Reccomendations for electric/ hydraulic trailer brake pump ?

[Chris20984]

Hi guys, I need to upgrade the brake setup on my boat trailer. It is a 630 Haines signature with a 200 zuke so over 2000 kg. it has mechanical hydraulic 4 wheel disc brakes. It is suppose to have a electric hydraulic pump to actuate the calipers.

I have been recommended a hydra stars pump. Repco is the dealer for the so the Trojan rep tells me. Repco in Hervey Bay gave me a price of $ 2164.

Please suggest brands and where to buy. Cheers Chris.

[Chimo]

Hi Chris

I had to upspec my Tinka for my Vag and also went with the Hydrastar too. Simple easy to use and durable.

A range of controllers work them as opposed to some other types of brake set ups.

I had overide hydraulics already on the trailer so it was fairly simple to upspec the pull and fit the hydrastar and connect it into the hydraulic lines. Also it has a battery box that works it if the trailer takes off from the car.

The guy who did most of the work has a boat trailer building background and he lives up towards where you appear to be.

Cheers
Chimo

[Carry]

Hi Chris,

Mate the hydra star kit in the 1200 psi would do the job for you.

Take a look at this link below or if you want to buy local in Aus contact direct source 07 32058846 on the northside of Brisbane. I got mine from there along with calipers, lines and controller and was very happy with the service, product knowledge and price.

http://www.hydrastar.com.au/

http://www.hydrastar4u.com/page/434343618

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Carry

[Spaniard_King]

Have a look at the sensa brake stuff as well. If you need to stop in a hurry that's the way to go. No good thinking about this after an accident

Also when you turn the car off on the ramp.. the sensa brake system is the best hand brake you will buy. others don't do this

http://www.alko.com.au/vehicle-technology/sensabrake/

[Spaniard_King]

This place has the full sensa brake kit for $1716.00 plus freight

http://www.trailerparts.net.au/online_shop/check_out

[tassjo]

hi , I also have the 1200psi hydostar kit on my trailer operated by the teckonsha p3.A advantage that the p3 has is you can disable the brakes while backing the trailer & not locking wheels while unloaded. For the brake controller shop around, i purchaced the p3 for $165,the shop that spaniad king suggested for you brake kit sell the p3 for a lot more .

[Spaniard_King]

Tas, the brakes don't activate when you reverse a sensa brake trailer. sensa brake uses a pad on the brake pedal that's why its more responsive. you can adjust the braking pressure by sliding a button so its easy to add more pressure or reduce as neccessary

[Chimo]

"you can adjust the braking pressure by sliding a button so its easy to add more pressure or reduce as neccessary"

Gary, that sounds like what you can do with my hydrastar but the slide is on the Tekonsha brake controller. I have to back mine off when the boat is off the trailer or all four wheels will lock up on the trailer. Works real good with the boat on but you either have to back off the brake effort or be very gentle when backing down the ramp, esp when the boat is off the trailer.

Cheers
Chimo

[Goldfinch]

Just be careful if you decide on a Hydra star unit. Moisture gets into the casing seals and fries the circuit board over time. I would highly suggest making or buying a waterproof jacket for the unit as it's not covered under warranty and when it seizes, it's not pretty, especially on the gateway doing 100kph with a semi on your tail :-(.

[tassjo]

hi ,spaniad king what I am trying to say is as you go down the ramp and apply the brakes to slow down, the brakes will be applied and most times the wheels on the trailer will lock cause of no weight been on the trailer ,no need to adjust the controllers including sense brakes , just hold a button on for 3s and it is activated,most controllers need a input from the brake switch and the rest is done by the controller either a fixed setting or pendulum style .Another feature of the p3 with a touch of a button is you have 3 settings so as you apply the brakes you can have the trailer apply the brakes at the same time ,after the car ,or before.hope that helps

[wrxhoon]

Over the years I have installed and used all types of controllers , I used the first hydrastar soon after they released it in 1999 I think it was, before that it was either air or vacuum, very expensive .
I used Dexter , brakerite and sensa ( when the new Zealand mob owned them ) .
In theory Sensa is the best system because it is instant and like Gary said you don't need a battery or breakaway switch, it activates the brakes as soon as power disconnects. Ever since they made them they were very troublesome , mainly melting compressors because they were to small , the other problem was the circuit board, I'm lead to believe they have fixed that with a better compressor ( not plastic) but not sure if that's the case.
The other problem with these , the holding tank was so small you could run our of air with constant application, then no brakes !!! I installed a bigger external tank on one trailer to fix that but again you could run low on air because the compressor was to small..

