surge brakes

[VetteLT193]

I have Kodiak surge brakes on my new trailer with a Titan actuator. The brake actuator seems to have too much friction on it, the brakes either actuate or they don't seem to at all.

It has gotten a bit better with some use, but it's still not great. I tend to jab the brakes to get the tongue to slide in then do my normal stop.

Any tips on what to look for? There are a couple of spots rubbing on the top of the part that slides. I tried to grease the fitting in that area, but it wouldn't accept grease.

[mrfixxall]

I have Kodiak surge brakes on my new trailer with a Titan actuator. The brake actuator seems to have too much friction on it, the brakes either actuate or they don't seem to at all.
It has gotten a bit better with some use, but it's still not great. I tend to jab the brakes to get the tongue to slide in then do my normal stop.
Any tips on what to look for? There are a couple of spots rubbing on the top of the part that slides. I tried to grease the fitting in that area, but it wouldn't accept grease.

Wazz up vette!

first im sure you have disc brakes? i wonder if they opened the hole in the tip of the master cylinder to release the pressure for the disc brake requirements..If they didnt then it wont move all that fast if at all..a ittle pin hole for drum brakes and 1/8'' or better for disc brakes..

ive seen on some occasions that they use a steel brake line going to the brake caliper,it should be a rubbe line so the caliper can move..

greece the acurator with the trailer off the vehicle,also make sure you greece the inside where the ball sits into..if you dont all the weight mars up th ball pretty fast:)

[Ghost]

...greece the acurator with the trailer off the vehicle,also make sure you greece the inside where the ball sits into..if you dont all the weight mars up th ball pretty fast:)

Olive oil works well for this. :) (Sorry, I couldn't resist. I'm all punchy from today's events with my boat.)

[VetteLT193]

Wazz up vette!
first im sure you have disc brakes? i wonder if they opened the hole in the tip of the master cylinder to release the pressure for the disc brake requirements..If they didnt then it wont move all that fast if at all..a ittle pin hole for drum brakes and 1/8'' or better for disc brakes..
ive seen on some occasions that they use a steel brake line going to the brake caliper,it should be a rubbe line so the caliper can move..
greece the acurator with the trailer off the vehicle,also make sure you greece the inside where the ball sits into..if you dont all the weight mars up th ball pretty fast:)


Where am I looking for the hole? Yes, I have discs. once the tounge actually actuates, they work great. it's the getting it to actuate that is the issue. only a small issue, but still.

[mrfixxall]

Where am I looking for the hole? Yes, I have discs. once the tounge actually actuates, they work great. it's the getting it to actuate that is the issue. only a small issue, but still.


when it finally moves than i dout that would be a problem..also is the toungue level with the navigator? if its to high it would be a problem..to see if their working properly go about 50 on the highway and down shift the nav,it should slow the nav and boat down..

spray some fogging oil all the acuator and see if that halps..i use it on everything!!!:)

[VetteLT193]

I just looked at it again and there is a big sticker on the side that the actuator is for disk brakes only. So that should be fine.

Leveling with the Nav is a bit tricky because it raises and lowers itself with the 4 wheel air ride suspension. I can say it's darn close all around though... I'm not way off in either direction. Would it matter if it is only a little off? I just eyeballed it, I didn't take a level to it. I can't check it until I get it back from the body shop, so that will be another few days.

If I downshift (don't forget, 6 speed tranny so it's not a major shift) or slow down gently I can make it all the way to a stop without the trailer brakes engaging. If I jab the brakes for a second the trailer will slow me down for probably 5 seconds or so. if I continue to brake it will assist me.

[MOP]

Besides getting it greased up what kind of tongue weight are you running? You should be between 6 and 10% of the total weight, that is right out of the book. To much tongue weight can make the actuator some hard to move even well lubed.

[mrfixxall]

I just looked at it again and there is a big sticker on the side that the actuator is for disk brakes only. So that should be fine.
Leveling with the Nav is a bit tricky because it raises and lowers itself with the 4 wheel air ride suspension. I can say it's darn close all around though... I'm not way off in either direction. Would it matter if it is only a little off? I just eyeballed it, I didn't take a level to it. I can't check it until I get it back from the body shop, so that will be another few days.
If I downshift (don't forget, 6 speed tranny so it's not a major shift) or slow down gently I can make it all the way to a stop without the trailer brakes engaging. If I jab the brakes for a second the trailer will slow me down for probably 5 seconds or so. if I continue to brake it will assist me.



