Converting Boat Trailer from Surge Brakes to Electric Brakes

Question

Question:

I have a 1994 Sport Nautique on a Coronette trailer. It currently has a surge brake, but I want to retrofit to electric brakes. Dont know for sure what brakes to order. How do I determine for sure the size and weight that I need e.g. 10inch and 3,500 lbs? Is that written somewhere on the trailer? Please advise....

asked by: Dave H

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Expert Reply:

If you can give us the brand of the axle and the weight capacity, we can probably find everything you need.

There are a few things to consider when converting the surge brakes to electric on your boat trailer. I have attached a helpful article that explains what is needed to add electric brakes to a trailer. The first thing you will need to know is the weight rating of your axle. This should be on a sticker or plate.

Next you will want to select hub/drum assemblies that use the same bearings as you are currently using. The best way to find that information is to remove the bearings and seals from your hub and get the numbers. I have attached a photo that shows where you can typically find those numbers. You will also need to know the bolt pattern on the hub.

In the help article I have attached you can see the chart that shows the typical components needed for adding electric drum brakes.

Since you have surge brakes, and if the surge coupler cannot be locked, the coupler will also need to be replaced. I have attached a link to our product page for the couplers we carry. You can use the filters on the left to find the coupler you need for your trailer.

You will also need wiring for your trailer and your towing vehicle. If you have a 4-way connector on your trailer you can replace it with a 7-way like part # H20046. To complete the wiring on the trailer you may want to use a junction box like part # 38656 along with 7-Way Molded Trailer Wire Connector # H20046 and ring terminals # 44-5310A.

The brake controller I recommend is the Tekonsha Prodigy P2, part # 90885. This is our most popular controller because it is easy to install and use.

I have attached some links to helpful articles that explains brake controllers and their installation you can check out.

expert reply by: Chris O

0

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Answer 1

You can convert surge brakes to an electric over hydraulic braking system. To do this, you will need an electric over hydraulic actuator and a brake controller. For an electric over hydraulic actuator, I recommend looking at the Carlisle HydraStar…

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Answer 2

I understand your concern, but we've yet to see a reverse lock out solenoid overdraw a reverse light circuit and we see this type of setup pretty frequently. For example, the Titan reverse lock out solenoid part #T4748800 only draws 8 watts so it…

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Answer 3

The difference between the Class II and Class III hitches has to do with their Gross Trailer Weight (GTW), their Tongue Weight (TW), and their Hitch Receiver Size. Class II trailer hitch receivers have a 1-1/4 inch receiver and can be rated up to…

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Answer 4

In order to determine the torque rating for the lug nuts on your trailer you will need to know check out the chart I attached that shows all of the torque specs for all the trailer lugs available based on stud size, wheel material and wheel size.

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Answer 5

Hey Bryan, that's a good question. The pricing can definitely be misleading, but I wouldn't use it to judge the quality of the tire. A lot of that comes down to promotions, inventory, and whether you're looking at a tire by itself or…

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Answer 6

According to Blue Ox, it'll take an experienced installer about 4 to 5 hours to complete the installation of their #BX1128 Base Plate Kit on a 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The install isn't what I'd call super-difficult, but the installation…

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Answer 7

The 5.30-12 tires, being wider, are going to make more contact with the road. This means that the noise, and heat build up will be higher than a 4.80-12 tire but the rolling resistance will actually be less because the tire is larger diameter. The…

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Answer 8

The difference between an load range C and load range D tire in the same size is the capacity and psi rating. The two tires will still have the same dimensions and fit on the same wheel. The D rated tire has a higher capacity. For a ST175/80D13 like…

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Answer 9

The two sizes you mentioned are pretty similar and fit many of the same 15 inch wheels. The 205/75-15 fits rim widths of 5 inch to 6 inch whereas the 225/75-15 fits widths that are 5 inch to 6-1/2 inch. The 205 is 27.1 inches tall and the 225 is 28.4…

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Answer 10

It sounds like you are speaking of the wires for the brake magnets. If this is correct, you will need to connect one of the wires to the brake controller output wire on your trailer connector and the other wire will need to be grounded to a clean…

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Answer 11

To install a Redarc Tow Pro Liberty in your 2023 Toyota Tacoma Sport you will need the following parts: Redarc Tow-Pro Liberty Brake Controller item #RED24FR Plug-and-Play Wiring Harness for Redarc Tow-Pro Trailer Brake Controllers item #RED99FR…

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Answer 12

The #84 spindle is just a common way to identify the spindle dimensions typically used for 3,500 lb axles. So instead of listing out the parts, people can just say they have #84 spindles and it's easier to know what fits it. The CE Smith Trailer…

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Converting Boat Trailer from Surge Brakes to Electric Brakes

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