The other 3 are very similar and i would rate the Dexter as best then Hydrastar then brakerite ( that's my rating but like I said very similar). These untis have a different shortcoming, unlike similar brakes on cars they don't use an accumulator so it pumps the fluid when you power it up ( by applying the cars brakes) so it takes time to apply the trailer brakes.
The very first hydrastar was very slow, these days they are much faster. All these 3 units require a brake-away switch and a battery to comply with ADR and a voltmeter or some light in the cab toi show the break-away battery charge. These 3 units are quite reliable but DON'T submerge them, if you do they finished , you must fix them as high as possible, I mount mine on the winch post, same goes for the sensa, you submerge it and goodbye circuit board .
Gary maybe able to tell you if the Sensa is better now as I haven't used a late model one and it coulds be ok for you if you don't drive in traffic or very hilly, bendy roads.
Shop around for the best price, I buy mine from USA but it's a hassle if you need to claim on warranty.
As far as brake controllers go for the 3 electric USA models you can't beat the P3 from Tekonsha, of course EVO is the best for the Sensa .

Make sure your trailer is rated for the weight, just because you have the braking system for over 2000 kg it doesn't mean you are legal unless your are under the trailer's ATM.

[rexaway123]

sensabrake all the way...have on my 3Ton noosacat could not be happier with function and features.
Older model used the pad on pedal...current one just uses one of few types of motion sensing brake controller on dash...works reversing down ramp based on you holding foot on pedal for more than a few secs constant it starts to apply brakes as you reverse down.
braking is unbelievable good even though I have turned voltage right down as it was ust too powerful. i used to just touch car pedal and I would go forward in my seat in car. Even turned down now I can stop car and boat easily with just the override emergency switch on dash controller just as I think you should be able to
once u disconnect it locks wheels up to ensure safety if you wont it while driving on off trailer and u dont end up on youtube with your car in water. no other power and parts needed all self contained breakaway and power suply

[Chris20984]

Thanks everyone, all great info there and links to some good prices. I forgot to mention in my initial post that the trailer does have a sensa brake unit on it, but it is not connected. Judging by the look of it the unit is the original that come with the trailer, 2004 so nearly ten years old. I have spoken with the local trailer shop and he told me that the sensa brake units can be some what troublesome/break down ? especially the fact of its age/ life span ? He suggested a new Hydrastar unit.

1. should i spend money on an old sensa brake unit or put the money towards a new hydrastar/sensa unit ?

I am leaning towards a hydrastar unit because they seem to get a good report, and a fair bit cheaper than the sensa brake ?

[Chimo]

Theres no way I'd spend $s on an old Sensa brake unit. To be honest given the problems I've been told about with them (some years back ) IMHO I just wouldn't go there.

I did have a Hydrastar fitted when I up-speced my trailer and touching wood (on the desk) no issues to report, it just works and covers the legal aspects as well

Cheers
Chimo

[johncar]

I am running a Hydrastar 1200 which is doing a decent job the past 3 years since new. It just surprised me though on reading the documentation that came with it that it not to be exposed to rain or such. Now almost every unit I see fitted to trailers out there is just sitting out in the elements getting either rained on or wet when washing the boat down etc.
The filler cap is also very weak and vulnerable to either fall off or just too inviting for someone, even just a child to play with it, pour sand in what ever. Also very easy to kick and break the hydraulic line off to the back of the unit.. Would appear to be a bit of engineered "design to fail" to me.
For what the units cost to repair or replace plus the risk and inconvenience of a failure wouldn't it be sensible for we owners to to install a cover for it?
Mine was just sitting out there on the drawbar for a year or so then I made a cover for it and it is much better protected now plus the cover doubled as a handy step to jump up on front of the boat.
I have heard the early Sensa Brake units were troublesome but better these days and a good unit, hope it's true. They used to have to have a special in car controller for them but I am not sure if that is still the case.

A couple of pics of my hydrastar cover

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DSC02690reduced.jpg