trailor brake issues

[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.