Electric over hydraulic - anyone using them ?

n0arp wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:
Electric or hydraulic...what?

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Additionally you now have another hydraulic system that will need to be checked and monitored for fluid levels and contamination and you now have a lot of non standard hydraulic hoses, lines and parts that are not "off the shelf" readily available easy to find parts.
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The hoses and lines are all standard diameters and fittings, easy to source at almost any automotive store. The only variation is length, and if you are in a pinch you can go in with a longer hose or just cap off that axle and limp on.

The brakes themselves are all based off of old GM designs (https://www.kodiaktrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/KODIAK-CALIPER-TO-GM-REFERENCE-741-KB-10.pdf), and nearly all parts you would need available at any auto parts store. The only notable variations would be the coating, and of course the controller/pump and hub adapter. I had a caliper seal fail on the road, and rebuilt it with parts from the local NAPA.

You won't find any of those parts in any of my local autoparts stores, they barely can find the correct auto parts for vehicles let alone size up hydraulic hoses. Those brake hoses, rotors, calipers and brake pads are not standard for any vehicle and without a vehicle brand name, model name and yr they cannot look up any of those parts in their computer systems.. And yes, I am talking about Autozone and such places.

NAPA if you are lucky enough to have a 50yr old NAPA store may still have old dusty paper books, they may be able to find them but you will pay the NAPA premium price tag for them.

Contrast that to drum brakes where I can find those in stock at Tractor Supply and most any trailer dealer that handles horse trailers, flatbed trailers, enclosed trailers and even have a choice of two different custom trailer builders near me that even have brand new complete axle assemblies in stock.

Additionally, there is zero redundancy with EOH systems, hydraulic line damage, breakage, rust through or failed pump will result in zero brakes on the trailer working..

At least with electric drum brakes if one of the wires to one of the drums break you only lose that drum.. And yes, I have had that happen when I snagged something laying on the road.. At least I had three other brakes that continued to work.