New Brakes

[Skull]

Considering several options for my boat trailer brakes.

Existing are hydraulic drums on a galv. trailer. 3500# axles...tandum. 23+' Pacific Trailer hauling a 201(20'2") ProLine Cuddy 150 Merc OB 70 gal fuel .

Need new actuator, lines, brakes and housings. ...bearings are still operating.

Considering Discs ...can get a a replacement set with everything including backup solinoid for less than $450.00 (I'll install them myself)...@ Tie Down w/ SS discs and lines, actuater w/ solinoid. Actuator is Zinc but never gets submersed and always rinsed after each usage ...BTW ocean use exclusively.

Any suggestions on Disc vrs Drums and Electric vrs Hydraulic. Plan on hauling my boat down to Baja mid spring 6-700 mile round trip (caravan with two other boat owners). Usual trip is 4 miles round trip to the local ramps here in San Diego so never really needed the brakes that much since speed limit from my house to launches is 25-30 mph. Towing with a Chevy 1500 FWD w/ tow package and tow I'm stupid.

 

[Captain CaveMan]

Well Disk is always better than drums. Electric is better than hydrolic. + you can use your trailer brakes to slow down to help with a safe stop. (only if you have your controler set right) I would suggest getting a trans cooler on top of the stock one. the stock one is nice but a extra one makes a big diffrence. I have one on my 1/2ton ZR2.

 

[jstbecauz]

Definately disc conversion.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

Electric is better than hydrolic.

Electricity and water do not mix. You do NOT want electric brakes on a boat trailer.

The consensus over on the whaler list is that the Kodiak disk brakes are a bunch better
than the Tie-Down disks.

 

[Tom Winters]

I guess I'm doomed then. I have triple-axle Kodiak electric/hydraulic disc brakes pulling my 30' Century. I got these after a lot of research on The Hull Truth. I have an under-dash brake controller so I can fine-tune everything while I'm rolling.

 

[captain]

Hydrolic surge discs tend to work better with heavy rigs and drums are better on light rigs. Drums have the increased braking force caused by the servo action of the drum and shoes that discs do not, so more force is needed at the master cylinder on disc systems and the heavier rig puts more force on the surge coupler.
The old drum brake cars did quite well without a vacuum power booster because of the servo action but you would need the leg of a body builder with discs without a booster

 

[Skull]

Boat is 1850# OB~ 500#, 70 gals of fuel ~600# and gear ~ 200# .so roughly 3300#.

Leaning toward SS disc conversion with hydraulic system. UFP Marine grade ...recommended by local trailer mfg. Anyone familiar wtih UFP@

Sully

 

[Tom Winters]

Bounce some of your thoughts on The Hull Truth forums. Lots of good info there. Through a guy there, I got my trailer for $1,300 less than anyplace else I could find.

 

[dannobee]

Hydrolic surge discs tend to work better with heavy rigs and drums are better on light rigs. Drums have the increased braking force caused by the servo action of the drum and shoes that discs do not, so more force is needed at the master cylinder on disc systems and the heavier rig puts more force on the surge coupler.
The old drum brake cars did quite well without a vacuum power booster because of the servo action but you would need the leg of a body builder with discs without a booster

Huh?? Hydraulic brakes depend on the size of the master cylinder and the wheel cylinder/caliper piston diameter. The smaller the master cylinder bore and the larger the wheel cylinder or caliper piston size, the higher the pressure at the brake pad/shoe and less pedal effort needed, although the pedal travel would be longer. Duo servo brakes aren't used on any boat trailers that I've seen. They're non servo with an anchor at the bottom.

And plenty of heavy race cars have 4 wheel discs without brake boosters. It's just a matter of choosing the correct pedal ratios and sizing the master cylinder(s) and caliper pistons correctly.

And drum brakes HOLD the vehicle better, but disc brakes STOP the vehicle better. The reason drums are still used is purely because of cost.

 

[captain]

Check it out. this is from one of the largest internet trailer parts retailers.

http://www.championtrailers.com/DrumVsDiscBrakeArtcl.htm