Trailer brakes question...and a few others

[strokeoluck]

Hi everyone, we're new boaters w/a 18.5' Bayliner runabout near the many inland lakes around the Minneapolis 'burbs. My son and I took the boat across the street to a small all-sports lake to practice backing the boat/trailer into the water. Well, I practiced...my nine year old son helped guide me in. All that went pretty well. But going through the real-deal practice session prompted a few head-scratchers.

Originally I didn't think I had trailer brakes, but now I see that I do. So...
1) See the "Trailer-Center pin" picture below. I noticed that the trailer tongue seems to "slide" back and forth an inch or two on this center pin. Is that normal? Is that what's activating the trailer brakes?

2) See the other "Thin wire" picture. What does this thin wire do? And am I correct in attaching it to the hitch "hook"?

3) There's a black plastic cap on top of the trailer tongue, and I think it says "Fill here" on top (sorry, it's late and I didn't look hard at the top of it when I was making sure everything else was ready to go). Assuming this is the brake fluid reservoir, can I just use regular automotive brake fluid and fill this reservoir?

4) Is there anything else I need to do to maintain the trailer brakes?

A few other questions...
1) There are two bilge-related switches on the dash: one says "Bilge Pump" and the other says "Bilge Blower". What's the difference? I thought the most important thing was getting the fuel gases out of the bilge area...thus I would use the bilge blower. So I'm assuming the pump actually pumps water (?) out of the bilge? But how would water get INTO the bilge...and where does the water EXIT the boat when it's pumped out?

I know I should probably read the manual again. But between work, travel, kids, the power squadron course and all the other minutae of life - I decided to just come here and ask the experts! Thanks guys.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Trailer brakes question...and a few others

The coupler on your trailer is the tip off that you have hydraulic surge brakes. When you step on the brakes on the tow vehicle, physics comes into play in that the trailer attempts to continue pushing you. The coupler (the piece that hooks to the ball) is connected to a master cylinder just like the one the brake pedal is connected to in your tow vehicle. The coupler is stationary since it's attached to the ball. The trailer however is free to move forward a bit which pushes the plunger on the master cylinder and that sends brake fluid under pressure to the brake assembly at each wheel. When you release the brakes the pressure is released as you accelerate again. You should know that backing up hill with surge brakes has the same effect so you need to insert a pin to lock the hitch and prevent brake engagement under these conditions. Your trailer may have a reversing solenoid or the trailer may have free-backing brakes so the pin may not be needed., You do need to ensure the resevoir is full of brake fluid or you will not have brakes.

The thin cable is the emergency break-away actuator. If the trailer came unhooked, the cable pulls the master cylinder and actuates the trailer brakes.

The bilge blower is a blower that expels fuel vapors if any are present. It must be run for a couple of minutes BEFORE every engine start. The bilge pump is a water pump that pumps out any water that collects in the bilge. You should see a hole in the side or stern of the boat. Water gets in the bilge because of something leaking, swimmers, spillage.

I am an almost neighbor as I live about 40 miles south of the cities in Owatonna. I would say go Vikings but I'm a Packer fan.

 

[boat1010]

Re: Trailer brakes question...and a few others

Yes it looks like you have trailer brakes. They are surge breaks the weight of the boat pushing forward when you apply the tow vehicle breaks set the trailer brakes. Yes you can use DOT break fluid. The small wire looks like a break away wire. If your trailer becomes detached from the tow vehicle the breaks apply to the trailer. Just as you thought the bilge pump is for the water in the bilge. it pumps it out through a hose that goes over the side of the boat. The bilge blower evacuated the explosive gases from the engine compartment. It should be ran a few min prior to starting the engine. It is also ran when running at slow speeds where the air movement is less and the gases can build up in the engine compartment.

 

[boat1010]

Re: Trailer brakes question...and a few others

Smiling....Looks like Silvertip is a faster typer than I am...LOL But looks like we had the same answers. Have a great day.

 

[strokeoluck]

Re: Trailer brakes question...and a few others

You should know that backing up hill with surge brakes has the same effect so you need to insert a pin to lock the hitch and prevent brake engagement under these conditions. Your trailer may have a reversing solenoid or the trailer may have free-backing brakes so the pin may not be needed.

I am an almost neighbor as I live about 40 miles south of the cities in Owatonna. I would say go Vikings but I'm a Packer fan.

Thanks guys. And thanks SilverTip for telling me about backing up uphill. Our driveway has a somewhat steep grade, and it's a short driveway. I've backed our trailer into the garage several times now and haven't noticed any serious resistance (besides pushing a 2,800# rig uphill), so how would I know for sure if I need the hitch lock?

I'm a Packer fan too! I grew up in east central WI so I've been a Packer fan all my life. There were a lot of tough years in the '70s and '80s!

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Trailer brakes question...and a few others

If you can back a 2800# rig up hill without a lockout device you either don't need it or the brakes don't work -- probably because the master cylinder is empty, the wheel cylinders are shot, or you have free backing brakes.

