Adding trailer brakes to a trailer

S

South of Heaven

New member
Guys, can someone explain to me the principle behind electronic trailer brakes? Also, will it be something which is doable for my trailer and car?

I have a small Volvo and the trailer is a single axle. Will a normal 4 pin hitch plug work? Are there any tow vehicle limitations to adding brakes? Most people have trucks and SUVS.....I do not. LOL
 
I used to tow with a Volvo (not my 22, but various trailers). Trailer brakes are especially nice when you have a smaller tow rig.

I'm not sure if you are specifically asking about electric brakes, or just brakes in general. Essentially there are three types that I know of.

1) Surge brakes. These work just by the fact that the trailer "pushes" on your tow hitch when you slow/stop. The coupler on the trailer has a mechanism that uses this to engage brakes (disc or drum - I have disc) on the trailer. There is no electrical connection to the car needed for engaging the brakes. Oftentimes there is a wire (so a 5-way flat not a 4-way flat connector) that engages a solenoid so that when you put the car in reverse to back up, the trailer brakes don't engage (otherwise they would because you are pushing on the hitch). There is usually also a "manual" way to lock out the brakes (a pin or etc.) so maybe on a small rig you could just use that and not even have the fifth wire.

2) Electric-over-hydraulic brakes. The brakes part is the same as in #1, but instead of being actuated by just pressure on the coupler, they are actuated electrically and you have a brake controller wired into the cab as well. This is basically overkill for a 16, in my opinion.

3) Purely electric brakes. Traditionally, these have not been used on boat trailers, but member Colby who has a 22 has been using them successfully on his boat trailer. Perhaps he'll chime in. I believe these have to be drum brakes, which are not considered to be quite as good as discs (and I think harder to wash saltwater out of).

I'd probably go for #1, but might think about #3, especially if I were mostly fresh water boating. For myself, #2 would be a luxury for a 22, and more of a necessity when getting into a 25 or larger.
 
https://trailers.com/state-laws/massachusetts.php

This site gives the laws for MA. Other states are entirely different. Some require brakes at 1,500 lbs, others at 3,000 lbs. total towing weight. Others have distance stopping requirements.

It is always safer to have brakes, especially when towing with a lighter vehicle, and at highway speeds.

Surge brakes make the best sense for a 16.
 
Surge brakes may be the best option in your situation. But if you are still interested in Electric brakes, they would probably be the easiest to add to the trailer, but would require your car be wired for a brake controller. For either electric or surge, you would need to add brake backing plates with either hydraulic or electric brakes, and replace the hub with a drum. Surge brakes are going to require hydraulic lines and a hydraulic coupler, whereas electric brakes would just require the wiring, with at least a 5 pin plug. Wiring the car for a brake controller is probably the hardest part. You can look at my photo album to see what the operating mechanism of trailer electric brakes look like. Colby
 
When I looked into surge brakes for my 16, I found that my trailer was not set up to retro-fit them. On the smaller trailers like the 16s use, most companies don't bother with what looks like a fairly simple weld plate for a brake system. The cost of having it added (and getting it right) was only slightly less than buying a new trailer.

I'm working on a system where in an emergency stop my anchor automatically deploys. :D

Mark
 
Marks right. I was assuming you had a 4 bolt backing plate that the brake backing plate could mount to. But many smaller trailers would not have that. My EZloader twin axle came with only surge brakes on one axle, the other axle still had 4 bolt mounting plates on each end that could accept brake backing plates. I imagine you could buy a new axle with the proper setup, cheaper than having that piece welded on. Colby
 
a 4 pin or wire system is for surge drum brakes

a 5 pin wire system is for surge disc brakes
Disc are easier to clean and stop a lot better That s why airplanes ,all new cars and most new trailers have them If we are talking RV's then they use a electric drum set up not as good for sure .Some of the higher priced RV's are going to elec /over hydraulic with great results For a 16 ft boat and trailer weighing less then 2000 lb a drum or disc set up would be fine .If your trailer is new try trading up to one with brakes already on there if thats to spendy then just add a new axcel with brakes on it already cheaper then a new trailer for sure (depend on your trade in) Jim
 
Good point on the brake backing plate. My 22's trailer came with (drum) brakes on only one of its two axles, but the square backing plate was already on the other axle, so it was ready to add brakes to (went to four-wheel disc, but still surge).

