Disc brake conversion project started

[Dargo]

Originally Posted by Mopar_Earl

This evening I did my test run and burnished in the brakes. They burnished in good, pic attached. I did about 20 burnish events. I barely made it out of the driveway and squealed the tires when I worked the manual brake. I have all kinds of brakes now. I did a 27 mile trip. I was burnishing the brakes so I didn't do hardly any stopping with the truck. So I don't know if I have a delay or how much. The little I used the truck brakes I didn't notice anything. Once back home I rechecked my lug torque and inspected for leaks. Even had time to install the automatic transfer switch for my inverter.



I never had brakes like I do now on this trailer! Even when new and empty, it didn't brake for crap. I'm excited to see how they do with normal braking and stopping.



We leave this weekend for a 3.5 hour trip to a state park for labor day weekend. So I will get a good feel of the system. Will be all hills and mountains with some highways.



I also included some pics of the Hydrastar actuator and the 7-way junction I used for the actuator. If you notice the two brass couplers on the pex, that's cause I drilled into them. Lol I measured and apparently was off, cause my drill bit came up between the two pex lines and chewed a notch in both. Pulled the drill down and water ran on me. Insert lots of cuss words. But I got the hole for the brake line and I was able to repair the pex easily.





Earl

Very nice job my friend. Let us know how the trip goes this weekend. The more I use my trailer the worse I notice the brakes. Thank God for the Exhaust brake.

[Witt74]

Fantastic job! Would love to do the conversion on my fifth wheel. But being a 2008, I don't know if it's worth the expense.

[Magnolia Tom]

Very nicely done Earl! You’re going love the new stopping power and kick yourself for not doing it sooner. Enjoy your trip!

[Fire_Instructor]

Tom - Did you do your conversion with the brake line and tubing kit that came with the kit you bought? Or did you also eventually "customize" the brake lines?

[Magnolia Tom]

Originally Posted by Fire_Instructor

Tom - Did you do your conversion with the brake line and tubing kit that came with the kit you bought? Or did you also eventually "customize" the brake lines?

I used the parts that came with the kit. Haven’t felt the need to customize it....yet. [emoji3]

[JFlightRisk]

Happy camping, Tom. Enjoy the journey!

[Mopar_Earl]

Originally Posted by Witt74

Fantastic job! Would love to do the conversion on my fifth wheel. But being a 2008, I don't know if it's worth the expense.

Definitely worth it! It's investment in you and your family, not the trailer. Trailer doesn't care if it stops or not. Also if you buy another unit with the same axle sizes, you can take the disc brake system with you. You'd just run new lines. Provided you saved your drum brakes to put back on.


Earl

[Honsinja]

Earl,
Congratulations on your brake conversion. My brother and I did mine two years ago. The results were dramatic! One thing for sure I have no regrets regarding the expense. One accident avoided more than justifies their cost. Just wanted to tell you to be sure and take your torque wrench with you on your upcoming trip. On our first trip out I found several lugs that had loosened in the first few hundred miles. I think I checked them several times during that first day out. Once they were torqued again I have never found them where they had loosened up.

[Mopar_Earl]

Originally Posted by Honsinja

Earl,
Congratulations on your brake conversion. My brother and I did mine two years ago. The results were dramatic! One thing for sure I have no regrets regarding the expense. One accident avoided more than justifies their cost. Just wanted to tell you to be sure and take your torque wrench with you on your upcoming trip. On our first trip out I found several lugs that had loosened in the first few hundred miles. I think I checked them several times during that first day out. Once they were torqued again I have never found them where they had loosened up.

Yep, I keep my torque wrench in the basement all the time. With lug centric wheels, they tend to need a retorque or two after being disturb.


Earl

[Mopar_Earl]

First trip on the new disc brakes.

