What's is the advantage of electric versus surge brake systems?

[conTundra]

I did a search but didn't find any info on this subject. Any opnions will be well received!

[Gary C]

Surge brakes are better for boat trailers, getting dunked in water isn't good for electrics.

Surge is usually limited to smaller trailers. They're not good for trailers that are heavier than their tow vehicle.

Electrics are more controllable, surge works off of the forward movement of the trailer pressing against the hitch ball so you're unable to adjust the braking force from the vehicle.

All in all, I'd pick electrics every time if I had a choice. Surge brakes work okay, but I like to be able to control what my trailer brakes are doing.

[conTundra]

Thanks! I plan to trailer a large boat weighing in the 8000 lb range plus the aluminum trailer weight for a total close to 10,000 lbs. I guess that electric brakes would be the way to go here even though it's a boat.

[Bai Qui]

There are electric over hydraulic brake systems that use a hydraulic brake system on the trailer but are controlled electronically so you can use an electronic brake controller to adjust the trailer brakes. Not sure what this setup would cost, but you could control the braking pressure without worrying about dunking electric brakes in the water when you launch the boat.

[Marazzito]

Backing up with surge brakes can be difficult if backing up hill (opposite of a boat ramp). The reason why is they act like your are stoping and ingage the brakes the steeper and/or longer the hill the harder they brake. I was helping my sister move with a 6x12 Uhaul trailer (I would guess about 4,000 lbs as it was loaded top to bottom) and backing into her steep drive way the brakes locked and the trailer wheels were skidding and smoking. That may have been partially due to the fact it was a uhaul trailer and who knows how well it had been maintained.