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View Full Version : Electric over hydralic brakes



Kokanee Wizard
07-13-2009, 08:28 PM
After a long trip including quite a few mountain passes with subsequent down grades, I decided to change out my surge brakes for electric over hydraulic. No matter how I tried to baby the brakes on the downhill they were hot at the next stop. There seemed to be no way to control the surge brakes on a downhill.

I decided to use California Trailer Works (formerly DHM) as they had done some quality work for me. They took four days and had everything completed as promised and at the price originally quoted. I installed an in-cab brake controller that pretty much plugged in. That took a total of 10 minutes to install, mostly to install the bracket. CTW installed an electric pump/controller and re-routed the brake lines on the trailer. My Dodge truck already had a seven pin plug.

While I haven't made any long range trips I am impressed with the ability to control the trailer brakes. If I need more braking power all I have to do is dial up the power or add upto three levels of boost.

The more mountain driving you do with a trailer, the more you should consider electric brakes.

AFDan52
07-14-2009, 12:37 AM
I agree with you on the Electric Brake choice. I don't have any brakes at all on my trailer , but they are one of the next additions to come.

Kokaholic
07-14-2009, 07:39 AM
I have used both. I only have Electric. I wouldhave changed out also

3RivrFishr
07-15-2009, 12:17 AM
I HATE my surge brakes. The surge brakes on the previous boat would hardly ever work but when they did it was always as I was rolling to a nice easy stop and then SLAM! the friggin brakes decided to work all at once. The brakes on the current boat seem to work all the time. I smoked one last time out.

SuperD
07-22-2009, 06:48 PM
I had mine done while they were still DHM. Using the "tow/haul" mode on my transmission setting caused the surge brakes to be on all the time on down grades.

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/3808/controller2za6.jpg

http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/1070/brakesjr3.jpg