 

[Splat]

Re: Trailer brakes question...and a few others

I mean no offense but the bilge question was a pretty basic question. Plus being new to boating it would probally be a good idea for you and your sun to take a safe boating course. You'd be amazed what you'll pick up, like rules of the water, navigation, basic knowledge that kind of stuff. Would be a wise investment. Actually the courses are very inexpensive and prolly available by your local power squadron.

Bill

 

[blousteau]

Re: Trailer brakes question...and a few others

I second the safe boating course. I had a great teacher, my grandfather, who taught me everything there was to know about boats and boating safety since I was about 6 years old. Every time we go out, on the water I see people with to much money and not enough brains endangering themselves their crew and the rest of the people on the water. Not saying that you are that way at all!!!! I have even seen people that mean well, but don't have a clue. I think everyone should be required to have a boat license, Im sure that will pi** off some on here but I even would not be against getting one if it was required. At least around here I have noticed that the people with the oldest pieces of Cra* are the safest. There is nothing like going into a blind curve with a 250,000.00 cigarette boat comming at you at 50 to 70 MPH in the middle of the river. We have seen many in the trees, a 100% avoidable accident.

 

[QC]

Re: Trailer brakes question...and a few others

I can't tell if that is a five pin or four pin connector for your lights. If it is a five pin thhen you have the dsolenoid of which Silvertip speaks. Also check and see if they are disc or drum. If they are drum brakes you will need to periodically adjust them. Just another thing to play with . . . Get used to it

If it is a four pin and you can back uphill . . well . . you shouldn't be able to easily. They make a thingy that goes into the oval where the main "pin" is. I was told you can use a dime . . . you can't!!! I have a squished dime to prove it

I think I saw that you are taking a safe boating course . . . Right? Awesome!

 

[strokeoluck]

Re: Trailer brakes question...and a few others

I mean no offense but the bilge question was a pretty basic question. Plus being new to boating it would probally be a good idea for you and your sun to take a safe boating course. You'd be amazed what you'll pick up, like rules of the water, navigation, basic knowledge that kind of stuff. Would be a wise investment. Actually the courses are very inexpensive and prolly available by your local power squadron.

Bill

First, no offense taken. We're new boaters and I'm learning something every time I get near the boat it seems.

Second, my wife and I (son just turned 9) did take a power squadron boating course; four nights, two hours each night. The course was ok, but I was underwhelmed with most of it. Maybe it was the instructors, but about 60% to 70% of the course was just people reading bullet points on the screen, which I had already done by reading stuff online or other boating literature/guides. I was hoping for much more "real life" commentary from the instructors.

Anyway, I've heard and read many times that you should be sure to turn the bilge BLOWER on for four minutes before you start up the boat. That point has been drilled into my head. But no one seemed to say much about the bilge pump.

And I agree w/the person that said boaters should need a license. I find it a little odd that we need a license to operate a vehicle, but not a boat.

My Dad helped me fire up the boat today and we took it out on the lake for the first spin. Everything worked great and it was nice having a hand from a guy that owned a boat for a number of years.

 

[QC]

Re: Trailer brakes question...and a few others

Awesome! You're already ahead of 99% of new boaters and most of the rest too.

 

[This_lil_fishy]

Re: Trailer brakes question...and a few others

..oh...and rain water can collect in a boat very quickly if it is left uncovered! If you have an auto bilge pump, keep an eye on your battery, as it can drain the battery over time if you leave it uncovered.

Another fun thing to do is turn the bump on just as someone is standing by the outlet...hehe...well...the water can be kinda gross...but funny when it happens by accident...like it did last night.

Ian

 

[jmarty10]

Re: Trailer brakes question...and a few others

This is a great post as I have a new EZ Loader trailer with brakes. My question on this is: on this picture you see the sticker with an arrow that says "before use, push up on tab to make sure breaks are released" What tab? And where exactly is it lcoated? I feel a metal tab, but it doesnt move up? Confused on this and not sure how to release brakes?

 

[strokeoluck]

Re: Trailer brakes question...and a few others

My question on this is: on this picture you see the sticker with an arrow that says "before use, push up on tab to make sure breaks are released" What tab? And where exactly is it lcoated? I feel a metal tab, but it doesnt move up? Confused on this and not sure how to release brakes?

Ha! Glad you asked it! Not that I have the answer for you, but the "tab" they're referring to is - I think - underneath the trailer tongue. Put your finger up in there and you'll feel it (or lay on the ground and look up and you'll see it). What it does? I can't seem to figure that out. I fiddled with it for a while but couldn't seem to get it to do anything. My Dad checked that out as well and couldn't figure it out either. He did determine that on my particular trailer, backing up while going uphill did not engage the brakes. He said he used to have that issue on his trailer and he'd shove a screwdriver in a hole to lock (out?) the brakes so they wouldn't engage.

 

[QC]

Re: Trailer brakes question...and a few others

Silvertip noted that the thin wire was a breakaway cable. If that becomes actuated (Trailer comes off ball and tries to get away, the cable yanks and the brakes are set) the tab is to reset them back to normal operation. This assumes that you have retrieved your boat and trailer from the side of the highway, but, hey, at least your brakes will work again . . .