooked and off center and the brake backing plate will also be off center or cocked and premature brake wear occurs. Get the plate too far back and the shoe is not centered in the drum. Get it too far toward the end of the spindle and the shoes rub the inside of drum. The next problem is getting a welding shop to weld something that they know might be a potential "liability" problem. I do it on my own axles but I will not do it for anyone else. Champion Trailers and others carry the plates. The hub/drum and brake assemblies must be on hand and measurements carefully taken to ensure proper location of the mounting plate. You can also go to a local farm store or trailer supply house and measure the location of the plate.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Trailer Brakes

I was highly advised not to weld on the backing plate unless you had a jig for the axle to hold the backing plate perpindicular. This advise came from Trail Rite trailers. They don't even bother welding on the backing tab. They just order new axles when they need to add brakes to a customers axle.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Trailer Brakes

...Unless it's for freshwater only use, and there are some advantages to electric brakes... like the ability to apply the brakes without hitting the vehicle's brakes, the ability to adjust brake force from behind the wheel, no need to disable them when backing up, and a few other things.

I agree with the advantages...that is why I installed an electric/hydraulic controller.

I spoke with many trailer manufacturers at the last boat show in LA. Not one of them recommended electric brakes on a boat trailer used in fresh or salt.

 

[vandy21]

Re: Trailer Brakes

OK, a lot of stuff to cover here.

First off, most of the the boating I do is in fresh water, but I would also like to be able to boat in saltwater. Buy if as you say, that electric brakes in salt water is not really a problem anymore, then that might be OK since I don't do much salt water boating anyway. Also, Erik, you say with surge brakes you must disable them before backing up? How is that done?

Secondly, I do have a brake flange plate so I don't need to worry about that.

Third, Big Prairie, The Volvo pulls the boat fine for what I need it to do. Most of my towing is short range, but it is some what hilly. Not the rocky mountains, but there are still a lot of hills, hence State Colleges nick name "Happy Valley" (< Lame I know). I'm not sure of the exact weight of the boat but I know it is under the 3300 pound towing capacity of the car. the car is turbocharged so it can provide the extra "boost" to pass cars and make it over mountains, although I've heard its not good to tow with a turbo charger.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Trailer Brakes

A short blast with a turbo car won't hurt anything but on a long grade exhaust gas temperatures can get really high and you might risk detonation damage to the engine. High octane fuel is definitely in order.

 

[vandy21]

Re: Trailer Brakes

yeah the cars been run on supreme gas its whole life.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Trailer Brakes

...interesting bit about the turbo info. Quite separate, you might get a kick out of this. We put in a new Highway in the interior of BC (aka..Rocky Mtns + 3 Other major ranges....x 5) about 15-20 years ago. The grade on that highway ate so many turbos that they put a sign at the bottom particularly targeted at Audi products......ie: 'try a different road'. They were catching fire and burning up at the summit due to the turbos being engaged for 45-60 minutes and creating excessive underhood temperatures. One summer they had (5+) Audi's burn-up at the summit toll gate. Hmmm....German cars....ya...not so much here...maybe back in ze' little hills of Germany and Switzerland....ya.
Important: these are very extreme, non-average conditions and are unlikely to be encountered in Penn state. If you are comfortable with the Volvo towing...go for it.
Make sure you have a good temp/reading gauge tho'.