brake performance while towing
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Junior User
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From: conowingo
brake performance while towing
looking for opinions or experience.
i'm driving a F150 super crew short bed Lariat, 5.4,tow package, yada yada
I have a 14ft trailer(12 ft deck 2 ft beaver tail) tandem axle ( no brakes, but is has class D tires for some reason) 3000lbs(so says the id plate) landscaping trailer. Now it's tow'd lots of lawn mowers and mulch and similar but I now have a very rare "opportunity".
I need to tow a small truck, this application will be very rare but it's almost unavoidable for this current predicament.
so the truck will fit on the trailer ( barely) and can be tied down. it's your basic light duty small pick up so it weights about 4500lb or so i think.
and to be honest I'm pretty confident in the trailer will carry the weight since most trailers are under rated but the big question and main reason to post...
will the factory brakes be able to slow down and stop this size load?
I know the Trans and engine will tow 9000+lbs but can the F150 slow down the weight since there are no trailer brakes. not sure if this is good or bad but I also drive like a grandma.
i'm driving a F150 super crew short bed Lariat, 5.4,tow package, yada yada
I have a 14ft trailer(12 ft deck 2 ft beaver tail) tandem axle ( no brakes, but is has class D tires for some reason) 3000lbs(so says the id plate) landscaping trailer. Now it's tow'd lots of lawn mowers and mulch and similar but I now have a very rare "opportunity".
I need to tow a small truck, this application will be very rare but it's almost unavoidable for this current predicament.
so the truck will fit on the trailer ( barely) and can be tied down. it's your basic light duty small pick up so it weights about 4500lb or so i think.
and to be honest I'm pretty confident in the trailer will carry the weight since most trailers are under rated but the big question and main reason to post...
will the factory brakes be able to slow down and stop this size load?
I know the Trans and engine will tow 9000+lbs but can the F150 slow down the weight since there are no trailer brakes. not sure if this is good or bad but I also drive like a grandma.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 335
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From: Centennial, CO
OK, no brakes on trailer. IMO you may be pushing the limit on using only the brakes on the truck to stop with. At a slow speed you may get by. What if you are running 60+ MPH and you have to lock up, it just may not stop you. I would use a trailer that has brakes and invest in the brake control for the truck. Good Luck.
Vern
Vern
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 11,537
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From: Long Beach, Ms.
Invest in a set of brakes for the trailer. Cost is less than $200 for a set.
Trailer Brakes - Electric Brakes, Hydraulic Brakes,: etrailer.com
Then get a Prodigy brake controller. I recommend the P3.
You will never need to purchase another controller. Just buy the mounts for your different vehicles and move the Prodigy between them.
Trailer Brakes - Electric Brakes, Hydraulic Brakes,: etrailer.com
Then get a Prodigy brake controller. I recommend the P3.
You will never need to purchase another controller. Just buy the mounts for your different vehicles and move the Prodigy between them.
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From: conowingo
so i did some research on my trailer and it has 20.5" tires class D, so the tires are just past the capacity needed for the task.
now as for the brake options,
the rim is 10"s so my only brake option is the 4 bolt 7". it seems all these size brakes are 2000#s per set.
so i'd rather not put brakes on all 4 hubs because you get to a certain "point of no return" moment where cost isnt worth it. so if I get the braes and drums on all 4 hubs for only a little more money I can buy a complete tandem axle kit and make it a 7000lb trailer with brakes. which is completely not needed.
not that im trying to be cheap but it gets to a point where there are too many options...
anyway... now im thinking of adding the single set of brakes + break away box...
thoughts?
now as for the brake options,
the rim is 10"s so my only brake option is the 4 bolt 7". it seems all these size brakes are 2000#s per set.
so i'd rather not put brakes on all 4 hubs because you get to a certain "point of no return" moment where cost isnt worth it. so if I get the braes and drums on all 4 hubs for only a little more money I can buy a complete tandem axle kit and make it a 7000lb trailer with brakes. which is completely not needed.
not that im trying to be cheap but it gets to a point where there are too many options...
anyway... now im thinking of adding the single set of brakes + break away box...
thoughts?
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 11,537
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From: Long Beach, Ms.
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From: North Carolina
I just purchased a 7x16 trailer with a 7000# GVWR. It does have brakes on the rear axle. I have had this trailer loaded to the hilt with concrete and ceramic tile and I would not have wanted to tow it without brakes! Do just the rear axle and get yourself a Prodigy controller. The entire rig, even loaded a little, stops much better with the trailer brakes. If you do haul a vehicle on that trailer, make sure you drive it on and put it up front. You want a heavy tongue to prevent unwanted and dangerous sway. Don't be like the idiot I passed last week on I85 with an extended cab F-150 on a trailer pulling with a Toyota Tacoma! He couldn't make it over 40 MPH. Even at that speed, he was all over the road. The trailer and truck outweighed him by at least 3000#!
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From: Newport, Wa.
It sounds like you really want to use your trailer for this, but I thought the advice to just rent a vehicle haul trailer with brakes was good. Have your priced that out, compaired to putting brakes on your trailer?
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From: conowingo
And the advice is sound. However I keep getting caught into the sprial of " if I buy this or that.. I may as well just buy that or this".. hopefully that makes sense.
so i'm not "really wanting" to use this trailer for this purpose but I keep going down the road of " if im investing in anything how is the money best spent".
and thats the dillema.
have a trailer with no brakes and rent a car hauler for $X
VS
have a trailer with brakes and not rent a car hauler for $X
how often will I need to move a small car/truck before the investment is pay'd for.
what's the likely hood of repeatedly renting a car hauler?
put brakes on the trailer and still rent a car hauler?
I just keeep running in circles and luckily I have some time to mull it over.
This site is great.. I really appriciate you all chiming in.
and if a Mod wants to move this to the towing section I understand. It didnt start this far into towing but now its a trailer thread and not so much a truck thread.
thanks
again
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From: conowingo
final resolution.
the truck fits nicely on the trailer.
the tounge weight on the f150 is acceptable ( own a tounge gauge)
and i'm replacing one of the axles with a new axle with brakes.
also slightly larger capacity on the new axle.
the truck fits nicely on the trailer.
the tounge weight on the f150 is acceptable ( own a tounge gauge)
and i'm replacing one of the axles with a new axle with brakes.
also slightly larger capacity on the new axle.
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From: conowingo
guess whos a liar
me
so I ran across a trailer for sale, and i swooped it up.
16.5ft diamond plate open car trailer ( 21f overall)
2 3500lb axles brakes on both
all lights and brakes functional
4 d ring tie downs
2 jerry can/ammo box holders
2 spair tires with commplete spindls and bearings
detachable ramps
the negative,
needs some cosmetic work, and maybe one patch on the frame but im still investigating.
the battery needs replaced on the disconect system.
all done.
me
so I ran across a trailer for sale, and i swooped it up.
16.5ft diamond plate open car trailer ( 21f overall)
2 3500lb axles brakes on both
all lights and brakes functional
4 d ring tie downs
2 jerry can/ammo box holders
2 spair tires with commplete spindls and bearings
detachable ramps
the negative,
needs some cosmetic work, and maybe one patch on the frame but im still investigating.
the battery needs replaced on the disconect system.
all done.
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