Disc Brakes
Has anyone converted their fifth wheel to disc brakes? I am thinking of upgrading mine and was wondering if anyone has experience with conversion...
Forum Discussion
rjsurfer wrote:time2roll wrote:
I would jack at least one wheel up and see if it spins.
I think we have a winner....
Simple test to make, don't come back till you've done that :-)
Ron W.
When we ("we" includes the installer from Performance Trailer Braking) did the install, we had to use spacers that weren't perfect to fit the calipers. A couple of them caused the inside pads to lightly interfere (not enough to lock the rotor, and not full contact, but enough to touch during each rotation) with the rotors. I suspect that the pads are still doing this and that I need to have some custom spacers made or wait for the pads to wear down further.
We're set up and I'm not messing with it right now. When I get home in a week I'll start looking into it. I was only mentioning it as an update, not looking for assistance here.
Other than that one potential issue (I'm not ruling out things other than the brakes causing the drop in MPG), the brakes are wonderful. Like many others in this forum, I will not have a trailer this large with drums again. The ability to perform emergency maneuvers and stops is excellent. Just this week, driving through traffic on 290 in Houston, someone hastily cut in front of me then had to slam on their brakes when they realized, to their bewilderment, that there was already a car in front of me. I slammed on my brakes and even with the discs, stopped only 1-2' behind them. With the drums I would have been in their cabin.
