ra95 Posted October 12, 2011 Report Posted October 12, 2011 To be safe on the road, I plan to install the brake onto the shorelandr trailer (SLB30BAL Basic model). Anyone knows: 1. Where can I get the brake installed? 2. Any experenice to share with me? 3. What should I be aware of and be careful of? Thanks in advance on any opinions and information.
Fisherman Posted October 12, 2011 Report Posted October 12, 2011 First of all it helps to know what area you're in, I'm sure someone could recommend a dealer in Halifax..
craigdritchie Posted October 12, 2011 Report Posted October 12, 2011 How heavy is your boat/engine/trailer combination? And what are you towing it with?
smally21 Posted October 12, 2011 Report Posted October 12, 2011 legal requirement for brakes is loads in excess of 3000lbs. i find the easiest/cost effective method is to switch out the entire axle assembly. or you can just change the hubs. either way -- for electric you just swap out the idler axle for a braked axle and wire it up. same coupling. pretty inexpensive if your vehicle is already wired for brakes. for hydraulic you put on a surge brake coupling in place of your existing coupling, and swap the idler for the braked axle. then you run a piping kit from the coupler to the brake drum, then across to the other drum. bleed the brakes and you are done. this is the more expensive option but then you dont have to add the electric brake controller. parts cost depending on your choice of axle/hub replacement will be between 150-450. takes between 2-3 hours. if you are local to milton there is a great distribuor there. ive installed hundreds of braked axles if you want to pm me i can fill you in...this is a do it yourself job with a socker set and a car jack... and what you are towing it with really doesn't matter to me.
ra95 Posted October 12, 2011 Author Report Posted October 12, 2011 (edited) ... A Ford Escape 3.0L 4WD, towing a Shorelandr with 17' boat with 115 engine, total is 2450lb including trailer. So it is less than 3000lb. But my concern is that it is always nice to have a brake. GTA area ... Edited October 14, 2011 by James
wallyboss Posted October 13, 2011 Report Posted October 13, 2011 My boat is lighter than yours and I have always been iffy about the Escape's brakes. I replaced my Escape so I do not have that problem anymore. I have a Princecraft Pro165 with a 75-4stroke. Any heavier and I would've added brakes on the trailer.
smally21 Posted October 13, 2011 Report Posted October 13, 2011 trailer brakes can only improve your safety and ride quality. not to mention lengthen the lifespan of your expensive vehicle brakes by beating on your cheap trailer brakes... if you travel alot with your trailer every state and province will have different regs, so adding brakes might get you closer to complicance... IMO opinion any trailer built with a 3500lb axle should come equipped with brakes, if you are able to load it above the legal limit you probably will!!!at some point. kinda like a customer with a super light 30' boat only wants a single 3500lb axle. sure its legal and works in his application but some yahoo could put a 30' twin engine cruiser on it..
Billy Bob Posted October 13, 2011 Report Posted October 13, 2011 Change your front brakes on the Ford Escape to Carbon Metallic pads and you might as well change out the rotors also while your at it. Carbon Metallic pads will greatly increase stopping power and should be enough depending on home much weight you are stopping...unless I missed it you didn't mention total towing weight. Ceramic are cleaner but Carbon is much better for stopping. ALSO....(very important) drain and fill your tranny fluid every other oil change...if done this way there is no need to completely drain/flush system...1 gallon of new tranny fluid is what you will be required to do this job......Ford Escape's have delicate trannies. Bob
Skipper D Posted October 13, 2011 Report Posted October 13, 2011 Some thing a bet cheaper , take a look at the axle just behind the hub , if you see a square plate with four holes in it welded to the axle tube you can buy the brake assemblies that come with the backing plates that will bolt to the plates i mention .
ra95 Posted October 14, 2011 Author Report Posted October 14, 2011 During research, I also found many resource believe electric brake is not a valid option for boat trailer which is supposed to submerge at ramp.
smally21 Posted October 14, 2011 Report Posted October 14, 2011 and gum stays in your stomach for seven years.....ive heard it lots of times and to be fair i built 100 surge brake boat trailers for every electric brake boat trailer. it is more traditional for utility, landscape applications. consider that trip down the highway in a pounding rainstorm, lights and brakes are as wet as they are gonna be with high pressure water getting everywhere.. the signal coming from your vehicle for lighting and braking is, in the bigger picture, negligilbe. im not going to say it can't happen but ive been up and down the boat ramp 50 million times with plugged in lighting and electric brakes, never been a problem. in my experience electrical equip. that behaves improperly when wet or submerged already has some other problem, poor connection, wire almost grounded, etc. at the end of the day however, my boat trailer would have surge brakes... some of my more demanding customers (ontario hydro, opp, parks canada, toronto fire, etc.) wouldn't consider electric brakes so i guess i wouldn't either..
