Electric Trailer Brakes, (Revisited)

Hi All,

By request, I am posting my electric brakes vs surge brakes article/
rambling. It is much the same info as my post on the subject before,
but written more in an article format. It is of course unfinished, but
pretty much covers my thoughts on the subject. My apologies for any
redundant redundant repetitive repetition.
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Most of you probably won't want to hear this, but I will back up
my opinion with some solid logic in the form of a list of 10 good
reasons vs one drawback down below, so if you are sensitive about your
equipment, and do not want to be confused with the facts because your
mind is already made up than read no further. I will start off by
simply saying GET RID OF YOUR SURGE BRAKES, but replace them with
something much better-- ELECTRIC BRAKES. A good brake controller (like
a Tekonsha Prodigy or a Draw-Tite Intella-Stop) is really the key in
this equation, as the controller is in charge of all autonomous brake
functions, and provide the interface to regulate manual operation.
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:
1. They are easier to install (usually even easier to install, as a
new whole system, than it is to fix any of the host of problems that
plaque surge brakes)
2. They are easier to properly maintain- no bleeding/topping off/
corrosive fluids
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 :-) -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. Just use the brakes on the car,
and very sparingly use the engine and transmission for decelerating,
if ever at all. Reminder-You are NOT a big rig truck, your brakes work
fine and are not prone to overheating so they can be used generously
(especially with brakes on the trailer). Money is better spent on
flying than on easily (yet still safely) minimized mechanical hassles,
not to mention the additional down time...
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). You will really notice a
difference the first time you have to really do some serious backing
up. They never accidentally engage, like surges very commonly do while
driving down hills/grades.
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...)
6. You can precisely adjust the brakes, WHILE DRIVING, to suit ever
changing road conditions, like mountains, hills, curvy roads, thick
traffic, open road, etc; meaning you can set the voltage they
initially engage at and how quickly they ramp up to full holding power
is adjustable while in motion, and quite easily. (most good elec brake
controllers have this feature, coupled with an digital output voltage
readout)
7. They are a whole lot more reliable after sitting around unused for
a season or two, and then are very easily tested for PROPER function.
I know more than one person that has been in a rear-end accident,
because unknown to them the finicky/easily fouled surge mechanism
froze up or got sticky (Dick Johnson is one of these people, but it
was not his trailer and he was not driving). Do to this phenomenon,
surge brakes get less predictable over time, and are very difficult to
test for proper function and thus keep adjusted. I'm sure there have
been worse accidents due to this, but that is just my intuitive
speculation and have nothing to base that on at this point other than
deductive reasoning.
8. Parts are readily available and thus not need to be ordered form
Germany or wherever, when needed (read expensive, but also very
inconvenient to wait up to 6 weeks for a part, that may not even solve
your problem!).
9. The complete system is relatively inexpensive, my brake system cost
me less than $400 ('smart' shopping that is, but it can be done even
'dumb' shopping for less than $600) including a new axle and a top of
the line controller.
10.Your 'buddies' can't do you the kind favor of accidentally leaving
your E-brake on when they come to get you!

Now The Bad News:
1. Your trailer's brakes only work when YOUR car (or one with an
electric brake controller installed) is towing your trailer. This
seems a small price to pay though, I'd say. Since it is usually
people's personal cars that do any serious hauling of their personal
trailers and people's personal cars are usually the ones left attached
to the trailer with the keys on the floorboard, in spirit of proper XC
preparation. Besides, for most short trips brakes are not of much
necessity (terrain depending of course, but on average...).

I would be more than happy to put together a parts list for
anyone else interested in converting their trailer to electric brakes,
based on the individual trailer. It is quite an easy conversion, and
there are many benefits to this type of system. There are other types
of brake setups yet, like electric driven hydraulic discs and such,
but I have found them to be non ideal (expensive, heavy, over
complicated, unnecessary for the light duty loads, etc) for sailplane
trailers. Me personally, I want to do everything in my power to
protect my sailplane, and electric brakes on my trailer is one more
step towards this goal. Again, this is my just opinion based on
observation and a lot of trailering. I have no ties to the brake
industry, or any others.
Bottom line is that good electric brakes can by far outperform
any surge system, in both immediate short term performance, as well as
long term reliability. It is clearly a superior design, at least for
this particular application, but I do apologize to anyone with surge
brakes that this offends. Lucky for you it is more than likely cheaper
to switch over to a full electric system than to fix problems you will
certainly run into with surges over time.

Paul Hanson

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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).
I would put reason number 3 as the single most important reason,
followed closely by 6 and 7, but none of the reasons are trivial in my
eyes.

Trashcan lid strapped to the back of my pants as I dive for cover,
Paul Hanson