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Bill, if you can swing it, I would strongly consider heading to MorRyde and have them do their IS conversion along with disc conversion at the same time. For me, the IS was more important than the discs. I had the Equaflex equalizers between my axles and I replaced one after finding it cracked and ready to fail after year two. When at MorRyde I went through the pile they took off and found two more with cracks starting. Now I have a very HD better riding suspension under my rig and discs to boot. It was a huge improvement all around so if you intend to keep your RV long term, I wouldn't hesitate. If you are interested and need any specifics, shoot me a PM. It was an great trip. MorRyde lets you stay in your RV overnight each night so no hotel needed. Then you can tour RV country all day. RV hall of fame. Stop into your brands plant for a factory tour. Etc.
PS: My trip to MorRyde starts on this page of my thread. Lots of other BS in there but some good pics of the R&R...
Thanks for the input Rodney. I'm happy with the suspension on my trailer, so I decided to focus on the brakes. I just ordered the kit from Performance Trailer Braking. $1925 may be a little higher than etrailer, but they give all of the small parts that I'll need. (e.g. fine thread grade 8 bolts, actuator bracket) and give tech support. I'll report back with my results.
Does anyone see anything wrong with my drums? If not, I'll definitely get discs.
Your magnets should have 4 dots opposite each other. I only see one that usually indicates that the magnets are getting close to replacement time. Have you manually adjusted the brakes? I have the same brakes and can lock them up running on the 8 setting. Therefore I run on #7.
I have my brake kit, and have an install question. Would you run the steel lines from the actuator to the axle on the bottom of the frame rail, outside of the belly pan, or inside the belly pan? I figure the trailer has tons of ground clearance in the front, so no risk there. The lines are dryer inside the belly pan, but harder to inspect. Thoughts?
I have my brake kit, and have an install question. Would you run the steel lines from the actuator to the axle on the bottom of the frame rail, outside of the belly pan, or inside the belly pan? I figure the trailer has tons of ground clearance in the front, so no risk there. The lines are dryer inside the belly pan, but harder to inspect. Thoughts?
Did you see the install that forum member Sailor_Roy did? He replaced his brakes with disc. Do an advanced search on his username and you should find the posts he made. They may be in the 6.7L subforum, not the towing forum. He had a lot of pictures.
I ran mine on the outside of the frame until I got past the holding tanks them went to the inside. I didn't want then in the wheel well area because of possible damage from a blowen tire plus you have to cross over to the other side anyway.
If any of your lines are to long just make a coil out of the excess, don't try to cut and flare them unless you are really good at making a double flare.
Denny
I love the disk brakes put on by Performance Brake. At last I can get our 5th wheel to stop quickly. I had a nice test when on Hwy 199 in California. I was going around a tight curve when we came across a rock slide covering a good portion of my lane. Yip. I'm sold on being able to stop quickly. I also moved up to a SRE4000 suspension and 17.5" wheels. Now I run H rated Sailun tires. Nice combination. After our 9200 mile trip this summer, I am very happy with the whole package and love the F450 pulling it.
I would really like for you to keep us updated on the Sailun 17.5 tires, I'm coming up on 4 years on 2 of my GY 6114 tires and really don't want to pay $435 each like I did last year.
Denny
I put Sailun tires on my 16" wheels last year, and they are working out great. (LR G, I run at 100-110 PSI). I have 12,900# across both axles, the set of tires is rated for just over 16,000#.
When I bought my 2018 Bighorn Traveler I was given specific instructions from the dealer on how to break in the brakes. It was my first trailer so I was woried about other things (like getting it home safely having never towed). I called the dealer and explained that even on highest gain that I was not feeling anything using the manual brake controller. To make a long story short the dealer insisted that I follow there procedure and if that did not work they would look at it. I followed their procedure to a T and I am now setting on the mid setting and a 5.5 gain. If I hit the manual control I can stop with just the trailer. I have the Never adjust brakes.
I put Sailun tires on my 16" wheels last year, and they are working out great. (LR G, I run at 100-110 PSI). I have 12,900# across both axles, the set of tires is rated for just over 16,000#.
I have the same tires on a gooseneck trailer i bought new in Jan of 2017. I know that trailer has at least 100k on it and the tires are still looking good. Excellent tires, IMO...
I'd love to go to disc brakes but here in the UK we have to have a mechanical parking brake on at least one axle. I've already done a conversion using dexter brake assemblies which is ok, but as I'm close to GCWR with this trailer the extra braking from discs would be great so. ........is there a disc system that has a park brake facility? Doesn't matter if it's like our trucks (drum in hub) or GM style winder on caliper piston.
I'd love to go to disc brakes but here in the UK we have to have a mechanical parking brake on at least one axle. I've already done a conversion using dexter brake assemblies which is ok, but as I'm close to GCWR with this trailer the extra braking from discs would be great so. ........is there a disc system that has a park brake facility? Doesn't matter if it's like our trucks (drum in hub) or GM style winder on caliper piston.
Wouldn't be all that hard because it's not like a master cylinder it's a pump so a normaly closed solenoid in the brake line coming off tbe pump. Power the soleoid when trailer is in use and energize the brakes and take the power off the solenoid and the brakes would be locked.
Denny
Wouldn't be all that hard because it's not like a master cylinder it's a pump so a normaly closed solenoid in the brake line coming off tbe pump. Power the soleoid when trailer is in use and energize the brakes and take the power off the solenoid and the brakes would be locked.
Denny
Like a line loc solenoid used on racecars, unfortunately our draconian laws say it must be purely mechanical, we used to be able to get away with wheel chocks (the ones that you wind up between the tyres) but they now won't accept them, saying that if the tyre loses pressure they won't hold. So now we have to change the brake assemblies to the one's that incorporate a park brake & add the cables & ratcheting lever to make it work. I've personally never used it (but at least I'm legal!)
I had the installer recommended by Performance Trailer Braking, "A A Mobile Services" install my brake kit. They made the three hour drive and installed the brakes at my house. From arrival to test drive only took four hours. They said that they have installed almost 600 of these kits, so they were very efficient. I'll post a review with pictures after my next trip. On the test drive, I could easily lock the brakes with my controller on 7, something I could never do even at 10 with my old brakes.
08-23-2018, 07:30 PM
