Caravan brakes - changing to Electric / hydraulic disc
Submitted: Saturday, Apr 30, 2011 at 13:38
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carlsp
Looking at changing my caravan (25ft Retreat) brakes from Vehicle Components 12 electric drums to Vehicle Components electric - hydraulic disc brakes. Has anyone done this and what is your impressions of doing it and the results.
Reply By: Member - Bruce C (NSW) - Saturday, Apr 30, 2011 at 13:50
Saturday, Apr 30, 2011 at 13:50
Hi Carlsp,
I don't mean to get nosey but what is your reasoning for going to disk brakes.
They are less effiecient than drum brakes, that is why they must to have a booster given their reduced contact area. Brake efficiency relates to surface contact area and friction thereof. Do you need extra cooling. Just curious ???
Cheers, Bruce.
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AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: carlsp - Saturday, Apr 30, 2011 at 14:14
Saturday, Apr 30, 2011 at 14:14
Just easier maintaince
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Follow Up By: carlsp - Saturday, Apr 30, 2011 at 14:18
Saturday, Apr 30, 2011 at 14:18
To
check the state of the brake pads, drums and magnets on the drum brakes, you have to remove the wheels and then the hubs. On a tandem axle caravan this needs a high jack or digging a hole in the ground for the front wheel. Particually when in the boonies.
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Follow Up By: Member - Barnray (NSW) - Saturday, Apr 30, 2011 at 16:37
Saturday, Apr 30, 2011 at 16:37
I fitted a setup to a boat trailer which worked better than an electric 12inch apart from a slight delay work very
well. First time used avoid an accident that would have been dramatic. Boat and trailer come in at 3.4 tonne
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Follow Up By: Shaker - Saturday, Apr 30, 2011 at 17:46
Saturday, Apr 30, 2011 at 17:46
"they (disc brakes) are less efficient than drum brakes".
Hmmm, somebody had better tell the F1 & V8 teams!
As far as I'm concerned there are no worse, inefficient & troublesome brakes than archaic electric drum brakes.
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Follow Up By: Member - Barnray (NSW) - Saturday, Apr 30, 2011 at 18:34
Saturday, Apr 30, 2011 at 18:34
I have also set up a Torana with better quality Disc's, mate wanted racing pads which wouldn't work
well. I had a double booster fitted which doubled the line pressure, that thing stopped on a dime. Barnray
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Reply By: Member - Frank P (NSW) - Saturday, Apr 30, 2011 at 17:33
Saturday, Apr 30, 2011 at 17:33
Hi Carlsp,
Kimberley use them on their Karavans. The calipers are from a Commodore (but don't know what model) and the rotors are obviously chosen or made to match (diameter, thickness). The actuator is a Carlisle Hydrostar 1200PSI which suits single axle, 2.2 tonne. My controller is a Tekonsha Prodigy.
The combination works very, very
well - would recommend it to anyone.
Only thing is, it'll cost you. They don't come cheap.
Frank
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Frank P (NSW) - Saturday, Apr 30, 2011 at 18:33
Saturday, Apr 30, 2011 at 18:33
Sorry Carlsp, didn't read your opener properly.
Don't know about VC's electric over hydraulic brakes, just
Kimberley's.
Apologies for going off at a tangent.
Frank
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Reply By: Gone Bush (WA) - Saturday, Apr 30, 2011 at 18:51
Saturday, Apr 30, 2011 at 18:51
carlsp, I've seen VC's electric/hydraulic discs on a Spinifex van.
For the life of me I can't work out why other manufacturers, including
mine, use neanderthal drum brakes.
I reckon it's a good move.
cheers
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Gronk - Saturday, Apr 30, 2011 at 21:06
Saturday, Apr 30, 2011 at 21:06
Only thing stopping them would be cost....the Hydrostar actuator is approx $1000 ( Aus )...but can be had from the states for $600...only problem is working out how to get one from there as they only want to sell to their importers..
That aside, they are a great thing ..
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Follow Up By: carlsp - Sunday, May 01, 2011 at 06:32
Sunday, May 01, 2011 at 06:32
You set up a
post office box in Florida. By that I mean a MBE box. Mail Box Etc are a company that specialise in forwarding mai. You can do this from Australia and they will forward your parcels. The US laws are best in Florida for this to happen. Some other states have funny laws on mail forwarding. The address looks like an apartment and not a mail box so the supplier cannot tell the difference, certainly not the illegal immigrant working for US$6 and hour in the despatch office.
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Follow Up By: Gronk - Sunday, May 01, 2011 at 11:33
Sunday, May 01, 2011 at 11:33
Someone I know didn't do the mail box thing, but tried using a mail forwarding company and twice they got supplied to wrong thing, so maybe the company smelled a rat and frigged them around ???
If only I knew someone who lives there who could buy one , then send it over ??
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Reply By: harry & the hobbit - Monday, May 02, 2011 at 13:28
Monday, May 02, 2011 at 13:28
hi carlsp, I've had elec/hydr discs on my 21ft Evernew for over 20 years and find them outstanding. No maintainence needed, no problems and best of all, no fade coming down mountains or after water crossings. Spend the money and you'll never worry about van brakes again.
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Follow Up By: carlsp - Monday, May 02, 2011 at 17:40
Monday, May 02, 2011 at 17:40
Thanks to everyone for comments.
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