Quick Surge Brake Question....

[bad_boy]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

No, the real joke is asking a simple question and getting blasted by a bunch of judgemental people that think I'm public enemy #1 for driving 80 mph with a boat behind me.

You admit to doing some ILLEGAL, you are going to get blasted, period end of story! And BTW, you deserve it. You then go on to try and rationalize that you are doing something that isn't so bad and cry about other people taking you to task, clearly you are the joke...

 

[642mx]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

You admit to doing some ILLEGAL, you are going to get blasted, period end of story! And BTW, you deserve it. You then go on to try and rationalize that you are doing something that isn't so bad and cry about other people taking you to task, clearly you are the joke...

Driving 10 mph over the speed limit is ILLEGAL, your right.... and I belong in jail for driving like such a "mad man". HAHAHAHAHAHA

 

[mikeneal]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

OK,
I hate to not join the "you tow too fast party" but seems that has gotten old and boring. My 2 cents and then I have some actual advice. I have logged literally 100s of thousands of miles towing things from 500 lbs open trailers to 20K+ pound 5th wheels and everything in-between. How fast you go is about what you are towing , what you are towing with and the conditions. If this guy passed you and his trailer was swaying all over and he was truly reckless then blast away, otherwise keep your opinions to yourself. If it tows 80 straight as an arrow on a sunny day behind an adequate tow vehicle and he is happy then OK. I personally don't tow that fast, but it is because I don't want to spend the fuel and deal with over taking etc. I have seen people pulling U-Hauls or trailers not loaded properly that should be taken to jail for going 55 MPH.

OK, my real answer to posters actual question:
The 5th wire is reversing solenoid because surge disk brakes work in reverse just as good as in the forward direction, drum surge brakes don't need them because they don't cam lock and operate when rolling backwards. If you didn't have it wired and trailer backed up OK then you have issues and your brakes are not working. I am 100% certain any trailer with disks that operate as they should will not back up with out locking out the brakes somehow. I don't care how fast you go but if I may give you some advice from a stranger, if your boat weighs around 3500 lbs or more then fix them if they are broken. The first time some idiot brake checks you in the rain and you don't tattoo him you will be glad you did. The world is slap full of idiots and if you tow long enough one of them will do something stupid in front of you, I guarantee it.

ps: GY marathons are junk, do a Google search and you will see, about 5 yrs ago moved manufacturing overseas and the quality went in the toilet. I bet you an ice cold beer the tread separated, that's is what they all do.

Cheers.

 

[wajajaja02]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

part of the problem of doing 80 mph towing is that perhaps the rig is faulty, or the person towing DIDN'T WIRE IT CORRECTLY.
now take your tundra to a trailer shop with the trailer and let a expert set the two of them up correctly and and happy trails MARIO.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

If you're not having any problems with the bakes locking backing up a hill without the solenoid functioning, get the brakes on the trailer checked! They aren't working right.

 

[bad_boy]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

I neglected to see that the OP had a Baja, should have known...

 

[642mx]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

I neglected to see that the OP had a Baja, should have known...

Jealous uh?... If your ever in Southern Indiana, shoot me a PM. I'll be more than happy to take you for a spin in a real boat.

 

[642mx]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

If you're not having any problems with the bakes locking backing up a hill without the solenoid functioning, get the brakes on the trailer checked! They aren't working right.

Yes, they don't work when backing up a hill. I brought the boat to my Dad's house to repair the wiring and I backed up his driveway and the brakes did nothing. (his driveway is steep enough that I was in 4WD to keep from spinning out).

I guess this will give me something to do this week. On another note, the trailer worked flawless this weekend. The Maxxis tires saw 75 MPH on the Interstate and did fine.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

I guess this will give me something to do this week. On another note, the trailer worked flawless this weekend. The Maxxis tires saw 75 MPH on the Interstate and did fine.

You may want to keep the speed down, WAY down, until you know the trailer brakes are working properly.

 

[bad_boy]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

Jealous uh?... If your ever in Southern Indiana, shoot me a PM. I'll be more than happy to take you for a spin in a real boat.

Oh God, now that is funny! An 18' is a wannabe Baja, which makes it a wannabe wannabe...

 

[642mx]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

You may want to keep the speed down, WAY down, until you know the trailer brakes are working properly.

I'm being careful.... thanks for the concern. I do believe they are working when going forward. The brakes on my truck are really really good so its hard to tell, but I think they are working.... at least somewhat working.

I did notice when I changed my tires (I have a tire changer at work) that the wheels have some drag when you spin them. Its obvious the drag is in the brakes. I guess its normal?....

 

[642mx]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

Oh God, now that is funny! An 18' is a wannabe Baja, which makes it a wannabe wannabe...

Why don't you add something to the thread that's constructive... or GO AWAY. Nobody likes a troll....

 

[PolishPrince]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

Besides stopping an 80 MPH truck and trailer, you've got to consider what will happen if you need to make an evasive maneuver at 80. A boat trailer is NOT designed for those speeds, and when you've got to whip around some idiot taking an exit from the left lane at 80, I promise..............things will start coming apart, and in a hurry.
You've been lucky so far.

 

[captharv]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

I'll comment on the speed then give some useful advice re:brakes/wiring
Towing speed limits are there for good reasons.
Like: stopping distances are greater, on wet pavement, if the trailer brakes lock, the rig may jack-knife (if you are lucky),
etc, etc. Now, that said, IF you get into an accident,and you did everything else right, by virtue of having been speeding, you could be deemed partially at fault. Same if the brakes, or trailer lights are not workin, or anything else that the insurance company can find.
Now, the brakes. If you have drums that are called "free backing". The way the shoes are arranged, they do not grab in reverse, when used in surge configuration. The disks will indded grab and maybe lock up going up a hill. The disks require the backing solenoid, and drums do not.
I have owned many trailers, with drums and disks and the disks are much better, and last longer. When I got the trailer with the disks, the trailer shop had me back up without the solenoid disconnectd. The backing was hard and the tires slipped. Then we connected the solenoid and backing was very easy. The said to back up with out the solenoid to test the brakes. If it becomes easy, bring in the trailer for service.
I am towing 14,000# gross weight (truck stop scale) and tow at 55. Above that, the arab oil companies send me a nice Xmas card...... I get 9 MPG @ 55, and 7 MPG at 65.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

Now, the brakes. If you have drums that are called "free backing". The way the shoes are arranged, they do not grab in reverse, when used in surge configuration. The disks will indded grab and maybe lock up going up a hill. The disks require the backing solenoid, and drums do not.

He has disks, according to the original post. That was why I was under the impression they aren't fully operation since he could back up on a hill without them actuating.

 

[captharv]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

I missed that. Gimme a senior moment.
If you have disks and the brakes don't actuate backing uphill, they are not working.
Check master cylinder fluid.
Bleed the brakes.
After bleeding, actuate the breakaway lever, then look at the hoses all teh way back to the wheel cylinders for leaks. those plastic hoses they make now are hard to get tightened correctly without cracking a fitting. ( So far broke two since I had this trailer for a year and a half)
If no leaks, look at the rotors. If steel, they should have some rust on them. Then road test the trailer, stopping a few times with normal pressure at 30 MPH. If the rust gets knocked off, the brakes are working