To brake or not to brake that is my question

[Joe Romas]

I tow our 17' SD with a 1500 Silverado with hd suspension and 4wd.

Last year I bought a 970# pound sub compact Kubota tractor and rented the smallest U-Haul trailer it would fit on and it didn't have brakes to bring it home.
I'm guessing a total load of 2000# max.
On my way home I had to stop fast for a red light camera in a 45 mph zone.
It was a real eye opener how little stopping power I had with my 5400# truck

Some laws in this country seem to be the minimum required

But I prefer more than the minimum required

[The Minimalist]

I towed my Little Joe, 1760 lbs loaded, with a 2004 Mazda Tribute and an '07 Chevy Silverado. When we bought the '14 Subaru Outback, we had to put brakes on the trailer to meet the Outback's heavier tow rating.

I love driving with the brakes. I feel much more secure when stopping and I like the option of applying the trailer brake manually in a sway situation.

I tow at between 55 and 60 mph and am very prudent in my driving habits, with eyes well down the road and aware of the traffic around me.

It's the other guy I'm worried about. With the trailer brakes I am better prepared to handle what he throws at me.

It was worth the extra expense to put the brakes on the trailer and set up the Subaru with a controller. Trailer brake installation is easy with an all-in-one kit that has all the hardware mounted on the backing plate. Wiring is pretty straight forward. Setting up the car was more involved, but still withing the reach of a competent diyer.

The key to trailer brakes is proper adjustment of the controller, and, per Norm's earlier suggestion, checking their operation each time you begin to tow, and for me that doesn't mean just when I'm pulling out of the campground in the morning.

[Bob Miller]

I think that Joe's comments in post #21 is very telling and, perhaps somewhat of an indictment of those states that either don't have a specific towing weigh specified before brakes are required, or have limits in the 3000 lb range. (Texas is 4500 lbs, Alaska is 5000 lbs YUK)

Brakes are just having a clean set of chonies, don't leave home without them! If you don't have trailer brake you just might need them. (LOLOLOL)

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by PrettylilTrilly

I may try a few trips that aren't too far from home first before I make a final decision. I want to be safe on the road.


Lilly The Trilly - 1975 Trillium 1300

What does your Escapes manual state in regards to what weight of trailer you can pull without brakes on it? Most of the smaller SUV's require them - pretty common to see the manual state brakes are need while towing on trailers as low as 1000lbs or 1500lbs.

Having brakes on the trailer is never a bad thing! Due to the age of your trailer its also a good bet that a new axle would also improve the ride.

[PrettylilTrilly]

Originally Posted by Carol H

What does your Escapes manual state in regards to what weight of trailer you can pull without brakes on it? Most of the smaller SUV's require them - pretty common to see the manual state brakes are need while towing on trailers as low as 1000lbs or 1500lbs.



Having brakes on the trailer is never a bad thing! Due to the age of your trailer its also a good bet that a new axle would also improve the ride.

I've read and re read over my manual and towing. Didn't see anything about brakes.


Lilly The Trilly - 1975 Trillium 1300

[Joe Romas]

Originally Posted by PrettylilTrilly

I've read and re read over my manual and towing. Didn't see anything about brakes.

Lilly The Trilly - 1975 Trillium 1300

I've not seen in any of the manuals for vehicles I've owned saying anything about brakes either.

[Bob Miller]

It's much more common on smaller vehicles with low towing limits, such as Subaru. The 2008 Escape has a limit of somewhere around 3500 lbs.

[Fallon]

We recently inherited a 1978 13' Boler & towed it home from near Chicago to Colorado with my wife's Escape. It was loaded up with a pile of boxes, but still towed reasonably well.

All that being said the suspension is shot. If I end up rebuilding the trailer it will get a new axle & it will get brakes.

Brakes will be a minor pain on your wallet when you buy them, but they can't ever hurt you to have them. They can only help. It only takes once hitting the brake controller to stop some sway or decreasing your stopping distance by the extra few feet to pay for the brakes & brake controller.

