disc brakes

11-09-2002, 06:33 PM

is there a disc brake conversion out there that you can put on an airstream trailer. or a disc brake system that would work? has anyone out there done this?

**Pick** · 11-09-2002, 09:29 PM

Why would you want to go through all the trouble and expense to do this?

11-09-2002, 09:42 PM

because disc brakes ARE better than drum brakes......... and if you can do it, or if there is a kit available it would not be hard to do.........there are disc brakes out there for trailers i don't no if they are electric i am guessing they are.... i dont know.

and becouse i dislike drum brakes.

here are some benifites.......they cool better, have more braking power, low maintanance, easy to work on.

FrankR · 11-09-2002, 10:46 PM

The following contact information may prove helpful for folks with the vacuum powered disc brake trailers: Ausco Products, Inc.2245 Pipestone RoadBenton Harbor, MI 49022800 253-2860This is the manufacturer of the caliper. It is a style 2.Caliper # 28639. The part numbers in the Airstream manual are, by in large, still good. Ausco can send you an engineering drawing, too.Ausco doesn't sell direct. Berendsen Fluid Power14565 Valley View Ste. BSanta Fe Springs, CA 90670562 921-3335The hub rotor assembly was Kelsey-Hayes and is no longer made. I haven't tried to track down the bendix hydrovac unit yet, but it is used in industrial applications and it should be possible to get repair parts.

I have installed the Ausco power unit. It works great. The company sent out notices a while back that the units were going to be discontinued. A guy named Mark was a contact name.

The unit is a 12 volt electric motor that makes a piston operate the hydraulics for the discs. There are also units for drum brakes. With the Ausco unit, there is NO vacuum connections.. I have old vac unit for parts...... Frank

11-09-2002, 10:57 PM

if i read you right some air streams had disc brakes?

my trailer had hydrolic brakes on it......the lines are still there. it now has electric drum brakes and i was interesteded in finding out if it was possable to go to some type of disc brake.

i think an electric over hydrolic system would be cool.

do the new air streams have drum or disc brakes?

p.s. do you have a picture of your disc brake assemble?

Gordon Watt · 11-10-2002, 11:16 AM

My 79 31 ft Soveriegn has Hydraulic Disc Brakes which are really effective. I think you could disable your tow vehicle brakes and the trailer brakes would stop the whole unit with no problem.

Apparently the Hydraulic Disc Brakes were an $1800.00 option.

davidz71 · 11-12-2002, 10:55 AM

Do a forum search on disc brakes. I remember someone posting a source for disc brakes.

11-13-2002, 12:58 AM

i will do a serch on that...............i think going to disc brakes would be a really nice upgrade.

FrankR
could you or maby someone else post a picture of there disc brake assemble? i would like to see it thanks.

Rik · 01-24-2003, 07:38 PM

Airstreams have been around for 67-odd years now, and they've tried most everything out there. They tried disc brakes in the mid-70s and found they were prone to trouble, as well as being expensive. Earlier they tried hydraulic brakes (like on your coach) and found them troublesome also. I am a big fan of disc brakes, but not on trailers. However, if you insist on having them, I have a wrecked Airstream in my graveyard equipped with them.

**john hd** · 01-24-2003, 07:54 PM

got any pics?

may be able to peddle more than just the disc brakes

john

davidz71 · 01-26-2003, 12:29 AM

Gee, I kinda like my disc brakes. As Inland RV Andy told me, most people just don't understand them. I'm sure there are some out there who just plugged up and never bothered to check the brake oil level like they would under the hood. I use a Hayes-Lemmerz Energize III which Andy recommended and have no problems.