Trailer Brakes should I even bother.

[SigSaurP229]

I am changing trailers again on my StarCraft Supersport 18SS. I picked up a good deal on a tandem axle ( I am actually going to make money), anyways the brake lines were cut on the tandem axle that had a 19' Sea Ray rotten glasser on it. A HEAVY boat full of water weight as well I would imagine with the water weight it was topping 6k. Anyways the long of the short is I am not sure I want to mess with repairing the braking system on the trailer. I am going to replace all the bearings (peace of mind), and I have two brand new in the box hubs that will fit the axle perfectly to eliminate all the old hardware.

Anyways here are the specs.

Tow Vehicle 2005 Ford Expedition Factory tow package upgraded to class 4 hitch, upgraded tranny cooler, upgraded alternator, Air Ride suspension. I think the tow capacity is 8500 lbs. It frequently tows my 28' pontoon about 30 miles the pontoon trailer is a single axle no brake trailer (came that way from the factory).

The boat to be towed, 1983 StarCraft SuperSport 18' Hull weight 960lbs Yamaha 150 Engine weight 390 lbs, Trailer weight I am assuming is around 700lbs Gear gas and batteries assuming 400 lbs.

So the whole set up from my info comes in at about +/- 2500 lbs.

I know the trailer is rated at 5k and the truck at 8500 lbs.

Payload is about 50% on the trailer and about 30% on the truck.

I have never pulled a personal trailer with brakes before on any boat. I can't see how these numbers justify the extra expense and maintenance of trailer brakes Tennessee has no vehicle trailer inspection or requirements. My insurance company has no guidelines either.

 

[NYBo]

Your owner's manual (for the Expedition) will probably state beyond what trailer weight brakes are recommended. But you're probably below that.

 

[SigSaurP229]

Anything over 5k according to the Expedition requires trailer brakes.

 

[Scott Danforth]

your local laws may require anything over 3K to have brakes.

 

[oldjeep]

As long as you license/register the trailer for 3000 lbs then you should be fine Although I'd be curious to see a picture of a tandem trailer that only weighs 700lbs.

 

[crb478]

Personally I would not worry about it, at least not until I set the boat on it and towed it a few times to see if you felt that anything was unsafe. I doubt you even know the trailer is back there unless it doesn't pull straight.

 

[Starcraft5834]

if your not required to have breaks, I would agree the total cost of installing a break system cant compare to replacing your rotors a bit more often. I just put two new AC rotors on my GMC, for $60 ea (Amazon).. unless you tow A LOT, you dont need breaks on that trailer...just remember you dont have breaks back there...

 

[oldjeep]

First off BRAKES not BREAKS

2nd - in TN you are required to have brakes on a 1500lb trailer?

https://www.tn.gov/safety/CVE/TRAILERREQUIREMENTSTAG.pdf
DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY
TENNESSEE HIGHWAY PATROL
TRAILER INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS
BRAKES: (TCA 55-9-204) (FMCSR 393.42;393.43)
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman][FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]1.) Trailers with a gross weight of 3,000 lbs. or more are required to have brakes on [/FONT][/FONT]ALL WHEELS[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman][FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman][FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]2.) Trailer with a gross weight of 1,500 to 3,000 lbs. are required to have brakes on [/FONT][/FONT]ONE [FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman][FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]axle. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman][FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]3.) Trailers with a gross weight of less than 1,500 lbs. need [/FONT][/FONT]NOT [FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman][FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]be equipped with brakes. [/FONT][/FONT]

 

[SigSaurP229]

Tennessee has no license or registration requirements for trailers. It is extremely rare to see a trailer with brakes here. Regardless of what tn state law may read. We have several trailer builders in the state, and most built arent equipped. I am honestly leaning at the moment to not bothering. Am I risking a ticket maybe, but even if the tandem axle trailer weighs 1500 lbs i am still so far under the limit for my tow vehicle and trailer that there is no safety concern.

 

[oldjeep]

Tennessee has no license or registration requirements for trailers. It is extremely rare to see a trailer with brakes here. Regardless of what tn state law may read. We have several trailer builders in the state, and most built arent equipped. I am honestly leaning at the moment to not bothering. Am I risking a ticket maybe, but even if the tandem axle trailer weighs 1500 lbs i am still so far under the limit for my tow vehicle and trailer that there is no safety concern.

Then what are you asking, you looking for internet permission to break the law? At a minimum you might want to weigh the whole setup, because if your estimate for a tandem is 700lbs then there is no telling how much the estimates for everything else are off. I do think you can probably stop it all with no issues, but no trailer brakes means no breakaway protection either.