But too as you say, it's not that big a deal (in trailer terms) to change an axle. But then as you also say, it's always good to at least see what a new trailer would cost in comparison.

I knew when I bought my boat that the trailer was going to need a lot of work to be up to snuff for me. Enough so that I seriously considered a new trailer. But what made me stick with my trailer was this: Sure, my upgraded parts were half the cost of a new trailer, BUT the parts themselves would not have come on a new trailer (at least not a "normal priced" one). I would also have had to upgrade a new trailer to get up to the "better" parts that I used (Kodiak brakes, Timken bearings, bigger winch, cypress bunks, heavier wiring, etc.). The theoretical new trailer that was twice the cost of my repairs/upgrades would only have had basic items, not upgraded ones. Once I knew that I made the decision to stick with my trailer and upgrade it my way. Your situation may be different, so it's something to consider on a trailer by trailer/owner by owner basis.
 
I'm finding that researching trailer brakes for a CD 16 leads to complex choices. I stopped in at a well known trailer shop and asked what they would do. They would replace the 2K axle with a 3.5K axle to get the brake flange factory welded. They could weld a flange plate on my axle, but pulling the old axle, aligning the plate, welding, and reassembly would cost about the same as simply putting on a new axle. Since the same springs would be reused, the spring rate would remain the same even with a stronger axle. The shop said that the stiffer axle would actually be better for rugged conditions and actually might save some tire wear. Definitely better if you ever high-center the axle.

Then adding disc brakes and surge actuator for the new axle would bring the entire cost to have this done at a shop to about $2K. I'm assuming that the brakes and actuators would be the low end models. But I figure that $2K is the amount of money I'm dealing with. Since my boat is laid up for the winter, it's simply a matter of whether/how much better a system I can produce as a DIY project.

One of the items that interests me, as long as there is an axle replacement, is going with a torsion axle. It's possible to find a 2K# or 2.2K# torsion axle with brake flanges for $350 (with shipping). True independent suspension, and no rusting/squeaking leaf springs sounds like it would be nice. Plus, when you remove the springs the trailer could sit a couple inches lower. Depending on where you tow, this could be a good thing.

The next item is the size of disc brakes. The cheapest (and often included in axle kits) is the 7" brake. These are trailer specific rather than an automotive standard, so if you need parts when on the road, you won't find what you need at the local NAPA. You might not anyway, but the shop also told me not to bother with 7" brakes.

Then the question is the grade of the brakes. They go from automotive standard ($175 per axle) with little corrosion protection to full stainless steel calipers, rotors, springs, bolts, etc., ($675 per axle). Question is how often will I launch into salt and for how many years.

The surge actuators that I have found appear to all be similar, with the big difference being whether it has a reverse lock out. Maybe if I thought I would never get into busy traffic while hauling I might be tempted to save a few bucks and not get this feature. But the idea of having to get out and mess with the hitch so that I can back up in an emergency makes the reverse solenoid a no-brainer.

The guy at the shop wanted to make it clear to me that I would be spending as much or more than my trailer is worth and I'm not likely to recoup that money. Sort of like having custom leather seats put in a Prius. If you ultimately sell to somebody who has trailered a lot, they might appreciate the improvements, but basically the decision is based on whether I will trailer enough to get my money's worth.

Mark
 
It is an easy DIY project, and you will be saving a lot of money! I agree that it is cheaper to go with a new axle, with the flanges, rather than try and weld on the older one. I also like torsion axles, but be sure you have fender clearance. Either one has to be correctly positioned carefully. Replacing the leaf spring type will be easier.

If you need parts, it is not going to be critical, and most towns have trailer shops, which have standard parts. If you can rinse the brakes after each dip--then you should be OK with non SS. There are pluses and negatives both ways. Probably in the long run, SS would be the best however, especially if most launches are in salt water, and if there is no wash down, or you will not be able to use a garden sprayer.

