Hello All - We are picking up our brand-spankin new Jayco 806 this week - this is our first foray into trailer camping, having only been tent campers until now.
So, our question is... how crucial are brakes in our situation? The 806 has a GVW rating of 2000 lbs, which is also the towing max on our Toyota Sienna. As our new camper is now, it doesn't have brakes but I'm wondering if we shouldn't have the electric ones installed.
The folks at the Jayco dealership didn't seem to think this would be an issue but I was hoping you good folks at PUT could offer a little more advice. Many thanks.
Quote from: RCAHello All - We are picking up our brand-spankin new Jayco 806 this week - this is our first foray into trailer camping, having only been tent campers until now.
So, our question is... how crucial are brakes in our situation? The 806 has a GVW rating of 2000 lbs, which is also the towing max on our Toyota Sienna. As our new camper is now, it doesn't have brakes but I'm wondering if we shouldn't have the electric ones installed.
The folks at the Jayco dealership didn't seem to think this would be an issue but I was hoping you good folks at PUT could offer a little more advice. Many thanks.
Many other manufacturers would have put brakes on that trailer as standard equipment. Jayco trailers tend to be fairly stable to tow, but when all the chips are being cashed in, the most important thing is whether you can safely stop.
You can tow that trailer safely without brakes -
but if you stop reading there you are missing information you need to know. Your stopping distance will significantly increase, and your following distance has to increase to match. The
only way to make up for the fact that it will take longer for you to stop is to leave more room to stop.
You will increase the amount of wear and tear on your tow vehicle brakes, resulting in more frequent brake service. Most feel that compared to the cost of installing brakes, this is probably a wash. Pay me now or pay me later.
If you tow in the mountains, you will have to come down
very slowly to avoid overheating your tow vehicle brakes. Once they've begun to fade (and they will), you
must stop to let them cool, or face a very bad situation.
I don't know a nice way to say this, and I don't mean it to sound condescending - but if you are asking this question, you are only a beginner at towing. Brakes make it a good bit easier and safer to tow if you're not experienced. (They make it easier if you are experienced as well.)
Do you have to have them? No. Are they a good idea? Absolutely yes.
Austin
Get the brakes. Be safe.
I'm in a VERY simlillar situation. We're picking up our camper this friday. We drive an '04 Honda Odyssey which also has a tow max rating of 3,500 lbs. Our pop-up weighs 1540 lbs and DOES have brakes. We were told all sorts of different opinions by various dealers. Our Honda manual states that anything over 1,000 lbs being towed should have brakes. Check out your Toyota manual. I do have a neighbor who has a 1900 lb Rockwood and pulls with a Sienna and he does have brakes on his pop-up.
We were also told to get the power steerling and trans cooler put in so we don't over heat or blow our transmission. I'm not sure if this is necessary, but, this is another thing we're getting mixed reviews on too.
Good luck and enjoy.
In California, by law, you're required to have trailer brakes if the gross weight of 1500 lbs more more. For starters, check your state.
However, as AB said, no matter what, having brakes are smarter, especially given how close to your TV's limit you are.
Even with my Explorer's 7300lb towing capacity, when my old Coleman Niagara's brakes went out and I had to tow it to the dealer without, I definitely noticed it, and was a bit nervous -- and my truck has powerful brakes.
This is a safety issue. Never skimp on safety. The lives of you and your family (not to mention others on the road with you) are at least worth the extra expense of the brakes. That in itself should be the answer to your question.
NYS requires brakes if unloaded vehicle weight is greater than 1000 lbs. Doesn't matter what the state of registration is, if you're towing in NYS, you need brakes.
RCA welcome to PUT.
If you are thinking you need brakes, then you do. If you don't get them you will worry more. If it were me I would have brakes on the trailer, no doubt about it.:)
If your a very careful driver, and are very lucky, you will probably only regret not having them once or twice...........GET THE BRAKES!
Quote from: dthurkThis is a safety issue. Never skimp on safety. The lives of you and your family (not to mention others on the road with you) are at least worth the extra expense of the brakes. That in itself should be the answer to your question.
NYS requires brakes if unloaded vehicle weight is greater than 1000 lbs. Doesn't matter what the state of registration is, if you're towing in NYS, you need brakes.
