Does anyone know if the Trailer conversion systems for Drum to Disk brakes
on the Internet are any good?

The Drum breaks on the trailer for my 20' Runabout have corroded after a few
years. I dip it in the Ocean a few times a year and the works have all
rusted out over time. It's hard to rinse the salt out of the insides.

I'd like to convert this to a disk break system. The place where I bought my
trailes says they can do it for $1000. The systems on the internet such as
the "Tie Down" system run about $300 for 2 wheels plus the actuator. It
looks like a simple conversion so I don't know what I'm missing.

Is this a hard thing?
Are these systems on the Internet such as the" Tie Down" really junk as my
trailer guy says so?
Is the $1000 due to "hassle factor"?

Any help would be really appreciated. I don't know anyone I can ask for
advice on this that dosen't want to charge me a bunch of money.

Thanks,

Dave

Try this site...somewhere it talks about stainless steel disc brakes.
** http://www.championtrailers.com/tech...hnical_support **

I swapped mine to disk brakes and a new coupler/actuator for $400.00
including everything about 2 months ago. Works great and not very hard.
Try championtrailers as suggested. Depends on the type of actuator your
trailer has but chances are you will want to just go w/ a new one which will
give you a brand new shock, master cylinder, etc...

Once you remove everything, drain the brake lines (hopefully the ones you
have are solid and not rubber) and blow them out w/ shop air to make sure of
no obstructions or contaminants before installing the new parts. Mine had a
clog at one point at a junction near the rear. Took me for ever to find as
I had to disconnect every fitting before I found it.

--
Tony
my boats at http://t.thomas.home.mchsi.com

"Jones Family" wrote in message
news:SqOXc.4442$bT1.3780@fed1read07...
Does anyone know if the Trailer conversion systems for Drum to Disk brakes
on the Internet are any good?

The Drum breaks on the trailer for my 20' Runabout have corroded after a
few
years. I dip it in the Ocean a few times a year and the works have all
rusted out over time. It's hard to rinse the salt out of the insides.

I'd like to convert this to a disk break system. The place where I bought
my
trailes says they can do it for $1000. The systems on the internet such as
the "Tie Down" system run about $300 for 2 wheels plus the actuator. It
looks like a simple conversion so I don't know what I'm missing.

Is this a hard thing?
Are these systems on the Internet such as the" Tie Down" really junk as my
trailer guy says so?
Is the $1000 due to "hassle factor"?

Any help would be really appreciated. I don't know anyone I can ask for
advice on this that dosen't want to charge me a bunch of money.

Thanks,

Dave

Depends on the weight of the boat and trailer as to if you need brakes on
both axles. Single axle brakes are designed for 3500 lbs if I remember
right. Very few boats that are not larger cabin cruisers will come w/ 4
wheel brakes.

--
Tony
my boats at http://t.thomas.home.mchsi.com

"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 27 Aug 2004 15:18:31 -0700, "Jones Family"
wrote:

Does anyone know if the Trailer conversion systems for Drum to Disk
brakes
on the Internet are any good?

The Drum breaks on the trailer for my 20' Runabout have corroded after a
few
years. I dip it in the Ocean a few times a year and the works have all
rusted out over time. It's hard to rinse the salt out of the insides.

I'd like to convert this to a disk break system. The place where I bought
my
trailes says they can do it for $1000. The systems on the internet such
as
the "Tie Down" system run about $300 for 2 wheels plus the actuator. It
looks like a simple conversion so I don't know what I'm missing.

Is this a hard thing?
Are these systems on the Internet such as the" Tie Down" really junk as
my
trailer guy says so?
Is the $1000 due to "hassle factor"?

Any help would be really appreciated. I don't know anyone I can ask for
advice on this that dosen't want to charge me a bunch of money.

Thanks,

Dave


I just replaced my corroded, self destructing brakes with Tie-Down
Engineering's Discs. I had "better" brakes on the trailer when it was
new, but they were cast iron and after about 4 years of use just
(literally) fell apart...

The original brakes had ventilated rotors, which I suppose are better
than the Tie-Down rotors with respect to heat dissipation... I don't
trailer far enough to care.

The Tie-Down backing plates are MUCH superior to those that I
replaced. They are better material and are thicker. The pins that
were in the original brakes were screwed into a too-thin backing plate
and, with appropriate corrosion, just wallowed back and forth,
allowing the pads to wear unevenly. I had no more than 350 miles on
these brakes before they became useless.