Get the lock out solenoid. When you back the trailer into a parking spot, or even at launch, you don't want to have to lock out the surge brakes manually.
 
I think your assessment sounds pretty much right on in terms of the decisions, value, etc. I don't know about pros/cons of torsion axle. I have towed a trailer (camper) that had one, but it had one stock. My C-Dory trailer has leaf. I've never changed axles back or forth on the same trailer, so no way to compare directly.

One middle ground you might consider is Kodiak's Dacromet coated brakes. They are somewhere between regular and stainless in terms of corrosion protection as I understand it. At the time I got my brakes there was some talk of issues with some of the stainless ones (which may have been just that.... talk - I don't know), so I went with the Dacromet coated ones (which also cost somewhat less, although that's not purely why I chose them).

Here is a discussion I found on The Hull Truth when I was double-checking the spelling of Dacromet:

http://www.thehulltruth.com/trucks-trai ... water.html
 
If you do decide to replace that axle, and don't opt for the more expensive SS Disc brakes, I'd suggest 10" brakes, assuming you have a standard size 15" or 16" tire. Those are very easy to get, and Dexters have done good for me. If you are going standard brakes anyway (not SS or Disc), then I'd still recommend all electric if you don't mind having a brake controller in your car. (You could also go EOH - Electric over Hydraulic, but that is going to just about double your cost over all electric). Just seems like you are going to a lot of work for a 16' boat trailer. If the mod costs the same as a new trailer, and you can get a new trailer already outfitted with brakes, I'd do that. Otherwise, once you have the axle with the brake backing brackets, you should be able to add electric brakes (brakes and hubs) for about $55/wheel. You can get a good brake controller for under $100. If you need someone to install it, that might cost a few hours time. Colby
 
Colbysmith raises an important point with tire size. It's another area where brakes on a small trailer gets complicated. Many 2000# trailers have 13" wheels. A 3500# axle has a larger spindle than the 2000# axle (which is the main reason for the higher weight capacity). If you replace the 2K axle with a 3500#, you will have the larger spindle and 10" disc brakes fit that spindle, but not your 13" wheels. So you may need to figure on new wheels and tires and a spare just because of the size brakes used on a 3500# axle (add $400+).

Tie Down (aka Tow Zone) makes a disc brake that is 9.6" and allegedly will fit a 13" wheel on a 3500# axle, so you could re-use your existing 13" wheels and tires if you go with that brand.

It is also possible to find an axle manufacturer who will put a brake flange on a new 2000" axle. I found a place that quoted me $259 for a galvanized 2K axle with flange, including shipping. Many fabricators don't offer galvanized on a custom axle (and a 2K axle with a brake flange will be custom). My current idea is to get this axle and the 8" Kodiak brakes, which seem to be about the only ones that fit 13" wheels on a 2K straight spindle axle.

Out of curiosity, I just ordered brake flanges for my 2" 2000K axle. They were $5 each and I wanted to see what would be involved. The 2000K spindle is welded into a 2" square galvanized axle. I've actually done that before and it's no big deal. But the new brake flange would not fit over my trailer's axle weld unless the weld was partially ground off. Although there are sites on the web that give the measurement for placement of a brake flange on a 2000# axle (it differs from other axles), one of the recommended methods is to buy your brake kit, install it on the axle, activate the calipers so that they are tightly attached to the disc, and then place the mounting flange in position. That is assuming that your grinding of the spindle weld is clean enough to make you comfortable with the flange placement (i.e., is it on top of the weld that you ground off?). Then you weld the flange in place. And then you would have to decide if the weld that you ground off is still sound or does it need to be rewelded. Sounds tedious and makes buying a new axle seem like a good deal.

Next issue (it's always something) is the fenders. My really nice two-step EZ Loader composite fenders have an inboard skirt right where the new disc brakes would be. I can modify (cut out) that area, but it would weaken the fender. Also, if the new axle and brakes are two inches wider, it's not a big deal on my trailer, except for the fenders. New fenders needed with new brakes?

Mark
 
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