Brakes for Harbor Freight Trailer

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Brakes for Harbor Freight Trailer

Postby agpage » Sat Feb 23, 2008 3:15 pm

Is it possible to fit the 1740 LB Harbor Freight trailer with electric brakes? I would like to tow with a Subaru Forester, and it requires brakes for anything over 1000 LBS.

I tried searching, but every post with the words Harbor Freight brakes was about tool quality not stopping power.

Thanks

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Postby bobhenry » Sat Feb 23, 2008 4:34 pm

And how is this different than 3 fat and jolly passengers ????
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Re: Breaks for Harbor Freight Trailer

Postby Kevin A » Sat Feb 23, 2008 4:57 pm

agpage wrote:Is it possible to fit the 1740 LB Harbor Freight trailer with electric breaks? I would like to tow with a Subaru Forester, and it requires breaks for anything over 1000 LBS.

I tried searching, but every post with the words Harbor Freight Breaks was about tool quality not stopping power.

Thanks

Andrew Page

I'm not one for criticizing other people's spelling skills, but in this particular case your search efforts might bring better results with the word "brakes" rather then "breaks". Just a thought :thumbsup:
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Postby Alphacarina » Sat Feb 23, 2008 7:09 pm

Pretty sure this kit will fit the HF 1740 - It uses 1 1/16th bearings for both the inner and outer. You will probably have to have brackets welded on to be able to bolt the brake backing plates to the axles though, so even with a complete kit, it's not a simple install . . . . unless you want to buy an entire new axle complete with brakes . . . . .

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/ ... _200338670

That said, please understand what you're reading is just Suburu 'covering their butts' by making a statement like they did - By and large, Mazda covers theirs by stating that none of their cars can even tow a trailer, no matter how small or light . . . . yet you can buy trailer hitch kits for nearly every Mazda on the road

My '02 Protege 5 isn't supposed to tow any trailer, yet I have probably 10,000 miles on mine towing trailers from about 800 pounds up to (over actually) 1500 pounds and I've never felt I needed trailer brakes - If I did, I'd install them

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Re: Breaks for Harbor Freight Trailer

Postby agpage » Sat Feb 23, 2008 7:26 pm

Kevin A wrote:I'm not one for criticizing other people's spelling skills, but in this particular case your search efforts might bring better results with the word "brakes" rather then "breaks". Just a thought :thumbsup:


:duh:
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Postby bg » Sat Feb 23, 2008 8:32 pm

Alphacarina wrote:Pretty sure this kit will fit the HF 1740 - It uses 1 1/16th bearings for both the inner and outer. You will probably have to have brackets welded on to be able to bolt the brake backing plates to the axles though, so even with a complete kit, it's not a simple install . . . . unless you want to buy an entire new axle complete with brakes . . . . .

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/ ... _200338670



that will only work if the HF axle has a brake flange welded to the axle i.e. http://www.etrailer.com/pc-tpbamf~4-34.htm
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Postby Alphacarina » Mon Feb 25, 2008 10:33 am

bg wrote:that will only work if the HF axle has a brake flange welded to the axle i.e. http://www.etrailer.com/pc-tpbamf~4-34.htm
Yes, I did mention that he would need to have the brackets for the backing plates welded on - It might be simpler (and cheaper) to just buy another axle . . . . complete with brakes

For a 1,000 to 1,200 pound trailer though, I wouldn't bother - What's the difference (to the Suburu) in stopping a 1,000 pound trailer and/or stopping a carful of 200 pound adults with all their luggage in the back?

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Postby brian_bp » Mon Feb 25, 2008 9:51 pm

Alphacarina wrote:...What's the difference (to the Suburu) in stopping a 1,000 pound trailer and/or stopping a carful of 200 pound adults with all their luggage in the back?

Don

One difference is that the trailer mass is on the trailer tires, not contributing to the traction of the tires with the brakes; in contrast, the people and luggage are in the car, carried by the car's tires, which then have the traction to stop.

Another difference is that if only the car has brakes all of the force required to slow the trailer down is pushing on the hitch in whatever direction the trailer is pointed, and if the car and trailer are in anything but a perfectly straight line that force is tending to spin the car around; in contrast, when the trailer is braking for itself or all of the load is in the car, this isn't a problem.

Well, you asked. :)
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Postby Alphacarina » Tue Feb 26, 2008 8:05 pm

True - Those are both 'differences' . . . . though they have little to do with the extra effort required by the Suburu to stop an extra 1,000 pounds . . . .

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Postby jeep_bluetj » Tue Feb 26, 2008 10:06 pm

Easiest way to add brakes is to just buy a new axle with them on it from etrailerpart. Less than $200. You can also change width if you need to add/remove due to backspacing on the wheels.
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Postby brian_bp » Wed Feb 27, 2008 5:56 pm

Alphacarina wrote:True - Those are both 'differences' . . . . though they have little to do with the extra effort required by the Suburu to stop an extra 1,000 pounds . . . .

