Trailer Questions

[Runner]

Hi all. I'm preparing to buy my first real utility trailer to haul my tractor, cars, etc. on. What I'm looking at right now is a (new) PJ, 20+5, deckover with (2) 7K axles, brakes on both axles. A couple of questions:

First, this thing has the "oil bath" hubs. I'm wondering if there is any downside to these hubs. I've read that they aren't good for trailers that sit a lot like this one probably will (presumably because the oil runs away from the bearings and leaves them exposed?). I also question what happens when the seals start to wear: with regular hubs, the grease will tend to stay in there even if the seals are a little worn, but I'm wondering if all the oil will just run out of the oil bath hubs as soon as the seals wear, i.e., maintenance problems?

Second, I will be towing with a 2004 F350. I have a brake controller (Tekonsha Prodigy), but have not installed it yet because I don't currently have any trailers with electric brakes (currently have two boat trailers, one with surge brakes, and small utility with no brakes).

My question is, what happens if I try to tow this trailer back from the dealer without a brake controller? I know the truck can stop it, but I'm wondering if I plug the 7-pin trailer plug into the standard Ford receptacle without a brake controller hooked up (so that I have lights), will it have an adverse effect on the trailer brake system or not (other than the brakes not working)?

I plan on hooking up the controller soon, but would like to be able to take my time on the install and adjustment, rather than rushing around with it if I decided to buy the trailer now.

The other option is to just hook up the brake controller, put in the fuse as necessary and lay the unit on the floor of the truck, but I'm not sure they are meant to work unless solidly mounted.

Thanks in advance for any guidance you may have on these topics.

 

[Lunk]

The last time I installed a trailer brake controller was on a 1997 Dodge. It, and on the '94 and '95 fords before it, was basically a plug and play job. There was a connector under the dash that the controller more or less plugged into. The biggest time waster was finding the exact spot I wanted to drill and mount the controller itself.

I don't think you'd hurt a thing by dragging the trailer home sans brakes, but I'm no expert.

As far as the "oil-bath" hubs - I haven't a clue. They're news to me. I would tend to agree with your assessment though, as perhaps they are designed for the daily, commercial type end-user, not the occasional hauler...

Good luck on your purchase. It sounds like you have enough trailer, and enough truck to pull it - A good start, IMHO.

Lunk

 

[BarryinMN]

I have a PJ 8x24 14K deckover. You can get molded adapters to match 4x7, 7x4, 7x6 etc for temp use. I use them to pull 2 wheel cargo trailers boat trailer, etc.

I also have the same controller it needs to be solidly mounted. Your truck is new enough it may have the controller wiring built into the dash harness & simply plugs in.

Always check the trailer brake engagement before hitting the road as an accidental lockup might not be good. You cannot see the tires from the mirrors like you can with a bobcat style trailer.

Mine has the grease zerk hubs as I am an occasional trailer puller. No opinion on the value of oil hubs on lighter trailers. I would comment that the WB is stretched & take deliberate wide sweeping turns to keep the trailer tires off the curbs

 

[denmansoft]

If you don't have the controller plugged in you just won't have any trailer brakes.
With your truck and if the empty weight of your trailer is < ~ #3000 you should be fine to bring it home empty.

Ditto on the prodigy (and most other newer controllers) needs to be solidly mounted. they sense the accelleration/deceleration of your vehicle and if you have your foot on the brake pedal they apply trailer brakes appropriately.

You will probably find you need to adjust the controller for empty trailer vs. loaded.

 

[George2615]

I'll agree with your statement that oil bath hubs may not be good for your application where it is going to sit around most of the time.

Towing it home from the dealer empty will not be a problem. You'll just have to leave extra stopping distance since the truck brakes will be doing all the work. It will have no adverse effect on the trailer since the braking wire from the truck won't be applying any power. The 7 pin plug will only be supplying brake lighting and turn signals.

You can hook up the controller anytime. The only time you will need it hooked up is when you have a load on the trailer. Empty, the truck will be able to stop the extra 2000 lb or so behind you.

I don't know if or how your state inspects trailers when you register them. If they require an inspection the controller will have to be installed and actually work the brakes.

The controller must be mounted in order to work since it has a motion or inertia detector inside that senses the movement of the truck slowing down which applies graduated voltage to the trailer brakes as needed. Once mounted it may need to be adjusted / calibrated for each trailer you hook up that has brakes. If its just sitting on the floor it could fall off the center hump making it think the trailer needs full voltage and lock up the trailer brakes.

 

[farmboy12]

Dad hangs the controller by wrapping the cord around the steering wheel. That way, you can change the position of it. Left hand-right hand control, setting it on your lap, laying it on the floor when not in use, etc.


Kyle

 

[Builder]

I know oil bath hubs on big truck axles are considered an upgrade. I think if you just bump your trailer a 1/2 wheel rotation once in a while, the seals will stay soft.

 

[Diamondpilot]

If you don't have the controller plugged in you just won't have any trailer brakes.
With your truck and if the empty weight of your trailer is < ~ #3000 you should be fine to bring it home empty.

Ditto on the prodigy (and most other newer controllers) needs to be solidly mounted. they sense the accelleration/deceleration of your vehicle and if you have your foot on the brake pedal they apply trailer brakes appropriately.

You will probably find you need to adjust the controller for empty trailer vs. loaded.

I have actually seen some trucks lock up the trailer brakes with some trucks with no controller. I am not sure if it was a miss match with the trailer and truck or what but I would just install it before you go get the trailer, you are going to end up doing it one way or the other. By the way the oil bath is the way to go on a trailer like that.

Chris

 

[Runner]

Guys,

Thanks for the responses. Probably should just fab up my bracket and mount the controller before I pick it up (if I get it). Guess I'm also a little worried that I will have to be learning how to adjust the brake settings and stuff on the fly and I'd hate to screw something up on the drive home (25 miles or so) if I get it wrong.

