Brakes on 13' - Fiberglass RV
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 05-24-2013, 03:13 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
courtney's Avatar
 
Name: Courtney
Trailer: 1982 13ft Scamp purchased on May 2nd
Georgia
Posts: 303
Brakes on 13'

Getting new tires on the 82 Scamp and find out there are drum brakes on it that aren't hooked up. What's THAT about?!?!
courtney is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-24-2013, 03:20 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Brian B-P's Avatar
 
Trailer: Boler (B1700RGH) 1979
Posts: 5,002
My guess: one previous owner realized that it should have brakes and had them installed; a later previous owner (or even the same one) decided they didn't want to maintain them and stopped using them. If it has only a 4-pin electrical connector to the tug, someone may have started towing with a vehicle without brake wiring and rather than equipping the tug, abandoned the trailer brakes.
__________________
1979 Boler B1700RGH, pulled by 2004 Toyota Sienna LE 2WD
Information is good. Lack of information is not so good, but misinformation is much worse. Check facts, and apply common sense liberally.
STATUS: No longer active in forum.
Brian B-P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-24-2013, 03:28 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
courtney's Avatar
 
Name: Courtney
Trailer: 1982 13ft Scamp purchased on May 2nd
Georgia
Posts: 303
Connector from Scamp is a 4, but wires look to have been hacked somewhere along the way.
courtney is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-24-2013, 03:32 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Brian B-P's Avatar
 
Trailer: Boler (B1700RGH) 1979
Posts: 5,002
Also...
They're drum brakes, but are they electric or hydraulic? Someone could abandon electric brakes because their tug is not set up with a controller and wiring (see above post); they could abandon hydraulic surge brakes if the coupler/actuator failed and they didn't bother to fix it.
__________________
1979 Boler B1700RGH, pulled by 2004 Toyota Sienna LE 2WD
Information is good. Lack of information is not so good, but misinformation is much worse. Check facts, and apply common sense liberally.
STATUS: No longer active in forum.
Brian B-P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-24-2013, 03:36 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Thomas G.'s Avatar
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 5,112
I would recommend to you that you get the brakes fixed. If they are all rusty and messed up you can install new ones very cheaply (just 4 bolts to remove). You'd need to add a controller to your tow vehicle.

Brakes make towing a lot nicer - stops are faster and smoother and you can stop trailer sway with the manual switch on the controller.
__________________
UHaul and Burro owners, join the UHaul Campers on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/529276933859491/
Thomas G. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-24-2013, 03:42 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Carol H's Avatar
 
Trailer: 92 16 ft Scamp
Posts: 11,756
Registry
Courtney did the PO replace the axle by chance? If so it may be the trailer didnt have an axle that allowed for brakes and they replaced they decided to have an axle and brake drums added but never got around to having the brake wiring added or the pads added... just another possibility.
Carol H is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-24-2013, 06:25 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
courtney's Avatar
 
Name: Courtney
Trailer: 1982 13ft Scamp purchased on May 2nd
Georgia
Posts: 303
Unfortunately, I never met the true PO. The person I bought it from got it at an estate sale and flipped it :-/
courtney is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-24-2013, 07:08 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
GMike A's Avatar
 
Name: Mike
Trailer: 2001 Spirit Deluxe 17" K5NAN
Texas
Posts: 688
There are one or two Youtube videos that tell you how to test your brakes to see if they are functional. Essentially hooking a battery up the magnets and see if they activate the pads. Others can provide more data. I replaced both of mine with brand new all the way around rather cheaply but you can replace individual components if you so desire.
__________________
Mike
K5NAN
"Miss Adventures"
If you Rest, You Rust
GMike A is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-24-2013, 07:22 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Donna D.'s Avatar
 
Trailer: 1988 16 ft Scamp Deluxe
Posts: 25,697
As Carol mentioned, brake drums don't necessarily mean you have brake shoes (magnet and springs either). Have you looked?
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward - 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Double Yolk - 1988 16' Scamp Deluxe
Donna D. is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Brakes Rick Mooyman Modifications, Alterations and Updates 7 02-08-2012 06:13 AM
? on brakes thunter Towing, Hitching, Axles and Running Gear 11 02-04-2012 06:33 PM
Brakes Roger C H Towing, Hitching, Axles and Running Gear 9 01-12-2012 08:44 PM
Brakes JasonWesterman Towing, Hitching, Axles and Running Gear 3 12-04-2011 03:04 PM
brakes or no brakes Penney H. & Mike E. Towing, Hitching, Axles and Running Gear 17 08-13-2007 02:35 PM

» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 10:06 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.