Trailer Brake Question

[DBerk]

Hello all,

I have a 2020 Tahoe 2150CC with the tandem axle Tahoe boat trailer. From what I understand the trailer does not have electric brakes. Would they be considered "surge" or "hydraulic" or are those different terms for the same thing? My tow vehicle is a 2019 Ram 1500 (w/tow package). My question is should I just set the trailer brake gain to zero then? Or does it not matter where it's set? Thanks.

 

[alldodge]

Howdy
Most boat trailers have surge brakes and use a flat 4 pin plug. If you have only 4 wires going to the trailer you don't have electric brakes and the truck controller is not used, and adjusting it does nothing

 

[Thundra]

If you do not have surge brakes then you really don't need to set anything on the brake controller as it is not going to do anything anyway.

 

[DBerk]

Howdy
Most boat trailers have surge brakes and use a flat 4 pin plug. If you have only 4 wires going to the trailer you don't have electric brakes and the truck controller is not used, and adjusting it does nothing

I should have said there is a 7 pin connector from the trailer, connected to 7 pin on the truck. Is there any reason to put a 7 pin connector on the trailer if the trailer brake controller cannot control the brakes?

 

[alldodge]

I should have said there is a 7 pin connector from the trailer, connected to 7 pin on the truck. Is there any reason to put a 7 pin connector on the trailer if the trailer brake controller cannot control the brakes?

The 7 pin is universal so it can be used with anything from 4 to 7 wires. Without the 7 pin on the trailer, would need a 4 pin to 7 pin adapter.

 

[JASinIL2006]

If you have surge brakes, you would have a coupler that looks something like the picture below. Surge brakes are hydraulic, where the coupler mechanism causes the brakes to apply when the tow vehicle slows down. Surge brakes can be hydraulic drum brakes or hydraulic disc brakes. Either way, you should be able to locate hydraulic lines going to the trailer wheels.

Electrically-controlled braking can be either
(a) electric-over-hydraulic, where an electronic brake controller in the truck sends a signal to an electrically operated master cylinder which causes the brakes (drum or disc) to apply by increasing the hydraulic pressure in the brake lines, or
(b) electric brakes, where the electronic brake controller in the truck sends an electrical signal to a magnet in the brake drums that activate the brakes.

It is also possible that the trailer has no brakes at all.

 

[Starcraft5834]

the surge break system I had.. had 5 flat connection on the trailer i use to have.. not 4. the 5th wire connected to reverse light which enabled you to back up the trailer without the surge breaks grabbing...... my current tandem trailer has surge breaks on a 7 way connection.. I bought a 7 way conversion, removed the old 5 flat system I had, followed the directions and connected it up.. works perfectly... you'll find out quickly trying to back up if you wired it wrong... the breaks will grab in reverse and you wont be going anywhere..

 

[dingbat]

Adapters sux.....I've changed every trailer I've owned over to 7 pin for ease of usage.

 

[bruceb58]

Adapters sux.....I've changed every trailer I've owned over to 7 pin for ease of usage.

Yep..me too.

 

[poconojoe]

I would check for either hydraulic brake lines or wires entering the behind of the brake backing plates. If you have brake lines (like the ones in a car or truck) then the brakes are hydraulic. If there are two wires entering back there, then you have electric brakes.

Most boat trailers (that have brakes) will have hydraulic surge brakes that are controlled by a coupler that slides back and forth. When you hit the brakes on your tow vehicle, the trailer gets forced toward the tow vehicle which causes the coupler to compress which applies the brakes.

There's a third type (electric over hydraulic), as some here have noted, which are hydraulic but instead of a sliding coupler they are controlled electrically.

In my State, PA, it is required by law to have brakes on all trailers that have an axle rating of 3500 pounds or higher. Anything lower is not required.

Mine had hydraulic surge brakes, but I recently converted to strictly electric. my hydraulic system was in disrepair and I hated the constant clunking of the sliding coupler every time I came to a stop and started going again.

 

[GA_Boater]

Welcome aboard.

Gonna be blunt - You just gave more than 40 or 45 thousand dollars to buy this boat/trailer combo and it came with no instructions in a plastic bag or a salesperson to call?

You have hydraulic brakes on one or both axles, the Tahoe site has trailer options;

Custom-fit, tandem-axle trailer w/GALVASHIELD[SUP]®[/SUP] Impact corrosion protection & brakes on both axles - includes 14" (35.6 cm) tires, fold-away tongue jack, space-saving, swing-away tongue, heavy duty winch w/nylon strap & bow safety strap, safety cables & LED submersible lights (additional freight charge applies for standalone trailer purchase)	$ 3,550
14” (35.56 cm) aluminum wheel upgrade for GALVASHIELD[SUP]®[/SUP] Impact trailer	$ 300
EZ Loader[SUP]®[/SUP] spare tire kit	$ 220
EZ Loader[SUP]®[/SUP] tandem-axle aluminum trailer w/spare standard & brakes on 1 axle (additional freight charge applies for standalone trailer purchase)	$ 4,845
EZ Loader[SUP]®[/SUP] tandem-axle aluminum trailer w/spare standard & brakes on both axles (additional freight charge applies for standalone trailer purchase)	$ 5,050

The arrows point to the actuator;