EZ loader brake repair [Archive]

bullshooter

06-14-2008, 05:58 AM

I have been fighting the trailer brakes on my EZ Loader since new. They have been locking up alot and when it was 8 mos. old they went out all together. I contacted North River Marine in Tacoma and they got the ball rolling for me. Seems that EZ loader has been having some issues with their brakes on a certain run of trailers. I spoke with the guys at EZ loader and was told to take the boat to the NR dealer, they would offload the boat and EZ would come pick up the trailer, take it to their facility and swap the drum brakes out for disc brakes. The cost, $200. I was seriously considering converting the brakes myself when the warrenty expired. It would have cost around $1100 for the parts. I picked the trailer up on Thursday and what a difference. So heres a BBBBIIIIIIIIGGGGGGG thumbs up to North River Marine in Tacoma and EZ Loader trailers. :cheers:

Herring Impaired

06-14-2008, 09:41 AM

Could you supply the year of your trailer/boat purchase?
I have been having trouble with my surge brakes, and was wondering if I should pursue this as well.....
Got mine in June of 2000....

Thanks!

bullshooter

06-14-2008, 01:07 PM

Could you supply the year of your trailer/boat purchase?
I have been having trouble with my surge brakes, and was wondering if I should pursue this as well.....
Got mine in June of 2000....

Thanks!
pm sent

Skipper

06-25-2008, 09:12 PM

I bought my EZ Loader in May 2000 which came with drum brakes. They lasted 2 years before I had to replace a bunch of brake parts. The brakes seized up a couple of times after launching the boat.

In Oct 2007 I replaced the axle and installed new galvanized brakes and plain coupler (needed a new surge actuator/coupler). Used it thru Spring many times on local waters, and now just installed and bled the new surge actuator/coupler on Sunday 6/22/08. Tested the brakes by hand with tires off the ground. Works OK.
Have yet to tow it though.

I was wondering about the disc brakes – as I remember – to back up a hill – you needed to jump out and throw a lever on the surge actuator. I don’t need to do that with drum brakes.

mykai2

06-25-2008, 09:44 PM

Raining_Kings

06-26-2008, 07:46 AM

Mine uses a 5-pin plug and when you put in reverse it activates the actuator. No jumping out of the truck for me. Though I've had my problems w/ the trailer I love the disc brakes. Mine are surge but a buddie got electric on his new trailer. I'll have to call him and see how they are working out.

I've got an EZ Loader tandem with disc surge brakes and the 5 pin connector also. But I'm wondering if somethign is wrong when I back up uphill. It doesn't always lock the brakes out. Have noticed especially if as I'm backing up I have to go over a pothole in my road or nearly sunken railroad tie I have lining my driveway that the brakes will lock up. I finally figured out the the little switch that will bypass the actuator, but only works for one braking cycle before resetting and I'm not that good of a backer upper in my narrow situation.

Is that 5 pin connector supposed to lock out the brakes entirely when backing up? Any ideas on why mine still applies the brakes occasionally while backing up? I suppose I could throw a test light on the blue wire that goes to a solonoid looking thing in my coupler and see if it comes on when I put my back up lights do...

- Scott

mykai2

06-26-2008, 08:11 AM

Yes, the valve should open and stay open until you take it out of reverse
It works off of the reverse light. I will check my brakes before leaving by unplugging and backing up. Even on flat ground this causes my trailer brakes to lock up. If your not sure take a 12 volt battery and hook it up to the plug and listen carefully around the actuator and you should be able to hear it working.

mykai2

06-26-2008, 08:14 AM

Scott, also check to see that your backup lights on your vehicle are working. It definately sounds like the back up vavle is not working

RiverJohn

06-26-2008, 08:34 AM

I've got an EZ Loader tandem with disc surge brakes and the 5 pin connector also. But I'm wondering if somethign is wrong when I back up uphill. It doesn't always lock the brakes out. Have noticed especially if as I'm backing up I have to go over a pothole in my road or nearly sunken railroad tie I have lining my driveway that the brakes will lock up. I finally figured out the the little switch that will bypass the actuator, but only works for one braking cycle before resetting and I'm not that good of a backer upper in my narrow situation.

