Re: trailers surge brakes
 

Thanks all. Airslot, That's what I will try to do if possible. Worst case is I go to champion or Tie Down I guess.

Re: trailers surge brakes
 

I bought my boat and trailer in January, tagged and titled it and to this day have not had it inspected. Inspection is not required for tags in VA.

I also own a 26' travel trailer which does not get inspected. Although it does have brakes. A 3000 Lb boat around here on flat land is a whole different story than a 7000 Lb trailer in the mountians.

Pulling with what you listed I would go with the brakes. There is one heck of a feeling that goes through your head when pulling something near your max GVWR at 60 mph, Without brakes, and some one pulls out in front of you. You hit the brakes and it reals like something is pushing you, which there is.

Re: trailers surge brakes
 

^ I agree with TD totally...

Be legal AND safe, go with the brakes. If you ever need to make an emergency stop you'll be glad you got em, plus it's much less wear and tear on your tow vehicles brakes.

Re: trailers surge brakes
 

Turbinedoctor. You live realatively near me. I am in Virginia Beach. Flat. No Hills and really have no plans to take the boat anywhere out of VB except for maybe up to your area or to the outer banks. Again no hills. Agree though that if I do come up your way or OBX I will be doing 60 mph.

TinMan. My owners manual and Uhaul who installed the hitch says 3500 #s. Hope they are right! Again agreed though it's probably better to be safe than sorry.

Re: trailers surge brakes
 

I did not see where you stated the weight of you boat and trailer.

My boat is 1920 empty, add 60 gals of gas 392, motor 300 and that puts me at 2612 with out the trailer, rods and coolers. Add about 800 for the trailer and your at 3412.

Being that close, you need to watch closely as you are near max, which is not the ideal place to be.

I'd look into an older beater truck with more towing capicity for two reasons. 1) you dont have to worry about you nice clean car that close to the salt water. 2) What guy pulls a boat with a Pacifica. You might as well drive a mini van back and forth to work. ;D

I hope this helps more than hurts.

Re: trailers surge brakes
 

Here you go Skipbo, check out this truck. Great for what you want.

Re: trailers surge brakes
 

Get a Chevy hell with ther ford!

and get that ugly pumkin butt out of here :'(

Re: trailers surge brakes
 

You guys are a riot.

The brochure on this website says the boat weighs 2300#s. Motor manual says it's 400#s. 60 Gals of gas @ 400#s and I am now at 3100#s before trailer. Don't know about the trailer. 800#s? So I am at 3900#s.

TurbineDoctor, now I feel totally inadequate. I think I'll drop a V8 in the Miata and tow with it ;D

Re: trailers surge brakes
 

Dont feel too bad. Not everybody is as well built as us F-350 owners.

Remember no matter what you do to that Miata it is still a Miata. "A rose by any other name is still a rose" Shakespear I think.

On the safety side, make sure you dont put you or your family in danger while towing. I have pulled a travel trailer up and down the whole east coast and even into canada, people think you can stop just as fast as they can. WRONG, even with trailer brakes you have to allow more distance. Not to mention the extra strain on the power train getting it moving.

I started out pulling my camper with a 89 jeep cherokee with the 6 liter, which the owners manual said it was rated for, just 10 miles into the test run at towing it, it started to over heat. Never did make it up to the speed limit.

Re: trailers surge brakes
 

you just needed to build a real Jeep straight 6, I'm building a stroker 4.7 straight 6 Jeep for my wagoneer to pull boats at the coast. the stroker makes 300+ HP and 500+ ft lbs of Tq