Trailer tongue/brake actuator

[mrnewland1]

Hello folks,

I am new here, I signed up because I figured it would be a good idea to get advice from people with alot more experience than me on certain things, plus hopefully I can help others with some of the pitfalls that I've ran into with boats....and there have been many lol

Anyway my problem right now has to do with the trailer. I am not yet familiar with much of the nomenclature so please bare with me.

As long as I've had my boat (1986 Marathon 20ft), I have relctantly used this broken trailer tongue/hitch with a broken mechanism and no NO TRAILER BRAKES. It's somewhat of a pain in the ***** to hook and unhook to my truck. Here is a picture...



Anyway, my question is- Is there a rebuild kit available for this particular design and would it be something that I could install with having to have anything cut/welded? Also, how bad of an idea is it to not have trailer brakes?

Any advice will help

Thanks
Matt

 

[Silly Seville]

Re: Trailer tongue/brake actuator

...how bad of an idea is it to not have trailer brakes?

Depending on the jurisdictions in which you travel, you may be breaking a number of vehicular laws.

If you are found at fault in the event of an accident, you are on record as having admitted to not maintaining your vehicle in a state of road worthiness, and might be subject to lawsuits.

Please have a professional get your trailer brakes back in working order.

And welcome to iboats!

 

[2005bay]

Re: Trailer tongue/brake actuator

Geez, he's here asking for help to fix the problem, not for a lecture. We do not know if the brakes are aftermarket, or what his tow rig is (may be big enough not to need brakes on the trailer). This is not that big of a boat and most this size are sold without brakes.

If it were mine I would pull the dated mechanism off. Buy a new tongue. They're cheap and easy to install. If you want/ need brakes, get some electric units. Again, cheap, effective and really easy to install.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Trailer tongue/brake actuator

You may be able to find a rebuild kit for it, they are not rare by any means but I think your probably better off replacing it, problem is that someone made the coupler part of the trailer by welding it all together!!

Not knowing your situation, or even if you would like a longer tongue, I would extend the tongue passed the point where the two lateral beams join the tongue and then install a new coupler, weld it up and extend the brake line to the new coupler, then you are ready to go with getting your brakes set up at the wheels.

The thing is that your coupler looks to be quite old and missing a few things that may be difficult to source, if you can find them then you would still have to source a rebuild kit which is a lot easier, the braintrust here on iboats is certainly capable in helping you do that.

 

[mrnewland1]

Re: Trailer tongue/brake actuator

Depending on the jurisdictions in which you travel, you may be breaking a number of vehicular laws.

If you are found at fault in the event of an accident, you are on record as having admitted to not maintaining your vehicle in a state of road worthiness, and might be subject to lawsuits.

Please have a professional get your trailer brakes back in working order.

And welcome to iboats!

Does your mommy know that your're using her computer?

Please stay off the message boards Corky.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Trailer tongue/brake actuator

Does your mommy know that your're using her computer?

Please stay off the message boards Corky.

ok ease up just a bit, I know the truth can be a bit harsh but what Silly Seville stated is in fact very accurate, (except the part about a professional, any skilled welder can do this but suggesting a professional is not bad advice at all) anyway, you would be well advised to check your state laws for towing with and without brakes as it could very well apply to you, knowing how little we do about you and where you are located I just gave you a realistic option of how I would repair this trailer for brakes, if you are not required to have brakes on your trailer then it changes things but only slightly, I would still replace the coupler in the way I described.

I am not in any way a professional trailer manufacturer but I am a skilled welder, and vehicle electrician, I would expect this to take me a half day repair it.

Oh and Welcome to iboats!

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Trailer tongue/brake actuator

If your in the USA you can check your state towing laws here

Towing World Official Website

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Trailer tongue/brake actuator

It looks like an Atwood surge brake coupler

You can buy one here on iBoats.

Probably better, faster, easier than rebuilding the current one.

 

[mrnewland1]

Re: Trailer tongue/brake actuator

ok ease up just a bit, I know the truth can be a bit harsh but what Silly Seville stated is in fact very accurate, (except the part about a professional, any skilled welder can do this but suggesting a professional is not bad advice at all) anyway, you would be well advised to check your state laws for towing with and without brakes as it could very well apply to you, knowing how little we do about you and where you are located I just gave you a realistic option of how I would repair this trailer for brakes, if you are not required to have brakes on your trailer then it changes things but only slightly, I would still replace the coupler in the way I described.