 

[H20Rat]

So as much as I am a proponent of 'stretching' tow ratings and boat overpowering beyond the rated HP, since they are not law, brakes ARE on the other hand. Doesn't matter if no one else has brakes, if it is 1500#, and you don't have brakes, you are going to be hung out to dry legally if you get into pretty much any wreck. Doesn't matter if you have a duelly f450 in front of that trailer, the law says brakes.

 

[Natesms]

AAA says over 3K and your state requires them.

That said, I just removed all my brakes from mine and I'm closer to 4K, no problems with my F-150 at all and is legal in Missouri and KS.

 

[SigSaurP229]

Ok just did some further research. Tennessee code annotated 615-741-2848 states brakes are required over 3000lbs. I do trust the department of transportation website. According to load right trailers a new tandem axle exactly comparable in length and size weighs 948 pounds. According to iboats.com the hull weight for my hull is 980 lbs nadaguides list my motor at 400 lbs. I may have been wrong about trailer weight but accor

 

[oldjeep]

948 would still be a very light tandem - but possible. Mine weighs about 1500lbs for a 20ft boat. So, lets say that you have 948 + 980 + 400 + fuel + anything else in the boat. Probably pretty close to 3K

Now you need to understand how TN would interpret your trailer. Typically it would be the weight class you register it for or the Gross Weight on the trailer tag. Which in your case is either 5000lbs or 5000lbs + the weight of the trailer depending on what number you provided above.

 

[SigSaurP229]

Tennessee has no trailer registration at all nor does it have any vehicle inspection either. I have 2 group 27 batteries weighing 48 lbs each, I have a 12 gallon fuel tank, plus an additional 3 gallon oh crap tank, 6 adult life jackets, 4 child life jackets, throw cushion, fire extinguisher, whistle, signal flag, and an onboard battery charger. That is literally all that ever stays on my boat. The boat gets trailered to my camper on the lake which is where we keep all fishing poles, skis tubes and other stuff. Also the reason no cooler or drinks go in the boat. No fishing gear just the basic safety equipment that I am required by law to have.

Total weight is roughly 2,520 lbs 20% below threshold.

The exact wording of the Tennessee law.

c) (1) Every trailer or semitrailer of a gross weight of three thousand pounds (3,000 lbs.) or more when operated upon a highway shall be equipped with brakes adequate to control the movement of and to stop and to hold the vehicle and so designed as to be applied by the driver of the towing motor vehicle from its cab, and the brakes shall be so designed and connected that in case of an accidental breakaway of the towed vehicle, the brakes shall be automatically applied.


It is based entirely on the weight being towed.

Not what the trailer is rated for, not what the maximum weight of the trailer is, it is literally the gross weight of the trailer.

I am below the the 3000 lbs.

Now that being said with the tow rig set up, is it necessary that I spend the $450 for trailer brakes, is it worth the investment?

 

[redneck joe]

so just a cop in a bad mood or a lawsuit after an accident.


or nothing

 

[SigSaurP229]

If I am legal, and obviously I am at 400 lbs under then my insurance has got that taken care of.
A cop in a bad mood can cite me for whatever he wants, then I am going to go to the nearest D.O.T. scale house and have them scale the load and show again that it is 400 lbs under, I will go to court with a scale ticket and prove it then the ticket gets tossed.

I have insurance for accidents. I am within the confines of the law, and towing safely.
Now when I bought the trailer the brakes were disconnected it had a 19' Sea Ray bow rider on it full of water that probably clocked in at 5,000 lbs, if I were towing that boat there would be no question I would not go without trailer brakes.

Considering I am under the legal limit, I am about 50% of what the tow vehicle limit is. Is there a need for the extra required maintenance, and headache.

I don't understand the problem here, I am within the confines of the law, I am extremely safely within the manufacturers limit of the tow vehicle, I am an experienced tower not a novice.

I was just asking if the pros outweigh the cons.

Many many times driving a big rig I pulled trailers at 79,900 lbs is that pushing limit, sure, never not once did I receive an overweight citation, nor an equipment violation, never once did I even receive a log book violation. I know how to scale out a load, I also know that even if I take the trailer weight to 2,998 lbs I am still within the confines of the law.

I am really not understanding the problem. I am just asking should I spend $400 for what I am seeing as being unnecessary or should I use two replacement hubs and remove the entire system from the trailer again saving weight.

 

[Mi duckdown]

Sig. I would want brakes. Much easier on tow veh. plus safety part.

 

[oldjeep]

Actually weigh it.

 

[oldjeep]

Also curious. How does that setup ride? Nothing worse than an empty boat trailer to tow and if your load is really that light it must bounce like crazy.