On Jun 13, 4:45*pm, sisu1a wrote:
I've had excellent results with Cobra trailers with surge brakes over the last 15 years or so. Have 4 of them now and satisfied with them

The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence. A lot of
people on this forum *have had problems, and continue to do so.
Electric brakes don't require anywhere near the amount of regiment to
keep from posing an unsuspected hazard on the road, and unlike surge
getups they're easily verified for full proper function *before
ramming someone, or burning off a wheel going down a hill, etc... * I
was resistant to the idea too, but Dave Nadler ranting about them some
years back convinced me to look closer at them, and upon closer
inspection found a lot of merits in this system. I converted my
trailer and really grew to like the control and flexibility. In the
meantime, accounts of scary and almost-scary incidents with surgies
continue to pile up on this forum. Electric brakes are not a gimmick,
and in practice you have infinitely more control over them, besides
their other qualities that make them better suited to the realities of
glider trailer duty. I'm not suggesting everyone should immediately
rip their running gear off new trailers and go electric, but if you
ever need to replace the gear (comes up often enough...) it makes zero
sense to waste the extra money for a finicky, higher maintenance getup
with limited function a lot more gotchas and a shorter shelf life.

Would you say that horse owners care more about their horses than
pilots care about their gliders? Why don't they use surge brakes?
(well, other than one European manufacture that doesn't seem to get
it...)

Other than being 100% compatible with any suitable tow vehicle, are
there any advantages to surge brakes that I'm overlooking? The list of
disadvantages is kinda long, and the above advantage is of limited
value since our own vehicles are usually hooked to our trailers...

Are there any electric brake conversion options?

Yes!

The easiest/cheapest I know of is a Dexter Torflex axle (now available
in galvanized flavor!). Most Cobras would use a #9 or #10, or possibly
a custom one in between. It has the same swingarm type independent
suspension and they all have custom welded mounting flanges made to
your specs.http://www.dexteraxle.com/torflex_axles

Here's the basics that need to be figured out to order a replacement:http://www.humphrey****chandtrailerp...tion-guide.htm
... and a diagram kinda showing what they're talking about.http://www.humphrey****chandtrailerp...tart-angle.htm

Once a few of these are done to a range of Cobras, the std formulas
for different years/gross weights will be well known and it will
become a cookie cutter operation. The axles are ~$200, and one needs
the brake equipped hub/drums to go with it, which are around $60-$80
apiece. Another $20-$50 on wiring, $50ish for a breakaway kit, and a
nice controller like a Tekonsha Prodigy or StopRight Intellistop (same
part, different manufacturer) is around $120. Rims/tires are planed
around the offset and hole pattern, and cost whatever you get them for
but these might as well be nice 14 or 15" wheels instead of those
12/13" toys they don't sell anywhere anyways. Wouldn't hurt to put
real (metal) fenders on there too... much more blowout and deer
resilient.

-Paul (who also doesn't endorse my "Letter to Spindelberger" *

ps, a quick google search of 'surge vs electric brakes' shows that I'm
far from alone in my dim view of surge brakes...

I just got back from the 2nd trip to the trailer service shop. They
declared, "It can't be fixed". and recommended electric brakes (which
they don't sell). I took the trailer with partially working brakes
back to the airport where it will stay until we figure out a
solution. I noticed the brakes dragging after a stop. If I
accelerated hard enough to feel the "clunk" as the surge hitch
extended, the dragging went away. Obviously some 'stiction' there
somewhere.

I tend to think if the mechanical surge brakes ever worked, they can
be made to work again at least as well as when new. Then, maybe
diligent maintenance can keep them 'sort of' working. That prospect
doesn't leave me too happy.

One of the weird things is the brake drums carry the wheel bearings
which are two sealed tapered roller type. It would seem this would
lead to some seriously hot bearings under hard braking - I've seen
drums glowing cherry red. It appeared to me there was heat damage to
the bearings.

There's no doubt electric brakes are the absolute best solution. I'm
certain a new axle with electric brakes can be made up to fit the
original mounting holes for a few hundred dollars and this new setup
would be far more reliable and require far less maintenance. Selling
the idea to the people who write the checks, however, will be tough.