Is that 5 pin connector supposed to lock out the brakes entirely when backing up? Any ideas on why mine still applies the brakes occasionally while backing up? I suppose I could throw a test light on the blue wire that goes to a solonoid looking thing in my coupler and see if it comes on when I put my back up lights do...

- Scott

Scott,

I had the same problem. In my case, while I thought my backup lights were wired to my 5 pin plug - the reverse lights were NOT...its not really needed for typical trailer applications since most small trailer including boat trailer, do not have backup lights.

So..

Had the reverse pin properly wired up (white wire) and...presto !!

Works like a dream ever since.

I would be certain on this one.

Raining_Kings

06-26-2008, 09:01 AM

Scott,

I had the same problem. In my case, while I thought my backup lights were wired to my 5 pin plug - the reverse lights were NOT...its not really needed for typical trailer applications since most small trailer including boat trailer, do not have backup lights.

So..

Had the reverse pin properly wired up (white wire) and...presto !!

Works like a dream ever since.

I would be certain on this one.

Awesome! Thanks guys, this is great info. I didnt' think the way it's working is correct. I've almost hit a couple of trees backing up as once I get going I don't want to stop as the brakes would lock up. As it is I have an plug adapter as my truck has built in 7 pin round connector already. The adapter was sold from North River and I just assumed it was correct. Will get out the wiring toolbag tonight.

tbone65

06-26-2008, 09:14 AM

Awesome! Thanks guys, this is great info. I didnt' think the way it's working is correct. I've almost hit a couple of trees backing up as once I get going I don't want to stop as the brakes would lock up. As it is I have an plug adapter as my truck has built in 7 pin round connector already. The adapter was sold from North River and I just assumed it was correct. Will get out the wiring toolbag tonight.

Not every vehicle, most notably 2003 and newer Ford products, will have the relay installed in the fuse box that activates the back up light circuit at the trailer harness.

You need 12 volts at the BLUE wire, not white, to energize the solenoid. The white wire is your ground.

Raining_Kings

06-26-2008, 09:36 AM

Not every vehicle, most notably 2003 and newer Ford products, will have the relay installed in the fuse box that activates the back up light circuit at the trailer harness.

You need 12 volts at the BLUE wire, not white, to energize the solenoid. The white wire is your ground.

It's a 2007 Chevy, not that it matters, guess I need to check it out. Is this just as easy as splicing a wire going to the back up lights to the correct pin on the plug, or does this require something more elegant?

-= Scott

RiverJohn

06-26-2008, 09:50 AM

Not every vehicle, most notably 2003 and newer Ford products, will have the relay installed in the fuse box that activates the back up light circuit at the trailer harness.

You need 12 volts at the BLUE wire, not white, to energize the solenoid. The white wire is your ground.

Yes, you are correct. EZ loader had me check my ground wire (white), but it was the reverse BLUE wire that ended up being the culprit.

At any rate not all plugs are wired with the reverse wire - and I would bet this causes a ton of guys having this specific issue.

WaterDog

06-26-2008, 10:43 AM

I'd suggest for those of you with surge/disk brakes, carry a large C clamp in your rig in case your backup soleniod goes out. I've had the solenoid go south on me and the clamp will allow you to back up enough to recover or launch. Just pull forward so the actuator is extended and put the clamp on it so it wont compress. I did this for a couple months until I could get a new solenoid. I now have Elec/Hyd and this is the bomb.

Raining_Kings

06-26-2008, 10:55 AM

It's a 2007 Chevy, not that it matters, guess I need to check it out. Is this just as easy as splicing a wire going to the back up lights to the correct pin on the plug, or does this require something more elegant?

-= Scott

Guess I just answered my own question. There is a 10A "Trailer Back-up Lights Fuse" on my truck, and it's blown. Not sure why, when or how, so will have to keep an eye on it. I love the simple solutions.

