Can I eliminate brakes from my trailer?

[toomuchclub_1113]

Posted a couple lines back about Brakes Locked on, I'm hearing a lot of talk from friends about NOT needing any kind of brakes on my trailer for the size boat I'm towing. It's a 21FT Wellcraft Cuddy 4.3LX. I believe it weighs in the neighborhood of 2800 LBS. So do I need to have brakes at all? The current trailer has surge brakes.<br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />Jeff

 

[MIKE F]

Re: Can I eliminate brakes from my trailer?

I assume, that's the weight of your boat and motor. Don't forget, the weight of your trailer, you're probably around 4,000#. You should have brakes. What are you towing with and where? I tow about 3,500#, with a 22' motor home, and I need brakes. I hate them, but I need them (always giving me problems). When my son tows the boat, with his 2001 F250, the brakes aren't that big a deal.

 

[6MISFITZ]

Re: Can I eliminate brakes from my trailer?

I agree with Mike F. (no relation) Any trailer that carries over 2000 lbs must have brakes. In some States, I have posts in this forum going down as low as 1500 lbs needing brakes.<br /><br />Trust me you will feel the difference immediately if they are eleimnated. Try a quote from an R.V. dealer if you cannot back off the adjuster in your driveway.

 

[JB]

Re: Can I eliminate brakes from my trailer?

Howdy, TMC.<br /><br />New York requires brakes on any trailer over 1000lb. So does Oregon. <br /><br />I only find four states that do not require brakes on anything over 4000lb.<br /><br />So, I guess the answer is, yes, you need brakes. You need them to be safe and you need them to be legal.<br /><br />Good luck.

 

[toomuchclub_1113]

Re: Can I eliminate brakes from my trailer?

OK It sounds like I need brakes then...boat's in the water now and probably will stay there until I get this locked wheel straightened out. I'll only take it out for problems or bottom cleaning now. Should I just try to work the brake on the locked side free? Do I need to bleed to get that side free...any help would be appreciated.<br /><br />Jeff

 

[Down South]

Re: Can I eliminate brakes from my trailer?

Are you sure it's the brakes on that wheel and not the wheel bearings. Reguardless of which it is you need to get that hub off and do an inspection of both.<br /><br />Good luck

 

[Lark40]

Re: Can I eliminate brakes from my trailer?

Even though trailer brakes are a maintenance hassle, just imagine the huge mess if you disabled them and had an accident and the lawyers got involved....

 

[Solittle]

Re: Can I eliminate brakes from my trailer?

If you ever have to replace the brakes I strongly recommend you go the disk route.

 

[MIKE F]

Re: Can I eliminate brakes from my trailer?

I bought a new trailer, in Aug 98, with drum brakes. I had ordered disc brakes but Continental stopped installing disc brakes at that time (too many problems). After 2 and 1/2 years of problems with the drum brakes ( 1 master cyl replaced and the 2 wheel cyls replaced twice). I decided to have disc brakes installed.Went with supposedly, the best thing out there, at the time(Mar 2001).<br />Just found out yesterday that these DISC brakes are crap also. <br />Now I'm having, a different brand, of disc brakes, installed next week. It sure would be nice, if these worked, for longer than, a year or so. I feel like I'm a test guinea pig for these brake companies.

 

[JB]

Re: Can I eliminate brakes from my trailer?

I don't think anyone guarantees their brakes to handle salt water submergence, even with regular fresh water flush.

 

[Arnold96]

Re: Can I eliminate brakes from my trailer?

I have a boat/trailer combo that is probably in the 3500# class and the trailer has no brakes. I pull it with an F250 which stops it fine, and in NC the weight limit is 4000# so I am legal. However, I used to have an RV trailer that had elec. brakes and I really liked them, but I might want some surge brakes in the future. Has anyone had luck with a specific brand? The trailer is a Rolls with 14" tires.( So lite the darn thing floats, what a pain!)

 

[jeff_nicholas]

Re: Can I eliminate brakes from my trailer?

I tow about 6,500 miles/year.<br /><br />I insisted on disc brakes on my trailer when I bought new a couple years ago. I'm about 3,600 lbs boat/motor/trailer/gear. The brakes are Tiedown stainless disc. I tow with an F150.<br /><br />I blew a hub in within 12 months. Then upgraded (at the trailer factory) to a tandem axle with all new wheels/tires and brakes.<br /><br />Blew another hub shortly after the upgrade. Tiedown sent me a new actuator, but I almost lost another hub after installing it.<br /><br />Sounds like a sad story, but there's a happy ending. After the third overheat, I backed off the spindle nuts one flat from the factory recommended setting...haven't had a problem since in over 10,000 miles and at least 15 saltwater laynch/retrieves. I know the added clearance is working, because I didn't do it on the axle without brakes, and it's not unusual for the brakeless axle spindles to be hotter than the spindles with brakes.<br /><br />The Tiedown stainless disc brakes have otherwise required zero maintenance...I wouldn't be without them.<br /><br /> http://www.tiedown.com/g4brake.html <br /> http://www.boatus-store.com/browse/item.asp?CFSR=1&IID=18650

 

[Lark40]

Re: Can I eliminate brakes from my trailer?

Nick,<br /><br />Very timely advice. I just fitted the Tiedown discs on one of my trailers, but haven't put mnay miles on it yet.<br /><br />Adjusted the spindle nuts on the tight side, using my old car experience as the rule, rather than Tiedown's instructions.<br /><br />Now, I'll go back and loosen them up!<br /><br />Thanks