13ft don't require brakes?

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Mouse

Subaru does not support 7-pin wiring needed for brakes.

When I was looking at which trailer to buy, I called my Subaru dealer to have them install a 7-pin towing harness. They told me that they don't have one and if I put in an after market one it would void my warrantee. So I was restricted to a trailer under 1400 lbs.

I bought a U-Haul CT13 and I love Mouse very much!

Your kidding me! You should give Subaru of America or Canada a call to confirm that - suspect you will then be holding a little educational discussion with whom ever told you that after your finished talking with their bosses.

The Subaru manual clearly states the trailer must have brakes on it if you tow over x so many pounds and has a whole section of towing - it would not state that if the warranty was void for using brakes and adding the wire and 7 pin harness needed to do it! simple as that. In fact its far more believable that your warranty would be void if they found out you were towing without the brakes on the trailer and not using a 7 pin harness that makes them work.

Subaru as mentioned before does not make wiring harness or hitches so the dealers do not install them and the ones that actually know what they are talking about will tell you to take the car to a hitch place to have the harness and hitch installed - they are not the only car manufactures that does that.

Very grateful that the service manager at our local Subaru actually tows with his and knows what Subaru's warranty policies regarding towing actually are.

[Mouse]

I have a Subaru Outback 2011 bought in March 2011. It came with an installed 11/4 hitch with a 4-pin harness.

It is rated the tow up to 2700 lbs. 1400 lbs without brakes.

It is a conundrum. Maybe they will have a 7-pin harness available soon.

In the meantime Mouse should be under 1400 lbs. I hope to find a place to weigh her soon.

[BCDave]

Since the original poster has left in favor of a van conversion, any further advice we are providing is to a non-existent person. Can we close this thread?

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Thomas G.

That is ironic. Towing a trailer of the same weight, but with no brakes is harder on the tow vehicle than towing with brakes.

Amen.

I've mentioned this several times. Towing a brake-less trailer makes a maintenence issuse for the tug. The brakes for my Scamp are literally hundreds of dollars cheaper than my tug brakes!

[john warren]

having just towed my new 13,,,with no brakes from backus to s.e. michigan, through the iron mountains,,,which aren't much, with a jeep liberty.
i didn't feel the need for trailer brakes. BUT! anything smaller then the liberty i would want them.
and i might even upgrade to a high performance brake on the liberty just as a cushon. but she even came down quick in a ,,,well not panic stop,,,, but a "why did that idiot pull out in front of me?" stop i do leave extra space and watch way ahead ,after years of driving truck.
so i guess,,,, you can get by with out,,,but you won;t go wrong with.
most of our towing will be flat land.

[Darwin Maring]

You don,t need brakes on a trailer until you need them.

[Darwin Maring]

When you're on snow / ice and you panic stop B sure to look left and right and wave at your brakeless trailer as it is passing you.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Mouse

Subaru does not support 7-pin wiring needed for brakes.

When I was looking at which trailer to buy, I called my Subaru dealer to have them install a 7-pin towing harness. They told me that they don't have one and if I put in an after market one it would void my warrantee. So I was restricted to a trailer under 1400 lbs.

I bought a U-Haul CT13 and I love Mouse very much!

If you are in the U.S. they are not allowed to void your warranty because of properly installed aftermarket parts or accessories.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Darwin Maring

When you're on snow / ice and you panic stop B sure to look left and right and wave at your brakeless trailer as it is passing you.

HEY! Carol H said there was no controversy!

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by floyd

HEY! Carol H said there was no controversy!

Dang Floyd your right! Perhaps I should rephrase that to say there is no controversy as to whether or not the trailer should have brakes for those who choose to follow the laws of the state &/or provinces they tow in and follow their tow vehicle manufactures requirements/capacity or for those who wish to respect the safety of those whom they share the road.

[BCDave]

Originally Posted by Carol H

Dang Floyd your right! Perhaps I should rephrase that to say there is no controversy as to whether or not the trailer should have brakes for those who choose to follow the laws of the state &/or provinces they tow in and follow their tow vehicle manufactures requirements/capacity or for those who wish to respect the safety of those whom they share the road.

And the laws of physics.....

[james kent]

We have towed our Boler without brakes several times from Ontario, across the Prairies and through the BC mountains and back, with several different vehicles since 1994 without any problems. Although if I were to use smaller tugs [Than the v6,s or v8,s] then I might think seriously about adding brakes.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Carol H

Dang Floyd your right! Perhaps I should rephrase that to say there is no controversy as to whether or not the trailer should have brakes for those who choose to follow the laws of the state &/or provinces they tow in and follow their tow vehicle manufactures requirements/capacity or for those who wish to respect the safety of those whom they share the road.

