Jump to content

Trailer Brakes on Ameritrail Should I go stainless


Mad Beach Hewes

Recommended Posts

Well apparently my 2018 TE that I bought used has trashed brake system. The previous owner lived very close to the ramp as well as I do, so the boat was trailered very little. With all the craziness going own a buddy let me store my boat on his lift. I decided to have the trailer gone through and found my brake system is shot. Now the question is it worth the money to go all Stainless? Any advice would be great. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My normal travel distance to and from the ramp is 200 miles. I fish ENP.  The Tie Down engineering stuff lasted less than two years and I rinsed them every trip. Junk IMO. I opted to go Kodiak 100 percent stainless because of the distance I travel. The brake calipers, caliper brackets, brake rotors, brake pad backing plates and even the hubs and lug nuts.  It was expensive but worth ever cent for me. I have never had another problem. Have Changed the pads once and of course pack the bearings every six months. Its been trouble free for five years. Kodiak is the way to go. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, jh141 said:

If you decide to go for it, here is where I got my brakes. These are what I now have times two.

https://www.sturdybuiltonline.com/Kodiak-Trailer-Slip-On-5-Lug-Disc-Brake-Kit-ALL-STAINLESS-w-SS-Hubs_p_762.html

Very serious brake system....I had heard they were good....I just had not seen the details....you get what you pay for in the Salt Environment.

DC

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

11 hours ago, Mad Beach Hewes said:

Thank you guys. Apparently the master cylinder is bad also. Looks like entire system will need to be replaced. 

I still use the original Tiedown Eng. master cylinder and lock out solenoid. It has been fine. You may be able to get a kit for t

 

1 hour ago, Wanaflatsfish said:

Very serious brake system....I had heard they were good....I just had not seen the details....you get what you pay for in the Salt Environment.

DC

 

Yes,  Great stopping power. It hurt the wallet, butThe first time I had to stop in a hurry for one of the  "great"  drivers we have here in S. Florida it was all worth it.  They cost three times as much but last 10 times longer. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, jh141 said:

Yes,  Great stopping power. It hurt the wallet, butThe first time I had to stop in a hurry for one of the  "great"  drivers we have here in S. Florida it was all worth it.  They cost three times as much but last 10 times longer. 

This is what you should focus on. The first time you need them you won’t be thinking about how much you saved going the less expensive route.

Unfortunately there are many things like this on a boat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 4/9/2020 at 4:54 PM, jh141 said:

My normal travel distance to and from the ramp is 200 miles. I fish ENP.  The Tie Down engineering stuff lasted less than two years and I rinsed them every trip. Junk IMO. I opted to go Kodiak 100 percent stainless because of the distance I travel. The brake calipers, caliper brackets, brake rotors, brake pad backing plates and even the hubs and lug nuts.  It was expensive but worth ever cent for me. I have never had another problem. Have Changed the pads once and of course pack the bearings every six months. Its been trouble free for five years. Kodiak is the way to go. 

True, don't waste a penny on Tie Down. Every Tie Down product I've had made it's way to the dump way too early!!! I'm lucky I live 30 minutes from Sturdybuilt and I get 90% of everything trailer related from them. The SS Kodiak is the way to go, not cheap buy worth the extra.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, SouthernWake said:

Don’t knock them vortex hubs 

Really wish someone would do a screw on cap on a stainless hub, or the Vortex hubs were available in stainless. Would make the maintenance (removing the cap to grease) a bit easier. I use Bearing Buddies. That allows me to keep a slight amount of pressure inside the hubs. That and Lucas Marine grease and I have yet to have any kind of failure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is no doubt stainless brakes are better. But, I put Kodiak galvanized brakes on my old rig and they lasted about 6 years. I rebuilt them and they lasted another 6 years. My present rig is on a AmeriTrail  with the original Tie Down brakes, it's a 2013. I don't do anything special, just rinse really good after dunking in salt water.

MBH, have you considered rebuilding your calipers? There is just one moving part in the caliper (the piston), one "O" ring and a rubber dust boot. If your pistons are not too damaged by rust, the other parts to rebuild would cost about $20 for all four wheels.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

SCFD they are pretty much done rotors and pads are bad even though I washed them after every use with salt away. Master cylinder is shot as well. Brakes are locked open, which is a good thing. Spend a lot of money replacing for the same thing to happen is my understanding. Really don’t trailer it but 100 yards to the ramp, so technically I could leave them just like they are. But want to start taking it to other areas to fish. So if I am going to do it rather have it done right and less of a headache later. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, jh141 said:

Really wish someone would do a screw on cap on a stainless hub, or the Vortex hubs were available in stainless. Would make the maintenance (removing the cap to grease) a bit easier. I use Bearing Buddies. That allows me to keep a slight amount of pressure inside the hubs. That and Lucas Marine grease and I have yet to have any kind of failure.

Here ya go, not cheap but it's from the same company that built my torsion axles, American Rockwell. The blue cap screws on with an O-ring seal. My issue was water leaking in through the old style rubber insert covers. Hot or warm hubs backing in the water and it seems to *** in a little water around the inserts, especially if they are older and less flexible. Obviously for Posi-lube type axles/hubs.

https://www.trailerdepot.com/1-aluminum-bearing-grease-cap-1-980/

 

I see the censor police got me on a everyday word. How's this......Seems to "seep" in a little water around the rubber inserts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...