Bring Casita home without an electric brake controller?

[JaneM.]

I know we'll need an electronic brake controller, but if we don't have one installed before we pick up a Casita 17' would you drive the trailer home (say less than 500 miles) without it? We hope to have a trailer next weekend and would be borrowing a friend's truck to bring it home as we don't yet have a tow vehicle. (We were hoping to have one, but some things happen differently than we plan!) We would obviously have one connected once we get a TV. (Question also posted on the Casita forum)
thanks very much,
Jane

[Greg H]

You should be ok, just be careful leave plenty of following distance, the bigger the truck the better off you will be. I don't use a brake controller on my 13'er it doesn't have brakes.

[honda03842]

We brought our first trailer home 200 miles before we had a controller. We went rather slowly and kept a fair distance between us and other vehicles.

Norm

Originally Posted by Greg H

You should be ok, just be careful leave plenty of following distance, the bigger the truck the better off you will be. I don't use a brake controller on my 13'er it doesn't have brakes.

[JaneM.]

I just learned that California requires trailer brakes on anything over 1500lbs. I might have to store it where it is until we get a TV and have it correctly equipped, but I thought to install the brake controller the mechanic had to have both the TV and the trailer. No? Thanks!

[Matt in SV]

Did you see the recent thread on the Tekonsha wireless brake controller? You can move it from vehicle to vehicle by just the cigarette lighter power cable. I think you can find them for $300 or so.

Tekonsha Prodigy RF Brake Controller - Proportional - Trailer Mounted Tekonsha Brake Controller 90250

I wouldn't want to take a risk with a borrowed TV and an unfamiliar trailer.

Here's the forum thread.
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ler-45121.html

If the brakes and wiring on the trailer are functioning and you have a 7-pin connector on the tow vehicle, or a 4-pin to 7-pin adapter, with the RF controller it should be plug and play. The exception is the charge wire, which you're not likely to need for this trip.

Regards,

Matt

[Greg H]

Originally Posted by JaneM.

I just learned that California requires trailer brakes on anything over 1500lbs. I might have to store it where it is until we get a TV and have it correctly equipped, but I thought to install the brake controller the mechanic had to have both the TV and the trailer. No? Thanks!

I know I do some sketchy stuff, but who is crawling around to see if you have a brake controller.

[honda03842]

Trailer is not needed to install a controller.

Norm

Originally Posted by JaneM.

I just learned that California requires trailer brakes on anything over 1500lbs. I might have to store it where it is until we get a TV and have it correctly equipped, but I thought to install the brake controller the mechanic had to have both the TV and the trailer. No? Thanks!

[JaneM.]

Thank you, Norman! I clearly wear my "newbie" patch visibly!

[honda03842]

We all did at one time. Better to be a newdie than never be,

Norm

Originally Posted by JaneM.

Thank you, Norman! I clearly wear my "newbie" patch visibly!

[Greg H]

Originally Posted by honda03842

We all did at one time. Better to be a newdie than never be,

Norm

He said newdie.

[JaneM.]

Yikes! I definitely would rather be a Newbie than a Newdie! :-0

[Chris Z]

Jane Let me tell you a story: In 2006 with a new Chevy Suburban and 16' Scamp and with 5 grandkids with us, we went 5000 miles around the western states not long after i got the used Scamp. At the time, I never heard of a brake controller and never had an issue but a Suburban is a pretty big vehicle. When i got my Casita, I immediately noticed it being harder to stop and did a little research. Low and behold they made these things called brake controllers! Helps a bunch. I suppose what I am saying is that if you have a large vehicle and are willing to go slow and very careful, you could PROBABLY get by with it.
Oh and the lights all worked fine since it was plugged into the 7 pin socket. A 7 to 4 conversion would've done the same.

[honda03842]

Newdie, Yikes the 'd' is not near the 'b'. It must be sub conscious at work. Sorry. Norm

[ThomasE]

If your friend has a full size truck you shouldn't have problems towing it home without a brake controller. I towed my trailer home, and to the DMV for inspection before I got my controller installed and could stop pretty easily.

[Borden]

(should be light empty) light enough maybe but still like the idea of the wireless controller Matt in SV talked about. A fine may pay for the controler? again you may not get stopped. The truck may pull it fine stopping will require more space especially down hill.

[JaneM.]

Problem solved (at least temporarily)! A friend offered to lend us her truck (with which she tows her trailer) and it has an electronic brake controller. Hopefully we'll be driving home with our new baby this weekend. I'll post an announcement if we do.

Thanks again for everyone's help! I now know what we need in a TV and feel much more informed in general!

[Darnelle]

I towed our new-to-us 16' Scamp home without a brake controller. However the trip was just 2 hours and I did it very late at night when traffic was extremely low. Vehicle was a 4x4 Ranger with heavy-duty tow package. Really noticed the weight when braking. Glad nothing required a fast stop.

[John in Azusa]

Picking up my Casita this Monday, 12/3/12. Tow vehicle is 2008 Volvo XC90 with factory hitch and wiring. How was your brake controller wired in? Thanks

[JaneM.]

Congratulations John! You'll love your new Casita!

In the end, we didn't tow without a brake controller - the fabulous Lew (who has since passed) towed the Casita to us and stayed for a couple of days. We then had the brake controller installed on our truck by our mechanic.

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by John in Azusa

Picking up my Casita this Monday, 12/3/12. Tow vehicle is 2008 Volvo XC90 with factory hitch and wiring. How was your brake controller wired in? Thanks

Take a look at this page, John: Brake Controller/wiring for 2008 Volvo XC90

Francesca