Tie -Down brakes can be bought for about $120 from Northern Tool and
are about $96 from Champion Trailers... this guy must be quoting you
about $750 labor. The only aggravating part of the job is that you
will likely have to cut the bolts off of the old brakes and bleeding
the new discs can be aggravating. It didn't take me over 4 hours to
remove two old disc brakes and install four new disk brakes.... if you
have two axles.... get four brakes....

You *can* buy the *better* brakes in all stainless! They are only
about $660 per wheel, plus shipping. If you are made of money, look
he

http://www.kodiaktrailer.com/redswish/




--



Grady-White Gulfstream, out of Southport, NC.

http://myworkshop.idleplay.net/cavern/
Homepage
http://www.southharbourvillageinn.com/directions.asp Where
Southport,NC is located.
http://www.southharbourvillageinn.linksysnet.com Real Time
Pictures at My Marina
http://www.thebayguide.com/rec.boats
Rec.boats at Lee Yeaton's Bayguide

Obviously 6700 lbs needs 4 brakes. My bayliner was at 7000 and it had 4
brakes.
However, my eliminator weights 3500 trailer and all and has tandom axles but
only 2 brakes. I could not see adding another 2 brakes to the system at
this weight. I am sure it would stop faster no doubt. But I could also
upgrade the brakes on my truck and stop faster. Where do you stop w/ the
upgrades?

My point was that your general statement of put brakes on all axles may /
may not be accurate depending on the boat.

--
Tony
my boats at http://t.thomas.home.mchsi.com

"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 30 Aug 2004 23:15:01 GMT, "Tony Thomas"
wrote:

Depends on the weight of the boat and trailer as to if you need brakes on
both axles. Single axle brakes are designed for 3500 lbs if I remember
right. Very few boats that are not larger cabin cruisers will come w/ 4
wheel brakes.

My point was ... and is..... if you need two axles to support the
weight of the boat, you'll need 4 brakes to stop it. I'm sure my
trailer was a little cheaper to purchase with two brakes and everybody
told me I didn't really need 4 brakes. Having tried it both ways,
now, I can assure you that 4 brakes stop with a LOT less effort than 2
brakes... I suspect, too, that the brake shoes and discs will last
longer.

You are correct in your 3500# figure. Problem is, the axle is rated
at 3500# (5 lugs). If I need more carrying power than that.......

My 23 foot walk around fishing boat weighs 4100#... add 850# of
engines, 1200# fuel, and all of the incidentals and junk one carries
when fishing, and I'm probably at around 6700#.

--



Grady-White Gulfstream, out of Southport, NC.

http://myworkshop.idleplay.net/cavern/
Homepage
http://www.southharbourvillageinn.com/directions.asp Where
Southport,NC is located.
http://www.thebayguide.com/rec.boats
Rec.boats at Lee Yeaton's Bayguide

Check my website. Most all performance boats come w/ tandum tailers. I
personally like the tandum trailer for its ride and the way it tows. Plus I
tow my boat all over the place and I like the added security of 4 tires.
I had a flat tire at the ramp one day and you could not tell it unless you
were on the edge of the ramp where all the weight shifted to that axle.
Pulled it home w/ the flat tire on it and then got it fixed. You could not
even tell it was flat.

--
Tony
my boats at http://t.thomas.home.mchsi.com

"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 31 Aug 2004 02:00:16 GMT, "Tony Thomas"
wrote:

Obviously 6700 lbs needs 4 brakes. My bayliner was at 7000 and it had 4
brakes.
However, my eliminator weights 3500 trailer and all and has tandom axles
but
only 2 brakes. I could not see adding another 2 brakes to the system at
this weight. I am sure it would stop faster no doubt. But I could also
upgrade the brakes on my truck and stop faster. Where do you stop w/ the
upgrades?

My point was that your general statement of put brakes on all axles may /
may not be accurate depending on the boat.

This begs the question...... why do you have a four wheel trailer
that grosses out at 3500# ??

--



Grady-White Gulfstream, out of Southport, NC.

http://myworkshop.idleplay.net/cavern/
Homepage
http://www.southharbourvillageinn.com/directions.asp Where
Southport,NC is located.
http://www.thebayguide.com/rec.boats
Rec.boats at Lee Yeaton's Bayguide