Best brake system for dual tandem gooseneck trailer

bdog · Dec 20, 2015

Hydraulic disk brakes are the best way to go on a tandem dual gooseneck. That is what is preferred by all the hotshot guys who haul heavy all the time. There is an electric to hydraulic actuator assembly that is permanently installed on the trailer that converts the electric signal from your brake controller to a hydraulic output.

The reason tractor trailers use drums is because they have air brakes. Maybe there are air brake disc brakes I don;t know but the drum air brakes are powerful and tried and proven. The problems with drum brakes on a trailer is they are not powered by air but rather by the magnets or however they work off you electric brake controller and it is not nearly as efficient as air brakes.

Electric drum brakes are also expensive. I can put new brakes on my air brake semi trailer cheaper than you can replace the brakes on a gooseneck.

Rustyiron · Dec 20, 2015

CDN Farm Boy said:
I've always understood that disk brakes were better for resisting fade but in reality drums provide better braking force. If that's not accurate, why do dump trucks and tractor trailer still use drum brakes?

I believe they call it "swept area" or the size of contact of the braking friction material and the counterpart (drum or disc). Much larger "swept area" available on a drum. FWIW I had a F-750 with "juice" disc brakes and an IH with air, no comparison between the 2, the disc brakes were not up to the task and were continually cracking the rotors. Now on a tandem t/a trlr. with a hyd. set up, I could see that far superior to them stinkin magnets!
I wonder if anyone makes an equivalent system mentioned above for hyd. disc, (elec. signal controling a air sys.) for an a/b trlr? That would get me excited being able to pull an a/b trlr with a p/u or a med. or hd truck.

RedNeckRacin · Dec 20, 2015

I think I have heard about the reverse setup. An air actuated electric brake trailer? I have a 4700 international with juice brakes and have zero complaints about them. I also have an engine retarder as well as an exhaust brake (whenever I can get it hooked back up from the previous owners shenanigans ) so I barely touch the service brakes unless it's a panic stop or in traffic. If I was hauling heavier I'd absolutely want air brakes but the electric over hydraulic are alot stronger than the plain electric brakes.

Looking4new · Dec 20, 2015

@ bdog; My Remtecs came out with air discs AND anti-lock in 2014. I have a set of trains with them.

Diamondpilot · Dec 20, 2015

franklinute said:
After doing some internet searches for parts and prices I come up with parts
cost of $4.5k to $5k plus my labor to install. I may just designate this trailer
for farm use only and put that money into a new trailer speced exactly the
way I want.

I can do a tandem axle 12K trailer with electric over hydraulic disc for about $1200.

Not sure where you are getting that price?

Chris

franklinute · Dec 20, 2015

$1200 is a good price for 12k with disc brakes. I priced new axles at $1400 each, hydraulic actuator at $600, new controller for truck $150, new tires $1200, new brake lines and fittings $200.
I also rounded up for any freight and sales tax. I got prices from southwesttrailerparts
out of Dallas. They are little high but they do list prices online. There are many others closer
but they want to email a quote.

Diamondpilot · Dec 20, 2015

franklinute said:
$1200 is a good price for 12k with disc brakes. I priced new axles at $1400 each, hydraulic actuator at $600, new controller for truck $150, new tires $1200, new brake lines and fittings $200. I also rounded up for any freight and sales tax. I got prices from southwesttrailerparts out of Dallas. They are little high but they do list prices online. There are many others closer but they want to email a quote.

No need for new axles. I get a disc kit for around $275 per axle. Hose kit is about $100. Hydro actuator for $550

We run trucks with built in controllers or a P3 or better which all run this setup just fine. I have done about 10 conversions. The main benefit to me is brakes in reverse. That's a big deal to us on boat ramps with boats north of 15,000#.

Chris

Rustyiron · Dec 20, 2015

DP, have you ever heard of a elec. to air set up? In other words to allow a non air truck to use an A/B trlr., more of a truck conversion than a trailer mod.

Diamondpilot · Dec 21, 2015

Rustyiron said:
DP, have you ever heard of a elec. to air set up? In other words to allow a non air truck to use an A/B trlr., more of a truck conversion than a trailer mod.

I have not see one.

Chris