convert to electric drum brakes

[timb]

I have a 1997 Super Sport on a 1996 Ramlin single axle trailer, and I moved from a F250 to a Tacoma, and am considering switching to electric brakes. I searched, but didn't see anything about electric drums.

What prompted this was looking to add a swing-away tongue. I was going to use this UFP weld-on swing away tongue, but as I browsed parts, I realized I could switch to electric drums pretty cheaply. Disc would be higher cost, but for drums it's just new backing plates and brake assemblies, and then I could go with a non-actuator tongue. So the net cost difference is small. This is a dexter posilube axle.

But I won't bother unless there's some benefit in braking. I'd rather have control of braking force, but wanted to know if others have electric drums and how well they work.

[bturner]

The only electric option I would recommend would be electric over hydraulic which would be absolute overkill on that rig and would cost far more than converting to disc. There's a reason you're not finding anyone doing an electric drum conversion, why hydraulic is standard on boat trailers and also why manufactures have moved to disc. In general electricity and water don't mix which is why you only saw electric drums on trailers that didn't get submerged in water during every use. I've heard of people doing this but I certainly wouldn't do it or recommend it. With electric drums you're basically taking the worst 2 braking technologies for a boat trailer and putting them together. As Chris Rock famously once said "just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. You can drive your car with your feet but it doesn't make it a good idea".

So if we take electric drums out of the picture this takes us to the drum versus disk conversation. The argument I see here from drum people (if there are any left) is that drums have been around forever and are perfectly fine if maintained and properly adjusted. Having done a couple drum to disk conversions myself I will tell you there is no comparison in the performance and maintenance required between the 2 systems. Disks far out preform drums and are near maintenance free by comparison. The conversion is very straight forward and anyone with moderate mechanically abilities that is willing to watch some videos and do some research can perform this conversion. I won't say it's cheap, it's not by comparison but you won't be sitting on the side of the road after a failed electric drum conversion either. You'll also be able to safely stop your boat with your smaller truck.

If you're just trying to patch your trailer up to sell it or don't care about better performance and less maintenance I would just fix what you have. If you plan on keeping the boat I would recommend ditching the drums and suck up the cost of doing the disk conversion. I realize fixing or updating a trailer is not as fun or something many people are willing to sink money into like say a new stereo for the boat but this conversion would make towing with that smaller truck a lot safer and more enjoyable.

[shag]

I would not do that, and not even sure if it's available to swap to electric drum. You might even notice a difference with just the upgrade to a quality installed disc brake system. I can get expensive so just understand that.

[gary s]

I think there are more drum people around than you think. And I see them in your future-

[gary s]

etrailer links- https://www.etrailer.com/question-4626.html
https://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Trailer_Brakes.aspx