New Trailer for C-27 is Ready! Disc or Drum Brakes?

[caguy]

The trailer for my C-27 is ready for delivery. I need to decide between Disc and Drum brakes. The Disc brakes are about $150 more. The upside to the disc brakes is that they are easier to rinse the saltwater off from them, hopefully helping them to last longer. The downside is the cost of the brakes $30 for a slave cylinder vs $120 for calipers when they do need to be replaced. The builder also says that discs tend to run hotter than drum brakes. He also says that backing up can be an issue with disc brakes. I plan on making a few trips per year LA to San Diego or San Francisco.
I wanted to get the opinion of the group here and any suggestions on how to better cope with either disc or drum brakes.
I need to decide in the next couple of days.
Here is a picture of the new trailer.

 

[jeepbluetj]

Nice looking trailer. I'll give some advice that many are going to disagree with:

Electric drums. Not hydraulic.

Why? Well the pros are pretty good:
#1: They're lots cheaper.
#2: They're not fiddly in reverse at all.
#3: They're adjustable (via the brake controller in the tow vehicle)
#4: You can brake/test manually (via the brake controller).
#5; I've seen too dang many of the hyd master cyls that are non-operational to trust them.

Downsides?
1. You'll replace the innards of the drums (the magnets and pads) much more often.
2. You really need to remember to disconnect the trailer while on the ramp. You should do that even with submersible lights, but with electric breaks it's not good on the actuators.

For hyd disc vs drum? Drums - both axles. You can fit them with rinse out hoses too.

 

[Jake N Eggs]

In general disc brakes are much more efficient than drum brakes. This could be where the statement about higher heat comes from as brakes turn energy into heat. As for the backing with surge brakes see the statement below.

You should be able to back up a hill with surge brakes.

If your trailer has (surge) disk brakes, it should have been equipped from the factory with a "free backing solenoid" which receives 12 volts DC from the tow vehicle's backup light circuit. This solenoid disables the brakes when the tow vehicle's transmission is placed in reverse. There will be a five wire connector (as opposed to a four wire connector) from the trailer to the tow vehicle.

If it was my choice I would go disc brakes for the efficiency. Both brake systems require maintenance on trailers that are regularly submersed. Surge brakes should be tested often. There is a manual leaver that can be deployed to lock the brakes on. This manual leaver is hooked to the towing vehicle and should apply the brakes in a vehicle trailer separation.

Good luck with the decision and I agree that it is a nice trailer.

 

[Sumner]

Nice trailer!!

I have trailers with both, electric on a car hauler and surge/disc on the boat trailer. For a boat trailer would for sure stick with surge disc, especially putting in and out of salt water. Looks like the trailer is setup for surge brakes. Is that right. There again surge disc brakes are going to have far fewer parts that can rust up vs. surge drum. I also like the way the surge automatically applies, depending on the rate at which you are stopping. My electric do also but I feel the surge react a little better.

As far as backing up, the surge brake activator on the tongue should have a hole that can be pinned when backing up. Also an electric solenoid can be added to the brake line where it comes out of the brake activator on the tongue, as mentioned above. It is activated by the tow vehicle's backup lights will prevent the brakes from engaging when backing. With it you don't need to pin the brake activator if backing. That can be handy if you find yourself in a situation where you have to backup suddenly and don't want to get out and pin the tongue.

I think the disc are worth the added expense and you will make up for that with fewer problems down the road.

Have fun on the trips,

Sumner
=================================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...
MacGregor 26-S Mods...
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas

 

[sailnewbie]

Another good for disc, no brake adjustment needed, drums need to be periodically adjusted to maintain proper braking

 

[Jackdaw]

I plan on making a few trips per year LA to San Diego or San Francisco.

Are not all of those places connected by the Pacific Ocean??

 

[walt]

Just a note regarding the backup solenoid used with disk surge brakes

I just converted drum brakes to disk on my trailer for reasons Sumner pointed out. The surge actuator I bought actually does NOT have the mechanical backup lockout so I drilled a hole for a temporary bolt that does that - very easy.

I didnt go with the 12 volt activated reverse backup solenoid for a number of reasons but in researching these, a couple interesting things came up. There are two types of surge solenoids - normally open and normally closed. The normally open is more common as it simply fits in line with the hydrolic line but it has a couple drawback that the normally closed one does not.

