Trailer warning, this could happen to you

[LouNY]

LouNY,
Be careful with where you haul with that combination with truck rated pull of 11K and trailer gross rating of 14K. State troopers have a pretty good idea of what truck is rated to pull what load and you may get a serious looking over. DOT fines get expensive fast. The trailer, depending on type could be 4K Lbs ( my 14K dump trailer weighs 4K ) leaving you only 7K of legal load. Depending on what your hauling that could be as little as 2- 2.5 yards of gravel if your 14K is a dump trailer.

Yes, it factored into my trailer purchase quite a bit. It's a deckover power tilt in aluminum so only 2600 pounds for the trailer.
As for regulations as long as I'm not over my trucks axle load ratings or the trucks GVWR and the trailer load doesn't exceed the 11,000 pounds it's not an issue.
Also very seldom will I have more then 7-8000 pounds of load.
I did anticipate a heavier truck in a year or so. So then the truck will be a 10,000 gvwr and a 14,000 trailer still keeps me under the 26,000 that can be a worry. Also none of my hauling is for commercial purposes or hire or profit.
Plus often I can fall back on the right to farm laws and farm regulations.
Also I went with the 14K rated trailer for the axles, the dealer registered it for the 14K, I think that I'll go in next year and register it for 12,000, unless I've swapped trucks by then.

 

[RandyT]

The 2" hitch on my tandom axle landscape trailer is rated for 7,000lbs.

I made sure the 2" ball on my truck meets the 7,000lb weight requirement as well.

Mine has brakes on both axles as well.

My 2" bull dog hitches at work are rated for 7,000lbs as well.

But IL limits trailers with 2" balls to a 5000 lbs rating, no matter what the hitch says or not. I came across this little glitch when I started seeing 7000 lbs tandem axle trailers with the 2" 8000 lbs ball hitch.

 

[TMGT]

I had replaced the pigtail on my 32 foot hydraulic dovetail trailer with this style plug. On a recent trip I lost all trailer brakes because the cheap plug's connectors became so loose that it allowed the plug to "tip" enough to disconnect the brake control wire.

The moral..Buy a name brand high quality pigtail to begin with.

I had the trailer brakes come on fully while doing 60 MPH on the interstate because of a defective transmission control unit which controls the built in trailer brake controller on my Chevy 3500 HD. It made for an interesting few seconds and I had to disconnect the trailer brakes and drive home without them.

I own four trailers and they are all a PIA to maintain, but I can't do without them.

I'd say that's pretty true of most things, I've had good luck with the Buyers molded connectors and prefer the cold weather type (blue).

 

[QRTRHRS]

I added a junction box when I replace my trailer's battery box. Originally, the wires from the 7pin cable were fastened to the trailer's wires with "click clips". The clips were taped together and stuffed into the battery box.

The box has color coded bolts making it easy save for my turn signals which had the colored wires reversed.

I also added a coiled brake switch cable.

I was going to upgrade to a coiled 7pin connector cable but held off wanting to research them a bit more. After reading this thread, I am glad that I held off. At the least, before I use my trailer again I am going to open the connector and inspect it.

Over the years of commercial driving, I inspected thousands of pigtails and glad hands. One of the more common issues was the cover on the plug receiver not holding the plug securely so I would have to bungee it.

 

[Rhorn4400]

I prefer the plugs with a couple of feet of pigtail basically all one part

 

[RayIN]

Many "silicone's" will cause corrosion, they have an acetic acid base that citrus smell that you smell while working with it. A latex caulk will not cause corrosion

It's called Neutral Cure silicone. Once I found out it's difference, it's all i buy now.

 

[not2old]

Only one axle of tandem axle trailers have brakes (at least that is the case on my 5th wheel and car trailer).

I've owned eight different tandem axle trailers and all of them have had brakes on four wheels.

 

[D&D]

If someone is used to how a four flat is wired, and they apply the same color code to a 7 pin rv plug, then it's easy for that to happen.

The 7 pin rv has a totally different color code for what the color is used for.

The exception is white is ground.

I see that mistake quite often.

Brown is parking lights on a 4 flat, but is the right turn on on a 7 pin rv plug.

Yellow is left turn on a four flat, and auxiliary power (usually back up lights) on a 7 pin rv plug.

Green is right turn on a four flat, and parking lights on the rv plug.

I'm not sure how the person ended up with their turn signal engaging the trailer brakes though.

Hmmm,

 

[Powderdreams]

The junction boxes are a great improvement over direct hard wiring IMO. Regarding axle brakes, there was a write up where the author was involved in an accident while pulling his trailer, brakes on only one of two trailer axles. Insurance company denied coverage per a DOT regulation specifying the trailer required brakes on all axles. I will post the Reg when I locate it.

 

[Dftodd]

Hmmm,
View attachment 3820460

Replace a 7 pin rv plug on your trailer and use that color code. You'll be chasing your tail for hours.

I replace a couple of those plugs a week.

I can tell you that using the color code I provided for your trailer and plug into your truck, your trailer will work properly.

Red - left turn
Brown - right turn
Green - parking lights
White - ground
Blue - trailer brakes
Black - 12 volt battery charge
Yellow - auxiliary

These are the color code for the plug on your trailer.

The photo you posted is what's used for the receptacle for truck. Not the trailer.