Disk Breaks

[FELLOW-SHIP]

Well after just 1 ½ years or (in water) service I had to replace my disk breaks. My Loadmaster came with regular disk break system. I replaced with the Kodiak stainless steel disks and calipers plus I replaced the master cylinder and the electronically sender unit that disengages the surge brakes when you back up. Every time I took the boat out which must have been 60 to 80 times in that 1 ½ year period I washed the breaks off with fresh water but when I pulled the breaks they looked like I never did anything to help make them last. If anyone is looking to buy a new trailer make sure you buy one with the stainless steel breaks from the get go will save you a lot of time and effort a year and a half down the road. Oh buy the way approx $600. in parts plus one day lost for quality vacation fishing time.
FellowShip [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

[Dave Hirshberg]

Fellow ship,
I've had such bad luck with brakes that now I just get a bigger truck instead of the brakes.

[FELLOW-SHIP]

YA I hear you about breaks but I would hate to get in a wreck because my breaks didn’t work.
FellowShip [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[ScottM]

Our boat is kept in a slip, so the trailer gets used minimally each season. Right now the brakes are shot and in need of replacement. Towing the boat from storage to the water and back each year (~7 miles each way on side roads), my F150 can handle the braking chores. But if I want to start towing any distance, what do you guys recommend - replace with standard setup or upgrade to stainless?

[FELLOW-SHIP]

HA SCOTT
I trailer about 30 miles round trip every weekend on Interstate 95 with some real crazy drivers zipping in front of me just to hit the breaks after they get in my lane because they have no where else for them to go. For that type of usage you need good breaks and stainless is the best way to go, on my standard breaks after every trip I hosed off my breaks thinking that would help and it didn’t help at all to make my breaks last. If you are going to trailer your boat and like to fish more that working of stuff that broke again go stainless Kodiak chart says after 1000 hrs no ware.
http://www.kodiaktrailer.com/redswish/disc_brakes.htm
FellowShip [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[ocuyler]

We trailer our boats 300 miles round trip each weekend in the summer, maybe 12 times each summer. We also haul it to Hilton Head Island each Easter (2000 miles RT), so I consider myself an advanced user.

For moderate to heavy use, stainless steel disk brakes are the only way to go. They should be checked regularly.

We install an upsized battery in a plastic battery box for the safety disconnect feature to be sure that if (God forbid) the trailer comes loose from the truck, my precious boat will come to a prompt tire screeching halt before it flies down through the median and up the other side at 60 MPH.

The picture you should have in your mind at highway speeds is that, if you have to lock up the brakes, they should lock and the tires should smoke. If they don't do that in a panic, they need to be adjusted, repaired or replaced. They are designed to completely stop the boat and also help stop the truck.

Bearing Buddies are a must, if maintained regularly and repacked each spring.

[John R]

Otto - I'm no expert on trailer braking (or really any braking for that matter) but in automotive terms 90% of the time when brakes lock up they become drastically less effective. Maybe there is a market for trailer ABS, I dunno. But in most cases a locked up wheel under a panic braking causes loss of steering and control on those wheels. I'm just guessing but in a trailer with a panic swerve, locked trailer brakes and ABS modulated truck brakes could "potentially" cause the trailer to try to walk around the truck - jacknife style.

The 2 biggest problems with ABS in general vehicle terms are in real icy conditions locking up can lead to shorter braking (with near zero directional control so its really a toss up). Second, in cars equipped with good brakes and ABS outbraking the non ABS equipped car directly behind with poorer stopping ability - causing the car in back to strike the car in front in the ass...

[ October 29, 2003, 10:49 AM: Message edited by: John R ]

[Ed]

I have a 2003 Magic Tilt aluminum roller trailer with Kodiak surge brakes (non-stainless) and the reverse lockout solenoid. The trailer has been dipped at at least 20-30 times and so far I have not had a problem. I regularly wash the trailer after each dipping which helps.

I am not sure what the cost difference is between Kodiak's regular disc brakes and their stainless versions...but it would be interesting to see in a lifelike environment, if the stainless really do at last the regular brakes and are worth the extra $$$$$ ( My trailer dealer says the stainless brakes arent worth the extra $$$ because the basically all need to replaced after two years). As with most things....time is the only way to tell if these things really hold up.

Fellowship....keep us updated with how your new stainless brakes hold up compared with the originals.

Ed

-Ed-

[ScottM]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Looks like I'll go with the non-SS brakes.

[ocuyler]

John R,

I agree with your comments. However, The point is for the trailer brakes to BE ABLE to lock up. Natually, we all should have ABS on our vehicles by now, so control shouldn't be a problem as long as the trailer's ass end doesn't try to pass the truck.

Control comes with practice, which usually comes from some close calls... We haul our food machinery on a 16' heavy equipment trailer all over the east coast. It has twin 3500 lb. axles with electric brakes all around. It's not unusual for it to have a full legal load. Properly adjusted, the trailer slows itself and helps the truck a little, as it should be. We've had our share of close calls.

There is no worse feeling than catching a short yellow stop light, jamming on the brakes and ending up in the middle of the intersection, or worse...

Next time you go out, try putting on the brakes hard at speed and you'll see what you've got. I just learned to be really careful.