First issue describes exactly how I would have to back my trailer to get in side yard. I will just quote what is in the Kodiak literature (I have hard copy so cant give a reference but this is from the Kodiac Trailer Disc Brakes Installation/Operating Information

1. If the trailer is stopped in a downhill attitude, some positive pressure will remain in the brake line. When the back-up light is energized, the solenoid valve merely "traps" the pressurized brake fluid, which may or may not prohibit backing up the trailer.

2.. If the trailer hits any significant object (such as curb) while in the process of backing up, the entire force of the impact is transferred to the master cylinder piston (seal). Is is very easy to rupture a seal in this manner.

The normally closed solenoid valve is supposed to not have either of these issues but of course I didnt even see any of the normally closed options on the Etrailer web site (but spent almost no time looking) so the two issues above may not occur very often. And even with the soleniod, you may still want the mechanical surge de-activation (which is very simple and easy to implement).

 

[rgranger]

I have surge disk on my last two trailers. And LOVE them. I don't have experience with electric or drum so I can only say that I feel very confident with what I have and see no reason to try something else. But YMMV

 

[caguy]

Are not all of those places connected by the Pacific Ocean??

I will likely sail to San Diego but the trip to San Francisco is a long, slow and rough sail.

 

[caguy]

Just a note regarding the backup solenoid used with disk surge brakes

I just converted drum brakes to disk on my trailer for reasons Sumner pointed out. The surge actuator I bought actually does NOT have the mechanical backup lockout so I drilled a hole for a temporary bolt that does that - very easy.

I didnt go with the 12 volt activated reverse backup solenoid for a number of reasons but in researching these, a couple interesting things came up. There are two types of surge solenoids - normally open and normally closed. The normally open is more common as it simply fits in line with the hydrolic line but it has a couple drawback that the normally closed one does not.

First issue describes exactly how I would have to back my trailer to get in side yard. I will just quote what is in the Kodiak literature (I have hard copy so cant give a reference but this is from the Kodiac Trailer Disc Brakes Installation/Operating Information






The normally closed solenoid valve is supposed to not have either of these issues but of course I didnt even see any of the normally closed options on the Etrailer web site (but spent almost no time looking) so the two issues above may not occur very often. And even with the soleniod, you may still want the mechanical surge de-activation (which is very simple and easy to implement).

I may remove the Surge Actuator to keep it from being submerged until I need it. It is difficult to keep water from getting inside the master cylinder. I may even take off the calipers until needed. I will want to repack the bearings before a trip and will have to remove them for that anyway. I don't need brakes at the mast-up yard and with the extension coupler I won't need the Actuator coupler either.
I wrote to Don at Baja Trailers in Gardena and told him to go with the Disc brakes. Can't wait to get back in the water. Hope the old trailer holds up for one more launch. Should launch on Tuesday weather permitting.
Thanks all for your advice.

 

[dscribner]

Go with disk. My drums locked up so many times I can't count them. We splash in salt water every weekend and rinsed when we get home. I even installed a brake rinse system. Even with that, I've dug 5 foot furrows in my gravel driveway trying to bust them loose. On two occassions I arrived at the launch with smoking axles. Nope, I adjusted them. Nope, I greased them regularly and had bearing buddies. So i bought a disk brake kit and replaced them. My disk brakes have worked flawlessly for 5 years.

 

[caguy]

Thanks to everyone.

 

[BILLNPR]

OK guys, how do you keep your calipers sliding free after saltwater use and rinsed with freshwater? I use high temperature grease on the pins and sliding contact points. No, I don't want to buy $$stainless steel disks and calipers. To clarify, after use and washing if the trailer sets for 2 week without turning the wheels, the wheels are held tight by the pads. I usually then open the bleeding fitting and from under the trailer, use a large hammer with a bar to hit the calipers where they rest on bracket. That releases the calipers where the tires will turn.

 

[LANCE ON CLOUD NINE]

the largest diameter surge discs, on both axles will be your best boating money ever spent if someone pulls a dumb move in front of you. best of luck.

 

[LeeandRick]

I guess I never replied to this thread and brakes are a big deal to me. I will never go any other way than Electric over Hydraulic (E/O) disc. Try to get that surge controller to help you out when the tail starts wagging the dog down a long steep hill with a 25kt cross wind.

 

[Meriachee]

How heavy is that C27? If it's even close to the 270, we're getting up there significantly, and I wouldn't even think of going over a pass of any description without electric brakes. (Been there, scared %$@$less once was MORE than enough) Warped a rotor coming down the hill towards Denver with this thing out back. Not a lot of fun.....