Trailer Brakes

[shakey55]

I have a single axle Brooker trailer, about 18 months old. On the trailer is my Seafarer V-Sea (16').

I now want to put brakes on that trailer. Not keen about electric as it is often dunked in salt water.

I am thinking about maybe disc.

Can someone please help with brake type, where to buy, how much and how to install.

'shakey'

[Geoff]

I have a single axle Brooker trailer, about 18 months old. On the trailer is my Seafarer V-Sea (16').

I now want to put brakes on that trailer. Not keen about electric as it is often dunked in salt water.

I am thinking about maybe disc.

Can someone please help with brake type, where to buy, how much and how to install.

'shakey'

The most common mechinical type are made by AL-KO & sold through marine dealers.

You will need new hubs which include the disc , bearings , caliper assy , pads , brake cable & a new front coupling.

A new axle may also be required to mount the caliper assy

Excluding the axle , around $500 for parts + fitting.

It may be easier & faster to purchase a new axle assy complete with brakes from a trailer manufacture however a new tow ball coupling & cable would still be required. The cost for these , inc the brake overide , would be approx $160

Don't expect amasing results , they will help but the car will still be doing most of the work.

Geoff

Edited September 26, 2012 by Geoff

[tunaman]

I have a single axle Brooker trailer, about 18 months old. On the trailer is my Seafarer V-Sea (16').

I now want to put brakes on that trailer. Not keen about electric as it is often dunked in salt water.

I am thinking about maybe disc.

Can someone please help with brake type, where to buy, how much and how to install.

'shakey'

http://www.titanbrakes.com.au/home.php

Specialists with boat trailer brakes.

Ill be using their KODIAC Hydraulic discs when i upgrade my brakes.

they also have the simple overide mechanical discs you require.

Study their website, you will soon be a trailer brake expert .

Edited September 26, 2012 by tunaman

[shakey55]

Thanks for replies. I'll look into it.

'shakey'

[zmk1962]

I have a single axle Brooker trailer, about 18 months old. On the trailer is my Seafarer V-Sea (16').

I now want to put brakes on that trailer. Not keen about electric as it is often dunked in salt water.

I am thinking about maybe disc.

Can someone please help with brake type, where to buy, how much and how to install.

'shakey'

Electric and disc are not mutually exclusive. Electric brakes may have got a bad name as many early electric brake systems were drum brakes (intended for Caravans etc) these are crap for salt water though as there is no real way to wash them out apart from stripping them. Also they relied on electric driven soleniods to activate the brake shoe and it was difficult to waterproof the solenoids.

So if you want discs (recommended) and you want to stay away from "all electric brakes" or the expensive compressed air brake systems that semis or some horsefloats have on their rigs, then you basically have two choices:

a ) Mechanical override - a previous post described those. Al-Ko is a good brand. They work on the forward motion of the trailer driving forward a piston on the towball connection that activates a lever that pulls on cables to activate the calipers on the discs. This system is OK stopping in a straight line, but has some problems for instance when driving down hill and you are using the engine to slow down, being completely reliant on the forward motion of the trailer against the slowing down car this system can sometimes activate the brakes. Similarly, going uphill or reversing downhill - the car does all the braking. Hence the other posts comment that you will find the car still does all the work.

b ) Electric Hydraulic - here the brake system on your car, activates a hydraulic pump on your trailer to drive the disc brake calipers. So only when you press you car brakes do the trailer brakes come on. In addition, you have a manual over-ride in the car, which allows you to apply the brakes on the trailer only. Seems daft thing to do - but speaking from experience, when the boat and trailer started to swing and fishtail at 80-90km/hr on the freeway due to the cross winds, a simple press of the override straightened the rig out quick smart.

I have run electric hydraulic disc brakes on my tandem rig since 2001. No major issues. I also have the electric breakaway set up which means the trailer has a small 12v battery (motor bike type) mounted to drive the hydraulics in the event of a breakaway from the car coupling and power source.

The major components of my system are:

1. In car: Electric Brake controller. Hayman Reese (my older truck had a Hayes Lemmerz Energise III - this was a better unit as it sensed vehicle de-acceleration and applied more current -read braking force- progressively).

2. Car to trailer: Standard multi pin electric trailer flat plug - one of the pins connects the car brake circuit to the trailer brake system. (No compressed air drums / couplings etc)

3. Trailer:

a ) Carlisle Hydrastar Electro/Hydraulic Brake actuator

b ) 4 x Galvanised Trigg Hydraulic Brake Calipers

c ) Hubs with discs etc

After each saltwater dunking I make sure I wash the hubs/discs and calipers with a good dose of fresh water and hit them with a coat of WD40. I suggest you do not have the hose on pressure spray as this forces the salt in but more importantly just run lots of water across them to dissolve the salt away.

I am running original discs / hubs since 2001. I have changed brake pads 2 - 3 times.

Re cost etc. I have given you the brand names of the components I have so you can Google them for prices. Any car mechanic or good quality trailer shop can quote you to install.

Hope this helps.

BTW, any reason why you want to brake enable your rig? I can't imagine you are hitting the legal weight limits. The above may be a bit overkill unless you are maybe towing with a smaller car?

Edited September 27, 2012 by zmk1962

[a boat]

Hi, V-Sea with I am guessing a 70 thru to a 90HP outboard would be over the 750Kg legal requirments for brakes but you do not want the expense of not only fitting but maintaining electric break-away brakes, that are required for rigs over 2000Kg. As the guys have mentioned there are plenty of places to get these parts but be aware the cost, espesically if you are going to pay someone to do the work, will be worth than the trailer and you would be better of trading it in on a new trailer with brakes. The other aspect will be the VIN plate situation, your trailer VIN will still only say what it says now and trust me if you get involved in an accident the insurance company is going to look at that and I doubt you will be covered because the VIN plate will still be under 750Kg as the legal mass of BMT even though a V-Sae will be over that.

Cheers,

Huey.