Trailer Brakes
 

My new trailer should be done next friday and I have a question about the brakes. They are electric over hydraulic not surge. I had a hitch put on the front of my truck to push the boat up my driveway.

My question is will I be able to do this with the trailer plug disconnected from the truck, or will the brakes engage when it is disconnected? All the trailers I have had in the past have been surge, so this is new to me.

Usually on electric brakes there is a "break-away" cable on the trailer that attaches to the truck. In the event of a separation of truck and trailer, the cable actuates the emergency brakes. You should be able to back up the driveway with no problem. If you are going to pull the boat out of the garage with the front of the truck, you could wire the brakes to work on the front also, so you would have brakes coming out of the garage :) .
Robert

The break away system is what I am afraid of. We are actually going to push it up a long driveway with some tight turns, much easier than backing up. I know that when you put in in reverse it will lock out the brake system, but in drive it will not do that. I don't know how to lock out the system and not be in reverse.

If they are drum brakes, you have nothing to fear as they don't work very well in reverse. Even then, I don't believe the brakes will activate. The idea of wiring them off the front of the truck is a good idea, but I belive the controller will give you fits because you'll be going backwards, not forwards.

They are disks (all 3 axles), hopefully you are right about not engaging. I guess I will have to call the trailer builder tommorow. I just started thinking about it tonight and it was bugging me. Thanks for the response.:cool:

The only type that will cause you any trouble backing up a hill, with the wiring harness unhooked, is straight surge brakes. Neither the electric brakes nor the electric over hydraulic brakes will actuate with the harness unhooked.:D

you will be fine pushing the trailer up the drive. The electric breaks are only able to work from a power source in the tow vehicle. If the harness isn't connected then you have no brakes. The "break away" brakes don't come into play either. They are activated by the emergency cable and powered by a battery mounted to the trailer.

THats right ! If it's 'NOT' plugged in , you will have NO brakes .

AND... if you are going to be pulling it down a long, steep driveway with tight turns with the front of your truck, I would wire a plug to the front of your truck so you have trailer brakes. That way your truck brakes are not doing all the work.