surge brakes

[richierich]

use them or disconnect them, real pain.........

[mcfarmall]

No popup that I've ever owned has had brakes to begin with! My FIL has a 7,000lb utility trailer with hydraulic surge brakes and they suck. I'd get rid of them. If the safety police give you a hard time, I'd install electric brakes. I wish my FIL would strip off the surge brakes and install electrics on his utility trailer. The hitch ball mechanism is fracked up and is almost impossible to hook up without smashing a finger and I've had to use a farm jack one time to get it to pop off the ball. Lubed the daylights out of it and it's still stubborn. I hate surge brakes.

[rockerarm]

Originally Posted by mcfarmall

No popup that I've ever owned has had brakes to begin with! My FIL has a 7,000lb utility trailer with hydraulic surge brakes and they suck. I'd get rid of them. I'd install electric brakes. I wish my FIL would strip off the surge brakes and install electrics on his utility trailer. I hate surge brakes.

I've had good luck with surge brakes on light trailers. Sure beats no brakes at all.
I like the idea of not having a brake controller an whatever tow vehicle I use.

If you swap to electrics, i'll take the surge unit off your hands for my pop up. LOL.

Will.

[rtmaston]

I have them on my pop up and work great I would not disconnect them.

[Paulx213]

My 1971 Sprite Musketeer has surge brakes and they worked great. Nice and simple. Only problem was backing up a hill. You'd have to get out and put the manual lock on or the brakes would come on.

[DocBrown]

Originally Posted by rockerarm

Sure beats no brakes at all.

Barely. I've had surge brakes on two pop-ups. They are fine when close to new but those master cylinders don't last very long. Surge brakes also don't work well unless you're in a panic stop. Most folks who like them have never had electric brakes. There is a night and day difference between surge and electric.

That said, save up a few pennies and swap the surge out for electric brakes.