Trailer brake

[whale]

I have been looking into trailer brakes. I don't have any now, thinking of surge disc brake. Cap style.
I would like your feed back on makes and types. All SS is must in salt or SS calipers with dacromet coating would be enough?
Also any good place to buy these parts in Canada?

Thanks.

[wedocq]

Don't do it! Trailer brakes are the bane of my existence. It just seems like something is always going on with them. What are towing with?
-Shawn

[croaker stroker]

Stainless Steel rotors are not durable......Durable rotors are not stainless.

[DevMah]

I have trailer with surge disc brakes they are made by Buddy products all stainless construction for the caliper and pins the rotors are cast iron with a  Dacrament finish.

I looked at Buddy and Kodiak disc assemblies as they have all Stainless construction.

Tuff Trailer 30350 Fraser Hwy. Abbotsford, B.C.


Mobile Hitch Phone: 604-306-4713    3681 Victoria Drive  Vancouver,BC V5N 5K9


Dev

[beancounter]

Listen to Shawn.  If you have a decent tow vehicle with good brakes like 1/2 ton truck or suv and drive conservatively you are fine with a 17 without brakes. Keeps your maintenance issues much simpler. If however you like to drive like a maniac get a tandem trailer with brakes on both axles. I have trailered  a lot of miles with 17 and 19 Arimas no brakes no problems. You just need to slow down some and be aware that everyone wants to swerve in front of you and lock up there brakes. Keep good tires,brakes and suspension on your tow vehicle though.

[Wyrguy]

Whale, you can follow some of the above 'advice'... ??? Or the regulations we have to live under here in BC.
What's the weight (gross) of your trailer would be a good start. Once you know that, see where you fit in here:

British Columbia
Trailer Brake Requirements
Gross trailer weight of 1,400 kg (3,080 Ibs) or less – Brakes are required if the trailer and its load weigh more than 50% of the licensed weight of the vehicle towing it.
Gross trailer weight of 1,401 kg (3,081 Ibs) to 2,800 kg (6,160 Ibs) – Brakes are required, including a breakaway brake.
Gross trailer weight of more than 2,800 kg (6,160 Ibs) – Brakes are required, and the trailer brakes must be capable of being applied by the driver independently of the towing vehicle's brakes. A surge brake does NOT meet this requirement. A breakaway brake is also required. Brakes are required on all axles.

Thats the correct way to determine if you need brakes, not by 'seat of the pants' advice... As for Shawns (constant?) issues with his trailer brakes? He's the one to describe his issues but I know that even though my trailer (tandem EZ Loader, disc surge brakes, oil bath hub, and torsion suspension) sat in my driveway for almost 3 yrs when I was sick, I did a check on the tires etc before towing, no problems at all, and that's with living 4 blocks from the ocean.


Wyrguy Rick

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[Threeweight]

If you go brakes, go disc. 

Shawn's experience with drums is pretty common.  By their design, whenever they are submerged in saltwater you can't adequately flush them short of submerging the trailer in freshwater a few times.  Components end up rusting together, then you have a heck of a time even getting the shoes to compress so you can get the drum off to service it. 

Kodiak's are the cat's meow, but Woody and I added the Tie Down brand disc brake kit to my 17' trailer and they worked great at about half the price.  I had their "Galv-X" silver cadmium coated rotors, hubs, and calipers, and never had a corrosion issue (though I obsessively flushed them with freshwater after every saltwater trip).  Just remember to flush the brake fluid once a season (brake fluid attracts water and will rust out the interior of your components if you let it go too long).

[blindmonkey]

Probably price wise best to buy from Eastern Marine and have them shipped to Blaine or close to border . Pick up yourself and save some money. If you decide to do that let me know I am thinking of doing brakes as well, maybe we can get a better deal from them.