I now have more brakes than I need! I went from heavy electric 10/10 gain setting with no brakes to heavy EOH 7/10 gain setting. Even at 7 it's really strong. Several times I had locked the wheels and had to keep dropping the gain down. I started at 9/10. Couldn't lock the wheels on loose gravel with the electric drum brakes.
As far as delay, it feels the same as electric drum brakes, a very slight delay I've always noticed on all electric drum brakes. When I touch the brake pedal I actually feel the trailer lead a bit as I like. The electric, didn't feel anything but the trailer pushing. Except at low speeds like under 40mph. That's the only time I could even feel any trailer braking.
I'm very pleased with the Kodiak disc kits and the Hydrastar actuator. It all works beautifully! Money and time well spent for my family's safety.


Earl

[Mopar_Earl]

Had another trip. Has now been 350 miles since the conversion. All is well. Performs awesome!


Earl

[Dargo]

Originally Posted by Mopar_Earl

Had another trip. Has now been 350 miles since the conversion. All is well. Performs awesome!


Earl

Glad to hear it. So looks like this system is better in everyway.

[JFlightRisk]

Originally Posted by Mopar_Earl

Had another trip. Has now been 350 miles since the conversion. All is well. Performs awesome!


Earl

Sounds like all your hard work has paid off. Good to hear that made it better than new!

[Mopar_Earl]

Update: On the interstate traffic yesterday the traffic came to a sudden unexpected stop. I was rolling at 70 and had all kinds of brakes. Too much, I caused a huge tire smoke cloud and lots of squealing. Also had another emergency braking event and made some tire smoke. I lowered my gain a notch.
Had I still had electric brakes I would of had to ditch it as those brakes did nothing at highway speeds. As in full gain and full manual couldn't feel them bad. Will never have electric brakes on any heavy trailer. I've seen the light and experienced the difference. Hell with cheap outdated electric drum brakes.


Earl

[Magnolia Tom]

Good for you Earl! I feel the same way...will only have disc brakes on any trailer/camper from now on.

[klassic]

I would love to put disks on. My brakes stink.
Low speed traffic back up and I almost couldn’t stop.

I would do it but I don’t know how long I would keep the trailer for and I wouldn’t get anything back out of having disks on if I traded it in.

[Mopar_Earl]

Originally Posted by klassic

I would love to put disks on. My brakes stink.
Low speed traffic back up and I almost couldn’t stop.

I would do it but I don’t know how long I would keep the trailer for and I wouldn’t get anything back out of having disks on if I traded it in.

Great investment if even short term. Also you could keep your old brakes and put the electric back on it before trade or selling it and put the disc system on the next trailer.


Earl

[prm99v6]

I would Love to do discs as well. You can’t felt the brakes at all. Gain all the way up on my factory brake controller but I discovered on my last trip that they will lockup if I use the manual control.

[Mopar_Earl]

Update, I'm down to 6.5/10 gain on my controller. Was still skidding at times.

No issues to date. Even at 6.5 gain, she brakes excellent.

I have since replaced the tires with the same, US made Goodyear Endurance. Replaced the leaf springs from 6k 4-leaf to 7k 6-leaf. Added Roadmaster shock kits. Replaced the Morryde 3000s and wet bolt kit with the same, Morryde. She rides way better. My OE springs were loosing their curve under load, flatting out.

Earl

[RoadrunnerII]

Originally Posted by Mopar_Earl

Update, I'm down to 6.5/10 gain on my controller. Was still skidding at times.

No issues to date. Even at 6.5 gain, she brakes excellent.

I have since replaced the tires with the same, US made Goodyear Endurance. Replaced the leaf springs from 6k 4-leaf to 7k 6-leaf. Added Roadmaster shock kits. Replaced the Morryde 3000s and wet bolt kit with the same, Morryde. She rides way better. My OE springs were loosing their curve under load, flatting out.

Earl

Hi
So how many miles on trailer when you had to replace springs and bushings moryde cre 3000
Our trailer is 2017.. We have tripped from Sarnia Ont.... to Waco Texas, Sebring Florida and home. Then back to Sebring last winter. Small 2 hour trips local... Have about 5k on trailer... Going to check brakes when it warms up

RoadrunnerII