sisu1a wrote:

I was hoping someone with surge and electric brake experience would
comment. Since that didn't happen, I'll comment so Paul won't feel ignored.

Electric brakes are actually more reliable, require less maintenance,
are much more flexible, and bottom line just plain all around work
better for glider trailers and this is why:

2. They are easier to properly maintain- no bleeding/topping off/
corrosive fluids

Fluids? The most common factory trailer (Cobra) is all mechanical.

3. Brakes on trailer can be applied independently of brakes on the
car, in addition to working in unison with the car's brakes, It is
just plain nice to have the option of tapping just the trailer's
brakes when a semi with a 20mph differential speed sets you trailer
wagging :-)

If the wagging is a safety concern, I suggest the "fix" is driving
slower until you can modify your equipment to handle upsets without your
intervention. If not, there will be a day when tapping the trailer's
brakes don't work because it's a 30 mph differential, or a strong
thermal, or cross wind catches you coming out from behind a cut in the
road way, or you are distracted and slow on the tapping, or two things
catch you at the same time, or ...

-WARNING-more personal opinion coming-For that matter, I
highly recommend against using engine braking on any vehicle under
12,000lbs that has hydraulic brakes on it, in all but extreme
downgrades (over 7%, longer than 5 miles). Brake pads cost $20-$40,
resurfacing drums/rotors adds another $45-$180. A transmission costs
more like $4,000 (installed) and the more yet for a motor. Clutches
are not cheap either for that matter.

Why do you think engine braking is hard on the engine and transmission?
At least, for automatic transmissions, where you keep it in 3rd instead
of letting it slip into OD/4th gear? None of my vehicles over the last
16 years have cautioned against that. Manual transmissions -- maybe good
advice, if the driver isn't well trained in them.

4. Electric brakes work as they are supposed to while reversing,
meaning they only engage when the car's brakes are applied, as opposed
to engaging during changes in acceleration (again, at least with a
good controller like ones mentioned).

Huh? My surge brakes disengage while I'm backing up, which is how they
are supposed to work. I don't need brakes at 5 mph.

You will really notice a
difference the first time you have to really do some serious backing
up.

What difference would I notice?

They never accidentally engage, like surges very commonly do while
driving down hills/grades.

You mean, while backing down a hill? My surge brakes would never do that
for two reasons: 1) I'm backing up, so they are disengaged 2) the tow
vehicle is not pushing on the tongue, so the brakes can't even be activated.

5. You keep a breakaway backup battery system in the trailer so the
brakes automatically engage in the unlikely event of a total
separation, stopping the trailers movement and holding it there (20
minutes at max hold is usually the typical minimum requirement for the
breakaway kit's internal battery). Good breakaway kits have a built in
'smart' charger and a charge indicator test light, and charge
automatically while engaged to the tow vehicle. This built in charger
can be tied into your ship's battery so it will also charge it (only
while driving, unless you hook up a solar panel to the line in on the
charger unit, but that's another post...)

Tell me again why it's an advantage to keep a battery and charger in the
trailer, instead of none at all, like my surge brake system.

10.Your 'buddies' can't do you the kind favor of accidentally leaving
your E-brake on when they come to get you!

I know I'd REALLY miss the parking brake on my 2400 pound trailer, but I
could get along without it on a 1600 pound trailer.

As a follow up to this "article", I don't think perfectly good surges
should be thrown to the curb. I just don't think much effort should be
made to fix them once you finally realize they are NOT actually
working as they should be (hopefully not due to an unpleasant event).

My Cobra trailer has 130,000+ miles on it, and so far the only real
braking system fix was replacing a drum, and one complete set of brake
shoes. I do put a grease gun to the sliding components on the tongue
every year, and perhaps the frequent use my trailer gets prevents some
problems.

While I'm not persuaded I'd be better off with electric brakes, I still
think Paul makes a strong case for them, and they certainly seem worth
considering.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

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