jenkinsph
Super Star Member
Yes, when you park your emergency brake is all you have to hold truck and trailer is the truck's rear axle. Big rigs intended for full time trailering can lock up everything with air brakes.
ordering trailer -sanity check please
- Thread starter wango tango
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Yes, when you park your emergency brake is all you have to hold truck and trailer is the truck's rear axle. Big rigs intended for full time trailering can lock up everything with air brakes.
meburdick
Platinum Member
Gotcha. I thought that was what you were referring to but wanted to be sure.
Do any of the brake controllers have a "park and hold" mode? Mine will add trailer brakes while you're sipped and have your foot on the brake pedal, but it releases once your foot comes off of the pedal.
Do any of the brake controllers have a "park and hold" mode? Mine will add trailer brakes while you're sipped and have your foot on the brake pedal, but it releases once your foot comes off of the pedal.
jenkinsph
Super Star Member
Most light vehicles do not have any provision for holding the brakes on trailers when you exit the vehicle. All the electric drum brakes need the wheels turning to be very effective in pulling the brake shoes into contact with the drum. I wouldn't stake my life on these things holding either.
Point is the tow vehicle needs some weight or weight transferred to the rear axle to be safe on inclines.
Point is the tow vehicle needs some weight or weight transferred to the rear axle to be safe on inclines.
RPW
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2009
- Messages
- 1,105
Althougth I agree that most comments are accurate based on information given. Here's where I have a rub on these statements. Each poster has specified a particular vehicle and that's fine. In my case my manual specifies that I can tow a 13000# load on my bumper and close to 16000# with a GN. My manual doesn't really mention a WDH but it's probablly there. My comments with a GN load verses a bumper pull load is this. A GN load may not increase your pulling ability but the stability is a major factor. I much prefer GN over BP for the stability it provides. I've experienced much greater trailer sway with a BP. As such except for a smaller load I've outfited my trailer arsenal with primarily GN, I just feel safer towing. Each to there own. As far as the WDH over non is this. What you feel is comfortable for you is what matters. IMO it's ultamately up to the operator and know what they're capable of.
RaydaKub
Veteran Member
I really wonder how they calculate whatever they put in the manuals. My dad had a '73 3/4 ton Dodge. Had a 360, 4 speed, and 4.73 rear end. I have no idea what it was rated for. Yet in about 77, he bought a gooseneck 14 foot grain trailer. I hand stacked it with wheat out of the combine one time and went straight to town. I jumped out and they weighed the combo at 29,960 lbs. This was the heaviest load I think we ever had, but it was almost always between 27,000 and 29,000 lbs. It would take a while, but it would get up to 55 ok.
Now they have these turbo diesels and rate them for a 20,000 lb trailer or less. If those diesels can't out perform that old 360, I'd be might surprised.
Now they have these turbo diesels and rate them for a 20,000 lb trailer or less. If those diesels can't out perform that old 360, I'd be might surprised.
meburdick
Platinum Member
Keep in mind that a WDH is for dealing with TONGUE WEIGHT which is different than GTWR towing ratings. In order to understand if you need a WDH or not, you need to do two things:
- Calculate tongue weight. 10%-15% of the loaded trailer weight is the way to approximate, and you need to consider the *total* weight of the trailer and the cargo.
- Find the spec for your vehicle in terms of what it can handle for the tongue weight
This will get you along the path of knowing whether you need the WDH or not.
Eric_Phillips
Platinum Member
I really wonder how they calculate whatever they put in the manuals. My dad had a '73 3/4 ton Dodge. Had a 360, 4 speed, and 4.73 rear end. I have no idea what it was rated for. Yet in about 77, he bought a gooseneck 14 foot grain trailer. I hand stacked it with wheat out of the combine one time and went straight to town. I jumped out and they weighed the combo at 29,960 lbs. This was the heaviest load I think we ever had, but it was almost always between 27,000 and 29,000 lbs. It would take a while, but it would get up to 55 ok.
Now they have these turbo diesels and rate them for a 20,000 lb trailer or less. If those diesels can't out perform that old 360, I'd be might surprised.
The issue is not usually the engine being able to pull the weight but the brakes being able to stop it.
RaydaKub
Veteran Member
OK, that part makes sense and I guess I've known that all along. This old beast had an aux brake unit plumbed in as opposed to the new all electronic units. We never had to slam on the brakes under full load, but running empty, it almost seemed to stop faster than w/o the trailer. The brakes on that trailer were outstanding.
