Do I Need Trailer Brakes?

[colbysmith]

Bob, I totally agree that the disc brake is a better brake. As for the stopping capability of electric vs. hydraulic, I have locked up electric trailer brakes on both the 4500 lbs C-22 & trailer, and also on a 9300 lb Searay 268 Sundancer & trailer. Both types of brakes can lock up brakes! (of course the idea is not to lock them up! Electric trailer brakes have been around for quite some time, and I think have proven to be very effective. Even on land based trailers they are driven in wet and salty conditions. Getting back to the original post I suppose, since this is getting like the twin vs. single argument.... If someone is looking for an inexpensive brake system that will work well if maintained, the simplest and most cost efficient would be all electric.

Here's another forum I found with folks discussing the same issue, but I think have a lot more pro-electric!

http://forums.iboats.com/forum/general-boating-outdoors-activities/trailers-and-towing/625210-confused-electric-brakes-for-marine-use

[AK Angler]

Well, Bob, I'm trying to ignore the palpable condescension in your previous post. But, I have to say that I do use my boats almost exclusively in salt water. (So maybe my opinion counts.)

I've used electric drum brakes on my boat trailers for the past 10 years with very few issues, save a particular period of time when I failed to perform adequate maintenance. I do agree that the components don't last forever. But with regular inspection, any developing issues can be identified and corrected before those issues become problems. Just like other brake systems - or most any other system on a boat - electric drum brakes that are properly maintained will provide years of trouble free service. And on the up side, replacement parts for electric drum brakes are fairly inexpensive - as are the better electric brake controllers, something that cannot be said about an electric over hydraulic systems, or surge brake systems.

The bottom line is, even with a short wheelbase tow rig, brakes of any type aren't necessarily a requirement for towing a 16-footer (which was the impetus for this thread). But, if one wants, or is required by law, to put brakes under a CD16, electric drums are certainly adequate. And in my opinion (which is obviously an opinion shared by some others), they just might be the best choice.

[jack keifer]

We have a 16 Cruiser and by living in Boise tow everywhere. In fact we just finished a 1,000 mile trip to Lake Couer d'Alene. We likely have a trailer similar to yours and it does not have brakes. I am thankful because it is one less maintenance item. The problem with boat trailer brakes is after they are soaked a number of times they lose their effectiveness and then when you need them they are not there. What is more important is good driving habits when towing. Increase your distance when following, downshift to a lower gear when traveling downhill so that you don 't have to use brakes, or use them sparingly, get off the throttle sooner when coming to reduced speed zone and if you have to brake do it gently so that the trailer is not pushing you, and finally avoid a potential jacknife situation by braking in a straight line. I think this strategy will do more to safely preserve tow vehicle brake life than then adding trailer brakes. Our tow vehicle is an '04 Yukon with 94,000 miles and it still has the original brake pads on all 4 corners with significant life left in them. I might add a high percentage of those miles have been towing one trailer or another, including a 4 horse trailer, cars to race tracks, and our 22 C-Dory to such places as the San Juan's, San Francisco Bay, and Yellowstone Lake. And I usually drive the speed limit or a little more, so I am convinced how you drive is a more of a factor than having brakes on a trailer when legally they are nor required.
Cheers and happy motoring
Jack

[olsurfdog]

OK-I can't resist. Have to add my $.02.
Doesn't matter how much HP My car has. If I'm going down the road at 60mph being able to stop in 104' is much better than 132'. Especially if the idiot that pulled out in front of me and stalled is at 110' ahead. Doesn't matter if I allow extra distance between me and the car in front or I drive like the best expert defensive driving pro. Whatever, stopping shorter is safer!!! Maybe I'll never need that extra braking power but it sure is nice when/if I need it. Drive long enough and sooner or latter the time probably will come...... If I decide to tow a trailer (and the extra weight involved) without trailer brakes my vehicle may be able to stop but no way is it going to be as quick as without the extra load or trailer brakes. Guess we all have to decide what chances to take. Sort of like whether to wear a life jacket or not--never needed one to this point. Don't know about you but when/if I need it I'll be much happier if it is on! Make your decision on how much of a chance your willing to take.
Now, type of brakes (or twin vs. single) is another story. I'll not go there!!

