Disk brake conversion

[Stevhop]

Greetings, I have a 2008 2955rl and I am think about upgrading to disk brakes. (I had to panic stop the other day….fortunately an escape route appeared at the last minute…would have been pretty ugly otherwise)
I am pretty handy so I figure I can do it myself, the only area I am a bit unsure about is the electrical connections. How do identify which wires are which?
Any help or advice will be appreciated
Thank you

 

[Stevhop]

Greetings, I have a 2008 2955rl and I am think about upgrading to disk brakes. (I had to panic stop the other day….fortunately an escape route appeared at the last minute…would have been pretty ugly otherwise)
I am pretty handy so I figure I can do it myself, the only area I am a bit unsure about is the electrical connections. How do identify which wires are which?
Any help or advice will be appreciated
Thank you

…..All the above being said…I guess it would hurt to ask…how would I expect to pay if I had a shop do the install? 6K axels, 8 lug hubs.

 

[Dhuhn]

Get a hold of Performance trailer braking they install at a lot of disc brake conversions at some of the Montana rallys. I believe they will sell you the kits and also do install for you. Here is there web site
Welcome to Performance Trailer Braking

 

[AZ Traveler]

Steve,

The wiring is straight forward, it all wires into the brake fluid reservoir. Last I saw on an install was around $4K but it has been a year or two.

 

[Cbrez]

We had Performance Trailer Breaking install disc brakes Jan 2024. The kit cost $3139. Installation cost $1100 + $150 fuel charge since the installer traveled from Tampa to Venice to do the work. The installer was fantastic and the increased brake performance is incredible.

My wife was skeptical because of the cost (I wanted to go full independent suspension so she met me half way with the brake upgrade). Then she had to stand on the brakes last week and became an instant ambassador for disc brakes.

 

[Todd & Mary]

I had Performance install disc brakes 2 years ago and never looked back, its one of the best upgrades I've made. Had them replace the 7k axles with 8k and installed the x cross braces last year. Stopping has greatly improved. And a plus is the bearings are larger in the disc brake hubs. So more piece of mind. Panic stops are not so panicky any more! Good luck with your installation. I couldn't recommend Performance any higher, they do great work.

 

[GAinaMontana]

Did my own install several years ago after a similar experience with a near accident. Bought Kodiak brake kit with Hydrastar actuator thru e-trailer.com. Be sure to match the hubs and bearings with your axles and the actuator with your tow vehicle. E-trailer.com techs were helpful. Wiring is simple as long as the actuator is well grounded to your truck. Do not ground to trailer, ground to the truck thru the wiring harness. Hardest part of the installation was running the brake lines. If I were doing it again, I would buy a tubing kit. Easier to have someone else do it, but you can save a good deal of money by diy.

 

[Pathfinder75]

All information is on the Disc Brake Kits Web site.
6K - 7K brake kit with 13" rotor and 8 lugs is listed at $3300. I believe 1/2" versus 9/16" lug size varies in price.
Yes they have mobile installers available you can ask about.
I installed my self with only mod from their kit was differant brake hoses so I could install so a tire blowout would be less likely to snag and tear them off.
Attach electric brake actuator diagram from their web site. 3 current wires in your 7 pin harness (Black-battery, White-ground, Blue-Brake) are used but a Brown replaces the brake away connection to activate brakes in emergency. Also a additional battery lead Violet is also used.
While I believe Performance brake would be your best help if you do a DIY install might price compare with Etrailer just for comparison.
Running the steel brake tube is really what I would consider the most time

consuming job.

 

[h2ojocky]

I paid $2194 in 2001 and it was the best upgrade for my 2005 2955 RL. That was for the kit from E-Trailer. Install was pretty straight forward.

 

[Majorpolk]

Performance Trailer Braking- the only way to go!

 

[harris71]

I have a 2013 3100RL and looked into disc brakes after a panic stop. I spent hours researching and decided on one particular setup, planning to do the work myself. Cost was a little over $2500 for parts. The deal breaker for me was my 2014 Chevy 3500 would need a new break controller. The OEM one is not compatible with hydraulic over electric brakes. This made the wiring part a little too complicated for me, plus I didn't want to go back to a controller that was a "knee banger" like my old truck had.... I agree that disc is the way to go, but my days of hauling are numbered. Couldn't justify it.

 

[PSFORD99]

I have a 2013 3100RL and looked into disc brakes after a panic stop. I spent hours researching and decided on one particular setup, planning to do the work myself. Cost was a little over $2500 for parts. The deal breaker for me was my 2014 Chevy 3500 would need a new break controller. The OEM one is not compatible with hydraulic over electric brakes. This made the wiring part a little too complicated for me, plus I didn't want to go back to a controller that was a "knee banger" like my old truck had.... I agree that disc is the way to go, but my days of hauling are numbered. Couldn't justify it.

That’s odd , my 2014 Ram 3500 has 4 brake options , light , and heavy for hydraulic over electric , and the same for just electric. That’s unfortunate you don’t have those options. It maybe because mine is the Laramie with the fifth wheel prep , and that was probably one of the things the prep has . I bought the truck new off the lot , so I really didn’t know it had the brake options, my son told me about them , when I was talking about the brake settings when I just had the electric brakes on my fifth wheel.

If I had to choose on just one upgrade , it would be disc brakes. There are a lot of nice upgrades, but for anyone that’s experienced a panic stop without , and with hydraulic over electric disc brakes will know they would never tow without disc brakes again . I know I won’t , it’s amazing the difference. It’s just nice the trailer is doing its own stopping , needing no help from the truck . It feels like the truck is stopping without anything in tow . What amazes me the most is getting off the freeway on an exit , and between my exhaust brake on the truck , and the disc brakes on the trailer it feels like there is little effort on the brake pedal pressure to get stopped.

 

[RandyH]

I installed the DeeMax disk brake kit from etrailer on my 2020 Montana 3121RL last year. I felt I was having to adjust my drum brakes constantly and they just weren’t stopping me very well. I was able to complete the installation in a day and what a difference. My wife and I are completing a 5000 mile road trip and I am wondering why all trailer don’t come with disk brakes!

 

[jhudson]

All you have to do is grap one of your old magnets from the drum brakes you are replacing with disc brakes. Wire the magnet in parallel with the hydraulic actuator and that's it.

Your 2014 3500 is looking for resistance from the brake magnets and will not detect the proper resistance from the electric over hydraulic actuator thereby not connecting to the factory brake controller.

I made the conversion to disc brakes in March. My 2012 chevrolet 3500 LTZ would not connect to the actuator because our controllers are looking for resistance from the brake magnets. Easy fix, just installed a single brake magnet in front compartment wired in parallel with the actuator. Works perfectly.

By the way, you can buy an electronic box that wires in parallel to the actuator that simulates the brake magnets for around $100.00. I went the cheap method as I already had four from the camper.

Lastly, best upgrade I have ever done. Stopping power is unbelievable. You do not realize how bad the drum brakes were until you go to disc route.