I'm SORRY but this is not true. I have towed my 2000 lb boat for 21 years and it doesn't have or need brakes according to NYS law. I have fishing buddies that have much bigger boats that are NEW that didn't come with brakes. And as far as a out of stater coming into NYS towing he would be going by his state laws as far as electric brakes. BUT all newer CAMPERS in NYS need brakes to pass NYS inspections BUT boats do NOT.
All I will say is:
A minivan is designed to stop the vehicle with people in it, not a trailer AND a load of people. If you have never had the experience of being in your rig and finally stopping on the far side of an intersection, while driving at or below the speed limit as I did while towing with a minivan and a trailer with no brakes...
NYS laws/regulations say the braking requirement starts at 1000 pounds unloaded weight or 3000 pounds gross loaded weight if the trailer in question weighs less than 1000 pounds.Obviously your boat trailer weighed less than 1000 pounds unloaded and less than 3000 pounds loaded.
Few PU's weigh under 1000 pounds.
BUT, what I've come to live by on brakes for trailers where the state does not have a limit low enough is what is said in the Ford trailer towing manual.
The vehicle brakes are designed for the GVWR of the vehicle, not the GCWR. For total weights over the GVWR brakes are highly recommended.
Few of our TV's have "space" in the GVWR to cover our trailers.
Quote from: Billy BobI'm SORRY but this is not true. I have towed my 2000 lb boat for 21 years and it doesn't have or need brakes according to NYS law. I have fishing buddies that have much bigger boats that are NEW that didn't come with brakes. And as far as a out of stater coming into NYS towing he would be going by his state laws as far as electric brakes. BUT all newer CAMPERS in NYS need brakes to pass NYS inspections BUT boats do NOT.
NYS law reads anything over 1000 lbs empty weight requires brakes. If empty weight is less than 1000, then brakes are required if you are over 3000 GVW. If you are stopped for any traffic violation and the officer finds that you exceed these limits according to the numbers posted on your trailer and you don't have brakes, you will be ticketed for no brakes regardless of state of registration. Speeding tickets are also given to out of state drivers! If you are driving in a state, you are required to observe the MV laws of that particular state. Your original state of registration does not apply. When towing through several states, you should know what the laws are in each state you are passing through pertaining to trailers and towing. You need to comply with ALL requirements found in ALL states.
I'm not aware of any variations for boats, but we're talking campers in this forum, not boats (Wavery excepted!).
Quote from: Billy BobI'm SORRY but this is not true. I have towed my 2000 lb boat for 21 years and it doesn't have or need brakes according to NYS law. I have fishing buddies that have much bigger boats that are NEW that didn't come with brakes. And as far as a out of stater coming into NYS towing he would be going by his state laws as far as electric brakes. BUT all newer CAMPERS in NYS need brakes to pass NYS inspections BUT boats do NOT.
NYS law reads anything over 1000 lbs empty weight requires brakes. If empty weight is less than 1000, then brakes are required if you are over 3000 GVW. If you are stopped for any traffic violation and the officer finds that you exceed these limits according to the numbers posted on your trailer and you don't have brakes, you will be ticketed for no brakes regardless of state of registration. They give speeding tickets to out of state drivers also! Being out of state does not exempt you from state MV laws.
I'm not aware of any variations for boats, but we're talking campers in this forum, not boats (Wavery excepted!).
Quote from: dthurkNYS law reads anything over 1000 lbs empty weight requires brakes. If empty weight is less than 1000, then brakes are required if you are over 3000 GVW. If you are stopped for any traffic violation and the officer finds that you exceed these limits according to the numbers posted on your trailer and you don't have brakes, you will be ticketed for no brakes regardless of state of registration. They give speeding tickets to out of state drivers also! Being out of state does not exempt you from state MV laws.
I'm not aware of any variations for boats, but we're talking campers in this forum, not boats (Wavery excepted!).
Maybe this will help:
From NY State website:
"Every trailer weighing more than 1,000 lbs. (unladen) and every trailer manufactured on or after January 1, 1971, having a maximum gross weight or actual gross weight of more than 3,000 lbs. Shall be equipped with adequate brakes in good working order."
