Recommendation for Converting Hydraulic Drum Brakes on Boat Trailer for Better Breaking Power  

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Helpful Expert Reply:

To provide better stopping power for your boat trailer on your trek, rather than converting the brakes to all electric, I recommend changing them to electric over hydraulic disc brakes. Typically, hydraulic brakes offer greater stopping power than all electric brakes. Between hydraulic disc and hydraulic drum brakes, the disc brakes are a better option for improved stopping power. Converting to electric over hydraulic will offer you the same style braking as electric brakes but with the power of hydraulic brakes.

To add electric over hydraulic disc brakes to your boat trailer, you will need disc brake assemblies, an electric over hydraulic actuator, a breakaway battery kit, and a brake controller. As long as your brake lines are still in good shape, you will not need to replace them for disc brakes. If you do need to replace the lines, I have attached a link for all of our brake line kits for you.

For a disc brake kit, I recommend going with a kit that has Dacromet-plated hub and rotor assemblies to help resist corrosion. If you want to invest a little more into these components, a kit with stainless steel calipers will help provide even more protection against the salt water. You will want to know the capacity of each axle and the inner and outer bearings used to help choose the correct disc brake kit.

For example, if your axles are 3,500 pound axles and use a L68149 inner bearing and L44649 outer bearing, The Kodiak Disc Brake Kit, 10 Inch Hub/Rotor, 5 on 4-1/2 Bolt Pattern, with Dacromet Plating # K2HR35D is a great option. For a kit with Dacromet-plated hut/rotors and mounting brackets and stainless steel calipers, the Kodiak Disc Brake Kit # K2HR35DS is a great kit. If you'd like to let me know your axle capacities, the inner and outer bearings used, and your hub's wheel bolt pattern, I will be happy to recommend a disc brake kit for you.

To provide a great electric over hydraulic actuator for your trailer that comes kitted with a number of other items you will need, I recommend the HyrdaStar Marine Electric Over Hydraulic Actuator with Breakaway and 7-Way Harness # HS381-9067. This kit includes an electric over hydraulic actuator with a marine grade gasket and stainless steel hardware, a breakaway battery kit, a junction box to help keep the connections for the actuator protected from the elements, and a 7-Way trailer connector to connect the brake controller signal from the vehicle to the trailer. A review video of this kit is linked for you.

The electric trailer brake controller that I recommend for you is the Tekonsha Prodigy P3 Trailer Brake Controller # 90195. The Prodigy P3 is a proportional brake controller that works to apply the trailer's brakes with a force proportional to the tow vehicle's brakes. This controller features a customizable LCD display, storable settings, 3 boost levels, battery protection, and continuous diagnostics. This controller is confirmed compatible with the HydraStar Marine EOH Actuator. If you'd like to let me know the year, make, and model of your tow vehicle, I will be happy to see if we have a custom brake controller wiring harness to make installing the P3 easier.

I have also linked a help article for you on adding electric over hydraulic disc brakes to a trailer.

expert reply by: Victoria B

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