Electric Brakes
An Idea Showing No Signs of Stopping
At first glance, the idea of putting electric brakes on a boat trailer
goes over like a lead balloon. And the reason is well founded: we
are brought up with the caveat about what can happen when electricity
is mixed with water. Well, that was then and this is now.
Today
there are __ boat trailer companies offering electric brakes on some
of their models. EZ Loader, one of the first to do so, will install
electric brakes
on about 20% of the trailers they'll build this year. In addition, this is
the first year electric boat trailer brakes are being offered in the
BoatU.S. catalog.
At EZ Loader and at BoatU.S., Fulton Performance Products build the brakes.
"Electric trailer brakes have been used successfully in the recreational
vehicle and horse trailer industries for many years, " says Fulton's Craig
Wilson. "The main concern with using electric brakes on boat trailers was
corrosion or shorting out of electrical components when submerged in the water.
The electrical connections we use are resin-encased and sealed against moisture.
The result is a brake that is reliable in water."
EZLoader
Chief Executive Officer David Thielman says their boat trailers using
electric brakes require no special accessories or hookups for operation. "All
the newer tow vehicles are prewired so that the trailer needs only to be attached
and plugged in for travel. And when people first use one with electric brakes,
they always tell me how they feel the difference when stopping."
By
far, the most common boat trailer braking system in use today is surge
brakes. When the tow vehicle brakes are applied, the boat trailer pushes
against an
actuator located on the trailer tongue resulting in the brakes being
engaged. Although
surge brakes have proven themselves worthy of safe operation over the
years, they are currently the center of a dispute regarding use on
non-commercial
utility and boat trailers. It is an issue of interpretation of a federal
Department of
Transportation law and whether or not surge brakes are legal. The Surge
Brake Coalition, made up of utility and rental trailer companies as well
as boat
trailer builders has filed a petition with the USDOT asking for clarification
regarding
whether brakes on a non-commercial trailer are illegal if not controlled
from the cab (as is the case with surge brakes). In a number of states
(including Maryland), the federal view is considered the right view although
no police
units have been told to start making arrests.
Load-Rite
Trailers President Bob Roseman sent a letter to then-Maryland Governor
Parris Glendenning urging a settlement of the surge brake issue
(this occurred
after the state's Deputy Secretary of Transportation told BoatUS Trailering
Magazine surge brakes are illegal on boat trailers but no violations
will be cited). "The
interpretation in Maryland would have you switch from a proven braking system
for boat trailers to a system that has had very limited use..." Roseman
argued in the letter.
But
until this issue is resolved, many boat trailer buyers (as well as
current boat trailer owners) are looking at other options in the
unlikely
event the
Surge Brake Coalition's effort is unsuccessful.
While
EZLoader sells a majority of its trailers with surge brakes, Dave Thielman
understands the reason a prospective buyer would consider
the
electric brake. "Surge
has to have the trailer push against the tow vehicle before any trailer braking
can begin. This means, prior to the brakes going to work, there is always going
to be some forward motion; a forward push against the tow vehicle before the
trailer actually starts to brake."
And
then there is the issue of salt water and electric brakes. Fulton's
Craig Wilson is well
aware of the concern. He says that's
why the
company spent
years testing and fine-tuning the product. "Not only is the electrical connection
well-sealed, but the brake springs are corrosion resistant stainless steel. Our
Ful-Stop backing plates are coated with a product we designed for this very purpose
called SharkSkin. This is a self-healing coating that has been salt spray tested
up to 1,000 hours with no signs of red rust (a term used to describe the early
stages of rust formation)."
Electric
brakes use a lever installed in the tow vehicle that adjusts the sensitivity
of the stopping action. This brake control
can
be changed prior
to every trip
depending on the weight being carried in the boat or a change
in the terrain over which the boat is going to be pulled. The
ability
to control
the intensity
of the braking action provides the driver more flexibility
in adapting to changing environments.
The
center of the electric system is an electro-magnet that drags on the
inner face of the brake drum. The more the magnet
grabs
on the
surface of the drum,
the more braking it provides. A major selling point that
is made to trailer boat owners is the fact electric brakes provide
full
braking in reverse,
which is
certainly welcome when back down a steep or slippery boat
ramp with a boat
on a trailer.
Another
safety characteristic that is part of electric braking system is the
breakaway kit. "It is a battery in a box that mounts on the trailer," explains
Craig Wilson, "and it contains a trickle charger so the battery is always
operating at peak performance. If the trailer breaks away from the tow vehicle,
a pin that is hooked to a cable or a lanyard is pulled out of the breakaway switch
and the full current is applied to the trailer brakes from the battery." EZLoaders's
Dave Thielman says the system has the ability in tests
to hold the full weight of a trailer with a boat on an
incline in place for up to ten minutes.
Electric
brakes require no more maintenance than surge brakes and there is no
specific upkeep for trailers using
them.
But flushing
the brakes
is an
essential chore. "We do recommend installation of a freshwater flush kit," says
Fulton's Wilson, "because this will extend the life of the brake components.
We have a Freshwater Flush Kit that is hooked to a garden hose. Once in place,
you just turn on the hose and the kit flushes salt and sand and debris away from
the brakes. I think it's required stuff whether you use hydraulic or electric
brakes."
The
other maintenance issue is with the pivot pin that is pulled out during
a breakaway. This will need routine
lubrication
with a small
amount of
marine grease
once a year. But as is the case with any brake maintenance,
keep the grease away from exposed brake shoes.
There
are a number of boat trailer builders who want nothing to do with electric
brakes---for the time being. "We're not going to touch them, until I see
something that shows me they are safe," says one trailer-manufacturing president
who asked his name not be used. For others, like EZLoader's Dave Thielman, there
is awareness that electric brakes have an image problem in the general public. "To
some degree," he says, "it's a battle to re-educate people about electricity
and water. We have a product that has been tested, re-tested and used in all
kinds of conditions on the road. It works extremely well. It is just going to
take some time." In Canada, trailers with a
gross weight of 10,000 pounds are required to have
electric brakes.
One
thing is sure: when it comes to electric brakes, both Dave Thielman
and Craig Wilson have no plans
on being stopped.
http://www.fultonperformance.com |
