I am mechanically impaired, so cut me some slack here ..... I have no clue what either type of brake is or how they are different, BUT the first brief owner of our trailer had surge brakes installed which Husband is currently, as I am typing this, changing out to electric.... because apparently surge brakes are not as good for our type of trailer? Hence, we will always wonder what First Owner was thinking, but maybe that is the reason we got the trailer for such a good price. Who knows.
Anyway, I appreciate being married to someone who understands all this.
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Neither your signature/avatar or your post says what size trailer you have but I think your previous posts indicate that you have a 21RBS. I think surge brakes might be ok for a 14' LL trailer that weighs less than 3,000 lbs. Any more and I would go electric.
I have used surge brakes for a trailer that weighed about 2,500 lbs (a heavy pop up) and it worked ok. Surge brakes by their very design can only stop a trailer about half as fast as electric brakes. That is ok if your tow vehicle weighs double what the trailer weighs which might be the case if you had a 14'er.
Your Cherokee probably weighs about 5,000 lbs. With a 21'er at 4,500 lbs you definitely need electric brakes.
Good move on Husband's part!
David
Yes, it's a 21RBS. I thought my avatar indicated that, but you're right, it doesn't. (Back into settings to figure out how to fix that.)
Thanks. I read your message to the Husband. All is going well, so far, with the change. :)
A place nearby that rents travel trailers has them all outfitted with surge brakes because most renters won't have a brake controller in the first place.
Less safe, but not as bad as nothing.