[Ganaraska]

Another factor that no one thinks about is the difference in tires.

Take a typical 60s sedan with drum brakes all around. It also had 2 ply bias ply tires from the factory. By today's standard the brakes were pathetic, but even if you put disc brakes on would it stop any better on those crumby tires?

In today's traffic and today's driving speeds you want good brakes and tires.

Having said this, 10" brakes may be OK for the older trailers because they are a lot lighter than today's trailers of the same size. They should be adequate for most drivers, except under extreme stress as in mountain driving.

One other thing to keep in mind. It is a lot easier on your brakes to apply them rather sharply for a short period of time, than to apply them gently for a longer time. So don't be afraid to use your brakes.

The worst thing you can do is to drag the brakes for a long period of time. Especially when descending a hill. This is what burns out brakes and causes accidents. You are better off to slow right down then let off the brakes and let them cool off. Or even pull over for 20 minutes.