Trailering........

Marcus

Marcus

Well-known member
Guys - Over on the "A" Forum, a question was asked about trailering, with some thoughtful answers. However, the one that intrigued me concerned NOT using a "surge" brake. I have two open car haulers, one 18' and one 20' - one with electric brakes and one with surge brakes: I actually prefer the surge brake as it seems (maybe my imagination) that it "pulls harder" when slowing...........anyone have any information, pro or con??
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Here in the UK we don't have electric brakes, only what we call "overrun" brakes, which I guess are what you call "surge". Same goes for Europe. I think electric trailer brakes are a peculiarly American idea.

So there are vast swathes of the globe that do not have electric brakes. Nothing wrong with "surge" brakes on a trailer.

Mart.
 
Had a 1956 sante Fe travel trailer single axle with surge brakes. Going down a very long steep grade it caught one side on fire & blew out the tire.Both sides were very hot. The road was very narrow & nowhere to pull over so had to ride it out. I'll take the elec brakes. You can also slow your vehile down just by using the brake controller. This is VERY handy on icy roads or if your trailer would happen to start swaying. I know I have a antisway bar & loas levelers just statin my thoughts.
 
If you have surge brakes don't overload the front of the trailer, keep it balanced. I had too much weight on the hitch and going down a hill I didn't have enough weight on the front wheels to use the brakes without locking them up. I couldn't slow down enough to make the surge brakes work. I like electric brakes.

Bill
 
Some people claim the when backing up a trailer with surge breaks it causes the barkes to engage as well making it harder to backup. I have towed with one for years and never had a problem.
 
I'm a big fan of electric brakes, and have them on several different trailers. You can set a sensitivity threshold to allow the brake controller to engage them when you hit the tow vehicle's brakes, or you can over ride and manually engage the trailer's brakes if needed. I like that flexibility over surge brakes. JMO.

Bob T
 
Actually we don't tend to have the very long gradients you can get in the USA over here, maybe that's why the electric setup remains popular over there.

Mart.
 
I like the electric brakes because you can control how hard ypor trailer brakes.I have 3 trailers with electric and i have to reset the controller on each one when i hook up..
 
Torchie said:
Some people claim the when backing up a trailer with surge breaks it causes the barkes to engage as well making it harder to backup. I have towed with one for years and never had a problem.
Click to expand...


I have one axle surge and one electric...
I had not hooked up the electric brakes when called upon to do an emerency stop... The surge brakes are in effect an ABS...

And, they do stop me from backing up- I made a plate that is held by the trailer and rubs the trailer ball to keep the brakes from going on. Have to stop and put it place manually.
Karl
 
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I towed an open 20 foot car trailer with surge b rakes for 20-25 years without a problem. My surge brakes had an opening in which you inserted a pin and then you could back up the trailer without any brake action. The only inconvenience was getting out of the truck cab to insert the pin, and then to retrieve it after backing. The trailer had hydraulic brakes.
 
Been using my trailer with surge brakes going on 33 years so far, up and down the Sierras to Tahoe and back a few times, no problems.
 
A.P. Warner developed the electric trailer brake. Went on to make various industrial electric brakes.
However, he is known for an invention we use, or should use, each time we drive our cars. Take a wild guess.


Originally it was called the Speed - O - Meter. Cars 100 years ago, did not have a speedometer, no one seemed to care what there speed was. He traveled around with a large Speed O Meter mounted on the back of his car - above the bumper. That is how it was originally sold, as an aftermarket product.

Then he met Mr. Stewart and well, we all have some Stewart - Warner gauges.

And that my friends, is the rest of the story.
 
Anyone use a crown vic, or big mercury to tow with? I have an A/v8 and would like to get a small trailer, and tow it with the big Mercury. Don't need a truck for anything else if the car would work, thanks Chuck.
 
Chuck,

Before I bought my El Camino and set it up for towing, I towed my show car AMX with my Camaro equipped with air shocks and trans cooler.
 

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