electric vs mechanical trailer brakes

[swedish-fish]

I'm looking for a trailer to tow my small Yanmar 155D short distances (<5 miles) a few times a year. I've been considering a 5x12 or 5x14 utility/landscape trailer since I can come under the 3000lbs GVWR and the empty trailer weight is less than 1000 lbs so trailer brakes aren't necessary. I'd rather not get into electric brakes if I don't have too. My Ford Ranger is wired for a flat four already

Now, I've come across a used dual axle trailer that has mechanical brakes. The seller was describing a system where the tung has a master cylinder which applies the brakes when the tung is compressed when the tow vehicle is slowing down. That sounds pretty slick, but I hadn't seen anything written up about it when searching this forum. From what I've read people really like the dual axles even for a tractor as light as 1600 lbs. Is there a reason to stay away from this style of brake system? How does one back up a trailer with mechanical brakes?
I look forward to hearing the advice of those more experienced than I.

 

[SnowRidge]

Those are surge brakes. They are desirable when you have to back into water, especially salt water, which is hard on electric brakes. They are also used a lot by trailer rental places, since they don't have to worry about brake wiring or brake controllers.

They are somewhat of a problem on hills, as the brakes may drag on a long downgrade, which can result in brake fade, perhaps when you need them the most. They are also lagging brakes, not coming on until after you step on the brakes and the towing vehicle slows, except on the long downgrades, where they may be on all the way down.

Lagging brakes don't give as good a control as leading brakes, which are possible with electric brakes, and have more of a propensity to jacknife in a panic stop than electric brakes, but aren't nearly as likely to do so as no brakes. Hope that makes sense.

How do you back them up? Slowly!

I would much rather have surge brakes than no brakes.

 

[TobyH]

We used to use surge brakes on larger trucks in the early '90s before they were banned over a certain weight limit. Banned for a good reason. They were always applying themselves when backing up making it impossible to turn a trailer in dirt or snow. In a panic stop the trailer would start slamming back and forth as the brakes applied then released when the wheels locked up then apply again and so on.

I've never used surge brakes on a light duty trailer but with your setup it seems like the inherent problems would still be there just on a smaller scale. I haul my BX2200 with a loader and a backblade on a 14' single axle trailer with electric brakes pulled by an old '92 Explorer 2 door (very short wheelbase). Never had a problem stopping. I had a class III hitch installed with a 7 pin RV plug and prewired for a brake controller for around $250. I highly recommend changing that flat four out, getting a brake controller and haul happily ever after.

 

[radman1]

I personally don't like mechanical brakes for the above mentioned reasons. If the deal is good, brakes work properly and the tow vehicle doesn't have electric brakes, then go ahead and get it. They are certainly better than trailers with no brakes. Just don't plan on backing up a grade/hill because the will lock up. Have them adjusted properly.

 

[john_bud]

Well, I'll be the odd man out here! My 25' 7000# boat has surge brakes on the trailer, both axles and it is the fastest slowing trailer I own. The only down side is the slight slam when you take off as the tongue slides a bit before the trailer moves.

My experience may not be typical, but I have never had the situations they talked about. Then again, I kept them in good shape, adjusted correctly, greased bearings and turned drums. I could (and have often) stood on the truck's brakes and had the ABS popping, but the only response from the trailer was dead staight decelleration. In fact, the truck stops faster towing the boat than it does with no load.

I would ditch the electric brakes on my equipment hauler in a minute for surge brakes (but I'm too lazy and cheap to change something that works!).

jb

 

[swedish-fish]

Ahh... Surge brakes. Thank you.
Here's a link to the trailer I'm looking at. heavy duty trailer 12 foot CHEAP

Thanks for the replies. So, electric brakes with a controller installed is the way to go? [edit] John_bud - didn't see your reply... must have been typing] If I passed on this used trailer, I might go for a new 5x14 single axle utility trailer for $1200. Is that something I could have brakes installed on later? Fortunately it is pretty flat where I live and I might try without first. The kinds of places I would go is take it to church for our harvest party to pull a hayride. It's 2 miles away all 35 mph back roads and flat the whole way. If it was any closer, I'd drive it there.

 

[swedish-fish]

I guess the thing to do would be try it out...
I get my hitch from etrailer on tuesday.

 

[SnowRidge]

U-haul uses surge brakes. We rented the largest trailer they have, and it had surge brakes. The only real problem we had with it -- other than no tongue jack -- was backing up. It really, really did not want to do that. However, we prevailed.

 

[SnowRidge]

Ahh... Surge brakes. Thank you.
Here's a link to the trailer I'm looking at. heavy duty trailer 12 foot CHEAP

Thanks for the replies. So, electric brakes with a controller installed is the way to go? [edit] John_bud - didn't see your reply... must have been typing] If I passed on this used trailer, I might go for a new 5x14 single axle utility trailer for $1200. Is that something I could have brakes installed on later? Fortunately it is pretty flat where I live and I might try without first. The kinds of places I would go is take it to church for our harvest party to pull a hayride. It's 2 miles away all 35 mph back roads and flat the whole way. If it was any closer, I'd drive it there.

I'd buy the used trailer. For your needs it sounds good. I installed electric brakes on my single axle cargo trailer. I did it myself for about half what a dealer quoted. Make sure the axles are Dexter or something else that has brakes readily available.

Watch out for the gross weight rating on the brake less trailer. It may only be 3,000 lbs or less, using a 3,500 lb axle. Putting brakes on it would in theory raise that to the full 3,500 lbs, but it would still be stamped 3,000 or less by the manufacturer, and you probably would not be legal at 3,500 lbs. That's my situation with my cargo trailer.

Whatever you get, make sure the GVWR of the trailer is sufficient for the combined weight of your tractor, attachments you intend to load with it, and the trailer itself.

 

[Reg]

If the deal is good I suggest you buy it.
If you FREQUENTLY need to back it up UPHILL, e.g. up your driveway to park it, install a back-up lock-out solenoid valve (self explanatory name ?, actuated by your back-up lights, so you need to have that wire in your trailer connector, a 4 wire won't do).
If you have pushing/bumping on downgrades select a different spring weight for the coupler, Atwood and DICO's web sites probably list these.
Some surge brake couplers also have a small dampener (shock absorber) to reduce/eliminate the pushing/bumping oscillations.

Yep, they work well on boat trailers and I would PREFER them on my other trailers.