Only thing is.........who says that RCA (original poster) is in NY. He seems to have abandoned his post :p .
I think that we are talking to ourselves again :D . Exercise in futility :p .
Quote from: waveryMaybe this will help:
From NY State website:
"Every trailer weighing more than 1,000 lbs. (unladen) and every trailer manufactured on or after January 1, 1971, having a maximum gross weight or actual gross weight of more than 3,000 lbs. Shall be equipped with adequate brakes in good working order."
Only thing is.........who says that RCA (original poster) is in NY. He seems to have abandoned his post :p .
I think that we are talking to ourselves again :D . Exercise in futility :p .
You're right. He's probably gone. Thanks for the "official" version. I think mine's easier to figure out. Or did you bring this up just for the legalese? Are there any trailers still on the road that were manufactured before 1971?
We're not futile to ourselves. I still learn, that's why I'm here. BTW, thanks for the solar info.
GUYS, I'm sorry but you do not know the complete law. I just registered my boat trailer AGAIN for the 21st time in NY at 1400 lbs empty. With boat and gear it is easily 2000 lbs. I have to get it inspected every year and it passes every year without brakes. (I purchased the complete boat, motor and trailer NEW from a marina in 1985)
BUT you are right with campers. Why NYS makes a different law when it comes to campers I don't know. Call ANY boat dealer and ASK!!!
OH BTW I have towed my boat in NY, OHIO, PA, MI, WI, MN, Ontario and Quebec all WITHOUT trailer brakes.
Bob
Quote from: mike4947NYS laws/regulations say the braking requirement starts at 1000 pounds unloaded weight or 3000 pounds gross loaded weight if the trailer in question weighs less than 1000 pounds.
Quote from: dthurkNYS law reads anything over 1000 lbs empty weight requires brakes. If empty weight is less than 1000, then brakes are required if you are over 3000 GVW.
I think you two are saying the same thing. Am I wrong? I only see a one pound difference.:)
Quote from: Billy BobGUYS, I'm sorry but you do not know the complete law. I just registered my boat trailer AGAIN for the 21st time in NY at 1400 lbs empty. With boat and gear it is easily 2000 lbs. I have to get it inspected every year and it passes every year without brakes. (I purchased the complete boat, motor and trailer NEW from a marina in 1985)
BUT you are right with campers. Why NYS makes a different law when it comes to campers I don't know. Call ANY boat dealer and ASK!!!
OH BTW I have towed my boat in NY, OHIO, PA, MI, WI, MN, Ontario and Quebec all WITHOUT trailer brakes.
Bob
Billy Bob
You can look it up for yourself. That's just what the law states. There is no differentiation as to what the trailer is used for.
I can tell you that the state of California is the same way. I built all of my own boat and dune buggy trailers. I even built a toy hauler. When DMV inspected them, they made sure that the lights worked, there was a number stamped in the tongue that matched the rego and the license plate was in the right place and that was it. I had brakes on the toy hauler but they never asked to see them. I'll tell you what though, if I got stopped for something and didn't have them, I would have gotten a citation.
Quote from: tlhdocI think you two are saying the same thing. Am I wrong? I only see a one pound difference.:)
Yes, we're saying the same thing. So is Wavery in legalese. I'm going from memory, Wavery is getting information off some official NYS web page. Don't know where mike is finding his information, but we all seem to be on the same page. Ends up kind of moot as far as I'm concerned. Brakes are better than no brakes. After all, the laws of physics supercede the laws of any state.
Quote from: Billy BobI'm SORRY but this is not true. I have towed my 2000 lb boat for 21 years and it doesn't have or need brakes according to NYS law. I have fishing buddies that have much bigger boats that are NEW that didn't come with brakes. And as far as a out of stater coming into NYS towing he would be going by his state laws as far as electric brakes. BUT all newer CAMPERS in NYS need brakes to pass NYS inspections BUT boats do NOT.
While I agree the OP was wrong about the 1,000 lb rule (unless it just recently changed), there is some junk in your post, too.