Sent from my K00C using Fiberglass RV mobile app

[mrmdvo]

Right on, Fallon. Consider brakes as insurance for when you have to stop suddenly in a completely unavoidable situation. Not only will they stop the trailer, they will also help stop the TV.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

It's much more common on smaller vehicles with low towing limits, such as Subaru. The 2008 Escape has a limit of somewhere around 3500 lbs.

Some of the Subaru's have that same tow limit ;-) Tribeca has the a 3500lb tow cap and some of the Outbacks are 3000lbs others 2700lbs - all of them require the trailer have brakes for those limits .... which is BTW more than double what some of the current models of the Ford Escape have. Some Escapes are only 1500lbs and others 2000lbs - only the 2 L with Ecoboost has the 3500lb limit.

At one time perhaps they still do? Honda also had limits based on trailer brakes and it was not just the CR-V that they set the limits on, I know for sure that at least one of their vans was limited if no trailer brakes and its tow capacity rating was about 3500lbs as well.

Mazda on the their CX9 which had a tow cap of 3500lbs but if no trailer brakes 1000lbs or at least that was the case in back in 09.

[PrettylilTrilly]

My 2008 Escape has a tow limit of 3500lbs.


Lilly The Trilly - 1975 Trillium 1300

[redbarron55]

The (new) Escape must have the factory tow package for the 3500 lb limit. This includes the module that couples into the car's ESP electronic stabilization program. Since this car is sold in Europe that is required there. Without the factory package thar ford is good for 2000 lbs.

Trailer Towing Package
Model (Option Code) (536)(1)
Trailer Wiring Harness (4-Pin) X
Hitch Receiver X
Trailer Sway Control X
(1) Available with 2.0L EcoBoost® I4 only. Available as dealer
accessory with 2.5L I4 engine and 1.6L EcoBoost® I4 engine.
(1) Available with 2.0L EcoBoost® I4 only. Available as dealer
accessory with 2.5L I4 engine and 1.6L EcoBoost® I4 engine.
Trailer Towing Package
Notes: • Content may vary depending on model, trim and/or powertrain.
See your dealer for specific content information.
• Trailer Towing Package recommended for all light trucks that
will be used for towing to help ensure easy, proper connection
of trailer lights.

Something like this perhaps to adapt the 4 pin flat to 7 pin for brakes etc.



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[MC1]

Originally Posted by PrettylilTrilly

I may try a few trips that aren't too far from home first before I make a final decision. I want to be safe on the road.
Lilly The Trilly - 1975 Trillium 1300

Anyone who has added trailer brakes and set them up correctly has always commented on how much better they feel about the stopping ability of their combination. Reducing your stopping distances especially in and emergency situation is when you will really appreciate them.

Electric brakes are the way to go. Surge as a last resort.

Please continue with your quest to add brakes to your trailer. I'm sure you will never regret it.

[earthchild]

This thread could not have come at a better time. I was just considering whether to have a brake controller installed when I get my hitch installed hopefully in the next month. My beachcomber has brakes but I didn't know if it was worth the extra money as it is not required in my province for trailers under 2000 pounds. But since reading this as well as the "sway disaster" I am convinced! Trailer brakes for sure! My tow vehicle is a 1994 Toyota camry.

[MC1]

Originally Posted by earthchild

Trailer brakes for sure! My tow vehicle is a 1994 Toyota camry.

Sweet, another car TV. I'm sure you will luv the new braking power of your Camry/Beachcomber combo with brakes.

[Joe Romas]

Jaunita

Good decision. I believe I read but can not verify now that at least one state requires brakes to be functional if they are installed on the trailer.

Joe

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by earthchild

This thread could not have come at a better time. I was just considering whether to have a brake controller installed when I get my hitch installed hopefully in the next month. My beachcomber has brakes but I didn't know if it was worth the extra money as it is not required in my province for trailers under 2000 pounds. But since reading this as well as the "sway disaster" I am convinced! Trailer brakes for sure! My tow vehicle is a 1994 Toyota camry.

Once you are loaded up for camping, and out on the road. stop at one of those road side weigh scales. measure just the wheels of the trailer. I think you will be surprised at how heavy it is. To do this properly, disconnect the trailer, with the tongue jack on the scale.

2000 lbs is hard to stay under.