Electric Hydraulic Brake Conversion

[bdaniel]

Has anyone done this? I have 5200 lb Lippert axles and I am tired of dealing with magnetic brakes. The two drums on the driver's side are scored pretty bad with uneven wear by the magnets. The two on the curb side are smooth and have even wear. I can't figure out why they are wearing unevenly.

I just don't want to deal with the issues any more.

It looks like a conversion kit would be about $1300. I would do the work myself.

Has anyone done this and do you have any advice? I often travel cross country from NC. In a couple of weeks we plan to go to NM. Next year to Billings Montana. Within 5 years I want to drive to the Arctic Circle in Alaska. I don't want to keep worrying about my brakes.

Thanks,
Bobby

[bobbecky]

If you are tired of dealing with drum brakes, whether electric or hydraulic, just convert to disks. You will need the electric over hydraulic converter and all the plumbing anyway, and you say your existing drums are not good, so the only extra you will need is the disks and calipers and assorted brackets and parts.

[bdaniel]

Yep, I guess I was not clear. I have the traditional magnets and drums. I want to get rid of the drums, brakes and replace them with the disk rotors, calipers and the hydraulic pump.

Do you have any experience doing a conversion?

Thanks,
Bobby

[rjsurfer]

I did the conversion to disc brakes 6 months ago and can honestly say its the best thing I did for my camper. My wife and I are another cross country trip now and even my wife noticed I'm actually calm and smiling going down these 8% grades which are common out here.

Before with those troublesome drum brakes my heart would be in my mouth on any grade greater than 5%.

Not too difficult to do yourself just allow plenty of time and don't rush it.

Ron W.

[Titan Guy]

It is an easy DIY conversion but does take some time. An experienced installer will take 8-10 hours so allow yourself several days. Don't get in a hurry.

Make sure you get a complete kit. The little things running back and forth will kill your time.

[eds451]

A job is not complete unless I go the big box store at least twice.

[Big Boy w/ Big Toys]

A couple of hints.
Use the minimum amount of flex tubing you can. Flexible tubing tends to expand under pressure. Better yet if you can get stainless steel flex tubing would be worth the purchase.
Buy your tubing in long lengths, one piece would be optimal. I prefer to use only stainless tubing and brass connectors. Ask around to find a place to buy the tubing. Should be a local supply store that deals with stainless tubing and cheaper then local automotive stores.
The last thing make sure the tubing run length and drops to the wheels are identical in length from right to left per axle.

Now for the install.
Use good hardware to secure all your tubing runs. Not zip ties. If you run regular steel line then get steel or plastic mounting hardware.
Rig up a switch box and a battery at the hydraulic power unit. When bleeding your brakes you can have someone watch the fluid level and power on/power off the unit standing there instead of in and out of the vehicle. Use the breakaway switch circuit but DO NOT use the breakaway switch. Some of them are a little fragile.
Soak any nuts or bolts needing removal the night before with a good penetrate oil, like Kroil.
Buy the biggest/highest pressure hydraulic unit. The pressure is regulated by voltage input. The bigger unit will operate more efficiently especially with Disc brakes.

I have done this conversion a bunch of times. Easily done. On a tandem axle trailer I can do the conversion in about six hours from start to finish. Hopefully you have a trailer wiring junction box close to the tongue. Make sure to seal all wiring splices with heat shrink tubing or use liquid electric tape. If there is no junction box close build your own junction block. This is way better then wire to wire splices.

Last thing go with the disc brakes. With the EOH system the disc brakes are night to day difference over what you are currently using.

Almost forgot.....make sure your tow vehicle is capable of properly operating the EOH unit. There was a few years of factory built in truck brake units that did not work with the EOH units.

[bdaniel]

Thanks for all the info. I ordered the parts this morning. I am a pretty big DIY kind of person so I don't expect any problems. I'll take it slow over a couple of days.

I am also going to upgrade my springs at the same time. I broke a couple on a Wildcat 5th wheel I had a few years ago. Research indicates the difference between 5200# and 6000# axles are the leaf springs and the outer bearing. I am replacing the 2600# springs with 3000# springs and the disc rotors come with the bearing for 6000# axles.

I never overload my 5th wheel and don't plan to, but having a little more safety margin regarding weights and better brakes will make long trips more relaxing.

I have plenty of truck also.

Thanks,
Bobby

[Big Boy w/ Big Toys]

Other then routing the brake lines it should not take much longer then doing a 4 wheel brake job with bearing repack.

You are right on track with the spring and bearing upgrades.

[bdaniel]

I got everything installed but I am having a wiring problem with the break away switch. Here is the question I have left on eTrailer.com. Can any of you that installed the Titan actuator offer any ideas?

