Can Electric Trailer Brakes Be Added To A Boat Trailer

Question:

I bought a Catalina 22 sailboat with a single axle Custom Performance trailer. It has no brakes and Im thinking about adding an electric braking system. Can these be submerged and how do I decide which one to buy? Thanks

asked by: Fred R

Helpful Expert Reply:

With the quality of materials and better wiring insulation on modern electric trailer brakes, you can definitely use them on a boat trailer like your single axle Custom Performance trailer for your Catalina 22 sailboat. I would still recommend unplugging the trailer connector from your vehicle when backing the trailer in the water as an extra layer of security.

Now to determine the correct brakes, and components necessary you will need to find a few key bits of information on your trailers axle.

You will need to know if your trailer already has a brake mounting flange, the axle capacity, and the inner and outer wheel bearings your spindle uses.

Starting with the brake mounting flange, if your axle already has one you will see a 4 or 5 bolt flange behind your idler hubs as shown in the included picture. If you do not have the flange you will need to have an axle shop weld one on as it needs to be perfectly parallel to the axle to avoid uneven brake wear. The correct flange is based on the diameter of your axle, for example the # 4-35 is designed for a 2-3/8" diameter axle, and the # DM52415 is designed for a 3" diameter axle.

Next the axle capacity is important to make sure the brakes are not severely underpowered or over powered to the GVWR of your trailer, which could cause a less than ideal towing experience.

Lastly determining the inner and outer wheel bearings is crucial as it will identify the correct hub for your spindle. The easiest way to determine which bearings your trailer uses is to pull one of your hubs, and look for the bearing number stamped on the face of the bearing as shown in the picture of the # L44649.

If your bearings are worn to the point you cannot read the bearing numbers, you will need to use digital calipers like # PTW80157 to accurately measure your spindle according to the included diagram.

If you can provide the listed information, I would be happy to recommend the correct parts to add electric trailer brakes to your trailer.

I included a helpful article on adding electric trailer brakes to a trailer for you to take a look at.