Electronic brake boosters

[4x4junkie]

Ok I occasionally pull a car hauling trailer, and a camper trailer, i understand the use and reason for electric brakes. My thought is for those of you who use electric brake boosters for trailering, what have you found to be the most reliable and all around best including cost, acessability of installation, operation, and dependability.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by 4x4junkie

Ok I occasionally pull a car hauling trailer, and a camper trailer, i understand the use and reason for electric brakes. My thought is for those of you who use electric brake boosters for trailering, what have you found to be the most reliable and all around best including cost, acessability of installation, operation, and dependability.

I have surge trailer brakes with my 4,ooo lb boat trailer.

I have used this trailer now since 1986 purchased new at that time..towed this with a 307 cu in chevrolet sedan until 2000 when the 2000 silverado took over.

for me with the correct brake adjustments you actually forget that your towing when braking most times you do not feel the small bump that the actuator in the hitch can make sometimes..so far this system I have yet to make repairs..this year I will replace the brake shoes..

I never had electric brakes ..with new technology I guess it must be better than what was available in 1986 .

[kahjdh]

Surge brakes are becoming illegal in alot of states and getting harder to find around here.

I have used multiple different brands through work but most of the shops around here stock the reese pilot system. Also if you want to put brakes on a trailer I have found buying a complete backing plate with servos and shoes to be the cheapest route. Since I'm the young guy at work I have to crawl around on the ground working on these.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by kahjdh

Surge brakes are becoming illegal in alot of states and getting harder to find around here.

I have used multiple different brands through work but most of the shops around here stock the reese pilot system. Also if you want to put brakes on a trailer I have found buying a complete backing plate with servos and shoes to be the cheapest route. Since I'm the young guy at work I have to crawl around on the ground working on these.

easy loader boat trailers come with electric or hydraulic surge brakes ..this is all done with strict manufactures rules to follow standards under current laws.

anyone who plans go using a boat trailer I recommend surge brakes..

what is needed with surge brakes would be the back up solenoid. this prevents brakes coming on when going in reverse..especially up hill..

with electric brakes in salt water this would not work very well after a few dunkings...

[j cAT]

[quote=kahjdh;6857086]Surge brakes are becoming illegal in alot of states and getting harder to find around here.


I guess these surge brakes are now legal ! AGAIN !

After more than 10 years of struggle, rental businesses can finally declare victory on surge brakes. The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in Washington, D.C., announced the publication of their final regulations that will allow surge brakes on all small- and medium-sized trailers, even those used in interstate commerce. The new final rules were to be effective April 5, 2007.

[kahjdh]

Just what I was told. There was a huge accident in pa a few years back and everybody said it would have been avoided if it had electronic brakes. It think it was a construction trailer broke free and ran down the wrong side of the road.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by kahjdh

Just what I was told. There was a huge accident in pa a few years back and everybody said it would have been avoided if it had electronic brakes. It think it was a construction trailer broke free and ran down the wrong side of the road.

good post here ..never realized it about the electric brakes .

most all trailer rentals use surge brakes ..reason is you need a aftermarket on board vehicle brake controller , for use with the electric brake trailer..

what happens is the electric brake trailer ends up going on a contractors truck with no controller , NO BRAKES !

[4x4junkie]

did a little researching: http://www.redtrailers.com/ShowArticle.asp?id=2und


SURGE BRAKES

However, there have always been questions about the actual legality of surge brake systems. DOT regulations specify that trailers with brakes must be fitted with an actuator that allows the tow vehicle driver to operate the trailer brakes independent of the tow vehicle brakes. In other words, he must be able to actuate the trailer's brakes without stepping on the tow vehicle brake pedal. Surge brakes do not offer this feature. They work using the deceleration force present as the tow vehicle stops. When the driver applies the tow vehicle brakes, the surge brake coupler's internal master cylinder compresses against the coupler body, forcing brake fluid through the brake lines to the wheel cylinders which forces the brake shoes against the drum (or pads against the rotor, if equipped with the newer disc brakes). If this sounds like a description of how the tow vehicle's brakes work, that's because surge brake systems work very much like car and truck brake systems. Unfortunately, there's no way for the driver to independently apply the trailer brakes in case of emergency. Are surge brakes legal? Technically, no — but that's a "technicality" that's been overlooked for decades. Surge brakes are still very popular on marine and rental trailers, and probably will continue to be for years into the future.

Surge brake maintenance can be time-consuming and troublesome. Just like the tow vehicle's brakes, the trailer's brakes must be maintained and serviced regularly to ensure that they'll work properly when they're needed most. With surge brakes, this involves changing the brake fluid, checking and/or replacing the lines and fittings carefully when corroded or leaking, and replacing the brake shoes and related parts. In addition, just like when servicing tow vehicle brakes, surge brakes must be bled in order to work properly. It's no wonder most surge brake systems go unserviced for many years, sometimes for the entire life of the trailer if it's used infrequently.

[j cAT]

today the surge brakes are legal . the state laws prohibiting these , no longer apply with trailers under 10,ooolbs ..which in this forum would effect us with our vehicles.

with any braking system be it on a trailer , or motor vehicle the maintenance/inspection must be done on a periodic schedule..

as those of us in the repair business know , most vehicle owners have the brakes serviced when they can no longer stop.

If they own a trailer sitting in the woods for several months or YEARS then just hook it up and start towing your horses around or boat would not be good , but sure it occurs every day ....

I have worked on all types of braking systems , the worst is the air brakes...hydraulic is the best , electric braking with the use of electric motors is good but with unfortunately , a lot of parts and contolling componets.

for reliablity I would say the surge system ,also least amount of parts to fail.

for total control the electrics would be the best ..

with a large trailer that can have no load or a load that is the maximum , this is where the surge brakes cannot compensate to increase braking effort with a heavier load. with these type over 10,ooolb trailers you would need to adjust the trailer braking effort from the cab...

boat/camper trailiers would have a constant load ...no problem !

[777stickman]

Originally Posted by 4x4junkie

Ok I occasionally pull a car hauling trailer, and a camper trailer, i understand the use and reason for electric brakes. My thought is for those of you who use electric brake boosters for trailering, what have you found to be the most reliable and all around best including cost, acessability of installation, operation, and dependability.

I have the Tekonsha "Prodigy" installed in the '98 Sub and the '05 Ram. It's solid state with accelerometer technology. Infinitely adjustable for voltage output and smooth as silk.

Hope this helps.

[skeeter123]

I recently got the Tekonsha P2, its an inertial brake controller, was able to get it with exact cable to match my vehicle (no wiring/soldering issues) It has some diagnostic displays that can show you battery voltage, applied brake voltage, current (amps) going to brakes, etc. And has manual control lever so you can apply the electric brakes manually, for testing/adjusting voltage levels. I got mine thru etrailer.com.