What mop said too! if its higher it makes the acuator harder to move forward to stop..

[Tidbart]

Tongue weight. Measure. :yes:

Can be a pita to measure. I had to rig up a fulcrum over a saw horse and used a 100# luggage scale to get a measurement. Then it was simple ratios and math to get the final result.

[BigGrizzly]

I have the same leveling on the Expedition. If you drive around the block then stop and measure you are fine as for slowing down just push the overdrive button. Now hwew is a better wau to check. The titan normally does not have an actuater hole in it for a screw driver so, take off your receiver and insert it into the actuator. then you can push it and pull it to actuate the surge brakes this is two fold one you see how much friction there is and you see if it returns with out any effort. My Kodiak brakes on both trailers allow the wheels to turn free when released. I just checked yesterday both trailers since they were off the ground. Love these Kodiak brakes. Btw the Titan instructions told me to do it this way. The master cylinder died full of rust a year ago on the Corsican trailer with drums so I did the K and tidown master cylinder- because i got a deal, otherwise I would not use tie down because they treat their customers and dealers like crap.

[VetteLT193]

As for tongue weight, I can't run much less. The trailer builder built the trailer with my Navigator in mind. In an effort to get some of the weight off the car, he initially had the boat back on the trailer by a foot. I picked up the boat from Donzi in Sarasota and had to run back to the trailer place to get the LED lights installed (they literally came to his shop 2 hours late, so he had to put regular ones on for the initial pickup)

Well, the trip from Sarasota to Brandon, which is only about a half hour, was an E-Ticket ride. The trailer had so little tongue weight that it was all over the road. I told the trailer guy, he explained he was trying to save some weight on the Nav... no problem, he jacked the boat up and moved the bunks forward and it trailers perfect since then.

I only have 2.5 inches of play to move the boat back on the bunks. That's the distance I have between the rear bottom and the middle bottom between the back step.

I do have a bunch of things to check at least. Thanks for everyone's input.

[VetteLT193]

I put a new hitch on the Nav, one of those solid ones that Fix suggested. No more brake problems. Both hitches are 2" drop, but they look slightly different. maybe off by a 1/4 inch. It was either that, or it just needed a bit more use.

Regardless... all is well.

[Cuda]

Who built the trailer? Captain Jack at Quickload built the one for my 302 in four days, and it fit perfectly. It was almost 2 grand less than the same trailer at Owens and Sons, who my buddy went to high school with.

[VetteLT193]

Ace trailers over in Apollo Beach FL. Aluminum trailer, triple axle, Kodiak disk brakes, LED lights, spare tire with spindle. They custom built it for the boat, including the step bottom bunks to Donzi specs. All the hardware is Stainless.

The only thing I didn't get is Aluminum wheels. That was an extra $80 per wheel, so 560 for 7. It wasn't worth it to me.

The price was excellent. less than S. Fla trailers quoted me for my Minx, and that was dual axle with no brakes!

Even better than the price is the service. They built the trailer in 2 days, and even had me stop back in so they could re-check everything after the boat was on it. They did, and adjusted it. I really can't ask for a better company to work with :)

[Cuda]

I had a feeling it was Ace. He didn't mention he had a judgement against him when he stole a bunch of material to get started. They used to be right by MacDil AFB.

[VetteLT193]

I had a feeling it was Ace. He didn't mention he had a judgement against him when he stole a bunch of material to get started. They used to be right by MacDil AFB.

Interesting. He was a super guy to me, went above and beyond to make it right even in 100 degree blasting heat.

[Cuda]

Interesting. He was a super guy to me, went above and beyond to make it right even in 100 degree blasting heat.
Most con artists are good at being nice, other wise they wouldn't make it as con artists. I only knew because I met the old man who owned a trailer rental place just on the Tampa side of the Gandy Bridge. He had a Formula for sale I looked at, and we got to talking and it came up. He told me that he got a check as part of his restitution for being convicted of stealing supplies from him. It was the old man who first started National Car Rentals. I doubt he's still alive.

As a lawyer once told me, "The truth is a valid defense in all libel or slander cases".

The owner of another website also bought a trailer from him.