trailer brakes

[Disturbed]

Jetblue319, I have to agree with Macojoe. I pull my V20 with a dual axle trailer using my 06 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited and the frist thing I did when I got the trailer was to take the brakes off. I haven't had any problems with stopping whatsoever. You just have to plan ahead for your stops and drive carefully as I'm quite sure that you already do. I see that you live in Florida as I do, so the only ones you really have to worry about making it an issue is Florida DOT cops. They look mostly for commercial vehicles and I've never heard of them stopping boaters to look at their brakes. The only time it would most likely be looked at is in a traffic crash if you were pulling the trailer. I know LOTS of cops that have boats larger than mine that took their brakes off. Just make sure your vehicle has adequate stopping power and you should be good. Just my .02 cents.

[jasoncooperpcola]

Being from Florida too, i dont want brakes on my boat trailer. just something else to go wrong.

[RidgeRunner]

Agree that it is something else to break BUT, they are handy in a panic stop situation. Kodiac SS disc brakes last a very long while and are easy to service. Weld the flanges on and do it. One axle with brakes should suffice.

[bradford]

Dunking trailer brakes in saltwater is part of a vast Illuminati conspiracy.

[phatdaddy]

also in fl, also no brakes, but the state is starting to shake the bushes looking fo ANY reason to give out tickets. i have never had them, but my tow is only about 4 miles round trip.

if you just bought the axels, maybe you can swap them for axels w flanges. if you weld them now, you will loose the galvanizing and they will rot pretty quick.

[jetblue319]

guess i will take all your advice, and hold off for on those brakes for now, my trip to the gulf is only 50 miles round trip and only 10 to the bay from tampa. i plan to replace springs, axles. tires, this weekend.
thanks everyone jetblue

[Genie Aye]

My experiance---get brakes on the trailer--I had to switch from drums(crap) as others have stated to Disc and have been ecstatic about the performance and NO issues with over 2 years on them and always in the saltwater. #2--If you do get in a accident and your insurance or the others insurance finds out--You are SCREWED!! It is cheap compared to what you could get sued for--above and beyond your insurance coverage--if they even cover ya.

Think about it seriously!!

Get rid of them drums and step up to the disc's.

There is my .02

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by RidgeRunner

Agree that it is something else to break BUT, they are handy in a panic stop situation. Kodiac SS disc brakes last a very long while and are easy to service. Weld the flanges on and do it. One axle with brakes should suffice.

I gotta go with Ridge and a few others here.. Brakes are NECESSARY not only for the possibility of not killing someone, but also (as was already stated) to keep your a$$ from a huge lawsuit should you ever get into an accident and they find you are over the weight limit with no brakes.

Look, there's a reason they make brakes for trailers. They help you stop, they help your tow vehicle stay in a straight line, they help you trailer stay in a straight line. Ridge said it correctly... put one set on the front axle. Disks are nice, Drums work well also. Forget about anyone saying they rot out. If you do your maintenance correctly they will last you years and years. The set of drum brakes on my ShoreLine tandem is at least 5 years old and they still work fine. The secret? ..... Wash them with fresh water after a trip to the salt. That means jack up the trailer, remove the drum and hit it with the garden hose. Yes, it's a pain, but water is cheaper than a new set of brakes or (even worse) an accident. DO IT!!.

[Monkey Butler]

Years ago I would have thought nothing of going without brakes but now I worry more about things like insurance, tickets and more importantly the safety of friends and family that might be in the car so I feel a lot more comfortable with my brakes.

Originally Posted by Destroyer

... put one set on the front axle.

To follow the letter of the law in many states, and I think Florida is one of them, you are required to have brakes on both axles if they are installed at all.

If you do go with a single axle install then I have to disagree with you about putting them on the front axle. While it seems like common sense that the front axle would be the best location froman engineering standpoint that is not true. The brakes will be more effective on the rear axle and here is why.

Look at the crappy drawing below and imagine the trailer is standing still with the road rushing under it and the hubs spinning in a clockwise direction. When the brakes are applied you are essentially trying to lock the hubs to the axle. The torque from the rotating wheel/hub is then transmitted to the springs. If this happens on the front axle then the forces will cause the front spring to act on the equalizer in a way that pivots it in a counterclockwise direction which will tend to unload the front axle while increasing the load on the rear axle.

If the brakes are on the rear axle then the rear spring is acting on the eqaulizer but the net result is the same except now the greater the torque the greater the dowforce on the axle with the brakes on it.

I actually witnessed a trailer with the front axle hopping under braking but at the time I didn't understand what was happening.




If you don't believe me then you can double check me here:

http://www.championtrailers.com/techsup.html

When only one brake axle is being installed on a tandem axle trailer, the brakes should be on the rear axle for maximum system performance. Rotational torque applied to axles during braking shifts the equalizer and applies more weight to rear axle. If brakes are installed on the front axle, the wheel may skid during braking. Brakes on rear axle are more effective as the equalizers shifts and the rear tires dig in to the pavement.

[phatdaddy]

you are just as illegal in fl with no brakes as one set on a tandem axle.