Best Way to Improve Trailer Braking on Trailer with Surge Disc Brakes

Updated 09/11/2024 | Published 09/04/2024

Question:

Im considering converting my 2023 tandem boat trailer with surge disc brakes to electric self-adjusting drum brakes. I did this on my previous boat trailer with you guys many years ago and loved the reliability and good/predictable braking performance. Presently the new boat trailer has surge disc brakes with dexter vault hubs. They are 5 lug hubs. Wondering if I can get new 5 lug drumself adjust hubs to go on the existing dexter spindles? Thanks for the help! Scott

asked by: Scott S

Expert Reply:

Hey Scott, yeah we can pick out the correct replacement parts but I have to say it's pretty unusual to go from disc to drum brakes as most would consider that a downgrade. Since you prefer aspects of electric brakes would you consider converting your trailer from surge to electric over hydraulic? This would give you the flexibility and reliability of electric brakes with the power of disc and is what most consider to be the all around best setup.

To do that all you'd need is the part # HS381-9067 which comes with everything and you'd be set.

Now if you wanted to convert your setup to drum I would need to know the axle capacity of your trailer first as well as your bolt pattern and we can go from there.

expert reply by: Jameson C

Scott S.

9/11/2024

Hi James- I replied directly to your email without a response. I'll try here. Thanks for the reply and suggestion of EOH. I've considered EOH, but I'm a little concerned about the reliability and longevity of an EOH system. I crawled under my the trailer and found the serial and manufacturer on one of the axles. UFP B436840 it uses ufp vault torsion arms... not sure of the capacity(any easy way to tell?). The bolt pattern is 5 lugs on 4.5 inches. The boat weights 5200lbs dry ... the boat is a 2023 malibu boats 23LSV I'm thinking I'd like to go electric brakes so I don't have a $1k box that I need to mount high above water that would be complicated to fix/debug and needs fluid , fluid changes, etc. What electric drum brakes that are self adjusting would I be able to use with my existing spindles? thanks for the help Scott

Jameson C.

9/11/2024

@ScottS If you go with a EOH system like the Marine Hydrastar you'd have a very reliable setup that will work great but I totally understand wanting to go with as simple as a setup as possible. I would say it's most likely that you have a 3,500 lb axle setup and the parts you'd need are the # AKHD-545-35-EZ-K for a hub/drum and then for brake assemblies part # AKEBRK-35-SA but you would want to verify this. Most reliable way would be to pull a hub off and get the bearing numbers or measure the spindle where the bearings ride. This is what you'd find if it was a 3,500 lb axle: Inner bearing: L68149 (1.378" inner diameter) Outer bearing: L44649 (1.063" inner diameter)