Trailer for BX23 and ZTR

Egon · Sep 18, 2004

Trailers above certain weight [ Canada = 5000 pd. ] require a braking system other than surge brakes.

Different localities may have different regulations.

Egon

ronjhall · Sep 18, 2004

Surge brakes have a couple of drawbacks.
1. In an emergency stop, if the trailer is not in a direct line to trailer hitch some or all braking is lost to the trailer. This is also true when making a turn.
2. When backing up unless there is some kind of release, brakes are applied to trailer.

With Electric Brakes, brake pressure is applied to the trailer whenever the brake pedal is pressed on tow vehicle.

Here is a site that explains how the different systems work.
Click Here

JoeG · Sep 18, 2004

Nik,

The trailer coupler actually slides and actuates a hydraulic brake cylinder when the trailer pushes against the vehicle. This occurs when you take your foot off the gas or apply the brakes. This keeps the trailer in "sync" with the vehicle unlike electric brakes where you only get braking action when you push on the brake pedal. The triton's also have a small electric valve that closes when the reverse lights come on so that the trailer can be backed up (usually this is a problem with surge brake trailers as the reverse motion activates the brakes.) I didn't find any other manufacturers that offered disc brakes.

I didn't have the room to store the 16 footer on my property and so I bought the 12 footer. The BX fits on it nicely with the BH turned partially to one side. If I didn't have the factory tailgate then the hoe could just hang over the end.

I looked at all the big name trailers (bri-mar, big-tex, to name a few) as well as some local manufacturers and ended up with the Triton for more than a few reasons:
1. Maintenance free aluminum exterior (no chipping paint or rust.)
2. Torsion axles.
3. Disc brakes (dual axle.)
4. Surge brakes (I can tow this behind either my or my wife's SUV.)
5. Light weight.
6. Protected wiring and lights (everything is recessed in the channels.)

When it arrived at the dealership I was very impressed with the quality of all the welds.

It's pouring rain here today so I won't be taking out the BX but I do have a few errands to do with the trailer. I'll post a photo of the trailer on my Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Go take a look for yourself. They make a quality product.

Joe

LBrown59 · Oct 31, 2004

( I only need to tow about 1 mile and I think the Ford 150 should be able to do the job. )If you are only going a mile why not just drive the tractor there?

Nik · Oct 31, 2004

L.B.
I would have to travel onto a very busy road for a 1/4 of a mile or so and would not feel safe driving a small subcompact or even compact tractor on this road. The traffic often is moving about 40-50 mph. Trailering would be quicker and safer and I could use the trailer for other things. I still have not bought the trailer and will probably wait until late winter early spring. I am leaning towards the triton aluminum 12 or 16 foot double axle with electric brakes.

LBrown59 · Oct 31, 2004

( Nik,

1*I didn't have the room to store the 16 footer on my property and so I bought the 12 footer.
3*The BX fits on it nicely with the BH turned partially to one side.

I ended up with the Triton for more than a few reasons:
5* Light weight.
)
****************************
****************************
1*Do they make a 14 footer?
3*sounds like a 14 footer would be ideal.
5*The thing that bothers me about aluminum is it's not as strong as steel.
I would be concerned about an aluminum trailer collapsing or the frame breaking in to or twisting.

LBrown59 · Oct 31, 2004

( L.B.
I would have to travel onto a very busy road for a 1/4 of a mile or so and would not feel safe driving a small subcompact or even compact tractor on this road. The traffic often is moving about 40-50 mph. Trailering would be quicker and safer and I could use the trailer for other things. I still have not bought the trailer and will probably wait until late winter early spring.

*I am leaning towards the triton aluminum 12 or 16 foot double axle with electric brakes. )
==================**************==========
I have about 2 to 3 miles to go and like you the last 1/4 of a mile or so is on a very busy road.
The plan was to have some one follow me in a car with 4 way flashers.Haven't tried it yet.

* Why not go with a 14 foot length?
What widths do thes trailers come in?
I have my doubts about the strength of Aluminum !

keeney · Nov 1, 2004

"surge disc brakes are superior to electric drums"

Depends...

Pros:
1. Surge brakes don't require a brake controller and all the installation involved, so they are easier to install and use on multiple vehicles. Can use the cheapo 4-pin connector. Great for rental equipment.

2. In some cases, surge brakes can generate higher braking forces.

3. Surge brakes require no adjustment - they are automatically proportionate to vehicle deceleration.

4. Surge brakes have no battery (with accompanying charging and maintanence) required for break-away safety. A simple cable is attached to the tow vehicle to activate the cylinder by pulling the cable if the trailer comes off the hitch.

Cons:
5. Surge-brake actuation is by tow vehicle deceleration, not brake pedal position. If the tow vehicle has no traction (hydroplaning in a big puddle, or on snow/ice), and can't decelerate all that well, then the trailer will just keep pushing it. Not so safe in rain or on snowy or icy roads. Been there, done that! Note that some electrical brake controllers also use deceleration and not brake pedal position and will have the same problem!

6. Surge brakes break-away safety system is typical cuplrit of stuck-on failure. When dropping the trailer, its easy enough to forget to disconnect the break-away safety and attempt to drive away. After you notice the trailer is still attached and stop and disconnect the safety cable, the next user of the trailer will have stuck-on brakes because the break-away safety is a ratcheting mechanism that needs to be RESET! If they are only partially stiuck-on, you will just burn up your shoes and have no brakes when you need them. If they are really stuck-on, you can burn the whole trailer to the ground as was mentioned.

7. Actuation cylinder can stick on, but I bet this is usually caused by #6, above.

8. On some systems, a manual lock-out pin is used to back the trailer up a hill. Its easy to forget to remove the lock-out, and you can have no brakes next time you use the trailer. Better systems have an electrically-actuated lock-out valve or pin controlled by the reverse lighting circuit, but this requires more wires than the cheapo- 4-pin connector.

9. Surge brakes have no braking in reverse. This can be a problem when backing down a steep hill. Kind of interesting backing a large boat down a launch ramp into a lake - it feels like the boat is sucking you into the water when you put on the brakes. Luckily, it stops once the boat starts to float!

Nik · Nov 1, 2004

L.B.

The web site for triton is www.tritontrailer.com and they only list a 12 or 16 foot utility trailer with double axle (no 14 foot one). The specs seem good. I would have to store a trailer outside and like the idea of a metal that will not rust. I think these trailers would be more than capable of holding up to my needs. They have a 81" bed width. The longer trailer may help me to keep the tongue weight lower and allow me to carry an implement on the BX when the backhoe is off.

JoeG · Nov 2, 2004

Keeney,

The statement I made about surge/disc vs elec/drum has as much to do with the superiority of disc brakes to drum brakes as surge vs elec.

As for your pros/cons I am full support of the pros. As for the cons, a few comments:

5. If your vehicle doesn't have traction, like on ice, then I don't think it matters much if your trailer can apply brakes. You are in trouble either way. As a PRO to surge brakes you get slowing action simply by taking your foot off the gas pedal which is more in line with the way most people drive. Towing with elec brakes the trailer tends to push the tow vehicle until the brake pedal is pressed. In long deceleration situations it is possible to slow or stop the vehicle and trailer without use of the tow vehicle brakes.

6 & 7. I agree that this could cause a problem but is a low probability. The Tritons do not have a manual application of the breakaway. PRO I prefer a fully mechanical system for breakaway braking.

8. The Triton lockout is electrical. The fifth pin is hooked up to the backup lights. They provide the wire for the vehicle side of the connection.

9. Good point about reverse braking! How do large boat owners deal with this as most, if not all, boat trailers use surge brakes.

Joe