Disk vs Drum on Trailer
Tony
trailer. I'll be adding a Flexride axle and I can either buy just the
axle and buy drum brakes to fit it or i can get it shipped with Disk
Brakes installed. Thoughts?
Dave Nadler
Disc brakes hadn't been invented when the Cherokee was built !
sisu1a
> axle and buy drum brakes to fit it or i can get it shipped with Disk
> Brakes installed. Thoughts?
Electric- which *effectively reduces your options to drum. (*there are
elec/hydraulic setups for disc, but for some reason I don't think you
want to add $k+ to the total...) So far the only arguments I've heard
against elec brakes are that basically only your tow vehicle or others
outfitted with the correct controller will work with them. No problem
for most, since it will be your own vehicle that racks up most towing
miles your own trailer. Also there is no 'real' parking brake, but
pulling the pin on the emergency brake cutaway switch provides at
least 20min of locked wheels. There are a whole host of problems that
plague surge activated hydraulics, rendering them a less desirable
choice for glider trailers in my book.
Elec are much much cheaper, reliable, easy to maintain, replace, etc.
Hydraulic are expensive, finicky and bottom line unreliable in the
long term. Search for posts here as the subjects have been well beaten
to death in the past. Take note of all the problems folks have with
hydraulics (like self engaging down hills and burning hubs/drums/
wheels, sticky mechanisms not engaging brakes when you need them and
think they will be there, general wear/adjustment/replacement issues
etc), and how much they've spent to retain them rather than switching
to elec the first sign of trouble that costs more than new complete
elec setup.
I'll send you my 10 point list (or repost it here if requested...) on
elec brakes vs surge brakes to your PM if you like.
-Paul
Tony
going to go with hydraulic so that I don't have to worry about
maintaining a battery for break away and so anyone can hook up and
pull the trailer.
Morgans
"Tony" <abco...@gmail.com> wrote
Sounds like you were about already decided on the hydraulic, anyway.
I'll toss out one factor in favor of electric that nobody has mentioned yet.
If you have electric brakes, and a sway starts to develop, (seems to be a
common theme with glider trailers) or has already gotten well developed and
getting REALLY hairy, a slight tap or easy pressure on the brake controller
will straighten up that trailer RIGHT NOW ! ! ! It is amazing if you have
never used electric brakes for that purpose.
That reason in itself is the _best_ reason in the world to go with electric.
Shoot, go for two axles, get reduced sway characteristics, and put electric
on one axle and hydraulic on the other.
The argument that the tow vehicle can only be your own does not hold water,
in my opinion. In most cases the controller will work fine, and in some,
the new vehicle might have to adjust the bias, slightly. Not a big problem
in most cases. If you go electric, make sure you use a standard plug, and
have it wired according to standard, also. Get an electronic controller
that is easily adjustable if you want to tow other people's trailers.
Re-think your decision, I think.
--
Jim in NC
Dave Nadler
Hydraulic can be just fine; I've got hydraulic brakes on my whale
trailer.
Its got plenty of miles on it (though not in the last decade) !
Make sure you can find a light enough actuator (surge tongue assembly)
for your application; most are intended for heavier trailer weights...
See ya, Dave
Andy
> Disc brakes hadn't been invented when the Cherokee was built !
"Disc-style brakes development and use began in England in the 1890s.
The first caliper-type automobile disc brake was patented by Frederick
William Lanchester in his Birmingham, UK factory in 1902 and used
successfully on Lanchester cars."
Tony
Obviously you all have an opinion about all the stuff that I didnt ask
about :)
Frank Whiteley
I've only had overrun drum brakes on glider trailers. I haven't towed
off with the parking brake engaged, thus I've never damaged them. I
once had a dual axle trailer with one braked axle. Tracked straight
but was a bugger to turn into a tight spot. Eventually one of the
wheels fatigued and failed around the center and took off on its own
one day. However the trailer was quite happy to keep moving on three
wheels. I replaced the duals axles with a single axle.
I'm not a fan of electric brakes though I did have them on a boat
trailer long ago. I understand the attraction. I prefer the
flexibility of any number of vehicles towing and having trailer
brakes, so I prefer surge brakes, whether hydraulic or mechanical as
on my LAK-12 trailer, which work just fine. You just have to maintain
them. I've towed several glider trailers over many states and
mountain passes with a Dodge RAM Van and an F150 4WD. 5-6 of those
trailers had not brakes, so that's my minimum tow vehicle size with no
brakes.
I don't recommend driving at night with a glider trailer in tow.
There are just way too many deer. In Wyoming they plant nice prairie
grass along the Interstates for erosion control. Guess where the deer
spend the night? We counted 14 deer grazing in median and along
side I-25 south of Sheridan. Next morning, just into Montana, we saw
an 18-wheeler that pulverized a deer at night, but it also buried that
big front bumper into the left front wheel and wasn't going anywhere
except by wrecker.
Frank Whiteley
Larry Goddard
A "Panic" button connected to the controller would be just the thing to
stop an inadvertant or unplanned trailer sway.
My $0.02.
Larry
"Morgans" <jsmo...@charterJUNK.net> wrote in message
news:zVgJn.30035$_84....@newsfe18.iad:
Westbender
> I'll second Jim's response... Go electric.
>
> A "Panic" button connected to the controller would be just the thing to
> stop an inadvertant or unplanned trailer sway.
