When are electric brakes necessary? - Fiberglass RV
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Old 06-22-2017, 12:47 PM   #1
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Name: Judy
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Oregon
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When are electric brakes necessary?

The transmission on my Subaru Forester went south a week ago, and the shop is telling me it won't be fixed until Monday afternoon. Problem is that we are scheduled to leave Sun afternoon for a camping trip, our big vacation for the year. We have a 13' Scamp. The shop is telling me they will try to find me a tow vehicle they can provide me so we can pull the trailer. My question...should I hold out for a TV with a 7 pin connector and a controller for the brakes, or how big a vehicle do I need to tow a 1200+ lb trailer without using the electric brakes? Is it even possible to use a vehicle without a 7 pin connector? Is there an adapter available?
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Old 06-22-2017, 01:04 PM   #2
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Depends on where your going. Every state is different. Trailer Brakes - AAA Digest of Motor Laws

In addition you need to know what your actual trailer weight is and not the sales person estimate.

Allot of newer large suv's and pick-up trucks come with hitches and 7 pin connectors. But you will still need to connect a controller and a adapter cord to connect into the cars wiring. You will also probably have to change the height of your draw bar.

If the locations you are traveling don't require trailer brakes on your trailer get a large suv with big brakes and a trailer hitch then you will probably need a 7 pin to 4 pin adapter.

On my personal Scamp I use an RF controller mounted to the trailer and a module that talks to it in the truck. The module plugs into the cigarette lighter socket. Any car I hitch up to can easily have working trailer brakes. But you still have to have working trailer lights.
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Old 06-22-2017, 01:04 PM   #3
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Judy, if you can find a 7 pin, go with that to reduce your stress. There are adapters available at places like U-Haul, Autozone, even Wallyworld. My Son's Colorado came equipped with a 7 pin, and a 4 pin in the connector, and he carries a 7 to 6 just incase he needs one. You can run with an adapter, but you won't have brakes. If you have a hefty tow, you might not notice the lack of brakes at all.
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Old 06-22-2017, 01:27 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by likeair2me View Post
Judy, if you can find a 7 pin, go with that to reduce your stress. There are adapters available at places like U-Haul, Autozone, even Wallyworld. My Son's Colorado came equipped with a 7 pin, and a 4 pin in the connector, and he carries a 7 to 6 just incase he needs one. You can run with an adapter, but you won't have brakes. If you have a hefty tow, you might not notice the lack of brakes at all.
I agree. Definitely hold out for a large tow vehicle. Also, many full sized SUVs and trucks are pre-wired for brake controllers and have 7 pin plugs.
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Old 06-22-2017, 02:38 PM   #5
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Name: Judy
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Thanks for all the input. This group is amazingly helpful!

Guess it is a moot point anyway...no trucks available to rent within a reasonable distance that can tow a trailer.

