Posted By: Bassgetter
Hydraulic brakes to electric brakes - 01/18/21 08:03 PM
does anyone know where i can take my boat trailer to have the brake system changed from hydraulic to electric? ,,, somewhere in or near Fort Worth.
any idea of what it cost? i have a tandem axle trailer.
Posted By: redchevy
Re: Hydraulic brakes to electric brakes - 01/19/21 06:54 PM
Curious why you want to change?
Our current boat is the first hydraulic brakes I have had on a trailer and I prefer their performance to electric.
Posted By: Holzer
Re: Hydraulic brakes to electric brakes - 01/21/21 04:01 PM
Any place that works on brakes should be able to do it. I don't think there would be any need to look for a marine trailer dealer kind of place.
If you can work a wrench and run some wire, it's not a hard thing to do.
If it were a good idea, I think you would see more boat trailers with the electric brake option. At least that's the way I see it. I don't like my hydraulic brakes and have considered the same in the past.
Posted By: hopalong
Re: Hydraulic brakes to electric brakes - 01/24/21 05:53 PM
cheapest and easiest is to just buy an axle with the electric on it, install, run wire, install breakaway and you are done.
easy one day job if you can turn a wrench.
etrailer.com has the axles
Posted By: JonBoater
Re: Hydraulic brakes to electric brakes - 02/03/21 09:31 PM
Research electric over hydraulic. Way better option than straight electric for a boat trailer. Basically everything in your hydraulic system stays in place except the master cylinder and the surge actuator hitch. In their place goes a standard, nonsliding hitch and an electric actuator which gives the pressure to your brakes. You can use your brake controller in your truck and even have brakes when in reverse unlike surge brakes. Kind of nice with a heavy boat and steep ramps.
Posted By: Stump jumper
Re: Hydraulic brakes to electric brakes - 02/04/21 03:08 PM
I would talk to a place that sells trailers.
Posted By: Big_Country01
Re: Hydraulic brakes to electric brakes - 02/04/21 05:58 PM
Research electric over hydraulic. Way better option than straight electric for a boat trailer. Basically everything in your hydraulic system stays in place except the master cylinder and the surge actuator hitch. In their place goes a standard, nonsliding hitch and an electric actuator which gives the pressure to your brakes. You can use your brake controller in your truck and even have brakes when in reverse unlike surge brakes. Kind of nice with a heavy boat and steep ramps.
This would be my first choice.
Posted By: catchesbass
Re: Hydraulic brakes to electric brakes - 03/04/21 01:44 PM
I put electric brakes on my 20 foot bass boat a couple years ago. I was always having brake issues and I finally got sick of it. I did the job myself and so far I don’t regret it. The surge brakes I had before felt a little stronger but my current setup is fine and no maintenance. If I have issues in the future I may go to a electric/hydraulic setup but for now I’m happy. The install was easy and cheap. However, I got the cheapest setup I could find at the time. I had a bent axle so I made the conversion when I changed the axle.