Our new to us 2006 Quicksilver 10.0 has hydraulic surge brakes on it currently and i'm not certain that they function properly. I've had it on a couple trips and could not tell for sure. I'm having the trailer serviced by a local trailer and hitch company with a great reputation in a couple weeks and a couple options are on the table. First option and most economical is that the surge actuator is fine and working properly and they just have to service the brakes, Second option is that the actuator is fine but the system needs bled and recharged, Third option is that the surge system is not working and replace the brakes with electric brake assemblies add the battery switch (it already has a battery).
I'm a little tossed on this subject. Given that i'm new to towing i'm hoping that I don't have to go to electric and the surge will be fine. Livin'Lite still installs the same surge brake system on the new Quicksilver trailers (Tie-Down Engineering) as they did in 2006, so hopefully they know what they are doing and the unit is fine with surge brakes. I've heard they work fine, but its worth getting them inspected every season to ensure they are working properly.
Basically the trailer service company does a full inspection and grease of the bearings and checks lights and brakes for under $70 and then tells you what the trailer needs. I dont know anyone else on here with either a Quicksilver with surge brakes or one with electric brakes. Most on here just tow them without brakes
[font size="3"]Hiker,
While I can't answer you question completely I can offer a few thoughts. With your relatively small tow vehicle you definitely need brakes. Some owners tow the 10.0s without brakes, but I wouln't recommend it with you size TV. You need some help coming downhill. Although the surge brakes may be working fine the problem with them is you never know. Electric brakes have three big advantages: they can be tested any time from within the TV; they are continuously adjustable for varying loads and conditions; and, most importantly, they can be manually applied if things get out of hand. Surge brakes are mostly used on boats where submersion is an issue, and on trailers where the TVs may not be set up for towing such as rental applications. If you can afford it I would always suggest electric with a good quality controller.
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[quote source="/post/10538/thread" timestamp="1431116313" author="@charliem"][font size="3"]Hiker,
While I can't answer you question completely I can offer a few thoughts. With your relatively small tow vehicle you definitely need brakes. Some owners tow the 10.0s without brakes, but I wouln't recommend it with you size TV. You need some help coming downhill. Although the surge brakes may be working fine the problem with them is you never know. Electric brakes have three big advantages: they can be tested any time from within the TV; they are continuously adjustable for varying loads and conditions; and, most importantly, they can be manually applied if things get out of hand. Surge brakes are mostly used on boats where submersion is an issue, and on trailers where the TVs may not be set up for towing such as rental applications. If you can afford it I would always suggest electric with a good quality controller.
[/font][/quote]I already have a Prodigy P2 installed in my TV which is a Subaru Outback so I may lean in that direction. I had the same company install the brake controller and 7-pin/4-pin universal plug because we were looking at conventional pop up campers and if I went with something heavier I definitely was wanting something with electric brakes. We found the QS10 and we received a great deal on it which gives us some room to play with on accessories/modifications. The trailer is in great shape other than a 4" split hole on the diamond plate rock guard (which I temporarily fixed with layering foil HVAC tape), but I want something I can take out of state safely. Hopefully the trailer company can help me program my brake controller if I go with electric brakes. Even though the Prodigy manual makes it seem easy...
I actually think that surge brakes being totally hydraulic are more reliable than electric. So I would have no doubt that they can be made to work right.
In operation you will not feel much braking force until you stop heavily. The braking on your TV creates a deceleration that applies force on the hydraulic actuator on the tongue and causes the trailer to brake. There is a spring that must be overcome to start braking, so light braking won't actuate it. It takes a heavy stop.
When you do hit the brakes hard you will first feel your TV start to stop and then a half second or so later you will feel it jerk (that isn't quite the right term, it is actually fairly gentle) back as the trailer brakes are applied.
Surge brakes are definitely a help when you are towing with a light vehicle, but electric brakes do stop better.
David
[quote source="/post/10540/thread" timestamp="1431118088" author="@david"]I actually think that surge brakes being totally hydraulic are more reliable than electric. So I would have no doubt that they can be made to work right.
