You could save a newbie's life!!! Let's talk brakes.

[StPatron]

We've beat this to death several times but once more.

And, everyone please remember...

Trailer brakes will NOT charge your battery!!!!

[IndyTom]

Gus,

The console is a great idea, but the ammeter is a BRILLIANT idea. One that I will be shamelessly stealing.

Tom

[eamarquardt]

Gus,

The console is a great idea, but the ammeter is a BRILLIANT idea. One that I will be shamelessly stealing.

Tom

I have my "moments". Some would argue otherwise.

Cheers,

Gus

[aggie79]

And, everyone please remember...

Trailer brakes will NOT charge your battery!!!!

Maybe scab on a regenerative braking system from a Prius?

[StPatron]

Maybe scab on a regenerative braking system from a Prius?

Add some magnets, copper and crystals and I think ya got somethin', Tom!!

I just KNEW there had to be some good use for a Prius....

[angib]

Trailer brakes will NOT charge your battery!!!!

Or bring about world peace, or even end human suffering.

[Rusty O'Toole]

You need brakes especially with such a small tow vehicle. It is not just a matter of stopping but also control. If you have to use the brakes on a down hill, the trailer will push on the rear of the car. If the car is turning the trailer can push the rear of the car sideways. Also, if the trailer starts to sway applying the trailer brakes will bring it back in line quickly.

Brakes are not expensive, they add $80 to $100 to the cost of the axle. Then you have to run 1 extra wire for the brake controller.

The brake controller costs $35 to $100 depending what kind you get. A cheap one will be fine for your small trailer. Your Focus is already wired for trailer brakes, when you buy the controller get the wiring harness to match, it plugs into your car wiring system.

On the big Galaxie you may not need brakes because it is heavy enough not to be pushed around. But if you have brakes on the trailer anyway why not invest in another controller.

[eamarquardt]

Trailer brakes will NOT charge your battery!!!!

Or bring about world peace, or even end human suffering.

Yes but if you add a flux capacitor the possibilities are endless.

Cheers,

Gus

[vwbeamer]

I've towed 1500 lbs with my VW Jetta without brakes.

It's hard for me to say you don't need brakes, then read that you end up in accident and hurt or self or someone else.

That said, you can get along without brakes. The jetta weighs about 2800lbs , and has 4 wheel disc, anti lock. It does take a little longer to stop,but you have to plan ahead.

That being said, a 1200 lb trailer with brakes set up correctly, will more than likely keep you braking distance the same, or actually shorter than the stopping distance when not towing.

Rule of thumb is when you go over half the cars weight, you need brakes. So if you went over 1500lbs I would say you would need brakes. Right now, i think they would be really nice for an extra 100 bucks or so.

[48Rob]

That said, you can get along without brakes. The jetta weighs about 2800lbs , and has 4 wheel disc, anti lock. It does take a little longer to stop,but you have to plan ahead.

I understand how this thought works, and at one time shared that belief.

The point though is that if you have to plan ahead, can you really get along without brakes?
The answer is yes, you can, until the day you actually need to use them, but don't have the luxury of time to plan ahead.

Rob

[Evan Gaffney]

I understand how this thought works, and at one time shared that belief.

The point though is that if you have to plan ahead, can you really get along without brakes?
The answer is yes, you can, until the day you actually need to use them, but don't have the luxury of time to plan ahead.

Rob

I totally agree. The focus will be wired for sure. It's just too light, and where I live, I can't get anywhere without traveling a major highway. At some point I am going to have to slam on my brakes, and then...

I think on the galaxie they will be overkill, but I'm going to wire a controller anyways. The galaxie does not have antilock brakes, so in a panic stop it slides, and I worry the added weight of the trailer might upset the braking balance if the trailer doesn't stop itself. The image of my 20ft long muscle car pirouetting across a multi-lane highway with 15 ft of trailer behind it is enough to make me want brakes on both vehicles.

