Maintenance & Restoration

Lyndee in the Port · 04-05-2014, 02:02 PM

Hello...Just purchased a 1980 Trillium 4500 and have been gathering information about it from the forums.

I have a concern about towing the trailer...as it appears NOT to have brakes!

Do I need to have some installed...are there other 4500's without brakes or has a past owner removed them? Any input would be appreciated.

My towing vehicle is a 2004 Acura MDX with a towing package.

While driving the trailer home (230 km/143 miles) I did noticed the weight but did not have any trouble stopping or maneuvering the unit.

My previous Trillium was a 1972 -- 1300. It was so light sometimes I had to remind myself I was towing something!

Roy in TO · 04-05-2014, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lyndee in the Port

...as it appears NOT to have brakes!

Have you checked to make sure? Take a tire off and look. If it's got drums, it should have brakes. If not there is usally a square plate with 4 holes in it at the back of the spindle. Then brakes are an easy addition.

Having brakes is good for other things than stopping. They are helpful in stopping trailer sway after an evasive action or wind sway etc.

Francesca Knowles · 04-05-2014, 03:21 PM

I thought that all 4500's came with brakes, at least by 1980. I could be wrong, though.

Besides looking at the wheels as suggested, you might look for a blue wire under the trailer, or at the junction box where the pigtail connects to inside wiring. (under bench up front, streetside.) If there's a blue wire there, that's brakes. Could be disconnected or removed. I've seen trailers that have had their original 7-blade pigtails chopped off/replaced with a flat four before, too, which would obviously result in no brake (or 12v power) connection

Good luck!

David Tilston · 04-07-2014, 10:04 AM

Lynda, Please take off your tire, then take a picture of what is there. We love pictures.

My second 4500, Launch pad had 10" brakes installed, but with no magnets, so no brakes. I think most, if not all 4500's came with brakes, but things change.

Reid Larsen · 04-07-2014, 11:31 AM

Our '79 Trillium 4500 was very original when we bought it and it had no brakes. We towed it w/ a 2002 Toyota Highlander, similar to your tug in many respects and we put brakes on the trailer soon after getting it. Having pulled this trailer over numerous mountain passes and being involved in a couple of panic stops I would encourage you to find out if you have brakes and hook them up if you do and get them if you don't. You won't be sorry

Lyndee in the Port · 04-11-2014, 08:12 PM

Thank-you everyone for your input. Just went to have a look under the trailer and I do see the square plate with four holes. I also see two wires hanging there and one is blue. I will try to get some pictures posted tomorrow.

David Tilston · 04-14-2014, 06:15 PM

Is the blue wire connected to anything?

Lyndee in the Port · 04-27-2014, 03:17 PM

Hello David,
The wires were not connected to anything, they are just hanging there. So in desperation I asked my brother to have a look. He said there are no brakes. He also said that he is willing to put some on for me (he is a superstar car mechanic!) Sorry for the lack of pictures...just not sure how to post them! Thanks again to everyone for their input. I am now busy cleaning and redecorating the inside...it has quite an unusual colour scheme that I have decided I can not live with! If I can figure out how to post the pics I will do so.