Guess we will wait until ours is fixed...half a vacation is better than none?
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Old 06-22-2017, 04:15 PM   #6
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Its a Scamp 13 you can have it put on a flat bed tow truck and dropped off on your site.
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Old 06-23-2017, 09:32 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by Judy in Oregon View Post
The transmission on my Subaru Forester went south a week ago, and the shop is telling me it won't be fixed until Monday afternoon. Problem is that we are scheduled to leave Sun afternoon for a camping trip, our big vacation for the year. We have a 13' Scamp. The shop is telling me they will try to find me a tow vehicle they can provide me so we can pull the trailer. My question...should I hold out for a TV with a 7 pin connector and a controller for the brakes, or how big a vehicle do I need to tow a 1200+ lb trailer without using the electric brakes? Is it even possible to use a vehicle without a 7 pin connector? Is there an adapter available?
In Oregon trailer of more then 2000# need brakes under 2000# brakes are not required.
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Old 06-23-2017, 09:56 AM   #8
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I have to wonder why your transmission went south.
Did you have an transmission fluid cooler? Was the trailer weight a contributing factor?
If it's in the shop anyway, I'd certainly get a cooler installed.
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Old 06-23-2017, 11:57 AM   #9
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U-Haul rents pickup trucks.
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Old 06-23-2017, 02:53 PM   #10
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We towed our 13 Scamp DLX with no trailer brakes, with a variety of TVs from VW vans to a Camry. No problems.
State laws notwithstanding, it's your driving skill that matters.
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Old 06-23-2017, 03:16 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by Wayne Collins View Post
...
State laws notwithstanding, it's your driving skill that matters.
Yours, and THE OTHER GUYS.. there is the rub. In fact when I do have to hard brake, 95% of the time it was because of the other guy doing something that could not be predicted nor prevented regardless of the amount of driving skill one possesses. Fortunately, those occurrences are not common, but it only takes one.
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Old 06-23-2017, 03:52 PM   #12
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When do you need electric trailer brakes?
Easy
When you have to stop
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Old 06-23-2017, 04:40 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by redbarron55 View Post
When do you need electric trailer brakes?
Easy
When you have to stop
Yep. This is the right answer. And the lighter the tow vehicle, the more important they are.
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Old 06-23-2017, 10:15 PM   #14
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I agree , if you know how to drive properly, you don't need brakes for a 13 .
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Old 06-23-2017, 10:20 PM   #15
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A skillful driver reads traffic .
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Old 06-23-2017, 10:30 PM   #16
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And, an experienced driver is not over-confident in his ability.
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Old 06-24-2017, 12:19 AM   #17
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A skillful driver reads traffic .
It would it be nice if we could always read traffic and know what was around the next blind corner in the rain. Or read traffic and see the next red light runner.

It's bad advice to tell someone they don't need brakes. It's faulty logic to tell someone they don't need brakes based on your perception of your skill, and while not knowing what their tow vehicle might be.
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Old 06-24-2017, 03:35 AM   #18
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I just picked up my '81 Scamp 13 from the shop after getting a new axle WITH BRAKES. It did not have them before. My tow is a 2016.5 Mazda CX-5, 2000# rated. It does not have a frame, unlike most larger trucks. I am not going to fulltime with this setup, just the occasional camping trip. I am not going to climb the Andes. I am simply trying to reduce stresses on my tow vehicle while increasing my stopping safety factor. If I need to quick stop, I don't need my fiberglass friend pushing me from behind.

It makes me feel better and I am willing to pay extra for that little bit of security. Do I need brakes, well I guess for myself and my peace of mind, I do.
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Old 06-25-2017, 08:19 AM   #19
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It would it be nice if we could always read traffic and know what was around the next blind corner in the rain. Or read traffic and see the next red light runner.
Amen!

I decided I wanted brakes after my 1st near miss in my first year of towing the boler. I came within an inch or two of T-boning the passenger side of a police cruiser at a somewhat of a blind intersection. I was coming down a hill towing the boler and had the green light. The cruiser came through the red.

Trust me, when you can see the whites of the eyes of someone you are just about to hit, your perception of one's driving skills and the need for trailer brakes can change in an instant.
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Old 06-25-2017, 08:57 AM   #20
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Originally Posted by Judy in Oregon View Post
The transmission on my Subaru Forester went south a week ago, and the shop is telling me it won't be fixed until Monday afternoon. Problem is that we are scheduled to leave Sun afternoon for a camping trip, our big vacation for the year. We have a 13' Scamp. The shop is telling me they will try to find me a tow vehicle they can provide me so we can pull the trailer. My question...should I hold out for a TV with a 7 pin connector and a controller for the brakes, or how big a vehicle do I need to tow a 1200+ lb trailer without using the electric brakes? Is it even possible to use a vehicle without a 7 pin connector? Is there an adapter available?
I noticed you're in Oregon. Oregon law requires that if brakes are installed on the trailer they must be operational.
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