Before I installed the adjustable proportioning valve, I did this once on I-80 (no trailer at the time). Narrowly missed the car I was braking to avoid (cut me off then slammed on his brakes) as well as a couple of cars behing me and ended up on the shoulder pointing the wrong way. I changed my pants, got back on the road, and drove much more carefully after that. Don't feel the need to repeat the experience with a trailer behind me.

[kirkman]

OK I have a ? If you are towing with 2 different cars why not surge brakes. Why don't more/any of us instal them instead? Am I missing some thing? That way if you change TV's you don't have to rewire for a new car. Or wont they work?

[Evan Gaffney]

OK I have a ? If you are towing with 2 different cars why not surge brakes. Why don't more/any of us instal them instead? Am I missing some thing? That way if you change TV's you don't have to rewire for a new car. Or wont they work?

As I understand it, the two major drawbacks are higher maintenance (they need to be bled, adjusted, etc.) and that you have to disable them before you reverse. That last part especially sounds like it would be a pain.

[Wolffarmer]

It looks to me surge brakes are a pita to install. Have to have the special hitch coupler and run all the brake lines.

I tow my 1150 lbs trailer with a Suzuki Vitara or Sidekick, no brakes. I have pulled it down several rather steep and long mountain roads with no problem, just don't let it build up speed and keep my brakes cool. Traffic I have to drive ahead BUT i am rather use to driving farm vehicles with poor brakes ( sometime no brakes ) Or way overloaded. That said there are only a few people I would trust with my rig, all are good friends and farmers or ex farmers. I am planning on another build and will probably put brakes on it, just cause. With your little Ford I would have brakes. Your other vehicle needs a drogue chute.


Randy

[eamarquardt]

It looks to me surge brakes are a pita to install. Have to have the special hitch coupler and run all the brake lines.

Randy

The "special coupler" is held on by two bolts. No different than most standard couplers that fit a straight tongue. Installing the backing plates and drums for hydraulic brakes is no different than installing the backing plate and drums for electric brakes.

Then there are two brake lines (one to each wheel) that connect to a tee mounted on the axle. Then there is one brake line from the tee to the hydraulic coupler. A total of 6 flare fittings to screw on and tighten. Not much different that connecting the wires from each wheel together and a wire from where the two sets of wires come together and then up to your trailer coupler. The hydraulic lines can be a lot less work than running and connecting the wires together.

Electric brakes require that one have a charged battery on the trailer and a breakaway switch to actuate the brakes should the trailer become separated from the tow vehicle. This takes a bit more time and effort that is not required with hydraulic brakes.

The hydraulic brakes on a trailer are no different than the hydraulic brakes on your car and require the same maintenance.

Bleeding the brakes takes a piece of vacuum hose, a container to collect the brake fluid, a small wrench to open the bleed screw and a 12" or bigger adjustable or pipe wrench to work the master cylinder. After jacking up the trailer so you can crawl under it, it takes about 10 minutes to bleed and adjust the brakes.

That all said, installing hydraulic brakes is, IMHO, easier than installing electric brakes as work on the trailer is not that much different between the two types of brakes. With electric brakes the trailer is only part of the job. To install electric brakes one must mount a controller in each tow vehicle that will be used to tow the trailer. Then you have to run a fused wire from a fuse block or the battery to the brake controller. One then must run a ground wire to the controller, a wire from the controller to the trailer connector on the tow vehicle, and finally one must locate the correct wire on your brake light switch and connect this wire to the controller.

The backing plates and drums cost about the same for hydraulic brakes. Hydraulic couplers range from $99 to $200 which is a bit more than an electric brake controller.

That all being said, the legality of surge brakes is subject to debate:

http://www.redtrailers.com/ShowArticle.asp?id=2

http://www.rentalpulse.com/Article/tabi ... x?mode=arc

http://law.onecle.com/michigan/480-moto ... 0-13a.html

Cheers,

Gus