Do I need trailer brakes
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Do I need trailer brakes
It is time to go wood cutting and I got an old pickup bed trailer for $300. I have a 93 F150 5.0 E4OD. A cord of lodgepole is supposed to be about 2600Lb. The trailer weighs about 1000Lb. It has surge brakes that don't work. One buddy said who cares it will be fine, another said the trailer will push my truck down the steep forest service roads.
FTE Legend
Joined: May 2008
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From: In my own world
trailer brakes are put on trailes of certain sizes for a reason. I would go through them and get them working. you are putting 3,600, on top of your trucks 5,500, to a total of 9,100, on a brakeing system designed for 7,500. this is if you don't put any wood on the truck, then add another 2,000, brings you up to 11,600. looks like a good way to get hurt, or hurt someone else. just my .02
FTE Legend
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Ottawa, Ontario
Is this truck a 4x4? If not you may be stuck before you ever start moving with the trailer fully loaded. If you plan to load up the truck and trailer for all she's worth trailer brakes would really make it a lot safer and easier on the nerves.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,512
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From: Cook Forest and Irwin PA
3000lbs is generally the legal requirement for must having brakes.
3600lbs is nearly the weight of your truck and is far outside the service design limits - any loss of traction (mud, snow, gravel) and you will find the front end being pushed off the road cuz the force behind it exceeds the tractive effort of the steering tires.
fix the brakes.
3600lbs is nearly the weight of your truck and is far outside the service design limits - any loss of traction (mud, snow, gravel) and you will find the front end being pushed off the road cuz the force behind it exceeds the tractive effort of the steering tires.
fix the brakes.
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Thanks for all the replies guys. We haul about two loads home a year. The trip is 20 miles of paved county roads that you hardly see another vehicle. Then another 10 miles of forest service gravel roads with a few steep hills.
I know I would be fine on the county roads as long as I don't need to mash down on the brakes for a cow or something. I am worried about the gravel forest service road. My truck is 4x4 so I know I can get it going I just want to be able to stop.
I will see if for this trip my buddy wants to pull it and I will pull his ATV trailer since it don't hold much. He has pulled big heavy trailers with his 3/4ton and never had brakes he has no fear.
I know I would be fine on the county roads as long as I don't need to mash down on the brakes for a cow or something. I am worried about the gravel forest service road. My truck is 4x4 so I know I can get it going I just want to be able to stop.
I will see if for this trip my buddy wants to pull it and I will pull his ATV trailer since it don't hold much. He has pulled big heavy trailers with his 3/4ton and never had brakes he has no fear.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Madison, WI
So aprx. 60 miles round trip. Option -- split each load in two. Adds, what, 2 hrs (assuming avg. 30 MPH speed) and, say, 5-6 gallons of gas to each load. Weigh that against the cost of doing it right with trailer brakes.
Does the truck have a controller already?
Does the truck have a controller already?
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Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Bonita Springs FL
I don't care how well your trailer brakes work in that spot even if you're driving an F-350. You're ****** if that happens.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2008
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From: Grants Pass, Oregon
Fear can be a healthy thing! If you manually select 1st or 2nd gear at the top of the hills,before descending,you will likely have less problems.
Regarding weight,im surprised that a single axle P/U bed trailer weighs 1000 lbs,i woulda guessed 600-800 lbs.
The trailer that i just bought weighs 1650 empty,and its a 7x16 flatbed car hauler,tandem axle,electric brakes,and rated at 10K gvw.....A couple times,now ive flat-towed a Jeep CJ and a 64 Scout 80,im guessing the Scout was at around 3600 or 3700 lbs loaded,both times the tow was on the freeway,i stuck to 50 mph and i was towing with my 07 Dodge which im guessing weighs around 7000 lbs as sitting,and i could feel the increased braking effort.
Assuming you plan on carrying wood in the trucks bed,along with the trailer, i would imagine the combo of tongue weight and weight in the truck bed would be a little excessive for your half ton truck.
Can i also assume that your "buddy" who said who cares is the same one who pulls with a 3/4 ton and no brakes and has no fear......
Regarding weight,im surprised that a single axle P/U bed trailer weighs 1000 lbs,i woulda guessed 600-800 lbs.
The trailer that i just bought weighs 1650 empty,and its a 7x16 flatbed car hauler,tandem axle,electric brakes,and rated at 10K gvw.....A couple times,now ive flat-towed a Jeep CJ and a 64 Scout 80,im guessing the Scout was at around 3600 or 3700 lbs loaded,both times the tow was on the freeway,i stuck to 50 mph and i was towing with my 07 Dodge which im guessing weighs around 7000 lbs as sitting,and i could feel the increased braking effort.
Assuming you plan on carrying wood in the trucks bed,along with the trailer, i would imagine the combo of tongue weight and weight in the truck bed would be a little excessive for your half ton truck.
Can i also assume that your "buddy" who said who cares is the same one who pulls with a 3/4 ton and no brakes and has no fear......
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2008
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From: Pennsylvania Wilds
I pull much heavier loads without trailer brakes, on bad back roads(and off of what anyone would recognize as a road), and with a similar truck, both auto and manual.
Fix the trailer brakes, it will make you feel much much better when almost two tons is pushing you down a hill. Should save some wear and tear on your truck brakes, too.
Fix the trailer brakes, it will make you feel much much better when almost two tons is pushing you down a hill. Should save some wear and tear on your truck brakes, too.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2008
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From: Grants Pass, Oregon
On those remote back roads you have the option of really driving slow without impeding other traffic,and when you have the option of driving slow brakes are less of a concern than for driving on well traveled higher speed routes.
FTE Legend
Joined: May 2008
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From: In my own world
surge brakes usually just need to be bled, to make them work. they spend most of the time not in use, but when you need them, you will wish you repaired them. why take a chance, on loseing, and wrecking your truck in the woods, when you depend on it to go back and forth to work
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,512
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From: Cook Forest and Irwin PA
surge brakes usually just need to be bled, to make them work. they spend most of the time not in use, but when you need them, you will wish you repaired them. why take a chance, on loseing, and wrecking your truck in the woods, when you depend on it to go back and forth to work
and I got a camper in the garage now awaiting an atwood master cyl - it rusted too!!! in the ON position!
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