I am not in any way a professional trailer manufacturer but I am a skilled welder, and vehicle electrician, I would expect this to take me a half day repair it.

Oh and Welcome to iboats!

His/her response would of made more sense if I was bragging about knowingly and wrecklessly towing around a battering ram on wheels without a care in the world. The fact is, I have been towing the boat on that trailer for a while, and while the brakes did not work, it IS a small trailer and boat, and my 4 disc brake truck has proven to tow it and stop with it effortlessly, coupled with the fact that I drive like y Grandma when towing it (except I can see better).

But not the coupler seems to be broke even worse and I no longer trust it to lock on to the ball. This is why I have stopped towing until the problem is rectified.

Anyway, thanks for your response, and just to clarify are you saying that the rebuild + brake job would be a half day repair for you, or coupler replacement + brake job?

Thanks

 

[mrnewland1]

Re: Trailer tongue/brake actuator

It looks like an Atwood surge brake coupler

You can buy one here on iBoats.

Probably better, faster, easier than rebuilding the current one.

Thanks for the reply.

So you really think that cutting off the old and welding on a new coupler would actually take less time than installing a new mechanism/actuator inside the coupler? I have absolutely "0" welding experience by the way, so if I were to do it, it would be replacing the actuator/mechanism.

I just hate the idea of paying some guy 400+ to do something like this. There has to be an alternative.

I do believe that however that I would be able to take care of the brake situation myself, as I have experience with disc and drum brakes as well as brake line replacement.

Thanks
Matt

 

[mrnewland1]

Re: Trailer tongue/brake actuator

Update:

It appears that even though I have no brakes, I was still driving legally and not BRAKING any laws

"ORC 4513.20 Brake equipment for vehicles.
(5) Every watercraft trailer with a gross weight or manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating of three thousand pounds or more that is manufactured or assembled on or after January 1, 2008, shall have separate brakes equipped with hydraulic surge or electrically operated brakes on two wheels."

My gross weight (trailer + boat) was under 3,000lbs.

Regardless, I would still like to have brakes on the thing just as a added precaution.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Trailer tongue/brake actuator

Thanks for the reply.

So you really think that cutting off the old and welding on a new coupler would actually take less time than installing a new mechanism/actuator inside the coupler? I have absolutely "0" welding experience by the way, so if I were to do it, it would be replacing the actuator/mechanism.

I just hate the idea of paying some guy 400+ to do something like this. There has to be an alternative.

I do believe that however that I would be able to take care of the brake situation myself, as I have experience with disc and drum brakes as well as brake line replacement.

Thanks
Matt

I had one just like it on my sailboat trailer . . . totally rusted out, etc. I cut the old one off and drilled & bolted the new on on. No welding required. The Atwood brand/design is not a great coupler IMHO, and when I replaced mine, I went with another brand . . . I think it was "Dico" . . . it worked well.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Trailer tongue/brake actuator

But not the coupler seems to be broke even worse and I no longer trust it to lock on to the ball. This is why I have stopped towing until the problem is rectified.

Anyway, thanks for your response, and just to clarify are you saying that the rebuild + brake job would be a half day repair for you, or coupler replacement + brake job?

Thanks

it would take me a half day to remove the old coupler completely, install a new longer tongue and coupler and weld it all in place, anyone would be hard pressed to add brakes as well in the same amount of time, if you don't need brakes I think I would get a rebuild kit and go that route and hopefully it will work out fine but until you take it completely apart who knows, make sense? The only way to make sure you successfully remedy your issue though is to completely remove the coupler and install it new as a whole, there are just too many variables to say a rebuild will solve your problem. I understand your issue with paying someone $400 but you also have to understand that who ever welded the coupler into the trailer did you a massive disservice and that is a big part of your problem.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Trailer tongue/brake actuator

I had one just like it on my sailboat trailer . . . totally rusted out, etc. I cut the old one off and drilled & bolted the new on on. No welding required. The Atwood brand/design is not a great coupler IMHO, and when I replaced mine, I went with another brand . . . I think it was "Dico" . . . it worked well.

tpenfield, look at the pics again the coupler is welded into the trailer not welded on to the trailer its way more then a bolt on job at this point.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Trailer tongue/brake actuator

Yup, you're right . . . A frame goes right into the coupler. (who's idea was that :noidea: ) Gonna have to re-work it a bit. It is probably worth having a straight piece of 4x4 tube welded to the A-frame joint, so that the coupler can become replaceable. They don't last forever.