[T.R. Bauer]

[thataway]

[olsurfdog]

[colbysmith]

Surge brakes are probably better than no brakes. However, there was a reason that the DOT did not approve of surge brakes for a while. If one keeps their surge brakes well maintained, and setup properly, they can work decently on flat, straight and level. But one needs to understand how they work. And that is, they work by pushing against the tow vehicle. They will never "tug" or help stop the tow vehicle. As soon as that begins to happen, the trailer brakes release. If surge brakes are setup properly, as soon as the trailer begins to "push" the tow vehicle, the surge brakes are engaged and that helps to slow the trailer, until it is no longer pushing on the tow vehicle. You can not adjust how much stopping power is being applied by the surge trailer brakes from within your tow vehicle, as you can with electric (or EOH) trailer brakes. On dry pavement going straight, the properly setup surge trailer brakes simply stop or reduce the amount of force the trailer is pushing the vehicle. But get the tow vehicle on a slippery surface, and all hell can break loose as the trailer initially pushes the vehicle at the hitch. With an electric system (all or EOH), the trailer brakes are activated as soon as you push on your brake pedal and/or the control unit in the cab feels deceleration. And can actually be used alone to help straighten out a fishtailing vehicle or one that has lost it's own brakes. With EOH (Electric over Hydraulic) you add one more component to the mix, the small electric motor that usually sits on the trailer tongue that transfers the electric signal into hydraulic pressure. This added component is probably worth it if one wants to go to a superior disc brake setup, but is also one more component that can fail. (I do not have any experience with EOH, and wonder if there is any kind of delay from when the car brakes are applied until the unit activates the trailer brakes...) However, if one is running standard brake drums and shoes anyway, for most purposes, all the components in either a hydraulic or all electric system are made of the same metal/iron material. The electro magnets I've purchased have the wires encased inside the "magnet", with epoxy on the one side, so the "windings" are sealed from the water. Dunking an electric brake for a few minutes, is really not that much different from the soaking they can get traveling many miles down wet roads. Same goes for traveling down salted roads in the Midwest Winters. Bob, all I can suggest regarding your three friends, is lack of maintenance, cheap components or exaggeration... And most negative comments I read online or in magazines are from folks that do not have personal experience with the component, but are rather just repeating something they've heard from somebody else, or read from backyard mechanics, or folks that should know better, but don't! I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Any system will fail that is not maintained. I continue to recommend electric brakes to anyone that doesn't want the added expense of EOH or Disc, but I also suggest they go with better to best products. Which gets us back to the original reason for this post. Installing all electric brakes on a trailer is still going to be the most cost efficient and safe system! And will definitely make towing safer. Colby

[Hunkydory]

I think the + & - of the three different brake systems or no brakes have been well stated by the many post on this thread. Personally, for well over a million miles I've pulled trailers using surge, electrical, electrical over hydraulics, air over hydraulics & no brakes in all sizes from very light to heavy recreational to the big rigs requiring a CDL. One type I don't have experience with is boat trailers using electrical only brakes & that is due to all that Bob describes, which is in my opinion pretty representative of most of the experienced people using boat trailers in salt water. Perhaps that's now changing & the electrics are as good as Colby & a few others here have decribed. I really like the electric over hydraulics on the latest replacement trailer that I have towed the Hunkydory the last 20000 miles including three trips to Skagway Alaska, but I had 50000 miles on the prior one with surge brakes & several more Alaska-Canada trips & other trips including steep grades on snow & ice without any mishaps or even close calls & though I do prefer the electric over hydraulics, I think that surge brakes with a competent driver & a tow vehicle well matched for the trailer weight a ok system too.

As to Bruce's original question. I think he has plenty of input on this thread to sort through & then do what he feels best & that's about as good as it gets on subjects such as this.

Jay