I wonder what "much bigger" means. These boating sites think 3,000 lbs is the rule in NYS:
http://www.boatus.com/towing/towlaw.htmhttp://www.americanboating.org/towing.aspAs far as who's towing laws apply, reciprocity is
not universal, and you may or may not have to comply with all of the laws of the state you are towing in, even if you comply with the rules of your own state. The cop writing your ticket does not know the rules of your state, or even if reciprocity applies, and you will have to go to court to prove you are innocent - if indeed you are innocent. Unless the state has specifically granted out-of-state vehicles exeptions, you must comply even when towing from another state.
An example of an infraction that no state offers reciprocity on is towing two trailers. Here in Minnesota, I can strap a boat on the back of a 5th wheel. If I tow that into any state that does not allow two trailers, I will be stopped, and not just ticketed, but prevented from proceeeding until one of the trailers is disconnected. The state legislature, judge, and cop will all not care one wit that it is legal in Minnesota.
I'd just love to know if California, with it's Sierra Mountains, or Colorado, with the Rockies, (or a bunch of other mountainous states) cares in the least if your state doesn't require brakes while towing a 2,000 lb. trailer down from a 10,000 foot pass. They have made the decision that their people are not going to be subject to dangerous vehicles, and they don't make exceptions for out-of-staters.
Austin
AB- your post seems a bit confusing to me. I think you're saying about the same thing that I'm saying, laws of the state apply to all traveling in that state. As you say, cops aren't going to know the laws of all 50 states, they'll write tickets to comply with the laws of their state.
I'm not sure what OP you're referring to. Several of us have said the same thing about NYS towing laws as applied to campers. The 1000 empty rule does apply in NYS, and has since at least 1971. Apparently, the laws in NYS pertaining to boats do not acknowledge the 1000 lb rule. I don't know why and find it somewhat disconcerting to know that someone in the state could be towing 1.5 tons without brakes and with a tow vehicle that may be unable to handle the added weight...and be legal about it.
At any rate, a lot of banter has been tossed around in this thread about a subject that is a safety issue. It's getting confusing as to what is right and what is wrong. If any of this is misconstrued, it could result in a dangerous situation. I'd hate to see that happen. It's probably best for each to look up the laws in their respective states and make sure they are complying. And, as I've said before, brakes are always better than no brakes. You always have a bad result when you break the laws of physics.
Quote from: dthurkAB- your post seems a bit confusing to me.
I'm actually not surprised. I got nailed by not reading the whole context (again) which is becoming more and more common for me...must be old age.
When I re-read my post (after reading the rest of the thread), there were parts that sounded stupid. But I let myself be too lazy to fix it.
The post I quoted made the statement "And as far as a out of stater coming into NYS towing he would be going by his state laws as far as electric brakes." which was the main target of my post.
QuoteApparently, the laws in NYS pertaining to boats do not acknowledge the 1000 lb rule. I don't know why and find it somewhat disconcerting to know that someone in the state could be towing 1.5 tons without brakes and with a tow vehicle that may be unable to handle the added weight...and be legal about it.
I wonder if what is really going on there is that it's easy to have a relatively large boat trailer that is still well under 1,000 lbs. empty (i.e. no boat) that is well over 3,000 lbs loaded, so they just say "over 3,000 lbs. has to have brakes."
Austin
I am shoppoing for a used pop up right now, so how do I tell if the pop up has its own brakes?
Masspopup
Quote from: AustinBostonI wonder if what is really going on there is that it's easy to have a relatively large boat trailer that is still well under 1,000 lbs. empty (i.e. no boat) that is well over 3,000 lbs loaded, so they just say "over 3,000 lbs. has to have brakes."
Austin
That is the intent of the law as I understand it. Apparently, the 1000 lb part of the law doesn't apply to boats, and I don't understand why this should be so. According to the boating laws, you only need brakes if you're over 3000 GVW. If they were following the law as applies to other trailers, if they have over 1000 lbs empty weight, they should also have brakes, but that doesn't apply here. Somehow I think this post of mine is also confusing. Oh, well.
Let's try a couple of examples. I own a utility trailer with a registered unloaded weight of 750 lbs. The GVW is listed at 2990 lbs, even though it is capable of carrying more, so the manufacturer could avoid installing brakes and keep the price down on the trailer.
