Trailer Brakes

T

Two Bears

New member
We just returned home from a 2 &1/2 month, 9,000 mile “walkabout” to the southeast aboard “Two Bears” which followed us aboard a single axle trailer. It was a great trip and we came home with quite a list of “diamonds” and “bricks.” (Diamonds are things you take reluctantly which prove themselves valuable, and bricks are those things that never got used). One conclusion was that for our next trip we better have a two axle trailer.
Present trailer is a King but when I needed some help the nearest dealer is 6 hours away, so am considering an Easy Loader because of the extensive dealer network. A local boat dealer gave me a quote for model TEZ 19-22/24 which is standard with hydraulic brakes. The disk brake upgrade is $1,000 more. Electric Brakes are an option- didn’t get price. I’ve just read the threads on trailers and brakes on this site and the issue of heavy brake wear with hydraulic brakes comes up with long down grades. When I trailer to Puget Sound (often twice a year), I do one long downgrade west abound and two east bound. In the treads several people commented about short brake life on hydraulic brakes. Last fall my single axle trailer drums had worn down and needed resurfacing after just two years before this trip, so I’m not the only one who has suffered short brake life.
I have three questions: 1) Is that the EZ Loader model that other CD-22 owner have, and is there any things I should require/ add on or watch for? 2) Is the disk upgrade worthwhile (at a full boat-buck?), and / or can I get electric disk brakes? 2. Has anyone had problems with electric brakes in the salt water world?

Chuck
 
Chuck,

We have a 2007 EZ-Loader Aluminum Tandem axle trailer for our 22 which I
ordered with Electric (drum) brakes on both axles. I installed the brake flush
kit from EZ-Loader and after I get to the ramp parking area I hook up the garden hose to the female hose fitting on each axle and it flushes the inside of the
brake drums, shoes, actuators and backing plates. No corrosion is evident after
4 years of salt water use. (We put in at Bellingham every year)
The electric brakes work very well and when adjusted properly you can't tell that
you have a boat in back of you if you have to get on the brakes hard.
After pulling tandem axle boat trailers with surge brakes for 26 years I would never go back. In addition, It came with the Reliable brand oil bath lubrication
system for the wheel bearings. So far no problems or leaks and the bearings run
extremely cool (even across the desert to Lake Powell. Although I have always
run with Bearing Buddies and never had any problems.
Hope this helps.

Mike
 
I have electric brakes on my 22' enclosed car trailer w/ a control module in the cab. I have surge brakes on the King boat trailer for the 25. I can only comment that I wish the King trailer had electric brakes as well.
 
Hi Chuck,
Grey C'Lune (2007 22 Cruiser) sits on a 2006 EZ Loader TEZL96 19-22/24 4700 -note the 4700. The 06 catalogue also shows the same TEZ numbers with a 4300 lb capacity.
We very much like the bunk load guides, which could be a little bit higher than the standard brackets. We also installed a front keel roller.
We talked with EZ Loader dealers at boat shows last winter, and they indicated that factory ordered trailers with electric over hydraulic dics brakes would cost very little more than standard drum brakes. I think this would be a very good upgrade.
Our trailer has oil bath hubs which so far have been very satisfactory.

Bob
 
Another option for you would be a electric over hydraulic system. You use an electric brake controller on the vehicle to control a hydraulic pump on the trailer.I hear they work good. Made by Dexter. Disc brakes are better for dissipating heat if there is any chance of overheating on long applications. Different pressures for drum and disc brake systems so don't mix and match parts.
 
Hi Chuck,

I forgot to tell you the model number of my EZ-Loader trailer.
When I talked to EZ Loader prior to ordering they told me that
this is the model they specify for the CD-22.

TALB 20-23 4600

-Aluminum frame and crossmembers
-Leaf Springs
-Bunks
-LED Lights

Hope this helps,

Mike
 
I would certainly include side guides, or side bunks.

Don't know if you can get them from the factory, but I recently started using a tandem trailer, and because of the smaller tires, it rides lower and I am noticing occasionl of "curb drag". Now I am looking for some "skid wheels" that will eliminate that awful D R A G !!!

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
Since you asked I would get 14 in tires with torsion axcels and disc brakes. If towing in the mountains I would opt for hydraulic over electric brakes about a $700-800 option well worth it for long hauls and mountain driving .

