Ordered disc brakes today!!

[Golfmedik]

I installed the 8k axles and discs myself back in June and haven't looked back. The assurance that the rig will stop is well worth the money and time invested.

[beeje]

Originally Posted by MARK A

You guys are as bad as the Harley Davidson forums!
I ordered my disc brake kit today and am looking forward to getting started.
It seems like the right thing to do, these big trailers are a handful in a hard stop situation.

Mark

For those of you that have trucks with Stabilitrak, Please be aware that in an emergency hard stop situation, the system is designed to disable the trailer brakes. WTF

I know this is hard to believe, but I experienced this first hand with my Chevy 2011 3300 SWR truck. Came very close to a major accident.

Sent a letter to GM which got no response. Talked to my dealer that confirmed it. They said it was to keep the trailer from jackknifing.

I traded it in on my current Dually that does not have Stabilitrak.

Moral of the story is it does not matter what kind of trailer brakes you have, they may not work when you need them the most.

[Dave W]

Originally Posted by beeje

For those of you that have trucks with Stabilitrak, Please be aware that in an emergency hard stop situation, the system is designed to disable the trailer brakes. WTF
.

I had to see what was going on with that sway control - it looks like there are more problems with Stabil-Trac then losing trailer braking. If I owned a GM product/tow vehicle would probably spend a few bucks and install a Prodigy brake control instead of relying on GM to 'fix' their problems.



Understand you have a new truck without that option, but did you report this to NHTSA? This along with others doing the same will be the only way that GM will fix this software glitch

[beeje]

I'm I'm not sure it's only a GM issue. And no I did not report it.

[rohrmann]

If I'm not mistaken, isn't there a button to disable the Stabilitrak? I've never noticed the trailer brakes not working on hard stops. Maybe I've never had to stop that hard.

[beeje]

As far as I know there is no way to turn it off, or I would have done that.

[prndl]

Originally Posted by rohrmann

We had discs installed at the Coos Bay, OR rally in June. Went from the brake controller set at 9 to 4.5 and the rig stops much better than just the truck alone. We opted for the Timkens, and they were only a little less than $40 per wheel, and the outer bearing on the 8K disc hub is larger than on the 7K drum hub, so should be much more durable. This photo is at the end of the first short day of installation, still needing the plumbing and the controller installed.

Just curious why your calipers are mounted with one at 3 o'clock and the other at 9 o'clock?

With my Kodiak brakes the instructions say:


e. On 3500 lb. through 8000 lb. axles, install caliper mounting bracket at the recommended 3 o’clock position on left side and 9 o’clock position on right side. On the 9000 lb. and 10,000 lb. axles, the caliper is mounted at 12 o’clock. Torque caliper mounting bracket bolts per axle manufacturer’s recommenda- tions. (Note Fig. 1, Item 5)

[beeje]

Originally Posted by prndl

Just curious why your calipers are mounted with one at 3 o'clock and the other at 9 o'clock?

With my Kodiak brakes the instructions say:


e. On 3500 lb. through 8000 lb. axles, install caliper mounting bracket at the recommended 3 o’clock position on left side and 9 o’clock position on right side. On the 9000 lb. and 10,000 lb. axles, the caliper is mounted at 12 o’clock. Torque caliper mounting bracket bolts per axle manufacturer’s recommenda- tions. (Note Fig. 1, Item 5)

That is very strange. I noticed that to, but did not comment. Mine are all mounted towards the rear. So looking at the drivers side, they are at 3:00. Passenger side at 9:00

[rohrmann]

Originally Posted by prndl

Just curious why your calipers are mounted with one at 3 o'clock and the other at 9 o'clock?

With my Kodiak brakes the instructions say:


e. On 3500 lb. through 8000 lb. axles, install caliper mounting bracket at the recommended 3 o’clock position on left side and 9 o’clock position on right side. On the 9000 lb. and 10,000 lb. axles, the caliper is mounted at 12 o’clock. Torque caliper mounting bracket bolts per axle manufacturer’s recommenda- tions. (Note Fig. 1, Item 5)

The installer said they were to be installed on the side with the least movement, so the would be where the spring bolts to the frame, not where the shackles and equalizer is between the axles. I don’t think it really makes any difference for braking, and the calipers have two bleed fittings so you can bleed at the top one whichever way they are positioned. I looked up the instructions later and confirmed what he said.

[rohrmann]

I'm attaching a few photos, the first is the button to turn off the system, and the second and third pages from the manual about the Stabilitrak and the TSC-Trailer Sway Control. Hope this helps.

[Dave W]

I mounted all 4 calipers on the rear side. It makes absolutely no difference where they are mounted. A disc brake caliper will work wherever on that rotor and have exactly the same braking clamp effect and will stop rotation. A conventional (Dexter) brake will have a different effect as long as it's the Lockheed floating design where wedge action does the stopping. Then there is the bendix design ......early Ford and Chrysler products

[beeje]

Originally Posted by rohrmann

I'm attaching a few photos, the first is the button to turn off the system, and the second and third pages from the manual about the Stabilitrak and the TSC-Trailer Sway Control. Hope this helps.

Thanks Rohrmann, I'm not shur that applies to the truck I had, but I wanted no parts of it after a VERY near disastrous accident.

[Dave W]

A hint to make things easier with disc brakes.


Being a hot rodder at heart, really dislike bleeding brakes and needing two people unless you have a pressure bleeder or a Mity-Vac (which never worked well for me)



I had to bleed the brakes on our 5er yesterday after having to remove a line to drop the front belly cover. When I installed the disc system a couple years ago, I installed Russel Sprrd Bleeders. These are a bleeder that is a miniature check valve that opens only under fairly high brakeline pressure. This in turn will allow you to open them, put your drain hose on then go and operate the actuator pump - without having a second person. Oh and you do need to top off the actuator reservoir after each wheel. I ended up using just about a pint of brake fluid and 15 minutes to do ours. I also installd them on my truck when I upgraded the brakes


http://www.russellperformance.com/mc/speed-bleeders/



You do need to confirm the correct sixe. Mine were 3/8" but had been told that they were 1/4" by etrailer, the caliper supplier.


Amazon also sells them