trailor brake issues

[devovino]

So recently my trailor brakes have been acting up, it seems everytime after we launch the boat and go park the trailor, when my wife goes to pick it up after boating she gets i'm to drive too the ramp the brakes are locked up somewhat and the trailot is bouncing up and down squealing the tires. This last time we felt like the brakes were dragging the whole way home. I did recently adjust the brakes, wonder if thay has something to do with it? These surge brakes have always been a PITA, and considered rebuilding them, or replacing them with electric brakes, just wondering if anybody had the same experience or if its just me?

[tg0824SSVGG]

Bouncing while backing or going forward?

If backing, they are working and you need to use the lockout to allow you to back

If forward, then something is stuck or too tight


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[devovino]

Yeah this bouncing happens when we get the trailer form being parked after backing it down the ramp. So it is going forward when it is bouncing, headed back to pick the boat up out of the water I have never used the "lock out" on the trailer, is it necessary to use this? I assumed since backing down the ramp all the weight is going backward and keeping the brakes from actuating since it the equivalent of going up a hill? Maybe when I adjusted the brakes they got to tight, however I did jack up each wheel when I adjusted the brakes, and freewheeled each tire to make sure it was not to tight? Is there auto adjust on trailer surge brakes like some drum brakes that when you are backing up you can step on the brake to adjust them?
Either way, I hope I can get it figured out simply enough, I trailer the boat 30 minutes each way to the lake, so trailering is a big part of boating for us- a necessary evil for us! ;-(

[92SupraComp]

do you really need the brakes???? i mean the boat cant be that heavy. our Martinique weighs 3500 lbs and then the trailer is about another 1000 or so lbs. so almost 5,000 lbs total behind our 1500 Suburban and it has no prob stopping with the boat. and the suburban weighs over 6000 lbs empty and with everyone and everything in the car its over 6800 lbs. so total that up to almost 12,000 lbs and it does just fine. it also help it you down shift going down hills and stopping. (use good brakes too! not cheap ones)

[devovino]

I dont think its a matter of needing the brakes or not, I tow with my Duramax 1 ton, so stopping, towing, and going is not a problem. Its more the fact that the brakes are not functioning correctly, and since there on the trailer might as well have them assisting with the braking. I also tow a horse trailer that has more weight when its loaded with 3 horses, but it also has electric brakes and there for a reason, to not put all the braking duties on the truck.

[92SupraComp]

i know they are there for a reason but they aren't really necessary if you use a towing vehicle. the three boat trailers we have, each one has brakes. none of them ever worked. and we have never had a problem with them or have had the need to get them working. i say just set them as far away from the drums as possible and just use the trucks brakes. we always use ceramic brakes and they never get hot.

the only non-tandem is the Supra trailer. its nice for turning but going down the highway it really likes to fish tail.

[wotan2525]

Sounds like they are sticking for some reason. They are self adjusting drum brakes. When you said that you "adjusted them" what do you mean? Did they work before that? Something is obviously up.

[devovino]

Yeah they got out of adjustment and everytime I would brake they would chatter and vibrate pretty bad. The mechanic at the Fire Station said it was a problem with the breaks being out of adjustment, and drums being out of round. So to adjust them there is a star/sprocket you can access on the back of each drum you can spin with a screw driver, it essentially pushes the brake pads outward towards the drums, and the vibration stopped, but maybe backing up made the brakes readjust and now they are causing the brakes to drag? I am tempted to just back the brakes all the way out and just use truck brakes.....

[Jetlink]

the only non-tandem is the Supra trailer. its nice for turning but going down the highway it really likes to fish tail.

Sorry for the thread jack but, I also have a single axle trailer for our comp and it never sways at all regardless of speed. Coming home from Michigan, glanced down and noticed I was doing 75MPH, new truck just makes towing so nice. Anyway, I bet you have a balancing issue with your trailer because I can't even get mine out of the shadow of the tow pig if I tried.