-= Scott

mykai2

06-26-2008, 10:56 AM

It's a 2007 Chevy, not that it matters, guess I need to check it out. Is this just as easy as splicing a wire going to the back up lights to the correct pin on the plug, or does this require something more elegant?

-= Scott
I have 06 GMC all you should need is round-7 to a flat 5
No wiring should be required
NAPA or Shucks or most auto part stores should carry this

mykai2

06-26-2008, 11:08 AM

RiverJohn

06-26-2008, 01:02 PM

I have 06 GMC all you should need is round-7 to a flat 5
No wiring should be required
NAPA or Shucks or most auto part stores should carry this

True, but we are talking about sometimes the reverse lights are not wired to the plug to begin with. The adpater would not fix things in this instance.

For instance U-Haul does not always wire up the reverse wire since small trailer do not have revers lights..etc etc...

WaterDog

06-26-2008, 01:13 PM

WD if you loose a soleniod with this type trlr will the same fix apply???

Not sure what you mean? :shrug: What type of trailer?

Drums don't have a solenoid and niether do elec/hyd.

mykai2

06-26-2008, 02:03 PM

The elct/hyd. sorry for being vag
I'm probabley looking at a new trlr in the near future and have never looked at a elct/hyd. To me elect and salt water don't mix but then alot of things don't with salt water- except fish.
Will do more investigating before asking more ????

WaterDog

06-26-2008, 02:20 PM

Elec/hyd has no backup soleniod. It's a powered system that is essentially the same system as the surge/hyd brakes but there is an electric pump that makes the pressure to activate the brakes. You will need an in cab brake controller just like a regular electric brake setup on say a travel trailer. Google "hydrastar".

My trailer had a surge system with disks. It was easily converted by dumping the surge coupler for the electric hydualic pump and welding on a new coupler. Cheap is what it's not......but for the weight of my boat I thought it would be worth it. It's night and day difference and I'd recommend it. I do know several guys that have electric brakes and they've had no issues but most of their boating is in fresh water.

mykai2

06-26-2008, 08:04 PM

BIGCSS

06-26-2008, 11:27 PM

I've had both regular electrics and surge hydraulic discs, now I have the same Hydrastar system that Waterdog has on his trailer on my heavy Tricker Trailer and it's the nicest system I have run yet. I have no problems stopping my almost 10,000lb boat and unlike the surge/disc setup I had, that I had to manually lock out in some situations (stopping on a downhill where the surge coupler is fully engaged, before backing up, making the reverse lockout solenoid useless), I never have to worry about it. The Hydrastar system is spendy, but I didn't go cheap on the trailer (got the heaviest duty one I could find), so I definitely didn't have a problem spending the extra to get the best braking I could find either.

WaterDog

06-27-2008, 10:48 AM

Thanks WD for the info
I checked it out and seems way cool
I have a better understanding of what you were talking about and how simple it is.
Was swap over easy for the avg. guy??
Any dealer in PNW you recommend?
Thanks again

Precision Weld in Vancouver did mine. They said it was easy. My boat was already there for some other work so I had them take care of it. I would not hesitate to do it myself. The welding of the new coupler I could not do however.

Old......
http://www.fototime.com/C3EA938E53ED6C4/standard.jpg

New...

http://www.fototime.com/390A3234507EFF5/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/9E6CEDAE3F6C8E6/standard.jpg

mykai2

06-27-2008, 01:29 PM

Great pics and advice guys
When the time comes(will be soon) I'm going this route
No more herky jerky when taking off and backing up difficulties
Thanks again :applause:

Raining_Kings

09-25-2008, 10:51 AM

I know this is an older thread, but the problem has been bugging me for awhile. Reversing my surge equipped EZ Loader blows the fuse in the truck.

I think I finally found the problem. The blue wire to the solonoid appears to be pinched inside the coupler grounding it out. Will fix the wire and replace the fuse. A bit sloppy from the factory. Thought somebody else might run into this in the future so an update might save them some frustration.

-= Scott

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/coup2.jpghttp://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/coup1.jpg