Need new trailer brakes -- Drum or Disk?

[Porkchunker]

Well...after four seasons, the brakes on my EZ-loader trailer are finally not working. Looks like I went longer than most, as most of the people reporting on other sites seem to get about 2-3 seasons out of them. Time to replace the brakes, and I'm also thinking about changing from simple surge to electric over hydralic.

Cheap and easy would be to simply get a new set of brakes already installed on the backer plate for drums. Would that be the best choice for a 2510, that loaded with fuel and gear on the trailer weighs in about 6,200 lbs that gets dunked in saltwater at least every other weekend from mid March to mid Dec? Add the trailer, and the rig is at 8,200 lbs. Add the fact that due to lack of water, I can only rinse the brakes with fresh water about 1/2 of the time.

Have watched discussions about disk verses drum, and surge verses electric over hydralic. What does the Parker Lover's club think? Pros and cons of switching to disk? Pros and cons of switching to electric actuator?

 

[dcunniff]

Porkchunker, others can weigh in that trailer often like you.

I do it only a couple times a year. I had a brake system done last Sep on a '98 7400 lb trailer that had drums. Stayed with it as you need to change the actuator if you go disc. Is up to you though, and I haven't come across the electro-hydraulic.

Anyway, what I started to do last summer as an option since the hard part is rinsing the trailer during your boating day, is I carried along a 1 or 2 gal garden sprayer and would spray the rim and the backside, and where else I could reach.

Dana

 

[Porkchunker]

I have a 55 gal plastic drum mounted horizontal on a wooden frame in the back of my F-250. It is hooked up to a 12v washdown pump and a 50' garden hose. I certainly have the capability to not only rinse the brakes, but also flush the motors and wash the entire boat. Problem is finding the time to hook all that up and rinse after dark when I usually come off the water. Guess I have to get more disciplined.

 

[Megabyte]

Dave, Stainless Kodiak disc brakes are the way to go. You can buy kits that include the new actuator, and everything is a bolt-on project you can do at home.

Can't help you with the electric over hydraulic. I've heard good things about them, but don't know anyone yet who has installed them.

Good luck!

 

[Porkchunker]

Kevin,

My F-250 has the 7-prong RV receptacle with electric brake wire. I had electric brakes on a pop-up camper trailer and loved them. If I go to the expense of swapping out the drum for disk, I'll definately also swap out the surge for electric over hydralic.

 

[Porkchunker]

Well...I think I'm going to go with disk and electric over hydralic actuator. My new digs have a garden hose at the marina that appears to be available 24/7 for running motors on the muffs. It is on the way back to the parking slot from the ramp, thus making it easy to rinse the brakes before parking it.

Will do the project some time this summer when the deadzones cover much of the bay and the fishing is crappy. Will take pics and post them in the projects forum when I do.