Brake System UpGrade

[Tom Hoffman]

I have an old Shorelander heavy duty trailer that came with my boat.

The entire brake system needs to be stripped out and completely renewed.

The old actuator is no more and only serves as a trailer hitch. It is welded on, so I will have to have it cut off and then weld a length of 3" Square tubing on to start over from scratch with a new heavy duty actuator. I have lurked here and read many articles on brakes. One question that has come up that I seem to remember is about backing up a hill and having the actuator lock up because of the weight of the trailer pushing back toward the truck and locking up the brakes. What feature on an actuator would provide a release to stop that?

Should I go with drums or discs. So far all we have ever launched in is fresh water. We do have delusions of grandeur and are thinking of towing the boat toward warmer climes. I might be foolish thinking of putting my old trailer in salt water. Most likely that would be the death knell for it.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[Bosman]

I have a newer Shoreland'r trailer with surge brakes (2010 model). It features a by-pass valve, that is actuated when vehicle is in reverse and back up lights are turned on. This provides voltage to the one of the pins of the trailer electrical connector, which turns on the bypass valve preventing wheels lock up hence allowing easy back-up. Perhaps you could contact Shoreland'r and see if it is possible to retrofit your trailer.

 

[Benny17441]

Trailer looks fine. You can put it in salt water but recommend you hose it down after use.

 

[hman]

I have an older EZ Loader with surge brakes, there is a hinged plate where the tongue goes into the actuator. When you need to back up, you can pull it down and it "wedges" the tongue so it won't actuate the brakes. I don't use it much because backing down the ramp keeps the brakes off and my winter storage area is a bit down hill too. I did try it just to see if it worked, it does!

 

[packman]

surge brakes

Since I'm in the same spot I'll recommend what I'm doing for this, replace with stainless disks if that's in your price range, use a good actuator with a reverse valve or pin. The disks won't be so hard to flush after salt water as a drum setup, you might also want to inquire if the maker has versions designed for salt water

 

[packman]

and I'm a dingbat for not seeing your non salt water home port

 

[dscribner]

Tom,

Disk brakes are best but drum brakes can be free backing. In other words, pull up and back up and don't worry about it. See if disks can do the same. I don't know.

 

[Sumner]

Tom,

Disk brakes are best but drum brakes can be free backing. In other words, pull up and back up and don't worry about it. See if disks can do the same. I don't know.

The disks can with the wiring to the reverse lights. No big deal and works great. I'd highly recommend the surge disc. I have trailers with surge disc and elect. drum and love the surge disc. setup over the other. I'd also much prefer the surge disc over surge drum. Way less parts and the disc work great. You can get a complete kit with everything you need between $400 and $500 and sometimes under $400..

http://www.blackbearsportinggoods.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=ELLTIED82101&click=12

Here is some of our install...

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor2/trailer-mods-13.html

Sum

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Our Endeavour 37

Our MacGregor 26-S Pages

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

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[Tom Hoffman]

WOW Sum, That Endeavour is some boat.

Thank you all for the help on the brake question. I am leaning toward the package that Sum posted the link for.

Wether or not we actually pull this beast to the south and salt water is yet to be seen. We are just dreaming right now.

We are going to take it down to the Marina in the Coralville Reservoir (Iowa City) and see if we can sail it there for the summer, we will off load and tie it up for a week or so so I can work on the trailer and get the brakes fixed easier. I really hate jacking the trailer up with the boat on it. I think I am going to turn it over and paint the under side too. Time and money will tell.

Thanks again to every one.

Tom...

 

[Sumner]

....Thank you all for the help on the brake question. I am leaning toward the package that Sum posted the link for.......

Here is another source that someone posted...

http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Brakes/Titan/T4843100.html

...I used the one I posted in the previous post.

A while back the etrailer site had the kit for under $400 and we paid $380 for the kit from the other site. They seem to move their prices up and down every few weeks. so keep an eye on them or maybe call them. It is a good kit and has worked very well going to and from Florida (about 5000 miles).

With the electric I always seem to be messing with the controller sensitivity. With the surge the harder you brake the more they brake and no controller wires except for the reverse lockout. If you don't want to wire that there is a pin that you just put in when backing. I use that at home when moving the boat around with the ball on the front of the Suburban. It is simple and quick. Still I like the other one as sooner or later you pull in someplace and need to back up and it just works once you throw it into reverse,

Sum

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Our Endeavour 37

Our MacGregor 26-S Pages

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

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[Tom Hoffman]

Sum,

Do you think adding only one set of brakes for the front Axel of my trailer would be sufficient. Can't hurt. but I wonder. The boat weighs 5600 + the trailer. I have pulled it around Iowa for 2 years with out brakes, of course last summers accident when my Suburban got totaled probably would not have happened if I had brakes on the trailer. The boat pushed me forward enough that I hit the guy in front and banged up his Plymouth Voyageur.

The trailer currently has only one set on the front Axel.

 

[Sumner]

Most of the sites recommend the brakes on the rear axle (leaf springs and equalizer) as it gets loaded more under braking. A number of people do run them on the front and they seem to work fine. I put them on the back..

The line that came with the kit was long enough for me to do that with our trailer. I think some have gone to the front because of the line length being too short to reach the back. I got ....

....a little creative though with how I routed the lines...

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor2/trailer-mods-8.html

Sum

 

[centerline]

on the front axle alone, under extreme braking conditions and depending on a few other factors, you can experience axle hop... where the torque of brakes load up the springs, then when it starts to skid it will unload the springs and then grab again and unload.....on the rear axle this wont happen. its the geometrics of the way tandem axles are all put together under the trailer..... I too, like Sumners Idea of the surge disc brakes. less maintenance and self tending.....
and your trailer looks good.... I can tell by the photo that its a sound unit...... and the age of the steel its built out of doesn't matter.... it will haul your boat just as nicely and as far as one that was built yesterday. just clean it up and get some more paint on it before the rust really gets to going on it....

 

[Tom Hoffman]

Centerline, Am I understanding you to say the the front axel is the prefered location. That is where my old drum brakes are at present.

Thanks,

Tom...

 

[Merlin Clark]

Tom,
Back in the olden days (when dinosaurs roamed the earth and sea), many heavy boat trailer actuators were locked for backing by sliding a pin thru the outer box. Looks like that hole about 6 inches back from the ball clamp knob and towards the bottom would be the hole for this.

 

[centerline]

Centerline, Am I understanding you to say the the front axel is the prefered location. That is where my old drum brakes are at present.

Thanks,

Tom...

lol... thats not what I meant for it to sound like.
the front axle is not the place for single axle brakes. too many issues can arise from it, whereas the rear axle brakes just work smoother without the potential complications like the front axle......

 

[Tom Hoffman]

CenterLine, Thanks, that clears up that muddy question. HaHa...

I am going to get the brakes for the trailer as soon as I can get the boat in the water in a couple of weeks.

Thanks again to every one.

Tom...

 

[tkanzler]

on the front axle alone, under extreme braking conditions and depending on a few other factors, you can experience axle hop... where the torque of brakes load up the springs, then when it starts to skid it will unload the springs and then grab again and unload.....on the rear axle this wont happen. its the geometrics of the way tandem axles are all put together under the trailer.....

Expanding on centerline's post, here's a thread with some detailed discussion of this phenomenon from not too long ago.

http://forums.macgregor.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=136713&highlight=brakes

I put mine on the rear axle for the reasons given by Sumner and centerline, but I'm probably going to add them to the front axle this summer, too. That will reduce the push from the trailer to the tow vehicle for the same total amount of trailer brake deceleration contribution, as my tow beast is a bit small for the load.