trailers surge brakes

S

skpablo

Junior Member
Just bought a '88 V20 with '89 150 HP yamaha. It's on and EZ Loader Roller Trailer with non working surge brakes system. Anybody have any guess of what it's going to cost me for a complete refurb on the surge brakes? :(
 
What are you towing with??

If you have something full size you won't need brakes!

I have a full size chevy pickup and I will tell you there4 is no need for trailer brakes.

I hate brakes and bought a brand new trailer and had them left out.

But if you must, try here for your parts, Labore in another story if your noit going to do it yourself. http://www.championtrailers.com/

Only the front two wheels have brakes.
 
I agree with MJ. A good size tow vehicle with excellent braking - will give you adequate braking safety for trailering. My F-150 does a pretty good job with no trailer brakes. Good luck !
 
Diddo. Congrats on the v20 and welcome.

My suggestion would be to purchase a F 350 and scrapping the brakes. My 84 center console is no problem and would do well behind a F 150 also.

If you must repair then I agree with MJ on Champion Trailer. I just bought springs and bolts for mine. Nice selection, prices and quick delivery.

Turbo
 
Why am I the only one that likes my brakes? Nah, don't answer that guys, I know the stories well. I service mine once a year and I love em to death. I'm pullin with a 2500HD and still like knowing those brakes are there when needed. Now having said that, I've still got drums and will probably keep it that way.

Airslot
 
best brakes arethe ones on your tow truck. Just take the drums off the trailer take a hammer knock the old brake backs and junk off and then repack and install the rum hubs without any guts. go brakeless.
 
Sorry for the lack of information. I am towing with a Pacifica. Sorry about that. I fell inadequate but it's my wife's ride. I have a company car (Chrysler 300) and a Miata that is my fun car. The trailer is a single axle. I don't plan on towing it long distances just locally but Virginia requires surge brakes on a anything over 3000 lbs and if I understand the law correctly it is supposed to be inspected annually and thus wouldn't pass inspection with non working surge brakes. Since I am bring it in brom another state I don't know that I can just avoid the inspection. I be willing to give that a try if I can get plates without the brakes.

Keep the ideas/comments coming. Thanks for the welcome.
 
One of the VA residents will confirm, but you can get tags without inspection first. It's odd but thats how they do it. You even get vehicle plates without inspection. We lived in VA for two years before the very kind highway patrol officer stopped me to tell me that I didn't have an ins[ection sticker ;)

Airslot
 
I replaced my surge brakes this spring on my tandem axle ez-loader. Bought a kit from Tie-Down Engineering. About 350 for everything including the actuator. Instalation was straightforward.
Others prefer Kodiak brand brakes over the Tie-down. With one summers use, no issues at all. Smooth operation, no lockups. Tow vehicle is a Toyota Tundra. NY also requires brakes over 3000lbs.
 
Thanks all. Airslot, That's what I will try to do if possible. Worst case is I go to champion or Tie Down I guess.
 
I bought my boat and trailer in January, tagged and titled it and to this day have not had it inspected. Inspection is not required for tags in VA.

I also own a 26' travel trailer which does not get inspected. Although it does have brakes. A 3000 Lb boat around here on flat land is a whole different story than a 7000 Lb trailer in the mountians.

Pulling with what you listed I would go with the brakes. There is one heck of a feeling that goes through your head when pulling something near your max GVWR at 60 mph, Without brakes, and some one pulls out in front of you. You hit the brakes and it reals like something is pushing you, which there is.
 
^ I agree with TD totally...

Be legal AND safe, go with the brakes. If you ever need to make an emergency stop you'll be glad you got em, plus it's much less wear and tear on your tow vehicles brakes.
 
Turbinedoctor. You live realatively near me. I am in Virginia Beach. Flat. No Hills and really have no plans to take the boat anywhere out of VB except for maybe up to your area or to the outer banks. Again no hills. Agree though that if I do come up your way or OBX I will be doing 60 mph.

TinMan. My owners manual and Uhaul who installed the hitch says 3500 #s. Hope they are right! Again agreed though it's probably better to be safe than sorry.
 
I did not see where you stated the weight of you boat and trailer.

My boat is 1920 empty, add 60 gals of gas 392, motor 300 and that puts me at 2612 with out the trailer, rods and coolers. Add about 800 for the trailer and your at 3412.

Being that close, you need to watch closely as you are near max, which is not the ideal place to be.

I'd look into an older beater truck with more towing capicity for two reasons. 1) you dont have to worry about you nice clean car that close to the salt water. 2) What guy pulls a boat with a Pacifica. You might as well drive a mini van back and forth to work. ;D

I hope this helps more than hurts.
 
You guys are a riot.

The brochure on this website says the boat weighs 2300#s. Motor manual says it's 400#s. 60 Gals of gas @ 400#s and I am now at 3100#s before trailer. Don't know about the trailer. 800#s? So I am at 3900#s.

TurbineDoctor, now I feel totally inadequate. I think I'll drop a V8 in the Miata and tow with it ;D
 
Dont feel too bad. Not everybody is as well built as us F-350 owners.

Remember no matter what you do to that Miata it is still a Miata. "A rose by any other name is still a rose" Shakespear I think.

On the safety side, make sure you dont put you or your family in danger while towing. I have pulled a travel trailer up and down the whole east coast and even into canada, people think you can stop just as fast as they can. WRONG, even with trailer brakes you have to allow more distance. Not to mention the extra strain on the power train getting it moving.

I started out pulling my camper with a 89 jeep cherokee with the 6 liter, which the owners manual said it was rated for, just 10 miles into the test run at towing it, it started to over heat. Never did make it up to the speed limit.
 
you just needed to build a real Jeep straight 6, I'm building a stroker 4.7 straight 6 Jeep for my wagoneer to pull boats at the coast. the stroker makes 300+ HP and 500+ ft lbs of Tq
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top