Thanks,
Bobby
==========================================


I installed Kodiak disc brakes on my Keystone 5th wheel camper. I used the Titan BrakeRite EHB Actuator. There are 5 wires. Three are for ground, +12 volts and a blue one for the brake controller in my 2014 Dodge Ram 3500 truck. The integrated brake controller in the truck works fine. I changed the menu settings to be Electric over Hydraulic.

However the brakeaway switch is giving me trouble. There is a brown wire that connects to the brakeaway battery and one side of the brakeaway switch. A violet wire connects to the other side of the brakeaway switch.

Very simple.

However the actuator will not work unless I disconnect the brown wire from the battery. With my 5th wheel camper there is a battery on board that is connected to the hot wire in the RV 7 pin connector. This is the same battery I connected to for the main power for the actuator. The camper battery and the tow vehicle battery are interconnected by the hot wire in the 7 pin RV connector.

So when I connect the brown wire for the brakeaway to the battery, both the main power for the actuator and the brown wire are connected to the same battery. It seems the actuator does not like this. It seems to want the brown wire connected to a completely separate brakeaway battery. That is not done in 5th wheel campers.

What do I need to do differently with the brown and violet wires?

Thanks,
Bobby

[bdaniel]

Ignore the above. I hooked up the brown and violet wire reversed.
I'll correct my mistake and try again tomorrow. I was so careful with everything. I can't believe I switched those two wires.

I also have a write up with photos that I will post soon.

Bobby

[shiggs68]

Your breakaway switch should just be connected in series with the +12v source and to your blue controller wire. When the breakaway switch is pulled, it should apply full voltage to the actuator the same as your brake controller would.


TravelingRVDoctor -Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[PerryB]

Bobby, I'm looking forward to your review of the finished product. What can I expect for the all-up cost? I'd be doing the installation myself, same as you.

[bdaniel]

Hi PerryB,

I want to add a few more photos but here is what I have:

http://bobbystuff.com/rv/228/electic...ake-conversion

I have the components and prices in the write up. You can find the electric hydraulic actuator for a little cheaper elsewhere, but I highly recomment eTrailer.com. I got the disc calipers and rotors from another company I mention in the write up. I was very happy with both companies.

I spent $1250 on the brakes. I also replaced my leaf springs so that added an additional $110 or so.

Please leave comments here or in the blog and tell what you think or ask any questions and I'll try to answer.

I will be traveling about 300 miles this weekend so I'll have a better feel for the brakes after that trip.

Bobby

[PerryB]

Nice install. Thanks for the detailed write-up.

[Montanatom]

You have listed some great helpful info above. Thanks, I have a 2008 Silverado with factory brake controller, I read somewhere that in order to make my brake controller work properly that there is an electronic module to wire into the brake controller hot wire when installing a new HOE unit for disc brakes on the trailer, Have you had any experience with a truck similar to mine?

[swanson]

I've noticed that my 14 Ram has the option already built into the controller.
I am looking to convert my trailer over next year.
Thanks for the info.

[bdaniel]

Originally Posted by Montanatom

You have listed some great helpful info above. Thanks, I have a 2008 Silverado with factory brake controller, I read somewhere that in order to make my brake controller work properly that there is an electronic module to wire into the brake controller hot wire when installing a new HOE unit for disc brakes on the trailer, Have you had any experience with a truck similar to mine?

I don't know anything about the Silverado. My Ram 2014 has an Electric over Hydraulic menu item for the brake controller. I've read that a common problem with the integrated brake controller is that it sends a small amount of voltage through the wires all the time and expects to see the resistance of the magnets. If it does not find that it thinks there is no trailer attached. I tried that with my RAM just for fun. If I use a simple incandescent bulb type circuit tester and connect it to the two brake wires, the controller thinks a trailer is attached and the bulb will glow in proportion to the position of the manual lever.

Sorry I can't really help you.

Bobby

[Titan Guy]

The cold side of the breakaway switch gets attached to the brown wire on the actuator. The cold side is typically the top wire on the breakaway and goes into the "Blue Wire" bundle in the junction box. Pull this wire out of the bundle and attach to the brown wire.

Any questions give me a call. I do these all the time.
Ron Russell
Performance Trailer Braking
405-626-7009

[bdaniel]

Originally Posted by Titan Guy

The cold side of the breakaway switch gets attached to the brown wire on the actuator. The cold side is typically the top wire on the breakaway and goes into the "Blue Wire" bundle in the junction box. Pull this wire out of the bundle and attach to the brown wire.

Yep, I got it straightened out after I reviewed the schematic again. Stupid mistake. Thanks for the reply.

One question. I love the brakes. There is a slight delay for the pressure to build up but then the stopping power and smoothness is so much better than the electric magnetic brakes. Can you tell me what the normal delay should be. My kit used all rubber hoses, no steel lines. Does that have any impact.

I have bled the lines a couple of times. I should probably do that again.

But I am very happy with the disc brakes.

Bobby