I think the drum brakes are too small for the load. A 7000lb axel has 12X2 brake shoes for a 16000 gvw trailer. They should be 12X3 or better to provide adequate brake power. If that were the case drum would perform well until over-heated which translates to fade or become wet. I would be much cheaper to install 12X3 drum brakes and drums than disk brakes if one can manage to avoid fade and water. the 8000 lb axels have the larger drum brakes and upgrade to 8000 lb axels would be a good option as well for 15000+ gvw trailers.