[wedocq]

Rick is definitely correct first and foremost, you got to follow the law. Down here, not many have trailer brakes on their 17's. Being a professional driver, I believe in real life situations, Beancounter's advice is just as important (or more). You need to be aware of your surroundings and maintain an adequate following distance.
-Shawn

[whale]

First of all I am towing my SC17 with ford ranger V6. I never felt I need brakes however I am trying to stay legal. I'm little confused about licenced weight, GVW, GVWR.....

These are the numbers I've dug up.
GVWR 2395kg
GVR 2558kg
Net Weight 1705kg
GCWR 4309kg
Max trailer weight 2477kg

SC17+F90+T9.9+fuel+gear on aluminum trailer 1200-1300kg?? (Guess)

I'm thinking I may be just over.
What do you think?

[Threeweight]

Run the boat over some truck trailer scales if you can.  I think your estimate is in the ball park for an aluminum trailer... galvanized would be 200-300# more.

[Wyrguy]

Whale, you need the capacity label off the trailer. The info you provided is from your tow vehicle. Weighing the boat/trailer/motor combo over a truck scale doesn't meet the regs, it'll only let you know if you have the right capacity trailer under the boat and it's also useful to help set up tongue weight on your hitch.

Here's an example of an EZ Loader trailer VIN capacity label with the required info on it:




Wyrguy Rick

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[whale]

Hey Rick
Is this what you need?

[whale]

This is better

[whale]

I don't know why the numbers aren't showing.
GVWR 1492kg
Max load cap 1225kg
I guess I must be close to maxing it out, I don't know why dealers sell it like that.
Is the only way to find out for sure is to go to the scale when it's closed and weigh it myself?

[Wyrguy]

I don't know why the numbers aren't showing.
GVWR 1492kg
Max load cap 1225kg
I guess I must be close to maxing it out, I don't know why dealers sell it like that.
Is the only way to find out for sure is to go to the scale when it's closed and weigh it myself?

Whale, it looks to me that based on your Tuff trailer info, the trailer doesn't require brakes, BUT... Your trailer max rating is more than 50% of your tow vehicle, therefore you DO need brakes (unless you have a bigger tow vehicle?) Also, not knowing the max weight of your boat/motor/gear, you might also be over the max weight capacity of your trailer... Your next move would be to get the boat/motor/trailer & gear weighed... Once you have that info, it'll let you know what direction is best for you.
I don't understand why dealers do this, unless it's there way of getting 'down' to a price point??? I had a STRUGGLE with the selling dealer when I bought my boat pkg as I knew that the 4700 lb trailer wasn't going to be enough... (And that's when I hadn't questioned the price point, just the opposite!) The only thing I wished I'd pushed harder on would've been the Elec over Hydraulic. I have a 1 ton ex-cab LB C3500 Chev pick-up that already had the brake controller in place for a previous travel trailer.... Oh well, hindsight is 20/20.


Wyrguy Rick

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[Wyrguy]

The pictures that I'd posted previously of a Wash State registered Pathfinder and the boat/trailer crunched on the Inland Island Hwy here, north of Nanaimo where the results of a lightweight tow vehicle, surge (drum) brakes (that were inoperable) and a panic stop (attempt?) when someone cut him off changing lanes in front of him at 110 KpH Hwy speed. The boat & trailer 'passed' the Pathfinder and then flipped it around flinging the boat off the trailer OVER the truck!!!







My description? Rocket science with a monkey wrench! (No offence to any rocket scientist on here...)


Wyrguy Rick

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[milos dad]

I don't know why the numbers aren't showing.
GVWR 1492kg
Max load cap 1225kg
I guess I must be close to maxing it out, I don't know why dealers sell it like that.
Is the only way to find out for sure is to go to the scale when it's closed and weigh it myself?

Whale - if the weigh scale is not closed, and no lineup is evident, I have weighted our rigs (truck with fifth wheel trailer or truck and slide in camper) with the attendant giving me a printout - there is no charge for this.  Not once has the attendant came outside his booth to inspect the weight placard on the door post.