Don

Ahh, we're talking just "effort" now. I assume Don's point is that the Subaru can stop 1000 lb of stuff inside it, so it's no more difficult to stop 1000 lb of stuff behind it. After all, the same amount of kinetic energy is being converted to heat by the same brakes.

One difference is control, if you can count that as part of "effort". Another difference is traction, again if gaining traction is "effort". I'm guessing Don says "no" to both, as parts of effort.

In that case, I agree. If control doesn't matter, and traction doesn't matter, then it doesn't matter to braking effort if the load is in the car or trailer. It's the same situation for acceleration.

By the way, when we're towing this 1000 lb of trailer, we're not also carrying passengers or cargo, are we? If so, then it's not really an either/or question... it's a question of whether or not the car can handle both at the same time. Does the car, plus passengers, plus luggage, plus loaded trailer exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (not the combined weight rating, because we're trying to use just the car's brakes).
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Postby Ken Fincher » Sun Mar 02, 2008 3:59 am

If a person is pulling a TD with a small vehicle it would be a very wise decision to put brakes on thier TD especially if you live or travel in mountianess areas not only to save the brakes on your tow vehicle it may save your lives or someone elses life, & I also know that the people that are saying you do not need brakes on such a small trailer definatly would not want you to be right behind them if they had to hit there brakes real hard because you would end up in there trunk.
Another way of looking at it is, If you skipped and ran a red light and that semi that is coming right at you, What if he had no brakes on his trailers you would be kissing your little pa-tute goodby.
700 to 1000lbs behind a little car and you have to stop quickly with no brakes on the trailer to help you slow down you will not stop like you would without the trailer I garentee you you would slide or worse.
And a little gravel or sand even makes it worse.
I would suggest to anyone who is pulling there TD with a small tow vehicle to go out on a back road or a big parking lot and lock up your brakes to get a good feel of what could possibly happen if you had to stop suddenly,& remember out on the hiway you would be traveling a lot faster, But please be carefull .(Better make sure everything in your TD is secure.)
This also a good way to get a feel of your car & trailer.
I tought my daughter how to drive in the snow in a big parking lot.

I pull my TD with a small car (HHR) it pulls it great and I do take a little more caution when pulling it since I do not have brakes on this TD & I have had a couple of close calls of not being able to stop real quick,So when ever I am pulling a trailer with my HHR I keep a lot closer eye on what is going on around me.
I am building 2 more one with brakes & 1 w/o.

The law in a lot of states requires brakes if your trailer weighs 1500lbs or more, so if you are pulled over and your combined weight of trailer & its contents are over 1500lbs you could get a ticket luckely for most of us they do not inforce this law to often, unless you have an accident.

:) So be carefull and have fun :)

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Postby Mighty Mouse » Sat Mar 29, 2008 2:29 am

Maybe a bad hi-jack but was wondering Ken what is the wieght of your TD and if you have 2.4 or 2.2 engine in your HHR. I ask because I will be towing with a HHR panel with my TD and was concerned that with out brakes I could burn up the TV brakes on mountian roads or large hills. I obviously need to build as light as possible but worry about sliding thru a stop or loosing brakes at a crucial moment. We love to go to Colorado and Mo has a lot of hills we call mountians down south.

Sorry for the newbys hi-jack
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Postby Ken Fincher » Mon Mar 31, 2008 1:02 pm

Bud
My HHR has the 2.4 and I have had no problems pulling my TD my HHR is geard pretty low we have been on alot of real steep grades and ussually the ingine its self makes it so that I do not have to hit my brakes very often, & ocasionaly I will shift into a lower gear, In over 25,000 miles of traveling last year my temperature guage may of boke 228 degrees approx 4 times while climbing and decending hills , & loaded I figure it weighs around 950+ & empty around 700lbs.
And in reguards to slideing while brakeing it has happened 1 time, I always try to keep a real good eye on what is going on in front of me & keep a little distance between me & the vehicle in front of me.

There may be a differance how your HHR pulls but I do not think that you should have any problems, the reason that I say this is because my new panel is a 2.4 same as the window HHR that I had before and there is a little difference in how my panel pulls compared to the window model that I had,the window model seemed to have a little more power,but it was 2hp smaller then the panel :scratchthinking:
But my panel is great.

I hope I answered your questions.
We are traveling at the present time we have been to the SCTT gathering at Perris Lake in Ca. And we will be going to marine world and the zoo in SD Ca. & we will be home tues or weds, So we will talk to later.

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Postby Mighty Mouse » Sat Apr 12, 2008 8:15 pm

Thanks for the information on your HHR now I feel better about the whole idea. I think I'm still going to have brakes put on the trailer just for my peace of mind. It is good to know I should have no problem pulling with the panel since it was the reason for going with a tear drop. I think a Generic Benroy is going to look good behind the panel

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