Surge or Electric/Hydraulic?

W

WayneT

New Member
Jul 10, 2009
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Boat Info
Currently Regal; previously Sea-Ray
Engines
Volvo XDP sterndrive
Pending 290DA purchase includes galvanized triaxle trailer with surge disk brakes. Using 09 Silverado Duramax/Allison 2500HD 4x4 as tow vehicle.

After hearing my plans to do some long range towing, boat dealer suggested converting surge to electric over hydraulic, especially for hilly terrain. Hoping to get opinion here from folks engaged in this activity. What think ye?

Complicating factor, tho not show stopper, is the GM ITBC (Integrated Trailer Brake Control) system apparently doesn't work with electric over hydraulic, so controller would be needed.
 
Are you sure the 2500 is big enough for the 290DA?
 
Yea, I'm not worried about the truck itself. 14K capacity with about 12K load. The OE hitch is another story..
 
Now's the time to go electric over hyd. I wish I had when I ordered a new trailer.

I have the same tow vehicle as you.

I'm right at 10,000# and backing down some ramps, I could use the stopping power.

I do not have the built in tow actuator and I wouldn't use anyway: there are too many inputs to it and the other onboard computers, and from what I have read, if it breaks, you are at the mercy of a dealer.

If the aftermarket controller goes bad, which they don't, just switch it out.
 
Wayne -
I have never had electric over hydraulic, but I have had electric (currently) and hydraulic in the past a couple times. I much prefer electric, and I don't think there is a need for electric OVER hydraulic. That being said, I boat in fresh water and we don't have the corrosion issues salty's do. Not sure where you are from, but there are some others here on the site that would agree with me FROM EXPERIENCE that regular old electric trailer brakes work fine for a boat trailer, if you take some extra steps like seal the connections well and wash them after salt water use.

About the integrated brake controller, I have heard only good things, and I have also had a couple aftermarket ones go bad. I pull trailers every day for work though, so I am bound to see more problems than most with them.
 
Erik - appreciate reply. Most of the offshore boating forum guys highly recommend EOH. There seems to be on-going debate whether all electric should be used with salt. As you say, cleaning mandatory regardless of mechanism.

I'm certain I will dump the surge at this point. I've found a couple forums where there are DIY insts for converting surge to EOH.

Good to hear something positive about the ITBC. Ideally I would like to use it since its integrated into the truck computers. I haven't found many who have made ITBC work with EOH. There is one thread I discovered a couple days ago (haven't been able to back track yet) that a fellow with EOH managed to "trick" the ITBC into seeing the trailer/EOH with some magnet arrangement on the trailer.
 
Go with the Elec/Hyd. With the incab controller you can adjust the sensitivity of the trls brakes to how you like.
Sure beats surge brakes being activated by how much the trls pushing the tow vehicle while your trying to stop.
Cant comment on the 100% elec in the salt. But having the in cab controller is the way to go.

birth control, I thought you were a salt water boater :huh:
 
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Whats that rig on the center of your swim platform?
 
Wayne, I have EOH on a tri axle w/a 2000 290 DA on it. I just trailered from Lake Mead to Seattle area last week. The trailer breaks worked great. I have a 2006 GMC 3500 dually w/ Duramax and Allison which was a big help also. The trailer brake controller just plugged into a supplied harness and plugged int the truck.No wiring needed and the ablity to brake just the trailer came in handy.
 
The only drawback to electric over hydraulic is the lag between when you hit the brakes and when you feel them kick in. It's not as instant as it is with electric. We tow every weekend and I didn't like that feeling at all. I'm strictly electric now. When we head to the San Juans, we sling the boat in.
 
Strictly electric here......no trouble.
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WayneT said:
Yea, I'm not worried about the truck itself. 14K capacity with about 12K load. The OE hitch is another story..
Click to expand...


Wayne - Congrats on your 290! Any details???

BTW - My 290 + Trailer + Truck is 24,000 lbs (weighed on a certified scale). I estimate that the boat and trailer weigh about 16,500 pounds.
 
Good point on the OEM hitch for the DMax! I've upgrade to a 15,000 lb hitch for the 13,000#'s that I'm towing. The new hitch receptacle is great, but I haven't figured out a GOOD way to mount the 7 pin plug!
 
I pull a 1995 290 Dancer with a Dodge 2500 Diesel. No problem, plenty of power and stability. I recently replaced surge brakes with electric and am pleased, couldn't see the extra money for the EOH.
 
Excuse the ignorance, but what exactly is electric over hydraulic? And why wouldn't a factory brake controller be able to handle this type of brakes?
 
I changed my surge brakes to electric last spring and LOVE them. There is no comparison. I already had a brake controller in my truck for the car trailer so it was a little cheaper but it wasn't very expensive at all. You can re-use the drums and it's a pretty easy and straight forward swap. I highly recommend electric over surge and have had NO problems after weekly dunkings (fresh water) all last year. That truck will pull it with no problem. I have a programmer on mine and on the lowest setting I don't even know my boat is back there. AWESOME trucks !!!!
 
I have EOH on my trailer and love them. I'm not sure about the above mention lag, because they are always right there when I hit the pedal.

I'll look for the make of my set-up, because I recall reading about an optional module that can be installed to make them compatible with the factory controller

I'm in fresh water so no corrosion problems, but for those who are asking, the advantage to electric over hydraulic is you don't have to dunk the electronics in the salt every time you launch and retrieve. The brakes are hydraulics discs and the brake lines terminate at an electrically operated master cylinder somewhere forward on the trailer so they don't get wet.
 
Hey Hoosier, Ho did you deal with your hitch during the change over? Did you replace it or block it off?

Jim
 
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