How to tell if your Scamp has brakes?

[tinatoombs]

Hey yall - I scanned the threads, but didn't see anything that answers our direct question... How to tell if our 16' 1989 Scamp has its own brakes? We see wires going to the Scamp wheels - does that mean it has electric brakes? The owner wasn't sure if it did. lol. Being in the WNC mountains, we think that it be best to have the brakes... let me know thoughts. We haven't pulled it yet - we are very new Scamp owners and just got a hitch. Waiting to do the wiring harness through our dealership in a few days...

[Donna D.]

You should see wires running to the hubs. The ones running to my 1988 16' Scamp were actually twisted around the axle. No wires, no brakes.


Best of luck!

[alan H]

Well the scamp that i used to have had a square looking plate near drums
I m pretty sure if it has wires going behind wheel drums you gave brakes
One if the first things i d do is check
Age of tires (replace if more than 5 yrs old) either do it your self and repack wheel bearings ... Which is the perfect time ti check for and the condition of the brakes ... And then get a prodigy brake controller
Good luck and be sure to include pics of your trailer ... Everyone on this forum loves em


Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV

[tinatoombs]

Thank you! Here is a pic for this thread...

[ZachO]

Do all trailers with brakes have the round, 7-pin hitch plug? That could be another way to tell if it at least came from the factory with brakes. What's happened to it since then is anyone's guess...

Someone had a good idea with moving the brakes lights up higher.

[tractors1]

Originally Posted by ZachO

Do all trailers with brakes have the round, 7-pin hitch plug? That could be another way to tell if it at least came from the factory with brakes. What's happened to it since then is anyone's guess...

Someone had a good idea with moving the brakes lights up higher.

7-pin connector is needed for the charge line back to the trailer. Does not guarantee there are electric brakes.

[Bill Nolen]

I was under the impression that my 1978 scamp 13 had brakes installed because of the heavy gage orange wiring going from inside of the trailer's floor to both wheels.

However, when the wheels and hubs were removed the brakes had long ago been removed.

Bill

[tinatoombs]

This is good info - thank you!

[floyd]

First picture is hub with no brakes, second picture is hub with brakes...
You can see the difference without removing the wheel.

[Uplander]

Look for wires going to wheels and also a "Break Away" switch connected by a braided wire that gets connected with the safety chains from the trailer's tounge to the tow vehicle.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Uplander

Look for wires going to wheels and also a "Break Away" switch connected by a braided wire that gets connected with the safety chains from the trailer's tounge to the tow vehicle.

The OP's trailer came factory equipped with brakes but not with a breakaway switch, a breakaway switch would be an aftermarket addition which may not be there.

[Bill Nolen]

Originally Posted by floyd

First picture is hub with no brakes, second picture is hub with brakes...
You can see the difference without removing the wheel.

Floyd, thanks for the photos.

If the inter brake components have been removed, (as on my Scamp axle) and the brake hub has been retained, it might look something like this.




When I asked my "Axle Guy" about it, he said that if the brake components failed, it was best to replace them, or if funds were a problem, then remove them, because any loose part could damage the hub. Sometime in the past that is what must have happened with my Scamp.

Bill