When we upgraded our single axcel trailer we went to an alum trailer to save some weight then added torsion axcels for better salt water protection and lower trailer for easier launching .Disc brakes are so much better for stopping and shedding water and easier to maintain .

As far as getting an EZ loader trailer vs some other brand most trailer builders use the same partrs Kodiak or tie down brakes and leaf springs or torsion come from the same venders and most good trailer shops can fix any brand.
 
Two Bears":d9ymvu3a said:
We just returned home from a 2 &1/2 month, 9,000 mile “walkabout” to the southeast aboard “Two Bears” which followed us aboard a single axle trailer. It was a great trip and we came home with quite a list of “diamonds” and “bricks.” (Diamonds are things you take reluctantly which prove themselves valuable, and bricks are those things that never got used). One conclusion was that for our next trip we better have a two axle trailer.
Present trailer is a King but when I needed some help the nearest dealer is 6 hours away, so am considering an Easy Loader because of the extensive dealer network. A local boat dealer gave me a quote for model TEZ 19-22/24 which is standard with hydraulic brakes. The disk brake upgrade is $1,000 more. Electric Brakes are an option- didn’t get price. I’ve just read the threads on trailers and brakes on this site and the issue of heavy brake wear with hydraulic brakes comes up with long down grades. When I trailer to Puget Sound (often twice a year), I do one long downgrade west abound and two east bound. In the treads several people commented about short brake life on hydraulic brakes. Last fall my single axle trailer drums had worn down and needed resurfacing after just two years before this trip, so I’m not the only one who has suffered short brake life.
I have three questions: 1) Is that the EZ Loader model that other CD-22 owner have, and is there any things I should require/ add on or watch for? 2) Is the disk upgrade worthwhile (at a full boat-buck?), and / or can I get electric disk brakes? 2. Has anyone had problems with electric brakes in the salt water world?

Chuck
Click to expand...

Chuck,

The difference in cost between standard hydraulic drum brakes and hydraulic disc brakes from EZ-Loader is about $110.

I think there's some confusion on the pricing from your dealer. EZ-Loader trailers have no brakes included in their base price on the dealer price sheet and must be added. To add hydraulic surge drum brakes to a tandem axle trailer (in the size you're looking at) is generally $865, to add hydraulic surge disc brakes is about $975. [Prices do vary between dealers.]

The $1000 figure you're remembering is the total price for adding disc brakes, not the cost to upgrade from drum brakes to disc brakes.

Electric over hydraulic brakes (only disc) are $2327 which includes the in-cab controller. So they'd be $1462 more than surge drum brakes and $1352 more than surge disc brakes. Again, these are average "street" prices.

If you're pulling with a marginal tow vehicle (like right up against the tow rating) or in the mountains a lot then the upgrade to electric over hydraulic is a nice one. On a boat the size of a CD22 it's not "necessary" for most folks at all. EZ-Loader doesn't show them being available on the TEZ 19/22-24 (but you dealer can always call EZ-Loader and ask).

Do not go with all-electric brakes...those are for travel trailers. 'Nuff said.

We're a King and EZ-Loader trailer dealer. I'm curious what you needed from a King dealer? King, more than most, uses all off-the-shelf parts which can be had from a dealer or on the Internet. You really shouldn't need physical access to a King dealer except for the (short) warranty period.

We've had very good results from both manufacturers; I find I choose one or the other to recommend based on use and fitment rather that based on brand.

Where you discuss short brake life...it's not because they're hydraulic brakes it's because they're surge brakes. The real issue is between "in-cab" control and "surge" control, not between hydraulic or electric.

With the TEZ 19-22/24 you're going to get more trailer than you need but it gives you the correct frame length for the CD22, the extra capacity just comes along with it. That model only comes with 14" tires.

Les
 
Les, please educate me on the difference between "electric" and "all electric" brakes (as you posted; only used on travel trailers). :?
 
mcolp":dmgki1ak said:
Chuck,

We have a 2007 EZ-Loader Aluminum Tandem axle trailer for our 22 which I
ordered with Electric (drum) brakes on both axles. I installed the brake flush
kit from EZ-Loader and after I get to the ramp parking area I hook up the garden hose to the female hose fitting on each axle and it flushes the inside of the
brake drums, shoes, actuators and backing plates. No corrosion is evident after
4 years of salt water use. (We put in at Bellingham every year)
The electric brakes work very well and when adjusted properly you can't tell that
you have a boat in back of you if you have to get on the brakes hard.
After pulling tandem axle boat trailers with surge brakes for 26 years I would never go back. In addition, It came with the Reliable brand oil bath lubrication
system for the wheel bearings. So far no problems or leaks and the bearings run
extremely cool (even across the desert to Lake Powell. Although I have always
run with Bearing Buddies and never had any problems.
Hope this helps.

