Brake Upgrade

I'm looking for people's experience upgrading the brakes on their truck. My truck has 17k miles and already had some brake pulsation and the dealer resurfaced the rotors. I'm pulling a 3500lb boat trailer from 2014 and the surge brakes stopped working a long time ago. It's $600 to $1000 to repair those brakes and maybe will last another 4-6 years? I'd rather put that money into upgrading the truck's brakes. Thoughts on this?

I tow on all flat land and usually city driving, but this year I'm taking the expressway and pulling the boat at 65+mph

 

Repair trailer brakes. The is no upgrade out there, that will help you stop as much as the trailer having brakes.

 

That's what I'm thinking. $600 though.. then I don't know if the hydraulic on the tongue will be good. The fluid was all the way down and looked a little rusty

 

It's called maintenance (on the trailer brakes). Should have been on your radar and done all along.
You might also check your state's DMV regs regarding the requirements for functional trailer brakes.
While relying on the truck brakes alone may work in most situations, the question remains - are you driving legal?
@na8rboy is correct. Bite the bullet and maintain your trailer.

 

It wasn't lack of maintenance. It's failure. The fluid was full last season and this season it's empty.. I went to inspect the brakes and the pad material broke off and the piston was fully extended. After I deleted the brakes, I didn't feel any difference so I don't think they've ever worked well. It gets dipped in salt water all the time.

The story with my trailer is that its required brakes because its 3000lbs. The non-supercharged boat doesn't have surge brakes. Mine does because the supercharged option adds 100lbs and puts it slightly over 3000lbs. It sucks.. Another thing to maintain.

 

Z36 kit, SS f/r lines, ATE TYP 200 DOT 4 brake fluid.

Call it.

 

I saw that z36 kit for towing. Did you try them? I had them on my last truck and idk if it helped or not. But I didn't do the SS lines.

 

I have not installed the kit yet. I know multiple people have and like them.

 

Probably going to change the trailer brakes.. found a good price $400 and includes the bearings and seals greased and ready to install. Can't beat that convenience.

 

I ended up ordering https://trailerparts.com/tie-down-reg-disc-brake-assembly-5-bolt-9-5-8-vented.html
And its already set to arrive today. Crazy fast shipping.

 

seems reasonable