Here's a couple of pics of the unit I'm considering. Way more trailer than I need, but I like it anyway.

 

[davkir]

I agree it would be safer to have your controller on and ready to go first. Most of the trailers I have purchased were used and it seems like there always is some sort of minor wiring/brake problem. The guys at the trailer place would probably be happy to help you out if needed since you bought a new trailer from them.
I take any new trailer/truck/controller combination I get out in the country to a road with no traffic (well, for me that is were I live). Spend 30 minutes or so "experimenting" with the setup and you will quickly get a feel for the adjustments. (Be careful not to overheat the brakes as the adjustment is somewhat temperature sensitive).
Then when you have it loaded, it's pretty easy to dial in the appropriate settings.
That's a great looking trailer!

 

[farmboy12]

We prefer units with stand up ramps. They allow you to utilize the dovetail while hauling tractors and other equipment that needs to be loaded by ramps. If you have to haul two tractors that need the extra length of the dovetail a long distance, and don't want two trips, you need to utilize the dovetail. You would need to pull forward, put the ramps down, then move back to use the dovetail.

The fold-flat ramps do have pros, as do almost all things. Such as a longer flat deck. And things that are as wide as the trailer, that stick off the back, you can't have ramps in the way.

They both have pros and cons, but that seems like a good trailer for you. You only have one, small tractor that will fit with no problems. On another note, you may not want to pay for that extra ramp if you don't need it.

Hope I helped, and that it is understandable.
Kyle

 

[RollTideRam]

Stand up ramps also help you see the trailer behind you when it is empty and you are backing up. JC

 

[DanD78]

Have you consdered a goose neck hitch? You have a heavy enough truck and they pull like a dream. I have the same size trailer you are considering with a goose neck and have no control issues when full or over loaded. I think they are easier to turn and back in tight spots. You can put more weigh on the hitch and use the capacity of your truck.

The oil bath hubs are great. They are usually a higher end axle option.

Your 350 truck should have no problems taking an empty trailer home with out brakes.

Dan

 

[Mike Costello]

I Have 04 F350 also, using the prodigy brake controller. Took less than 10 minutes to install the unit. Don't use the brake controller wire kit that Ford gave you when you got your truck. Use the Prodigy wire harness for Ford trucks. Its literally plug & play and isn't expensive.

I mounted my unit just under the cubby on the right side of the steering wheel. Its easily adustable which you will be doing before you hit the road (simple procedure). Play it safe and install the Prodigy BEFORE you pull that trailer home. Thats a nice trailer...dont risk it!

 

[Builder]

You'll have no problems pulling an empty trailer behind you with no trailer brakes.

I find most people on this website to obsess over the smallest things.

I bought a 20K tandem axle trailer and pulled it home with an F-350 with no trailer brakes hooked-up. Trailer weighed like 5,500 lbs empty. You could feel it back there, but it was OK. I just took it slow.

It is illegal, though and you could get fined if you get pulled over.

 

[Skyco]

It is illegal, though and you could get fined if you get pulled over.

Or the living daylights sued out of you if you'd had an accident

 

[Mike Costello]

I don't get it......the Prodigy installs so easily and in so little time, there shouldn't be any question about brakes vs no brakes. Save yourself a lot of worry, do it right.

My 04 F350 is capable of doing many things; it doesn't mean those are the right thing to do. Common sense and the law should prevail here.

 

[Builder]

I don't get it......the Prodigy installs so easily and in so little time, there shouldn't be any question about brakes vs no brakes. Save yourself a lot of worry, do it right.

My 04 F350 is capable of doing many things; it doesn't mean those are the right thing to do. Common sense and the law should prevail here.

Totally correct, but in a pinch, it can be done with little risk.

The trailer the O/P might pull weighs less empty than a single axle trailer with 3 snowmobiles on it, which doesn't even have brakes!! I see all these ying yangs pulling single axle trailers around behind their pickups at 70MPH down I-80 all day long.

I've had many situations in my 25 years on the jobsite where I've had to take risks with equipment that the 20 pages in the front of the owners manual say don't do. Sometimes you just have to take a calculated risk.

In this instance, that's a minimally risky situation. If he can get the trailer brakes hooked up, do it, but if he can't, I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[Runner]

To address a couple of points:

I did get the Ford adapter along with my Prodigy (from eTrailer.com) back when I bought the controller a couple of years ago. Yesterday, I installed it in the truck and as mentioned by another poster, it was a 5 minute job. For now, I'm just going to set the controller in the cubby hole in the dash which seems to be almost made for the purpose and is a tight enough fit that it should stay in place.

I agree with the points about the stand up ramps being useful. It looks like it would be easy enough to fab up a bracket to hold the ramps vertical for those instances when it might be necessary. Otherwise, I like the idea of being able to just throw a sheet of plywood or something over the flat ramps and use the full 25 feet of flat trailer deck for moving furniture or whatever.

As for the gooseneck option, no question that would handle better and handle the load better, but I'm not planning on hauling anything that heavy or that often, so it's not worth cutting up my bed for, at least at this time. In the future maybe....

I'm a little surprised at how hard it is to find a decent deckover flatbed for sale. Of the few new trailer dealers around here, all they seem to have are the lightweight lawn mower trailers or car haulers. Not finding much in the used market either.

Now, I just need to convince myself to cough up the cash for the one I really want....

Thanks again for the responses.

 

[forester2]

Good decision; that looks like a substantial trailer.Just a word of warning to anyone installing a controller on a truck w/o factory trailer towing package, especially GM: make sure you install a fuse for the brakes in the under the hood box and remove the dummy thats there from the factory