Electric brakes for 16 ft Deluxe Scamp

[Stuart]

We purchased our 2012 Scamp last Nov planning to do some extended road trips over the winter and early spring. We also purchased a 2011 Mazda CX 9 with the factory tow package to pull it.

Unfortunately, because of health issues up until now, I was not able get the Mazda wired for the electric brakes. We would like to take the trailer out for it's shakedown cruise on a round trip of about 300 miles this coming week. Can we safely tow the Scamp without the brakes hooked up?

Thanks for the help.

[Ice-breaker]

Best to get a brake controller installed and the car wired up properly so that your electric trailer brakes are functional.

[Bob Miller]

In a word....NO


That Scamp is way to much trailer weight to add top the Mazda without trailer brakes. And, although MN has a minimum weight for requiring trailer brakes set at 3000 lbs., many other states have a more sensible 1500 lb max weight without brakes, so it may be considered illegal where you are going.


Any decent RV shop should be able to install a controller in an hour.


Bottom Line: It's not really safe, especially if it is a new rig for you.

[floyd]

Its the "nut" behind the wheel which determines whether it may be safe or not.
I have retrieved dozens of fiberglass trailers in various states of repair.
No one would dare recommend that you tow without hooking up the brakes, but many of them would pass you traveling well over the speed limit while towing a 16.

Which is worse?... 75 without trailer brakes or 60 with them.
You will just have to make the call.
Bob is right ... it shouldn't take much more than an hour or so to have it done.
The CX9 is a competent TV for a Scamp16 and you are legal without trailer brakes anywhere within those 300 miles of your home which you mentioned.(except maybe Canada)

[Fallon]

I have a Toyota Tacoma rated to tow 6500 lbs which I have exceeded a few times. This weekend pulling our maybe 1500 lbs loaded old Boler without brakes I was lamenting the lack of brakes. Some stops were just not as fast as I'd like.

Better tow vehicle & lighter trailer than yours. If we keep it & do the needed replacement of the worn out axle its getting brakes on that new axle. The extra margin of safety us worth it. It only takes 1' of decreased stopping distance at the right time to pay off $1000 of brake gear.

Sent from my A0001 using Fiberglass RV mobile app

[Carol H]

Having pulled a 16' Scamp with a similar sized tug and having had experience pulling it with no brakes (due to an unexpected brake failure) all I will say is - yes you can tow without the trailer brakes connect but is not a situation I would want to do again. Yes the tug will stop the trailer under normal driving conditions but will it stop in the worse case scenario as fast as you want or need? No.

Take the hour or so needed and have the vehicle wired and brake controller installed.

Does not matter how short a trip you plan on taking as most accidents happen within a few miles of home.