I am considering changing from drum to disc brakes on my tandem trailer. Has any one completed this swap? Pros and/or cons would be appreciated. Thanks

I've converted two trailers to disc and will convert another holding my 26 ft Sea Ray this spring. Nothing but good things to say. I've seen too many trailers with drums that have turned to crap to ever own another. I have been using my 21 foot Reinell on a double axle easy loader with discs for about two years now, and love it. Stops better than any trailer I've had and talk about ease of wash out. Two quick shots with the hose and your done. No more messing around with "fresh water rinse systems" which don't work worth a darn. If you're at all mechanical, you can do the swap in about 45 min to one hour per wheel at a cost of about $150 per axle (10" drum). That includes new hubs, bearings, callipers, discs, pads & flexible hoses. My neighbor liked mine so much he asked me to help him put a set on his. Most of the local boat shops have the kits in stock.

Good luck... Email @ zlink@wwdb.org if you have further questions.

I converted my trailer, and so far so good. They don't require adjustment, provide excellent braking action, and don't cost much more than a drum-based replacement kit. As you can expect 2x or 3x the useful life compared to cast iron drums, I'd say it is worth it.

The install was a no-brainer, except the electric-actuated reverse lockout. Disks (at least the ones I bought) don't have a mechanical reverse lockout, so if you try to back your trailer up a hill, they just grab harder and harder until something gives. To avoid this, they use an electric switch to shunt the brake fluid back into the reservoir when the truck is in reverse,and the reverse light circuit is energized. This means you have to tap into the truck's reverse lights, unless your rig already has this in its trailering bundle. Either way, the standard 4-pole flat connector doesn't cut it, you have to go to a 5-pole or a separate connector for the reverse.

In case you borrow your buddy's truck that doesn't have a reverse circuit tap, there is a pin-based lockout that prevents brake function -- it just keeps the actuator from sliding. It prevents brake actuation in forward or reverse, so you have to remember to only have the pin in when you are backing up.

Regards.

Finegrain
Woodinville