Mike
Click to expand...

Mike,

Glad that trailer is working out for you, it's the one we spec'd when we were a C-Dory dealer.

For routine use in saltwater I can not recommend drum brakes, either surge or electric. The numbers tell the story. Prior to the availability of disc brakes we worked on LOTS of trailer brakes; since we started selling trailers with disc brakes (we were a very early adopter) we work on almost no trailer brakes.

For occasional saltwater use drum brakes are fine but I've never seen any of them stand up to years of routine saltwater use (with the very rare exception of a very anal owner willing to spend the time it takes to keep them up...most don't).

I think pure electric (RV) brakes have no place in the boat trailer world but I'll admit bias here since I've never had a customer say anything good about them. Why would you want to submerge and electrically actuated brake system underwater? [That's a rhetorical question...not aimed at you specifically.] Just not my cuppa tea and until I hear a lot of great reports I'm afraid they'll remain on my "don't buy" list for coastal customers.

Les
 
localboy":34dvdrt2 said:
Les, please educate me on the difference between "electric" and "all electric" brakes (as you posted; only used on travel trailers). :?
Click to expand...

I meant for "all electric" to mean electric brakes as used on RVs where it's all fly-by-wire (no hydraulic lines). There are wires running right to the brake mechanisms to apply them.

The other type is "electric over hydraulic". In this case the entire brake system is just as it would be on a car or typical trailer; hydraulic lines running the length of the trailer connected to the brakes. The electric part just replaces the surge coupler on a typical trailer so that you gain in-cab control. When you press on the brake pedal rather than the weight of the boat/trailer applying the brakes by pressing on the surge coupler the in-cab trailer brake controller sends a signal to the electrically driven controller on the trailer (it's just a pressure pump) which then applies the brakes via the hydraulic lines.

They're not only used on travel trailers, they're offered on boat trailers as well but I think they shouldn't be (my Not So Humble Opinion).

Les
 
We have a 2006 EZ-Loader two axle trailer with surge disc brakes. In the past I have used electric over hydraulic and really prefer them. Being able to control the brakes from inside the cab is a big plus. On down grades one can elect to brake the trailer first avoiding fishtailing, etc. On down grades with surge brakes I slow a lot at the top, downshift and tap the accelerator to free up the brakes and let engine compression act as a brake. I always worry that the surge brakes will engage and drag all the way down. If I were buying a new trailer I would certainly try to get electric over hydraulic and definitely go with two axles.
 
OK, Les. Thanks for the clarification. My understanding of "electric" means "electric over hydraulic" then, which is what my car hauler has installed. Never seen a fly-by-wire brake system, but w/ technology advancing so quickly...

I prefer the electric/hydraulic vs surge. The clanking is merely an annoyance, but the ability to adjust braking from within the cab, based on conditions etc, is the main point for me, especially since our F-250 has a factory control module built in. If I had it all over, I'd go that route.
 
localboy":123zejy9 said:
OK, Les. Thanks for the clarification. My understanding of "electric" means "electric over hydraulic" then, which is what my car hauler has installed. Never seen a fly-by-wire brake system, but w/ technology advancing so quickly...

I prefer the electric/hydraulic vs surge. The clanking is merely an annoyance, but the ability to adjust braking from within the cab, based on conditions etc, is the main point for me, especially since our F-250 has a factory control module built in. If I had it all over, I'd go that route.
Click to expand...

Actually the electric braking for RVs has been around forever, at least back into the 70's that I can remember. It's a new thing for boat trailers. Fulton (I believe) makes the electric brakes for EZ-Loader and they use stainless springs, sealed components, etc. It may be that it turns out to be a good thing but since my experience with drum brakes on boat trailers (no matter how they're applied) in saltwater has been good I'll wait to see what history says in a few (say 20) years.

