Trailer Brake Question

[Thomas Smith]

I tow my race cars with a 2005 Nissan Frontier and a dual axle 14' open trailer with surge brakes on one axle. My issue is that while the Frontier is more than capable of moving the trailer at speed and is stable and does hills just fine, the brakes are not the greatest so when I brake with the trailer there is a scary delay before the surge brakes kick in. The surge brakes are on the rear trailer axle only and I got the crazy idea of adding electric brakes to the front trailer axle thus having a combination system. The benefits of this system would be: 1) Instant and adjustable electric brakes the moment I touch the brake pedal 2) Both brake systems would engage under heavy braking 3) Surge brakes would still work if something happened to the electric brakes.

BTW, my original plan was to convert both trailer axles to electric brakes and have the tongue redone to remove the surge mechanism. My new idea means I only have to buy one axle and the tongue can be left as is.

Opinions?

[John Coffey]

I just can't image how that would be a good idea - two different braking systems working on two different inputs. Electric brakes need to be adjusted for the load on the trailer and I think the surge brakes would screw up the adjustment process enough so that your electric brakes would not be properly set.

I suggest that if you want to keep the surge brakes make sure there is a way to lock them out and leave them as a backup or for use when you're towing with a vehicle that does not have a brake controller installed. Electric brakes are very reliable and since 1991 I've never had a failure on at least three different trailers.

[Kevin Price]

I tow my race cars with a 2005 Nissan Frontier and a dual axle 14' open trailer with surge brakes on one axle. My issue is that while the Frontier is more than capable of moving the trailer at speed and is stable and does hills just fine, the brakes are not the greatest so when I brake with the trailer there is a scary delay before the surge brakes kick in. The surge brakes are on the rear trailer axle only and I got the crazy idea of adding electric brakes to the front trailer axle thus having a combination system. The benefits of this system would be: 1) Instant and adjustable electric brakes the moment I touch the brake pedal 2) Both brake systems would engage under heavy braking 3) Surge brakes would still work if something happened to the electric brakes.

BTW, my original plan was to convert both trailer axles to electric brakes and have the tongue redone to remove the surge mechanism. My new idea means I only have to buy one axle and the tongue can be left as is.

Opinions?

What's wrong with your original idea? Electric trailer brakes are very reliable and provide you with braking independant of the tow vehicle- useful and safe. Surge brakes are okay for utility trailers that see many many different tow vehicles and aren't that heavy compared to the tow vehicle (think utility trailer behind a 1 ton truck), but you're probably towing your truck's own weight behind it- I wouldn't monkey around with a cobbled together setup even if it means saving a few bucks.

[Earl Merz]

In quickly thinking about this, I don't see how this would work. Once the electric brakes kicked in I can imagine the trailer slowing down fast enough to release the surge brakes. Or keep the surge brakes from actuating at all. Isn't there a slack adjustment for the surge brakes?

[Chuck Fowler]

surge brakes suck. some day your going to want to back up a hill, at night, in the pouring rain...

[Pat O\'Neal]

I say ditch the surge brakes and put electric brakes on one axle. They will work fine.