Trailer Questions

MossRoad · Aug 7, 2002

You're a bave man, Rob S.

I gave up motorcycles because of the cars. I don't know how you could get from there to work on a bicycle without getting in some close calls every day. They ought to convert that old railroad track that runs from Notre Dame to just east of the Amtrack station to a Rails to Trails deal. It would tie in nicely with the trail that they want to extend from St. Joe High up to Niles.

And they really missed out on the abandoned line from South Bend to North Liberty. It would have provided a nice bike trail to the west of Potato Creek SP, right past my property. They just abandoned another one from South Bend to North liberty that goes east of Potato Creek as well.

Oh well, way off topic, but of great concern to me /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Bird · Aug 7, 2002

The ideal unit would tap right into the brake line for a pressure signal and proportion the braking current from that. I suppose liability prevents those units from being produced.

Back in the late 70s, that's the kind of brake controller I had. They were very popular and worked quite well; made by Kelsey-Hayes. I certainly don't know all the details, but it's my understanding that they're not made for or used on these later model vehicles because of such things as anti-lock brakes, the tiny amount of fluid that's actually moved by the brake pedal, etc.

My younger brother has lived fulltime in RVs, sold RVs, worked on RVs, etc., then had nothing to do with them for about 5 years and went back to full time RVing early this year. At the time, he had a commercial account with a local Pep Boys parts store (got everything very cheap) and he bought one of their cheap "electronic" brake controllers. I told him I couldn't believe he bought that thing, but he said it was so cheap he had to try it. One short trip was all it took for him to go by Camping World and get a new Tekonsha and come over to my house to install it and take that other one back to Pep Boys./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Now you fellers may have some bad roads, but I've got serious doubts that they're any worse (or even as bad) as every road within 10 miles of my house./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

MossRoad · Aug 7, 2002

Gosh honest truth... I just got back to work from lunch, looked out my window and saw a stretch limo Hummer driving down the street. It had 4 extra sections in it and a Michigan license plate.

RobS · Aug 7, 2002

stretch limo Hummer 

I think I've seen that same vehicle around town. Also have seen a Lincoln Navigator stretched quite a bit /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

gerard · Aug 7, 2002

Also have the tekonsha and like it. Very easy to adjust the braking force with the light that changes from green to yellow and then to red in graduated levels. Pretty simple.......

Steven · Aug 7, 2002

I have a tekonsha prodigy brake controller and it works very good and can be moved to other vehicles if needed it has quick disconnects for wires and bracket mount.

MLB · Aug 8, 2002

Hey Moss, I'm down here in Fort Wayne. I ride bikes a lot and wish they would do more rails to trails in Indiana too. I own a Heavenly Ham franchise and have to run to S.Bend sometimes to get meat when we run short.
All:
I just bought a NH 33D today with a very nice trailor. Need to get the brake actuator for my 1 ton dump. What do places charge to install these or is it simple? The truck (just bought too) has a very heavy duty reciever installed but no insert. Are there different sizes of pintle hitch? Also how do you tell if the axles have brakes on them? There is a hub on the inside of the wheel and wires going to the wheels, so I "assume" (uh oh)???

MLB · Aug 8, 2002

Never mind! After browsing the website showing the hitch stuff I realize I do have the actuator in the truck. I thought it was part of the plow control stuff but it has several lights and says "energize" on part of it, so I assume that's it! Cool! One less thing to mess with.

MossRoad · Aug 8, 2002

Welcome to TBN!

I don't ride bicycles very much at all, but would more if there were safer places to ride. I would also hike more on those same trails, if they were there. There are several rail lines that have been ripped out from South Bend to Fort Wayne as well. It is a shame that they couldn't have been converted to trails.

Congratulations on your tractor purchase. Glad you found the brakes for your trailer. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Golfgar4 · Aug 8, 2002

"Need to get the brake actuator for my 1 ton dump."

Welcome to TBN, MLB! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Say, I'm looking around for information on 1 ton dumps. What kind did you get? Did you get it used or new? Post a picture if you can.

Let us know what you plan on doing with the '33D and the dump. Filling in some more in your profile would help! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif