One brake axle OK??

Soundguy · Feb 23, 2006

( and single brake tandems are not 50 states legal )

I was under the impression that if your trailer was legal when you bought it, where you bought it, that you could drive into another state with it... I.e. bought it legal in 1999 in florida, 1 brake axle.. then run to 'x' state where you need 2 brake axle... same with break away device. Used to be here in florida a trailer did not need them.. new trailers now need them.. you don't have to go retrofit the old trailers though.. etc..

Soundguy

gamble77 · Feb 23, 2006

Soundguy thats what I thought also until of the stories I started to hear, especially the plumbing company I mentioned earlier in this post...took me by suprise!

SnowRidge · Feb 23, 2006

I run between Florida and Tennessee quite a bit, so I've dug into the regs for those states and Georgia. In the process, I've come across several listings of regulations covering all states. Of what I've been able to find, I've not seen anything official or from a reputable source that indicates that kind of reciprocity exists.

Bird · Feb 23, 2006

( I was under the impression that if your trailer was legal when you bought it, where you bought it, that you could drive into another state with it... )

Chris, this gets to be a topic too complicated or complex for much clarification here, but . . .
1. If you comply with your home state's regulations, then you're good in other states sometimes but not always.
2. A few things, such as your drivers license, are good in any state, but in some cases, there are reciprocal agreements only between certain states, but not others.
3. In some cases, new regulations only apply to products manufactured or sold after a certain date; in other cases, the new regulations apply to all.

If you are charged with an offense, there is a difference between actual "innocence"; i.e., you didn't do it, and "affirmative defense"; i.e., you did it but you qualify for an exemption to the general law. Perhaps the easiest example I can think of was the old law prohibiting carrying a pistol in Texas unless you were traveling. In other words, it was illegal to carry a pistol, but if you were traveling, you had an affirmative defense to prosecution if you were arrested and charged. Now the problem with affirmative defenses is that law enforcement officers are sometimes taught to make the arrest and file the charge and let the accused prove his affirmative defense. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

So unless you're really sure that what you're doing is OK, it's safest to check local regulations.

KAB · Feb 23, 2006

Actually, that is Gross Weight not Curb Weight.

When asking if a single axle brake is OK you should also specify Gross Weight.

Even it it is OK in Georgia, if you can afford it I would upgrade to brakes on both axles. It should be cheaper to order a new trailer with, than to upgrade down the road since the hub and drum are combined on must units.

Also, I see where it mentions about crossing between states and legality. Although I am far from an expert I can share my current and past experience. In PA, a PA registered trailer over 3000# GVW require state inspection (or used to) and brakes on both axles were required. No brakes... No Inspection... get caught... pay fine... would have been cheaper to be legal in the first place.

Now that I live in Ohio and occasionally take my current trailer back to PA, according to the trooper that I just talked to, if the trailer does not meet PA's standards, if caught, I could be cited for whatever does not meet that standard.

The only way that I think they would even worry about it is if something bad happens, even if not your fault.

With all of that said, I think it is time to upgrade the brakes on my trailer. I have been thinking about it after I crested a hill a while back to find a backup of traffic due to unmarked road work and just missed the car that was already stopped there. (thanks to the berm of the road /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif)

Kurt

BB_TX · Feb 23, 2006

I have an older 16' tandem trailer with no brakes on either axle. I don't use it very often and not very far. On rare occasion I do haul my ~3500 lb tractor about 30 miles and sorta putter along like I was on a Sunday drive. It does have the square flanges with 4 bolt holes on each axle behind each wheel. Can you just buy the brake parts and bolt them on these axles without having to replace the axles? I looked at the parts at Northern and, without measuring, they appeared to be just bolt on.

SnowRidge · Feb 23, 2006

I have a single axle 6x10 cargo trailer that came without brakes. Its GVWR is 2990 lbs, which makes it legal to operate in most states, but not all. After one "seat grabbing' emergency stop because one yo yo pulled out directly in front of me without caring or looking, I told my wife, "never again without brakes."

The actual axle under it is a Dexter 3500 lb unit, and it had the flanges just as you described. After looking at the parts and prices at TSC and Northern, I decided I could do better on the Internet. I ordered the brake hubs and backing plates from two different sources (sorry I forget their names), and both ended being drop shipped from Redneck Trailer Supply. For some reason, the UPS lady thought that was funny.

The stuff in the boxes turned out to be all Dexter parts, and everything fit perfectly.

I also added a breakaway box. The law states that trailers which require brakes must be fitted with a break away box. Since my trailer doesn't require brakes, I suppose it isn't legally required to have a break away box either, but I didn't want to argue that fine point of the law if I ever got stopped, so I intalled the box. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Bird · Feb 23, 2006

I suppose there are others just as good, but I've had good enough service and the right prices from Dexter Axle that they'd be my first choice.

HRS · Feb 23, 2006

Well, I was finally able to put in another call. Told the guy that I just wasn't interested in his single brake unit suggestion. Shortly thereafter he came back with an adjustment for an additional $150 to set the trailer up with brakes on all four. Now why would they not just include that initially? The trailer business must be some kind of competitive if they are afraid that an additional $150 is going to scare a customer away.

Joe1 · Feb 23, 2006

$150.00 is cheap. You'll be glad you did. You'll stop better and the shoes will last longer.

You may have to adjust your brake actuator between running empty and fully loaded or your brakes may not work when loaded or will lock the trailer tires when empty.

Remember the line from the 1953 Lucille Ball movie The Long Long Trailer": "Trailer brakes first".

Adjust them so they come on just ever so SLIGHTLY before the tow vehicles and you should be fine. A little practice and you'll get the feeling.