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Posts: 512
| Ok another question for you all.
looking at a boat that has no brakes, and wondering about putting them on if i get it.
never had either, so just wondered your thoughts, prices to get installed, etc.?
Dave |
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Posts: 1096
Location: Hayward, WI | You can get surge brake kits starting at $400 for drum systems or $500 for disc systems. Installation is probably about 3 hours. I have not seen electric brakes on a boat trailer before. |
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Posts: 512
| i thought they were becoming more popular, electric that is.
ive heard surge brakes can be troublesome going through the mountains...
:/ |
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Location: Not far enough north! | If your in the mountains get electric that way you can adjust them when going downhill. |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Farmer Rick - 9/11/2015 5:06 PM
If your in the mountains get electric that way you can adjust them when going downhill.
Never rely on brakes in the mountains. Use lower gears. |
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Location: Not far enough north! | My point with electric breaks is that they can be adjusted so they're not burning up on the down hill grades. Surge breaks will be on if the grade is steep enough. I could see surge breaks getting pretty hot if your in second on a long grade. |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Farmer Rick - 9/11/2015 7:44 PM
My point with electric breaks is that they can be adjusted so they're not burning up on the down hill grades. Surge breaks will be on if the grade is steep enough. I could see surge breaks getting pretty hot if your in second on a long grade.
Yeah, good tips.
You can always smell the ones who don't know how to drive steep grades! |
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Posts: 512
| I try to go down to Florida each spring and that would definitely be an issue.
Electric seems the way to go then |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Dave T. - 9/11/2015 9:18 PM
I try to go down to Florida each spring and that would definitely be an issue.
Electric seems the way to go then
Where are you going down from? I don't think there are many steep grades between the Midwest and Florida.... |
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Posts: 512
| Pointerpride102 - 9/11/2015 9:55 PM
Dave T. - 9/11/2015 9:18 PM
I try to go down to Florida each spring and that would definitely be an issue.
Electric seems the way to go then
Where are you going down from? I don't think there are many steep grades between the Midwest and Florida....
northwest indiana
and there seems to be some pretty good hills we go through each spring
but i would think many people with surge brakes on their boats do go through there.
i just talked to one guy thats selling his boat and he took them off the trailer because he had nothing but problems with them too.. hmmm
Edited by Dave T. 9/12/2015 8:05 AM
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Location: Not far enough north! | surge brakes are cheap and simple. It is an easy way to create safer towing conditions on a vehicle that is not set up with a brake controller. All of my big trailers have electric or air brakes, boat trailer has surge brakes. They all require regular maintenance but the surge brakes are the easiest to work on. They are just like the first disc brakes on automobiles before all the antilock stuff. |
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Posts: 194
Location: Lake Elmo, MN | VERY steep grade near Chatanooga TN. |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | PSAGuy - 9/12/2015 8:43 PM
VERY steep grade near Chatanooga TN.
Ah....it's been 15 years since I've been that way and I was on a bus.
I've got surge brakes on mine, but they're disconnected as I've also heard plenty of issues with them. Have never had a need for them.
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Posts: 194
Location: Lake Elmo, MN | I used to tow my Ranger (surge brakes) down to Lake Toho every winter. The area of steep grade is called Monteagel (about 50 miles north of Chattanooga), and then again just south of the city limits of Chattanooga.
I never had a single issue towing thru that area with my standard Ranger Trail trailer brakes. I would not sweat it too much quite frankly.
Just drive reasonable speeds and use a slightly lower gear. You'll have absolutely no issues. |
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Posts: 512
| i just wondered if the trailer would push up towards the tow vehicle when descending a hill engaging the brakes too much?
just hear stories of flames coming out of trailer hubs and such.. :/ |
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Location: Not far enough north! | Most have a clip you can put in the tongue of the trailer to keep the breaks from engaging when backing up if you only have a four wire harness. That could be installed if you were worried about that section of road. If you have a big enough tow vehicle and small enough boat don't worry about breaks |
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Posts: 194
Location: Lake Elmo, MN | Don't keep hitting brakes and the trailer will run at the same speed as the truck. Use the gears to manage speed....not brakes. Never once had an issue.
You should be fine. LOTS of trailers with surge brakes go over the hills every day. |
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Posts: 512
| Thanks guys, really appreciate all the input... |
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surge or electric trailer brakes?