>
> My $0.02.
>
> Larry
>
>
> news:zVgJn.30035$_84....@newsfe18.iad:
>
>
>
> > "Tony" <abcon...@gmail.com> wrote
>
> > > Youve already sent me your 10 commandments Paul. But I think I'm
> > > going to go with hydraulic so that I don't have to worry about
> > > maintaining a battery for break away and so anyone can hook up and
> > > pull the trailer.
>
> > Sounds like you were about already decided on the hydraulic, anyway.
>
> > I'll toss out one factor in favor of electric that nobody has mentioned yet.
>
> > If you have electric brakes, and a sway starts to develop, (seems to be a
> > common theme with glider trailers) or has already gotten well developed and
> > getting REALLY hairy, a slight tap or easy pressure on the brake controller
> > will straighten up that trailer RIGHT NOW ! ! ! It is amazing if you have
> > never used electric brakes for that purpose.
>
> > That reason in itself is the _best_ reason in the world to go with electric.
>
> > Shoot, go for two axles, get reduced sway characteristics, and put electric
> > on one axle and hydraulic on the other.
>
> > The argument that the tow vehicle can only be your own does not hold water,
> > in my opinion. In most cases the controller will work fine, and in some,
> > the new vehicle might have to adjust the bias, slightly. Not a big problem
> > in most cases. If you go electric, make sure you use a standard plug, and
> > have it wired according to standard, also. Get an electronic controller
> > that is easily adjustable if you want to tow other people's trailers.
>
> > Re-think your decision, I think.
> > --
>
> - Show quoted text -
No one even mentioned how hydraulic systems can be a bigger headache
when they start to give problems. Rebuilding master and wheel
cylinders, bleeding, leaks, etc. I've had my share of hydraulic brakes
on trailers. I'll take electric any day just for that reason alone.
Although the instant sway cancelling is another big advantage that
I've used on occasion.
Brian
Hi Tony,
Apparently not, I haven't ever seen disk brakes on a trailer so I
can't have much of an opinion on them. My only concern would be that
trailers tend to sit out side a bunch and I wonder if corrosion on the
Disks would be a concern.
Brian
Tony
yea, one of my local friends had the same concern which prompted me to
put up this post.
You all should be happy that you have me thinking strongly about
electric brakes now.
Morgans
"Tony" <abco...@gmail.com> wrote
yea, one of my local friends had the same concern which prompted me to
put up this post.
You all should be happy that you have me thinking strongly about
electric brakes now.
***********************
Good. I think you are headed in the right direction.
You know, if everyone is using one type of system, be it brakes or engines,
or generators, or whatever, there is usually a good reason.
Same holds true with brakes. IMHO, surge brakes are for rental trailers
and such, where some minimal braking is needed and it will work on any
vehicle. It does not need to be precise or adjustable or highly
controllable. Electric brakes are all of that.
As far as the maintaining of the breakaway battery goes, you hook it to the
tow vehicles power and every time you drive it, it charges. Take it inside
for the winter or put a trickle charger on it, check the water twice a year,
and you should have a good battery for several years.
--
Jim in NC
Morgans
"Larry Goddard" <la...@goddard.com> wrote in message
news:ht5vfh$at4$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
> I'll second Jim's response... Go electric.
>
> A "Panic" button connected to the controller would be just the thing to
> stop an inadvertant or unplanned trailer sway.
Every controller I have seen has an easily activated manual lever or
button. Have you seen any that do not have that feature?
--
Jim in NC
Eric Greenwell
cars that sit outside. Drum brakes can rust, too, in a humid enviornment.
--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (netto to net to email me)
- "Transponders in Sailplanes - Feb/2010" also ADS-B, PCAS, Flarm http://tinyurl.com/yb3xywl
- "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation Mar/2004" Much of what you need to know tinyurl.com/yfs7tnz
rlovinggood
> On 5/21/2010 7:29 AM, Brian wrote:> On May 20, 9:14 pm, Tony<abcon...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >> Am I to believe that RAS has no opinion about Disk vs Drum brakes??
> >> Obviously you all have an opinion about all the stuff that I didnt ask
> >> about :)
>
> > Hi Tony,
>
> > Apparently not, I haven't ever seen disk brakes on a trailer so I
> > can't have much of an opinion on them. My only concern would be that
> > trailers tend to sit out side a bunch and I wonder if corrosion on the
> > Disks would be a concern.
I've seen boat trailers with disk brakes. They probably get a little
wet now and then...
Ray Lovinggood
Carrboro, North Carolina, USA
uncl...@ix.netcom.com
I would suggest looking at option of mechanical drum brakes.
No electric compatibility issues
No bleeding issues.
Cobra builds more trailers than probably anybody in the world for
gliders and they use mechanical. Look up options available from ALKO
out of Indiana.
FWIW
UH
John Smith
>>>> Obviously you all have an opinion about all the stuff that I didnt ask
>>>> about :)
Living and flying in Europe, I have never seen anything else than
mechanical overrun drum brakes. You hook them up and are good to go,
with no compatibility issues whatsoever. And yes, we have montains, too,
and we tend to tug with much smaller cars than our US friends.
Tony
now has a new hitch and a new Flexride axle with electric brakes.
Next week I'll make a trip to the trailer supply place and get all the
wiring I need to make the brakes work.
Dave Nadler
See ya, Dave "YO electric"