On Sun, 21 Mar 2004 21:16:42 GMT, "Calif Bill"
wrote:


"John H" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 21 Mar 2004 20:55:26 GMT, "Calif Bill"
wrote:


"John H" wrote in message
news On Sun, 21 Mar 2004 18:20:24 GMT, "Calif Bill"
wrote:


"Don White" wrote in message
...
In this area, a trailer up to 2000 is not required to have brakes.
I see Chrysler is recommending trailer breaks if the load exceeds
1000
pounds.
The sailboat I will be purchasing this spring will weigh 1200 + 300
or
so
for the trailer + another 100 for motor/fuel
etc. That will be slightly over the 75% of max trailer towing
capacity
for
my mini-van... so I'm wondering if I should add brakes to a new
galvanized
trailer.
I'm assuming surge type, stainless steel disc brakes are the way to
go.



Your trailer, unless aluminum is going to be closer to 600#. My
tandem
axle
EZ-loader scales 1100#. Get brakes! You always have people cutting
in
front of you and slowing down. You gve yourself extra stopping
distance
and
other drivers see it as a good place to cut in and then they slow
down.
Disk brakes are the type you want. I changed from drum's 2 years ago,
and
the trailer still stops like new and the brakes look like new. Easy
if
in
salt to take the hose and wash the whole assembly with fresh water
when
done.
Bill


Hey Bill, where did you get your discs? I have to put new brakes on my
trailer, and it sounds like discs are the way to go. Any info would be
appreciated. Thanks.

John H

On the 'Poco Loco' out of Deale, MD
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

I run Kodiak brakes. I got them at Century Wheel and Rim. Century has
distribution warehouses around the country. Google them for your closest
location. I run the E-coated caliper and rotor, but they now have
stainless.
Bill

That was fast! Thanks much. Did you do the work yourself? If so, how
difficult was the job.

John H

On the 'Poco Loco' out of Deale, MD
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

Took me maybe 4 hours total. That was because I went to buy another master
cylinder as the original was rusty when I went to remove the residual valve.
Since then I replaced the coupler with a Dico from champion trailers and
came complete for disk brakes. Coupler was bad not MC. Changing the drums
to disk is simple. Remove the drum backing plate assy just like replacing
drums. The caliper bracket bolts up with the same 4 bolt holes that the
backing assy bolts to. Then install the rotors, just like a drum, and
install the calipers with the 2 bolts supplied. Bleed brakes. Go boating.
You have to install a backup solenoid valve if you do not want to manually
lock the coupler when backing. 2 different types, One just blocks the line
and just goes inline to the brake line. Other feeds the fluid back to the
MC reservoir. Takes a few minutes to drill and tap the MC. If your tow
vehicle is newer, just go to a Reese hitch seller and buy a 5 wire
connector. The Solenoid hooks up to the backup light circuit which is the
5th hole on the connector.
Bill


Thanks, Bill.

John H

On the 'Poco Loco' out of Deale, MD
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!