Disc brakes - SS vs. plated

[baaadlybent]

Yesterday I did a quick replacement of the drum backing plates so I could get on the water this weekend. Didn't want to lose any fishing time dealing with the disc upgrade this week. Only $100 so no big deal. I will upgrade to discs when the tuna bite goes away this winter. I will get Kodiaks with SS calipers unless someone gives me a good reason not to. My question is should I put standard galvanized hubs on and go with SS vented rotors or should I just put on the integral silver cad hub/rotor combo? Kodiak doesn't offer a SS integral hub/rotor. I read one bad review about SS rotors warping but maybe that is only one opinion about a particular manufacturer and there are others out there who like the ones from Kodiak. I like the idea of going full SS. Comments? The cost isn't that big of a deal. I'm looking for a setup that is reliable and will last several years. One more thing, my Trail-Rite trailer has the drums on the front axle. Is it preferable to move the brakes to the rear axle, in which case I'd need to swap axles. Thanks for your input.

[BiggestT]

Go with integral silver cad hub/rotor combo. Cost is $70 for the 10" integral hub rotor from Kodiak. 10" stainless kodiak rotors are like $340. You'll still have the cadmium hubs. You can buy 4 of the integral hub rotors for the price of the stainless. You'll probably get 4+ years out of the cadmium plated hub rotors. What kills them is rust in the vented portion of the rotor. I typically got 3 years out of the epoxy coated rotors, so 4+ years is reasonable to expect. At best, I got 2 years out of galvanized drum brakes.

Look at it this way, regardless of whether the rotor is stainless or cadmium plated, it is a wearing part that you cannot rebuild, so you end up throwing it away. In my view, it becomes a cost equation on that portion of the brake system and that favors the cadmium plated. Now I do have the stainless calipers and those are rebuildable. Definitely go with the stainless calipers.

[calstabi]

BiggestT, I liked your advice.....

I'm lookin at a Kodiak disc brake conversion kit on ebay and am going with
the silver cad hub/rotor combo.

This kit comes with the BRAKERITE ELECTRIC OVER HYDRAULIC DISC BRAKE ACTUATOR and SS brake lines.

Electric over hydraulic ......sounds smart?...... I run a 96 Cummins Dually .....towin a 22ft 4000lb aluminum boat on a dual axle ez loader trailer.

Recommended Trailer shops.......closer to OC?