[devovino]

So I jacket up the trailer and checked the free-wheel of all the tires this morning, seems the front left was pretty tight, and it was not this tight when I adjusted it. SO I am wondering if it self adjusted too tight when backing and applying brakes, seeing that I now know they are self adjusting drums. So I backed off the adjustment and it now freewheels easier, and I am going to use the back up lock out system on the trailer when unloading at the boat ramp, see if it prevents the problem? Well we will see what happens, off to the lake for some mid 90 degree boating, if the wife agrees, pump up 2000 lbs and surf, via con dios!

[92SupraComp]

Sorry for the thread jack but, I also have a single axle trailer for our comp and it never sways at all regardless of speed. Coming home from Michigan, glanced down and noticed I was doing 75MPH, new truck just makes towing so nice. Anyway, I bet you have a balancing issue with your trailer because I can't even get mine out of the shadow of the tow pig if I tried.
75 and above is when it likes to start fish tailing. our martinique can do 75 all day and not care. and doing 80 to get past people it still stays right behind.

also. i dont believe i have seen a boat trailer with the hydro brakes working ever. only the ones with electrics and that is only if the owner takes care of them. you should just turn them in as far as they can can go and just use the truck brakes. i mean you have a chevy 2500. its meant to tow and stop loads. if you have have the diesel version you have pretty big brakes. especially in the front. (my uncle goes through a lot of chevy 2500's, all diesel) the gas version does have slightly smaller brakes but they should still be very adequate.

[riveredge]

If the trailer is balanced correctly and the tongue weight is right, it shouldn't fishtail. My hitch on my old suburban was 2" too high and my trailer (dual axle) swayed a bit over 70. Dropped it 2" and no sway. I've towed an '89 Comp from Missouri to NH and it didn't sway either (single axle).

There is no reason why the surge brakes can't work, if everything is moving correctly. I have seen many, many functioning surge brakes on boat trailers, mine included. Backing up, I always use the lockout. Most of the time using the truck brakes it won't matter, especially towing with a 1-ton truck, until you have some emergency braking situation and then you'll feel stupid for not getting the extra braking from the trailer.

[cadunkle]

Brakes are necessary. Towing with a one ton pickup there is a night and day difference in stopping ability between my old (lighter) 21' on dual axle with no brakes and my Saltare (heavier) with hydraulic drums on both axles. Stops very quickly and has saved me from bad things a time or two. Panick stop without brakes and your trailer is much more likely to jack and try to walk around you... Likely into other cars of oncoming traffic. Even with a one ton truck, trailer brakes make a huge difference. Anyone who says otherwise and runs with no brakes on a several thousand lbs load is too lazy or too cheap to fix their brakes. Ignorance is bliss.

[Jetlink]

Thank you, someone sees the bigger picture here. I have found myself wishing my trailer had brakes a time or three. Why eliminate an additional line of safety? Because you're lazy and don't wish to maintain it?

[wotan2525]

I only tow 100 miles per year and never really over 25mph. And I would never tow the Saltare faster than that without trailer brakes. Just bled them and put in all new fluid this weekend. My 3/4 ton can stop it under normal situations but I don't know what the downside to trailer brakes would be. I put in all new cylinders, pads, lines, actuator and master cylinder last year for under about $300. That's nothing in 'boat money!!'

And to the OP, if your brakes have those "star" adjusters on them then they actually are not the self adjusting kind. I've never seen those on a trailer before (or any vehicle made after 1955) but I'm not an expert or a professional. Hopefully you've found your problem.

[Rusty Griswold]

late to the thread, but I had an issue with backing up our trailer and it was I had the wrong wiring harness on, which was causing the issue.

[devovino]

Yes the trailor has adjustability through the back of the brakehousing, and am pretty sure it was made post 1955, unless there is something the old owner did not tell me....? Either way, I think 300 bones is worth a rebuilding of the trailers brake system, especially since all the lakes I visit have an impressive descent to get to, worthy of putting even the 1ton duramax's brakes to the test. I amvalso inaggreance that if the trailor has brakes, might as use then- yet another project to put on the list of things tho do this winter..... Good times!