lew Posted October 14, 2011 Report Posted October 14, 2011 at the end of the day however, my boat trailer would have surge brakes... Surge brakes on my boat trailer too & their excellent !!
smally21 Posted October 14, 2011 Report Posted October 14, 2011 a little off topic but a funny thing about electric brakes... so a common error when wiring a 7pin plug with the diagram in front of you is are you looking at the rear of the plug or the front of the plug. if you make the simple mistake of thinking the wiring view is from the front you would wire the 7pin completely backwards. the end result is the brake signal from your brake controller (reduced signal) is now the left turn signal (100% power application) so i build a 38 foot tri axle with 21000lbs of carrying capacity with six of the biggest brakes you can find. take her out for a test drive and of course at some point put on my left turn signal. you will never understand the awesome braking power of your trailer until you try this. when the blue smoke cleared i had broken all records for 100km/hr to zero stopping distance.
craigdritchie Posted October 14, 2011 Report Posted October 14, 2011 Thousands upon thousands of boat trailers have electric brakes, and work with no problems whatsoever. Smally's advice on swapping out the axles is bang-on. If you want to go the factory route for parts, Shoreland'r is handled by Do-It Industries, in Bolton, Ontario (800-842-9666). If you're not comfortable doing the mechanical work yourself, pretty much any auto garage, marina or boat dealer can do it for you. A marina or boat dealer would be best, as an auto garage won't be set up to get the boat off the trailer if needed.
Terry Posted October 14, 2011 Report Posted October 14, 2011 ok thinking of putting electric brakes on my trailer anyone know the closest place to Bradford to buy parts/axle with brakes
Skipper D Posted October 14, 2011 Report Posted October 14, 2011 About the best deal around here Terry money wise is Princes Auto , i have seven trailers around here just to say and its allways brakes brakes brakes til i bought the truck equiped with the jake brake last year , big differance now when it comes to maintance and stopping some thing .
Fisherman Posted October 14, 2011 Report Posted October 14, 2011 ok thinking of putting electric brakes on my trailer anyone know the closest place to Bradford to buy parts/axle with brakes Princess Auto in Barrie, they come in left and right packages that bolt onto the square plate behind the idler hub if your axle is so equipped, most larger (3500 lb) axles are.
Skipper D Posted October 14, 2011 Report Posted October 14, 2011 Sorry for stepping in , carry on SM your doing a great job .
ra95 Posted October 14, 2011 Author Report Posted October 14, 2011 :wallbash: I hate internet. It provides good information but it often overwhelms! Disk Brake or Drum is another decision to make. Disk is said no good for boat trailer which is light(<3000#) and idled often so that Rotor rustness dooms. But now you guys told me even electric has to be an option Maybe I cannot decide till I take a university master degree on all knowledge about a small boat trail braking theory?
Skipper D Posted October 14, 2011 Report Posted October 14, 2011 (edited) I hate internet. It provides good information but it often overwhelms! Disk Brake or Drum is another decision to make. Disk is said no good for boat trailer which is light(<3000#) and idled often so that Rotor rustness dooms. But now you guys told me even electric has to be an option Maybe I cannot decide till I take a university master degree on all knowledge about a small boat trail braking theory? Henst then fourth tho shall cometh with thy braking knowledge to stoppeth what ever and thus needeth us not from that day fourth . Edited October 14, 2011 by Skipper " D "
Terry Posted October 14, 2011 Report Posted October 14, 2011 where I can find prices so far electric brakes 80 bucks a side drum kit 90 bucks a side wiring kit 25 bucks a lot more then I wanted to pay
ra95 Posted October 14, 2011 Author Report Posted October 14, 2011 (edited) The following is the quote for the package (including installation and everything ... say ... pay & go package...) Dealer's quote for surge disk brake is ($1375 + 5*$75) + tx Reinhart price for surge brake is $750 + tx but not yet to confirm till seeing the trailer Reinhart price for eletric brake is $725 + tx but not yet to confirm till seeing the trailer Hitchcity price for surge drum brake is $850~950 + tx but not yet to confirm till seeing the trailer My friend did it 2 yrs ago from toronto local gargage for surge : $14xx (including tx) Man, life is tough Smally gave me two trailer part suppliers which is a very good to start with: cerka industries excalibur trailers where I can find prices so far electric brakes 80 bucks a side drum kit 90 bucks a side wiring kit 25 bucks a lot more then I wanted to pay Edited October 14, 2011 by James
Skipper D Posted October 14, 2011 Report Posted October 14, 2011 Smally , will cerka let the average guy buy across the counter ???
Woodsman Posted October 14, 2011 Report Posted October 14, 2011 Princes Auto has an axle with brakes going on sale Tuesday the 18th if it will fit your application. Details in the flyer are a little slim but it's 3,500 lb, 72" hub face, 58" spring centre & 5-bolt brake hubs. $219.99 ($180 off) PN# 8277873 A phone call should get you more details.
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