I have a car dolley.The car dolley has surge breaks.Surge breaks are a curse sent to enrage us to the point that certain four letter words are used.I would dearly love to change out the damnable surge brakes for electric brakes. Installing new electric back plates with shoes does not seem to be any more complicated than graduate level nuclear physics. But I do have a couple of questions.1 - How heavy does the wiring have to be to support the solenoids?2 - Can the electric brakes be connected to the existing brake light circuit or does it require a separate dedicated circuit of it's own?3 - Any ideas about what to do with the now abandoned surge brake actuator?Thanks in advance.

TRUENORTH60 wrote:I have a car dolley.The car dolley has surge breaks.Surge breaks are a curse sent to enrage us to the point that certain four letter words are used.I would dearly love to change out the damnable surge brakes for electric brakes. Installing new electric back plates with shoes does not seem to be any more complicated than graduate level nuclear physics. But I do have a couple of questions.1 - How heavy does the wiring have to be to support the solenoids?2 - Can the electric brakes be connected to the existing brake light circuit or does it require a separate dedicated circuit of it's own?3 - Any ideas about what to do with the now abandoned surge brake actuator?Thanks in advance.1. I prefer nothing smaller then #12 wire. Too many trailers, especially two/three axles, have too light of wire.2. NO! a good quality brake controller is needed. NO time based controller.3. Sell it? Paper weight? Put it on a shelf?

I've never used surge brakes before so I'm curious what you find so horrendous about them. Like I said, I've never used them, but am curious as to their drawbacks.

Curious also, since I have a dolly with surge brakes and I think they're great. Only work when you really need them, and I have had a couple occasions when I needed them. Did a great job!

What solenoids are you talking about? Are you trying to make it electric over hydraulic or just switch it to electric?

No solenoids , the electric current activates magnets that bring the shoes out !

SWITCH TO ELECTRIC BRAKES | Good Sam Community

fj12ryder
Explorer III
Apr 26, 2019
I've never used surge brakes before so I'm curious what you find so horrendous about them. Like I said, I've never used them, but am curious as to their drawbacks.
DSteiner51
Explorer
Apr 26, 2019
TRUENORTH60 wrote:
I have a car dolley.
The car dolley has surge breaks.
Surge breaks are a curse sent to enrage us to the point that certain four letter words are used.

I would dearly love to change out the damnable surge brakes for electric brakes. Installing new electric back plates with shoes does not seem to be any more complicated than graduate level nuclear physics. But I do have a couple of questions.

1 - How heavy does the wiring have to be to support the solenoids?

2 - Can the electric brakes be connected to the existing brake light circuit or does it require a separate dedicated circuit of it's own?

3 - Any ideas about what to do with the now abandoned surge brake actuator?

Thanks in advance.

1. I prefer nothing smaller then #12 wire. Too many trailers, especially two/three axles, have too light of wire.

2. NO! a good quality brake controller is needed. NO time based controller.

3. Sell it? Paper weight? Put it on a shelf?

Forum Discussion

SWITCH TO ELECTRIC BRAKES

About RV Tips & Tricks

Related Content

Electric over hydraulic brakes

Electric brakes

brake light switch

Electric trailer brake control

Brake control light ( switch )