Electric drum to disc

[LOFAT36]

Well the swap from electric drum to disc brake conversion on our 5er (wow I'm getting the lingo) is now complete. Brakes finally bled on our 33'-0 Cruiser. Will test drive and make adjustments in the next few days and post results.

[me2]

Sport45 wrote:
Having to bleed a hydraulic system more than once sounds odd to me as well.

As far as brake controller compatibility goes, I believe I read somewhere that you could wire a brake magnet in parallel with the pump so the system would emulate (electrically) a drum brake system to satisfy the controller. Might want to check into this deeper.

That is exactly what I had to do to get my hydraulic disk system working with my 08 F350.

FWIW, use 2 brake magnets wired in series, wired parallel to the pump, for greater "gain". I have to run my controller on 8.5 with a single brake magnet to get the right amount of trailer braking power. It works fine, but if the disk brakes ever get weak, I might run out of adjustment.

[Learjet]

fj12ryder wrote:

LOFAT36 wrote:

Learjet wrote:
ditto...honest report 🙂

As a newbie here I respect the info to & fro and take their word's as given in good faith. I do not lie, cheat or steal. After spending the better part of $2.5K on this conversion, why would I BS you ?

Well, sometimes people who have spent that much money, or even less AFATG, are not willing to admit that they didn't get their money's worth. It happens.

Thank you...you beat me to it...yes, its a mental thing that you must be honest with YOURSELF...and us...if you choose.

[rjsurfer]

Just installed a Kodiak system with Titan controller, so far so good.

We leave for a 6 week cross country trip Friday will get back here and post how its going after a few weeks.

Happiest day was putting the old drumm brake assemblies out on the road and watching the local junk man (recycler) throw them in his trailer.

Ron W.

[Sport45]

Having to bleed a hydraulic system more than once sounds odd to me as well.

As far as brake controller compatibility goes, I believe I read somewhere that you could wire a brake magnet in parallel with the pump so the system would emulate (electrically) a drum brake system to satisfy the controller. Might want to check into this deeper.

[LOFAT36]

Thanks pcm1959, like they say "live & learn" or "once bitten, twice shy" etc. Other than a few bucks I have no regrets. But I still wonder about the brake bleeding twice deal. Seems strange to me, but what do I know 🙂

[pcm1959]

LOFAT36 wrote:
Thanks PCM1959 for the info. I read that bleeding the brakes again after 100 miles in the Titan brochure but thought if I bled them once it would be like a car and not worry about it again. Why is that ? I also have factory brake control in my 2010 Silverado 2500HD Duramax but opted for the Takonsha brake controller. Was that necessary ?

Unless your factory controller is different that that in my 2011 and now 2013 (no difference in those years), you did not need the other controller.
There is a device, depending on pump, that you use in the wiring of the pump that allows GM controller to be used.
I do not know for sure, but I have heard that he factory controller is somehow in sync with the truck master cylinder making the trailer braking truly proportionate with the truck - not relying on inertia.
I'm sure the after market controller will work fine, but no, you did not need it. Sorry. 😉
http://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/Titan/T4846000.html

[LOFAT36]

FJ2RYDER, that is $2500.00 CDN about $1600.00 US 😞

[LOFAT36]

Thanks PCM1959 for the info. I read that bleeding the brakes again after 100 miles in the Titan brochure but thought if I bled them once it would be like a car and not worry about it again. Why is that ? I also have factory brake control in my 2010 Silverado 2500HD Duramax but opted for the Takonsha brake controller. Was that necessary ?

[fj12ryder]

LOFAT36 wrote:

Learjet wrote:
ditto...honest report 🙂

As a newbie here I respect the info to & fro and take their word's as given in good faith. I do not lie, cheat or steal. After spending the better part of $2.5K on this conversion, why would I BS you ?

Well, sometimes people who have spent that much money, or even less AFATG, are not willing to admit that they didn't get their money's worth. It happens.

[pcm1959]

Yes, Lofat36. The manual says bleed them and drive 100 miles and then bleed them again.
On the Kodiak/Titan system you have like I had on the Cameo, I bled them twice all around then again after the first trip. Lag time was basically nil.
My current rig which came from the factory with the Dexter system had awful lag time on the pull from the delivering dealer. But once we bled them it drastically improved.
I have GM truck with the integrated factory controller that works great.
http://www.kodiaktrailer.com/download/pdf/Technical/Trailer%20Disc%20Brakes%20Install%20Operating%20...

[LOFAT36]

I have Kodiak rotor, brakes, etc. with the Titan E to H Actuator and a Takonsha Prodigy P3 brake contoller. Bit of a pain to wire the new controller in but got it done. Also a big pain is the brake lines when the underbelly is wrapped, but some angles installed across solved that. Did I understand you correctly when you mentioned bleeding your brakes more than once ?

[blofgren]

You are going to love them. We got our new to us unit in April and even though it weighs close to 4k lbs more than our last fiver, it brakes 100x better and much quicker response! I agree with the others who say once you have towed a trailer with discs you will never even want to look at drums again.

[CarlT100]

Phillip, thanks for that report. I appreciate the information.

[pcm1959]

LOFAT36 wrote:
Well the swap from electric drum to disc brake conversion on our 5er (wow I'm getting the lingo) is now complete. Brakes finally bled on our 33'-0 Cruiser. Will test drive and make adjustments in the next few days and post results.

Congrats! I can't imagine you won't love 'em!
Just a few points FYI from my experience. I converted our brakes on the 2011 Cameo to Kodiak disc. I used a 3/8 inch line from the pump back to the brakes and had the Titan pump.
The Lifestyle was ordered from the factory with the Dexter disc brakes and pump and the factory only installed the typical 1/4 inch line.
I had less lag time with the 1st set up. When I say less lag time I mean negligible.
With the Dexter set-up, the lag time is noticeable but not a problem.
Eventually I will change the pump out to the Titan and increase the line size.
The Kodiak are easy to bleed while the Dexter require the wheel to be removed to be bled. PIA! Either way, both systems should be bled a few times for optimum performance.
I will take either of these systems over the drum brakes ANYDAY! Stopping is consistent, strong, predictable and never feel like I can't stop. That is not a feeling I want with 15k behind me.
Again, congrats. Safe travels and enjoy the drive. Phillip