
	Already a member? Login here. If not, Register Today! \| Help

Newest | Active | Popular | RVing FAQ

Forum Rules | Forum Help and Support | Contact

Open Roads Forum > Folding Trailers

This Topic Is Closed | Print Topic | Post New Topic |

Sponsored By:

wegngis

Oregon

New Member

Joined: 06/22/2005

View Profile

Offline

Posted: 05/21/11 02:17pm

Link | Print | Notify Moderator

Hi everyone. I looked at a 1992 Coleman Chesapeake (Pioneer series) today that states its weight as 1360. I have always operated under the impression that if it's over 1000 pounds, it needs brakes. I looked, and I'm not seeing brakes, unless I'm blind and I don't know what I looking for. Is it possible this trailer has been modified?

Terryallan

Foothills NC

Senior Member

Joined: 06/28/2004

View Profile

Offline

Posted: 05/21/11 02:28pm

Link | Print | Notify Moderator

Lots of popups do not come with brakes, and many feel they are not needed on MOST pups. I puped for 25 years, and none of my pups had brakes. The heaviest was 2600lbs loaded.

Also much depends on the State you live in, AND the TV you are towing with. I towed mine with Jeeps, Rangers, and 150s. I never had a problem stopping them. They stopped a lot quicker than mt TT does, and it has brakes.

IF you feel it needs brakes. You can add them. But unless your state requires brakes on such a lite trailer, or your TV does. I wouldn't bother. I wouldn't hesitate to guess that 90% of the pups you see on the road. Don't have trailer brakes.

Also I'm betting. IF that pup was sold NEW in your state. Brakes are not, or were not, required on it.

* This post was edited 05/21/11 02:36pm by Terryallan *

Terry & Shay
Coachman Apex 288BH.
04 F150, 5.4, Lariat SuperCab
Lazy Campers

mike4947

N. Syracuse, NY

Senior Member

Joined: 08/26/2002

View Profile

Good Sam RV Club Member

Offline

Posted: 05/21/11 05:18pm

Link | Print | Notify Moderator

As an FYI the square flange with the four holes is a mounting plate for a brake assembly. So you can have them added.

blog.rv.net Your daily guide to the Open Road

Subscribe to the daily digest

They say you learn by your mistakes, in that case I must be a genius.

Gale Hawkins

Murray, KY

Senior Member

Joined: 07/22/2007

View Profile

Offline

Posted: 05/21/11 02:43pm

Link | Print | Notify Moderator

Brakes can be a liability on light trailers especially.

mockturtle

Senior Member

Joined: 05/31/2005

View Profile

Good Sam RV Club Member

Posted: 05/21/11 03:06pm

Link | Print | Notify Moderator

According to the TL 'Rules of the Road', the only states requiring trailer brakes for trailers under 1500 lbs. are New York and Florida.

2000 Born Free 24RB Class C
6.8L Ford V-10 Engine, E450 Chassis
2002 Honda CR-V toad
Roadmaster Sterling A/T towbar
VIP braking system
Eddyline Merlin kayak

wegngis

Oregon

New Member

Joined: 06/22/2005

View Profile

Offline

Posted: 05/21/11 04:11pm

Link | Print | Notify Moderator

Gale Hawkins wrote:

Brakes can be a liability on light trailers especially.

Do you have an example?

Terryallan

Foothills NC

Senior Member

Joined: 06/28/2004

View Profile

Offline

Posted: 05/21/11 07:26pm

Link | Print | Notify Moderator

wegngis wrote:

Gale Hawkins wrote:

Brakes can be a liability on light trailers especially.

Do you have an example?

He may not, but I do. I borrowed a friends flat bed trailer. It weighed about 1500lbs by it self. It had trailer brakes for when it was loaded. But at 1500lbs. It would just bounce and slide the tires every time I touched the brake pedal. I kept dialing brakes out of it to get it to stop sliding the tires, Untill finally I had no power going to the traler brakes at all. So really on a light trailer. they are pretty useless.

copeland343

Central Louisiana

Senior Member

Joined: 07/28/2006

View Profile

Good Sam RV Club Member

Offline

Posted: 05/21/11 09:11pm

Link | Print | Notify Moderator

My 16 foot flat bed trailer has brakes on it. It slides the tires if I apply the brakes if it is loaded a lite load. I have two connectors on the trailer one is flat four so no brakes and the other is 6 round for when loaded. The trailer has come around before when braking with no load when the road is wet, that was not a fun feeling. I am not sure but I think Louisiana requires brakes some where between 2000 and 2500 lbs.

Gale Hawkins

Murray, KY

Senior Member

Joined: 07/22/2007

View Profile

Offline

Posted: 05/21/11 11:35pm

Link | Print | Notify Moderator

wegngis wrote:

Gale Hawkins wrote:

Brakes can be a liability on light trailers especially.

Do you have an example?

None more practical than Terryallen and copeland343 provided.

copeland343 like like that 4 pin/6 pin connector solution. Just leaving it disconnected means no lights but a safer tow.

I saw a log truck driver almost kill my neighbor on a 601 Ford tractor and bush hog by dragging the sliding trailer across the tractor when he hit his brakes when he saw he was going to hit me head on. He had ran up on the tractor (they ran about 70 MPH empty in that era) in a curve and had started to pass before seeing us.

Clearly it was going to be the death of our neighbor. It just happened to be a eight mile section of road bed that was redone in the mid 50's with full shoulders so I just hit the shoulder running 50-60 MPH. The trucker got off the brakes and on the fuel and shot between me and my neighbor on my side of the highway.