Les
 
Wow, Les, my education progresses. I've regularly pull a car hauler with electric trailer brakes, but never a boat. I really like the idea of in cab control. My truck is a 3/4 ton Chev which is overkill but nice. On the last leg home I hit snow on a long downgrade. The road had been warm, then the storm, snow and 26 degree temps left about 2 inches of packed ice with powder snow on top. I had truck in 4 wheel & creeping down but was really afraid the trailer brakes would apply, lock up and the trailer would jackknife. I really felt I had no control for a while (hours & weeks it seemed). I lucked out, but don't want to go there again.

My reading past trailer threads and discussion with the dealer left another question about trailer length. My present trailer does not come to the back of the boat so there is nothing for an outboard motor brace to brace against. I tie a piece of 2x6 between the shaft and the motor mount and drop the motor down on that for support. The Suzuki manual says to use a support, and not use the catch on the outboard. On our "walkabout" I hit several batches of bad road at speed that really threw the truck and trailer around. In the trailer threads I saw two mentions of getting an extended trailer (24'), but that comes with an (*) in the EZ Loader info sheet. Needed?? Another question: Weight. Looking at my single axle trailer on our trip it was very overloaded, but I never actually weighted it. On long trips like that it gets canned foods, lots of food and water and lots of gear and more fuel is left that I would have liked so I suspect it was much heaver than I normally think, so should I go for the 5200# weight?

Chuck
 
Two Bears":2s4z79ay said:
My present trailer does not come to the back of the boat so there is nothing for an outboard motor brace to brace against. I tie a piece of 2x6 between the shaft and the motor mount and drop the motor down on that for support. The Suzuki manual says to use a support, and not use the catch on the outboard.
Click to expand...

Chuck you may want to get one of these. I use one on our 150 Suzuki and it works great. It's ingeniously simple to use.

http://www.m-ywedge.com/
 
If you want the "best" then a trailer frame which comes to the back of the CDory's transom, full support for the hull, with two bunks on each side, which come to the transom--and electric over hydraulic disc brakes. A C Dory 22 trailer will measure more like 26 feet over all.

The single Axel trailer which came with my "new" C Dory is minimal--it is rated at 4350 capacity. The trailer I had with the first C Dory 22 had dual axels, dual brakes (happened to be drum and did fine)--and was full bunks, with a capacity of over 5,000 lbs. Certainly it was a better road trailer.

I don't have any experience with "electric" (Meaning magnetic coils which activate the brakes)--but friends have and there was damage to the electrical part of the unit in a couple of years. This was due to corrosion and water getting into the coils. I suppose that potting with Epoxy might get around this problem.
 
I have a two axle EZ-Load trailer with a single set of drums and have not had problems with it yet...it is now 8 years old and I notice only one wheel is hot when I use the brakes...(time for some major repairs)..
I also have surge type hitch and a set of load lever bars which very much dampen the braking action...not good.

I think I will just replace the drum brake system with some of those stainless steel disk brake units... and do away with the surge controller...then I will set up a hydraulic coupler at the back of my truck.. it is like a wheel cylinder with a piston and pin...and when coupled together with the slave cylinder on the trailer makes a hydraulic coupler that can not transfer fluid but transfers motion..just like the master cylinder of the truck...plus you can adjust them so they are more or less responsive so that the brakes apply only after the truck has already started braking... works really good...it's what heavy over the road trucks use only in miniature.

I figure that after 8 years of use, in and out of salt wanter I will need replacing lots of parts on my old system so why not upgrade now..plus I used to teach Brake systems and it's easy for me to do.


Joel
SEA3PO
 
We have a tandem Float On aluminum trailer with all stainless hardware. It has disc brakes on both axles. It originally came with surge brakes but because of our trip out west I had it converted over to electric over hydraulic. Long downhills can apply surge brakes continually and cause enough heat to melt your wheel seals. Some think this as a wheel bearing failure which it is but the cause can be the seal being subjected to over heating from the brakes being on constantly.. With electric over hydraulic the brakes only are applied when you want them applied like when you push on the brake pedal. Our 09 Chevy has a built in brake controller which you can set the amount of gain (brake Pressure to be applied mostly in our case it is changed when the boat is off or on the trailer so the tires don't slide and get flat spots when empty if the boat is in the water. Or if travelling in the snow or ice I might back them off a little.
I have not noticed any abnormal brake wear. Disc brakes are a lot easier to maintain I don't miss the adjusting part with drum brakes. Our trailer's brake pads are available any where as they are the same as the brake pads on a 1990 Chevy Cavalier.
D.D.
 
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