I'm new at TT's, having just sold my older Class-A (that wasn't being used as much as I would have liked)and going to a TT behind my 2010 F150. I want to be able to drive the TT down my long, downhill driveway, hooked to the front hitch receiver on my truck. I use this method to get my boat into the garage down this same driveway but it doesn't have electric brakes on the trailer. What problems, if any, will I have with the electric breaks on the TT?
Quote: Simple, even in your own driveway, especially if you have a rather steep driveway it would be in your BEST INTEREST to have WORKING brakes on your trailer. This is extremely important when you are moving something in the 3-10K weight range.
I certainly would not wish to back my 26 ft TT or my 18ft 10K flat bed down my driveway without having working trailer brakes (my driveway drops 10 ft below the road over the length of 125 ft).
I would suggest mounting an extra connector on the front of your TV to allow the capability of brakes.
Even if you did that, the electric trailer brakes would not function very well anyway, if you are driving forward with the truck and the trailer hitched to the front of the truck, the trailer will be going backward..
Trailer electric brakes work on a simple 'lever' action... When the trailer wheel is rolling 'forward' and the brake is applied, it sends an electric current to a magnet in the assembly. This magnet 'grabs' the brake drum, similar to 'half' of a disk brake assembly.. When it does this, it's attached to a 'lever' that is on a kind of 'cam' thingy and makes it expand against the drum.
When the wheel is going in reverse, the magnet still grabs the drum, but the lever action does not apply an expanding motion, so the pads don't contact the drum...
The whole point of attaching a trailer to the front of a truck is to drive it forward to back the trailer into whatever tight spot it needs to go in...
Think of when you back your trailer into it's site.. If the trailer brakes worked the same as they do going forward, you would never get it backed in! Every time you hit the brake pedal, it would apply the brakes!
skipnchar wrote: Even if you run a 7 pin plug to the front of your truck, MANY trailers don't have brakes when going backward.
The reason they don't is because they are drum brakes. An automobile mechanic can explain better than I, but basically when going forward the shoe doing all the work is the rear shoe, the front shoe is just there to help actuate the rear shoe. When going backwards then the mechanism works in reverse and it is up to the front shoe to do the braking and the front shoes are not designed for heavy braking.
Many cars have still have rear drum brakes. Put on the emergency brake and they may still roll easily when going backwards, but not forward.
Driver's test question. When two cars meet on a single lane mountain road, which car is supposed to stop and go in reverse until it can find a place to pull over and let the other pass?
skipnchar writes "Even if you run a 7 pin plug to the front of your truck, MANY trailers don't have brakes when going backward."
Hmm.. my 1984 Komfort brakes WORK very well when backing up.
Perhaps 1970s trailers had single acting brakes but I can tell you that both of my 1980s trailers had double acting brakes.
Some brake controllers might not have brakes in reverse (perhaps some of the favorite plug and play deceleration types) but I CAN assure you that my Jordan 2020 DOES indeed work in reverse.
As far as the OP's questions I will take a few stabs at answers.
Boat trailers, well some boat trailers which have brakes tend to have a a controller built into the tongue which senses if the trailer needs to apply brakes. Some boat trailers don't have brakes (small light weight trailers).
Per Federal regs, any trailer exceeding 3,000 lbs will require brakes and break away system.
Under 3,000 lbs, it is up to each state to decide if brakes are required but as a general rule most states will be at 3,000 lbs and under with no brakes.
Per Fed regs, your break away system must be able to stop AND hold your trailer in case of break away situation. This would go for BACKWARDS, the trailer brakes should be able to prevent the trailer from rolling in EITHER DIRECTION, PERIOD.
Now, you may be wondering where I am going...
Simple, even in your own driveway, especially if you have a rather steep driveway it would be in your BEST INTEREST to have WORKING brakes on your trailer. This is extremely important when you are moving something in the 3-10K weight range.
I certainly would not wish to back my 26 ft TT or my 18ft 10K flat bed down my driveway without having working trailer brakes (my driveway drops 10 ft below the road over the length of 125 ft).
I would suggest mounting an extra connector on the front of your TV to allow the capability of brakes.
I have to disagree a little on the "brakes not working/working well in reverse" discussion. I have a 2011 Keystone. I have to back it UP a hill in my driveway. I usually have my left foot touching the brake pedal a little when doing so, so that when I let off the gas, the whole rig doesn't immediately start to roll forward. Just touching the brake pedal activates the trailer brakes. Anyway, I can tell you that the brakes work very well in reverse. Also, my Tekonsha Prodigy brake controller has a 3 minute brake override feature which cuts the "Boost" braking function. It still activates the brakes, but at a lower power. Here's the blurb: ((Reverse-
When backing a trailer you can cancel “BOOST” and
“HOLD” for a period of three minutes. This can be
accomplished by pressing the boost button continuously
for five seconds with the brake pedal depressed.)) The instructions clearly state this is intended for use when backing up. Additionally, logically the trailer brakes should work in reverse. What are you supposed to do if you're backing your trailer, hooked up at the back of your truck, downhill? You would want your brakes to work, wouldn't you? Perhaps, and I'm not saying I know for sure, they do not work as strongly in reverse. Again, logically you're not driving in reverse at 60+ mph. But, I believe they are designed to function effectively enough in reverse for low speed braking. Just make sense. JMHO
2012 Ford F250 Super Duty, SC 4x4 XLT, 6.2L, 3.73 gears
2011 Keystone Sprinter Select 29BH
They won't work as well because of the leading shoe now being the trailing shoe and the "camming" action is reversed, but they will still function - provided you install a 7 pin plug on the front... Personally, I don't think you'll need the brakes but if it makes you feel better, install the 7 pin connector...
Just make sure your hitch and frame are rated for the TT tongue weight... Going over a bit won't hurt, but I would be hesitant to drop #1000 of tongue weight onto a hitch (and springs, frame, etc) rated for #500...
Les
* This post was
edited 07/14/11 06:50pm by LAdams *
2000 Ford F-250SD, XLT, 4X4 Off Road, SuperCab
w/ 6.8L (415 C.I.) V-10/3:73LS/4R100
Banks Power Pack w/Trans Command & OttoMind
Sold Trailer - not RV'ing at this point in time
Quote: Driver's test question. When two cars meet on a single lane mountain road, which car is supposed to stop and go in reverse until it can find a place to pull over and let the other pass?
Pretty easy, the one going down hill must back up. I've run into that situation a number of times and you don't want to do it the other way around. Backing UP hill is easy but not so much backing down hill and that's especially true when towing.
Why do you want to move the TT down the driveway hitched to the front of your TV? Reason I ask, you won't be able to see around the TT. You'll be staring at the front of the TT, won't be able to see around the TT, unless your hitch is offset a few feet to the passenger's side of your TV.
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Backing UP hill is easy but not so much backing down hill and that's especially true when towing.