In operation you will not feel much braking force until you stop heavily. The braking on your TV creates a deceleration that applies force on the hydraulic actuator on the tongue and causes the trailer to brake. There is a spring that must be overcome to start braking, so light braking won't actuate it. It takes a heavy stop.
When you do hit the brakes hard you will first feel your TV start to stop and then a half second or so later you will feel it jerk (that isn't quite the right term, it is actually fairly gentle) back as the trailer brakes are applied.
Surge brakes are definitely a help when you are towing with a light vehicle, but electric brakes do stop better.
David[/quote]Thanks David
[font size="3"]I think you're on the right track, and the P2 is an excellent controller. David's probably correct on the hydraulic reliability, but I feel better with the enhanced control of the electrics.
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Well-I had the trailer checked out. It has some widespread issues with wiring for the lighting so they are fixing that. I've had all the light working, then only one brake light then no running lights, etc. They indicated that some of the wiring was spiced together without heat shrink, etc! It's a 2006 so maybe Livin'Lite has fixed that since. It also needed a bearing service which I had expected. With regard to the brakes the backing plate hydraulic brake assemblies were ceased up so they are being replaced and the actuator for the surge brakes is being bled and serviced. I should have a fully functioning trailer after tomorrow.
I looked into surge brake systems several years ago when I was towing a very small camper with my motorcycle. For a motorcycle rig, I didn't consider electric trailer brakes as an option at all. Excessive trailer braking in that scenario could yank the back of the motorcycle around in a very bad way.
I couldn't find anything commercially available that was designed to be used on a trailer that weighed less than 2,500 pounds. Since the systems are based on compression of a spring to activate the brakes, the spring resistance will need to be matched to the weight of the trailer. If the actuator has a spring set for a 2,500 pound trailer, at less than 1,500 pounds the QS is going to have a hard time activating the brakes.
For the motorcycle trailer, I decided not to attempt brakes. I was towing with a '95 BMW K1100LT that has dual-channel ABS brakes. Dry weight of the bike is about 650 pounds. Fully loaded, the bike was probably close to 1,000 pounds and the trailer was about 500. Sounds like a "don't try this at home" situation, but I've probably logged about 3,500 or more towing with the bike. In that time, I've had a couple of panic-stopping situations. I was always able to keep everything upright and safe. I never wished I had trailer brakes. Modern brake systems are much better than modern legal departments give them credit for.
Our trailer, which was pre-owned when we bought it, came with surge brakes and we traveled over 1000 semi-nervous miles with them, bringing it home. My husband installed electric brakes ASAP after that trip. He felt the surge brakes weren't as safe.
[quote timestamp="1431115463" source="/post/10537/thread" author="@hiker74"]Our new to us 2006 Quicksilver 10.0 has hydraulic surge brakes on it currently and i'm not certain that they function properly. I've had it on a couple trips and could not tell for sure. I'm having the trailer serviced by a local trailer and hitch company with a great reputation in a couple weeks and a couple options are on the table. First option and most economical is that the surge actuator is fine and working properly and they just have to service the brakes, Second option is that the actuator is fine but the system needs bled and recharged, Third option is that the surge system is not working and replace the brakes with electric brake assemblies add the battery switch (it already has a battery).
I'm a little tossed on this subject. Given that i'm new to towing i'm hoping that I don't have to go to electric and the surge will be fine. Livin'Lite still installs the same surge brake system on the new Quicksilver trailers (Tie-Down Engineering) as they did in 2006, so hopefully they know what they are doing and the unit is fine with surge brakes. I've heard they work fine, but its worth getting them inspected every season to ensure they are working properly.
Basically the trailer service company does a full inspection and grease of the bearings and checks lights and brakes for under $70 and then tells you what the trailer needs. I dont know anyone else on here with either a Quicksilver with surge brakes or one with electric brakes. Most on here just tow them without brakes
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Just to let you know in order to go to Electric brakes that would be going to a different axle. Thats why this is done at the factory and not the after market. It might not be feasible to change out the axles.