Our camper is given a dry weight around 1500 lbs. GVW is 2440. Brakes are required for this trailer because it's over 1000 lbs.
Doesn't make a whole lot of sense that the vehicle with the lower GVW requires brakes and the other one can get away with no brakes. The boat laws make even more of a mess of this thing. Such are legislative decrees, I guess. I've been considering adding brakes to the utility trailer. After towing the camper, I like brakes a lot better than no brakes.
So, AB, WE aren't confusing. Let's put the blame where it really lies, in government.
HEY RCA
Where are you??? :confused: Who the heck do you think you are coming in here and stirring up all this contraversy...........on your very FIRST post.............then running off into the bushes to hide? :swear:
Bet you didn't know what kinda whackos hung out in this place :yikes: .....did ya??
Just kidding.
Get the brakes and let us know how it's going :D . Just be careful towing a boat on your PU trailer :J
Have a nice day.................chicken :J
BTW...............Welcome to PUT. :D
Quote from: masspopupI am shoppoing for a used pop up right now, so how do I tell if the pop up has its own brakes?
Masspopup
Brake drums will be visible through the wheels. If you just see the axle spindles, then no brakes. If you're underneath, electrically braked axles have wires running out of the hub/drum (backing plate) area. I guess (don't know) that hydraulic (surge) braked, have a brake line to each brake, in addition to a large coupler area.
If it is a newer bodied Coleman (ABS ends/ABS or aluminum roof) it most likely has brakes.
General rule of thumb, smaller popups often don't have brakes (except Colemans/Fleetwood), the larger ones do.
Hope this helps.
Good Grief, my apologies for stirring things up then bugging out.... my job, kids and out of town relatives have kept me BUSY this past week and I haven't had a chance to jump back on until now.
Can't thank everybody enough for all the great input. What an excellent education vehicle this board has become for us.
What's done is done.... we picked up the no-brakes Jayco last Friday and drove it the 35 miles home with our minivan without incident. After reading everyone's input I emailed the Jayco company with my concerns. A representative promptly phoned back... was noncommittal about the issue but allowed as how it all comes down to our individual situation... that our comfort level with the situation would be gauged with experience.
Our conclusion is this... that the Sienna seems to handle the towing and braking very well, but we would not be comfortable in an area with major grades / hills / traffic. Thankfully, we live in the relatively level Kansas City area and intend to initially use the camper for local, weekend campouts. In the next year or so we will be investing in much more substantial TV and will hold off on the Rockies trips and such until then.
Incidentally, the law in our home state of Kansas dictates that brakes are not required on trailers pulling 2000 lbs or less. Seems to me that's broadly stated... that much should be contingent on what you're towing with. Thoughts?
Thanks for getting back to us :D I was thinking maybe you didn't survive the trip home with your new (brakeless) trailer :p .
Please forgive my rather sick humor. It was just a bit of a tease really :p .
As for the brakes......I don't see a huge problem as long as you don't overload. You are right.......Kansas being flat relieves a lot of concern. The big problem with towing is brake fade. You don't get that in flatlands unless you drive with your left foot on the brake pedal.
Having said all that, adding brakes in the future is not all that expensive and a person with light mechanical skills can do it easily.
Hey RCA, welcome back. Don't get too bothered by Wavery's post, this really is a friendly club. Some discussions get somewhat heated, it's easy to confuse opinion and fact. In the end, I think we all respect each other. Wavery's really a good guy and is highly knowledgeable on a lot of subjects. I'm glad we have him around here.
In the end, brakes can be added at a later point in time, and it probably would be good to have it done when you can. Just be careful and take it easy for now. Happy camping!
Quote from: waveryHaving said all that, adding brakes in the future is not all that expensive and a person with light mechanical skills can do it easily.
Yes, several people here have done the job themselves.
Austin
Quote from: AustinBostonYes, several people here have done the job themselves.
Austin
Yes, I've heard that a brake install is not so very difficult. However, both the dealer and the Jayco customer service rep tell me that on our 8' model (the 806), putting on brakes would require switching out the axle, which sounds prohibitively expensive. Is this bunk? Are there universal kits available which would work?
