electric van brakes

drongo & wendy · Senior Member

electric van brakes

Basil Faulty · Guru

drongo & wendy wrote:

G,day
Im thinking of changing my normal plunge type brakes and installing electric.
Being a retired plumber i know nutting about mechanics ,so question is are they easy to fit but more important what s a good unit to install, i have a small poptop van if that counts for anything.
Emails or advice on here would be well recieved.

ps misses said im not touching it dont ya hate that , should of married her sister.

AlKO make a reliable electric system would require new hubs with the brake bits in it and instalation would not be difficult. Tekosha Voyager though expensive is the Brake Controler to fit IMHO. Expensive but when set up is virtually automatic in operation and copes with differing loads in your van all by itself. Depends on wether the stud pattern on the wheels isa standard Ford or Holden one, if not you may have to replace the wheels as well.

Some links....
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/PRODIGY-Tekonsha-12v-Electric-Trailer-Brakes-Caravan_W0QQitemZ110322134276QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCaravan_Parts_Accessories?hash=item110322134276&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A975%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Electric-Brakes-Complete-Drum-Kit-Caravan-Trailer-NEW_W0QQitemZ220326780794QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCaravan_Parts_Accessories?hash=item220326780794&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A975%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318
Or just to confuse you here is the AL-Ko website....
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Electric-Brakes-Complete-Drum-Kit-Caravan-Trailer-NEW_W0QQitemZ220326780794QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCaravan_Parts_Accessories?hash=item220326780794&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A975%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318
No you should not have married your sister .... A bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush. Unless the bird in the bush is young, stunningly attractive and takes your money.....

dave06 · Guru

nah dont worry about what she say's, tell her to go to buggery, what does she know, get a carton of beer and a couple of mates and you'll whack them in over a weekend either that or you will have a good weekend anyway

my question is why would you want to change the brakes over on a perfectly good working system, if it aint broke???

drongo & wendy · Senior Member

G,day BASIL and DAVO
Thanks for your replys, done a bit of thinkin and Davo your a man of my own heart.
I told the mises about your idea and she sorta said id do that anyway. A stubby or 2 of pure blonde [misses thinks its lemonade] and bugger the brakes.
Basil il check out the impho u sent thanks mate

Mike47 · Senior Member

If, for no other reason, fitting electric brakes can stop "fish-tailing" as soon as it starts by simply tapping the over-ride.

I had my Jayco Penguin 13 fitted for $389.00, There are several good brands, I have the Hayman-Reese and they're terrific.

Mike

dave06 · Guru

if you are getting "fish tailing" then you have weight distribution problems and should be looking at your loading criteria, not brakes

the same effect of "tapping" your brakes is achieved with the overide brakes as well, you wait till the rig is straight and gently apply the brake, thereby "slowing" the whole vehicle, if you inadvertantly lock your van brakes with the overide when it is not straight you are risking all sorts of other troubles

if it is only $3-$400 and you want them then I guess go and grab them but on a small van I can see no valid reason for having them, certainly no valid reason for upgrading

I towed a 22 footer solid wall with a toyota crown all over oz with only overide brakes and I had not a moments trouble,

my brother bought the first electric one that I had seen, it had a slider mechanism under the dash and the only good thing over the override brakes that I could see was that it gave something else to "play with" on a long trip and a few extra little red lights, cetainly gave no discernable advantages that I could see in everyday use, but he upgraded his van with a new custom built every two years and the same with his nissan and toyota 4wds, lost bugger all on them in the trade in some cases he gained