Most states don't require brakes on trailers under 1500#. I'm not against brakes. I am against fear mongering,and hyperbole.
I have brakes on my trailer eventhough they are only required in a few states under 3000LB.
There is no need to claim the force of law, where none exists, to support prudent advice.

[Darwin Maring]

Prudent advice to me is "It's better to be safe than sorry."

This also applies to Gas, Monoxide, Fire and Smoke detectors and heaters equipped with low oxygen shut down device . It may not be required however it is better safe than to be sorry.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Darwin Maring

Prudent advice to me is "It's better to be safe than sorry."

This also applies to Gas, Monoxide, Fire and Smoke detectors and heaters equipped with low oxygen shut down device . It may not be required however it is better safe than to be sorry.

Pretty much what I said, you choose what makes you comfy and calms your fears. Don't forget deadbolts, firearms and vicious dogs!
Caution... Prudence is precluded by the imposition of jurisprudence,You can hardly advocate both for the same act.

[Kenny Strong]

Hi all

I have a 13' Bigfoot, came with brakes. Driving up through Canada and Alaska, I disconnected the brakes when I was having a bent axle repair. It was a noticeable difference with and without brakes. I choose brakes!

Later Kenny

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by floyd

Most states don't require brakes on trailers under 1500#. I'm not against brakes. I am against fear mongering,and hyperbole.
I have brakes on my trailer eventhough they are only required in a few states under 3000LB.
There is no need to claim the force of law, where none exists, to support prudent advice.

As you will note Floyd I did say the law in the state they live or tow I didn't say they were required in all states ;-)

The problem Floyd is that if you take a look at the Real World Weights and tell me how many 13' Scamps do you see weighing in at under 1500lbs??? Perhaps my eye sight is getting worse with my age. ;-))

Yup there may only be only about 7 states that would require brakes by law on a 13' Scamp based on real world weights & 9 states that would require brakes on a 13' Casita as all of them on the list weighed in at over 2000lbs. But even if you dont live in those states you should be aware of the law should you drive through one of them.

Some of the states & provinces with brake requirements under the 3000lb are:
California - 1500lbs
Idaho - 1500lbs
Nevada - 1500lbs
Tennessee- 1500lbs
North Carolina - 1000lbs
New York - 1000lbs
Ohio - 2000lbs
Utah - 2000lbs
Georgia - 1500lbs
Manitoba - 2000lbs
Yukon - 2000lbs
Alberta - 2000lbs or if trailer exceeds 50% of the vehicles weight.
Quebec - 3000lbs or if the trailer exceeds 50% of the vehicles weight.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Carol H

As you will note Floyd I did say the law in the state they live or tow I didn't say they were required in all states ;-)

The problem Floyd is that if you take a look at the Real World Weights and tell me how many 13' Scamps do you see weighing in at under 1500lbs??? Perhaps my eye sight is getting worse with my age. ;-))

Yup there may only be only about 7 states that would require brakes by law on a 13' Scamp based on real world weights & 9 states that would require brakes on a 13' Casita as all of them on the list weighed in at over 2000lbs. But even if you dont live in those states you should be aware of the law should you drive through one of them.

Some of the states & provinces with brake requirements under the 3000lb are:
California - 1500lbs
Idaho - 1500lbs
Nevada - 1500lbs
Tennessee- 1500lbs
North Carolina - 1000lbs
New York - 1000lbs
Ohio - 2000lbs
Utah - 2000lbs
Georgia - 1500lbs
Manitoba - 2000lbs
Yukon - 2000lbs
Alberta - 2000lbs or if trailer exceeds 50% of the vehicles weight.
Quebec - 3000lbs or if the trailer exceeds 50% of the vehicles weight.

As you will note I did say that the use of brakes was a matter of prudence, which I supported.
So let's drop the ruse, it's jurisprudence which you, and some others, advocate... not prudence.
As for me, I will opt for prudence and leave my brakes hooked-up without regard to which state I am in.
Some folks simply believe that a person should be allowed to do anything he pleases... as long as it's mandatory.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by Thomas G.

I think the OP has left in favor of a conversion van.

I finally got to read this thread. Sorry I'm late to the party.

I think this discussion has run its course.