Electric-over-Hydraulic manufacturers

[Ray]

Hi All,

I am planning to add a controller/actuator to my trailer in the next month or so.

I searched around here, and all of the EOH forum discussions do not seem to include much info on the success/failure of specific manufacturers' actuators or controllers (unless I missed some).

Dexter? Titan? Carlisle? Curt? Which do you have? Do you like it? Is it the best one ever?

How about the controller? Which brand is your preference?

What didn't work right? What was a pain to install? Care to vent?

Not trying to start any wars or anything, just looking for some real-world data before dropping a ton of money on something.

Thanks in advance,
Ray

[Golerud]

Ray,

I installed electric over hydraulic last year and they work great Offhand I don't recall which brand it was but different brands of disc bakes may require different controllers due to pressure limits. My brakes have aluminum calipers and can't exceed 900 to 1000 psi where others may handle up to 1500 to 1600 psi. I worked with a rep at etrailer.com and they we very helpful. I don't have any experience with eclectic over hydraulic on drum brakes

When I can, I will check and see what brand of controller I have.

Gary.

[Ray]

Thanks, Gary!
I was getting worried! 106 views and not a single person wanting to say anything!
Whew!
Thanks.

[Golerud]

Ray,

I have the Carlisle 1000 psi pump/actuator. I don't know what the incab unit is but I think it's a model of the Teknosha brand.

Gary

[Sunbeam]

Since the thread is not filling up with direct-experience responses, I'll just say that when I used to frequent trailer towing forums (camper type), the Tekonsha Prodigy seemed to be the standard "good" one most everyone was happy with. Then the Tekonsha P3 came along and some people went with that one (a few more techy features). This was 2-3 years ago though, so maybe of limited value. I've never had brakes with an in-cab controller, so no personal experience.

Sunbeam

PS: Oh wait, I did tow a trailer cross-country last summer with a friend's truck that had an in-cab controller. I don't remember what brand it was, but I DO remember that it had obnoxiously bright colored lights that were on *all the time* -- they were annoying enough that the owner had permanently taped up a piece of paper that hung down and covered them up (I had asked what the paper was for). That caused us to miss (for a few minutes) when one time the controller wasn't functioning correctly (because we didn't see the "problem" light). The truck was very capable, so no harm done in that case; but I would look for one that didn't have that style of lighting, if possible, and if that sort of thing bothers you.

[amy and karl]

Ray,

We just finished replacing the entire braking system on our 07 ez loader tandem.

Our trailer came stock with an ufp model a-70 surge actuator, steel brake lines, kodiak e-coat calipers and reliable oil bath hub/rotor combos.

We replaced it with a straight 10000 lbs coupler of the bolt on variety. A titan brake riteII sd eoh actuator. All new flexible brake lines. Kodiak stainless calipers and kodiak dacromet coated hub/rotor combos. We like the oil bath hubs so we also went with kodiak pro lube oil bath hubs.

I had an activatorII brake controller in my pickup which is a time based controller. We replaced it with a tekonsha p3 proportional based controller that has a setting specific to electric over hydraulic brakes. This is the type reccomended by titan.

So far we have about 100 miles(one trip) on this setup and are still looking for the perfect setting on the controller. That being said the difference between surge and eoh brakes is unbelievable.

The installation of the brake riteII sd is truly plug and play. Same for the tekonsha p3. We purchased a custom mount that is sold by pacific trailers. It's specifically made for the brake rite actuators and added to the ease of installation.

I realize eoh for a 22 is probably overkill. But what can I say, I drive truck for a living and I believe in good brakes.

Good luck on your project.

Karl

[colbysmith]

I converted to straight electric on my 2007 ez loader. I've always used and been happy with an older tekonsa controller. Only one led on it that is green when the brakes are connected and turns shades to red as brakes applied. I'm pretty sure it works off of inertia when stopping. Of course this means I have drums as opposed to disc. I also have the original ez loader oil baths on the rear axle. I did also add electric brakes to the front axle and didn't want to give ez loader my money for their expensive oil bath brake drum/hubs, so went with standard dexter and then used the aftermarket Kodak prolube oil bath kits which work fine. Colby

[Ray]

Thank you all!!

[journey on]

Colby, I assume that when you say "straight electrics" you mean the dragging solenoid that I have on the travel trailer. These are great for drums, except for dunking the electric parts in water. In Wisconsin, one may assume you only boat in fresh water. In salt water, those brakes SHOULD NOT be used. I wouldn't be happy with them in fresh water either, but you seem to have good luck.

Also, those brakes don't work in reverse. Some ramps are steeper than others and some boats are heavier than others.

Boris

[journey on]

I just remembered this post I made: Carlisle EOR Brakes

The message was concerned about fixing the brake actuator. The electronics card in the actuator had failed and the factory didn't want to sell me a replacement. So, if I have one recommendation it's this: ask about parts when you buy the actuator.

Notice that the post was in 2008, so the actuator was fairly new ( 3 years.) I just assume that it was infant mortality. But I'd be doggoned if I was going to buy a new one. I yelled and screamed as much as one can do over the phone and they sold me one. The distributor didn't help.

So before you buy, ask about parts.

Boris

[Ray]

Thanks, Boris!

[colbysmith]

Boris, I know you hate electric brakes. You've pounded every positive comment I've written about electric brakes. I don't care if you use them in salt or not. The electrics will hold up just as good as the hydraulics if you are comparing drum brakes to drum brakes. I understand salt corrodes the components. But when comparing drum brakes to drum brakes, most the components are the same. The only difference being, is that instead of having a piston and hydraulic fluid (which by the way doesn't do well at all with moisture in it), you have an encased magnet that "pulls" the brakes. I suggest you'll have no more problem with that magnet in salt, than you will have with the hydraulic piston! As for backing, unless you unplug them, like I do, I'm pretty sure electric brakes will work in reverse. (So then will EOH). For the record, yes I dunk my trailer only in fresh or brackish waters. But I think those that knock electric brakes, when comparing drum to drum, really don't have a good knowledge of the working side of them! For anyone else thinking about going all electric, they are much better than surge offering more control. The only downside from surge, is the tow vehicle does need to have a brake controller. Price wise, they are less than half the cost of EOH (Electric over hydraulic), and one less item (surge coupler or EOH ujnit) to maintain. They work well for those of us that use them and maintain them. Nuff said! Colby

[thataway]

I'll lead away from the electric drum brake with a question. How do the GMC/Chevy built in controllers work in comparison to the conversions?
Anyone with E/H brakes using the controller which is built in?

[rogerbum]

We have E/H on the Float-on trailer for the Tomcat. I have a 3rd party add-on controller in my Tundra and my buddy has a Silverado 2500 duramax truck with the built in brake controller. It works flawlessly with the trailer. Similar to other controllers, both the rate and intensity of response are adjustable. With the dual axle, Kodiak disc brakes and a Carlisle E/H unit, we have to dial the response back to about 50% to keep the trailer from stopping too abruptly.