Do I need my trailer inspected in Texas

[LBrown59]

Yea...what Bird said

It's one of thoes laws that is rarely enforced but when it is.....

But it's still better and safer to have brakes on both axles law or no law.

 

[Bird]

Not a bad idea, wushaw. I always got the annual inspection sticker for my travel trailers (I owned 3 over the years). I never found an inspection station that wouldn't do it (give me a sticker), but I also never found one who actually checked anything more than seeing if there were any light bulbs not working.

 

[LBrown59]

That is certainly preferable, but Texas law (Section 547.402 of the Transportation Code) only requires brakes on the rear axle for his trailer's gross weight.

I was thinking more about of the safty aspect than the legal stand point.

 

[wushaw]

I was thinking more about of the safty aspect than the legal stand point.

The twisted up heaps being pulled by equally junk toters I see going down the road carrying junk on a regular basis raises the question does any of this junk even have liability insurance on toter let alone "Working" brakes on any axle.

I don't have brakes on both axles on my 16' utility and don't see the need, them two brakes do a fine job of keeping the trailer straight under any braking condition I have had in the six year of having it.

 

[Bird]

I don't have brakes on both axles on my 16' utility

My brother bought a 16' trailer with no brakes and I used it frequently. You're not required to have brakes if you keep the registered and actual gross weight no more than 4,500 or it can weigh even more without brakes if you keep the speed down to no more than 30 mph.

It's much simpler for the states to set some specific weight, as Texas has done, but way back at least 36 years ago, and I don't know how much longer before that, the federal government recommended requiring trailer brakes on any trailer that weighed more than 40% of the weight of the towing vehicle.

So, yep, you may never need brakes at all, if you drive properly, understand the dynamics involved and nothing unexpected, or unplanned for, happens.

 

[LBrown59]

1*You can't depend on this so I'd rather have the brakes too.

1*So, yep, you may never need brakes at all, if nothing unexpected, or unplanned for, happens..

It's much simpler for the states to set some specific weight, as Texas has done, but way back at least 36 years ago, and I don't know how much longer before that, the federal government recommended requiring trailer brakes on any trailer that weighed more than 40% of the weight of the towing vehicle.So, yep, you may never need brakes at all, if you drive properly, understand the dynamics involved and nothing unexpected, or unplanned for, happens.

1*