[92SupraComp]

ok then. well we know for a fact that the brakes dont work on out Martinique trailer and really i only have to start braking the littlest bit sooner than normal. i do 75 on the highway and 80 for passing people and it does just fine. you get used to stopping a 6500 lb suv and then adding 4500-5000 lbs behind is really no different. it does help when you gear down which i do a lot of. but i really notice the acceleration is far slower. we only have the 320 HP 340 ftlb tq 5.3L. so it does struggle to keep 65 in 3rd gear going up the mts in vermont and NH. but when it goes into 2nd it can do 70 just fine. but the engine revs at 5000 to do so :/

anyway. the only trailer i fixed the brakes on is my 5000 lb car carrier flat bed trailer. its a Dooly (brand) and has front electric drums. i dont see it being a safety hazard with out working brakes. if you drive safe and use your brain you wont ever have problems. just do simply common sense things.

[SquamInboards]

i dont see it being a safety hazard with out working brakes. if you drive safe and use your brain you wont ever have problems. just do simply common sense things.

Common sense? You're admitting publicly to going 10-15 over the speed limit without working brakes in states that have laws requiring brakes on trailers over 3,000 pounds. So while you might not see it as a safety hazard, the states you're driving in certainly do.

Yes driving safely can avoid most accidents but how about when a deer runs out in front of you? Or someone cuts you off on the highway? Never had that happen? I sincerely hope it never does.

[cadunkle]

Yes the trailor has adjustability through the back of the brakehousing, and am pretty sure it was made post 1955, unless there is something the old owner did not tell me....?

All drum brakes have adjusters (star wheel accessible through hole in backing plate). Not all drum brakes have self adjusters. Trailers (that I've seen) typically are not self adjusting. You set them, and generally check the adjustment periodically. I check mine annually when I inspect and repack wheel bearings.

As for self adjusting drums, every vehicle I've ever owned or worked on with drums, from 60s muscle with drums all around to 90s trucks with drums in the rear, have self adjusting drums. It's standard equipment on all newer vehicles. I'm sure many older vehicles (pre-55, or whatever year) were not self adjusting.

[wotan2525]

I'm sure many older vehicles (pre-55, or whatever year) were not self adjusting.

That's funny! I've never adjusted (or noticed adjustments) on my trailer brakes. I know that they are not adjusted on the cylinders. Maybe there is an adjuster on the bottom that I just somehow overlooked?

And my 1948 Chevy pickup has manually adjusted drums. It's a bad, bad setup.

[SquamInboards]

My 1972 ford pickup has manually adjusted drums, at least in front. I've never adjusted the rears, but that's not to say they don't need it. From what cadunkle says, they may be self-adjusting which is why I haven't had to touch them. I agree that it's not a great setup for a daily driver.

[devovino]

SO had a memory strike me at work yesterday. I was reminded of driving home last SUnday, following another diesel pulling a master-craft. We were hauling ass (for a country road=55) down this country road on the way home from Lk Billy Chinook here in Cent Or. There is a train track that crosses the road, long story short master-craft goes over the railroad track, then railroad crossing comes down to shut the road for the train and I am probably 3 truck/trailer lengths behind and I have to apply the brakes rather abruptly to stop before bad things happen. Train passes 10 seconds later.......

I will just say in retrospect, I am glad to have functioning trailer brakes to assist with braking in time like these. So this confirms my original notion of restoring the trailer brakes instead of rendering them useless.

The 16 month old in the car-seat in the back of the of the truck that remained sleeping i am sure agrees.

[Jetlink]

That's the bigger picture I was talking about there and the extra line of safety. It is better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it. We have a saying in flying, it is better to be down here wishing you were up there than to be up there wishing you were down here.