Trailer safety

B

beyoungsr

New member
Just wanted to remind folks that any trailer over a 3500# capacity should have a break away break and safety chains.

A good man was killed yesterday when a goose neck trailer came loose. The hitch in the truck broke loose from its mounting hardware. The trailer came loose and rammed head on into an on coming car. The whole top of the car was sheared off. The car attempted to stop but the trailer was moving to fast down the highway to avoid.

The man died at the scene and his wife is in critical condition!

Please make sure you use the appropriate safety equipment!

Many lives will be affected by this trailer operators substandard equipment.
 
Those safetly chains are not strong enough to do any more then pull the brake emergency switch.

A true safety chain should be strong enough to hold that trailer to the hitch bar and pull the safety switch but they is not how they are made.

Take a good look at those chains, very thin and when you have about 9000 pounds on a trailer what is going to happen IF the hitch and ball seperate?

First it will snap the chain, then after the trailer hits the ground the emergency brakes will activate.

What you need to do every couple month is test the battery to be sure works the emergency brakes. That should be on your check list of equipment maintance.

Jon
 
How much does it cost to get electric brakes put on?
 
I just changed out an axle and electric hub a few months ago.

For a set of electric brakes on hubs it is around $100.00 per axle. You just have to know what size and bolt pattern the wheels are (there are 5 different sizes for 15" wheels.

Just take one of the trailer tires to the shop (Southwest Wheel) and they will get you fixed up.

It is only 4 bolts holding the hub onto the axle. You have to grease the bearings and install a seal for the hub and run wires to the trailer connector.

It is really not that hard to do.

The most important thing is running the wires so they don't get pinched under boards, springs or get snagged by haning low. I have had them pinched and then no brakes.

Wiring up the connector is not hard, just have to get the right connector in case your connector does not have a power wire (aux.) for the brakes.

Get a good quality Brake controller ($75.00 on up) and have that installed in case you don't know how, U-Haul does it inexpensively and they do know how to test them in case it is installed wrong.

You just adjust the controller to where it is working but not too hard so you don't continuously lock up the wheels.

Hope this helps.
 
I usually only carry between 1200 and 2000 pounds do i need electric brakes?
 
I will probably go to a trailer shop and get electric brakes
 
When you go to residential do you usually just pull up on the side of the curb?
 
Use the pin

I saw a boat on a trailer come off the hitch and travel by itself about 500 ft to slam into three parked boats on it's trailers because the fellow did not put the safety pin or chains, use a lock always but at least put the pin in. by the way $50,000 in damages. Be safe...
 
Russ what size is your trailer.
 
When I bought my new 05' Dodge Cummins Turbo Diesel Quadcab in 2005, the connector adapter for my trailer was the wrong one and I did not know it. I had lights but no brakes for over 2 years. The truck brakes wore out after only 45,000 miles, not all was pulling the trailer but without the trailer brakes working made them wear out a lot faster than normal.

I would say to get the brakes because like Russ said, the truck brakes are for the truck only and you don't want to wear them out quickly like I did.
 
Christopher said:
I would say to get the brakes because like Russ said, the truck brakes are for the truck only and you don't want to wear them out quickly like I did.
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you should have trailer brakes. what if you needed to slam on the brakes real quick? with trailer brakes, you can stop alot faster.
 
If you don't have any mechanical skills, no tools, just take the trailer to a trailer shop and in a couple hours, you will have brakes professionally installed, just make sure you also get the trailer brake controller also in case you don't have one also. You can adjust how strong the brakes come on, depending on how heavy your trailer is or what comfort level you want.
 
Its hard to place a value on "feeling" safe. Most of us will never have our trailer pass us on the highway, but being able to stop in reasonable distances - and feel secure while stopping (especially in a panic stop) - is worth whatever it takes to make it happen. Being able to adjust your trailer's brakes (300 gallons vs. 30) is a must, otherwise you will wear out tires faster than you can buy them!
 
I read at a trailer dealership, that not only is it unsafe to tow a trailer without brakes, but it can also be illegal. If you have a tandem axle trailer, you are pretty much required to have functioning trailer brakes.
 
Trailer Brakes are very underrated in this area of the US. Here in MS you will see a trailer with 3 tires sometimes, some with 2 different sizes of tires, and some that have on or more blown out and still going 80 down the highway. I have a 3/4 ton Ram with the 6.7 in it, the brakes are somewhat adequate for stopping but when the exaust brake is on, i can coast to a stop without hardly tapping the brakes but when some Jacka&& slams on his brakes in his fender flapping VW yes the trailer brakes are a must to have especially trying to stop 1000 gallons of water
 
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