Changing axle is not hard or expensive. Look under your trailer, if you have a steel plate on the axle just inside the hubs you add backing plates and drums.
I have ran trucks in the K.C area for over 30 years. (Mostly over GVWR, have told drivers to load it like a boxcar, drive it like a stock car.) Within a month of buying my PUP I spent the money to put brakes on it. The cost of the brakes was less than the cost of a front bumper.
I suppose that it is possible that they build a trailer axle that has no place to bolt the brake backing plates. I find that hard to understand. It seems that it would be more expensive to build a separate axle that will not accommodate brakes than to just build one axle and put the same axles on every trailer.
That trailer is under 1500#. I just can't imagine that you would have a problem towing that thing in most environments. I would just take it slow and easy on long grades. If you feel the brakes starting to get hard, I would find a place to pull of and take a ""brake-break" :p .
I don't know if you have ever experienced brake fade. Once the brakes reach a certain temperature, they get hard and the material on the brake lining become like glass. Then you have glass against steel for braking instead on a soft, fibrous material. Once you reach that stage, the brakes are totally useless and the harder you push on the pedal, the hotter and more glazed the brakes become.
There are other things that you can do for your TV to help prevent brake fade. I had to do it to mine because I have far exceeded my weight limit :( . I installed ceramic disc brake pads and vented disk brake rotors:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Toyota-Camry-V6-Sienna-Drilled-Brembo-Brake-Rotors-F_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33564QQitemZ8048382283QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW
They are designed for racing but I have found them to be quite effective for towing. The vented rotors do a great job of dissipating heat and reducing the possibility of brake fade. You might want to look into that as an alternative. The ceramic pads are a bit controversial for towing purposes. Do your own research. You may find that metallic pads are quite adequate.
So after being away for a while from this post I see FINALLY some of you have excepted the fact that boat trailers in NYS don't need trailer brakes over 1000 lbs. That's good because we can better exchange between ourselves if and when someone is misinformed admitts to it. That being said I will be the first to admitt I am wrong when I am, but I don't think that has ever happened - HA HA HA HA (just kidding) :D
Here's another thought when someone says just because it is legal in NYS you can't do that in CA. The state of California has MUCH stricter EPA laws governing automobiles for emissions but I can still drive in their state with any car from another state that doesn't require all the additional emission controls. Also some states are more strict on Safety Inspections that other states but I can still travel their roads with my clunker if it passes my states inspections. Something to think about.
Bottom line, buy a PU trailer with brakes.
Quote from: Billy BobHere's another thought when someone says just because it is legal in NYS you can't do that in CA. The state of California has MUCH stricter EPA laws governing automobiles for emissions but I can still drive in their state with any car from another state that doesn't require all the additional emission controls. Also some states are more strict on Safety Inspections that other states but I can still travel their roads with my clunker if it passes my states inspections. Something to think about.
Bottom line, buy a PU trailer with brakes.
Billy Bob,
There's a big difference here. Emission standards and safety inspections have to do with the
registering of the vehicle in any particular state. It has nothing to do with driving the vehicle on the road. Weight limits have to do with
operating a vehicle on that state's highways and has nothing to do with registering the vehicle. Two completely different issues.
California has no safety inspection for registering automobiles. However, if I drive my car in NY and it has a burned out tail light or cracked w/s, I may be sighted. If you drive your "Clunker" on any states roads and it is in violation of the law pertaining to the operation of a motor vehicle on that states highways, you are in violation of the law and may be sighted. I once purchased a beater in Maryland. I had to repair all of the rust issues on the car before they would pass my safety inspection for registration. However, when I look around in Maryland a lot of cars are falling apart from rust. The point is, just because they force certain issues for registration doesn't necessarily mean that they enforce them on the road and visa-versa.
BTW, California EPA standards are now lower than NY :D . Not that that is a good thing.
Quote from: ScoobyDooChanging axle is not hard or expensive. Look under your trailer, if you have a steel plate on the axle just inside the hubs you add backing plates and drums.
I have ran trucks in the K.C area for over 30 years. (Mostly over GVWR, have told drivers to load it like a boxcar, drive it like a stock car.) Within a month of buying my PUP I spent the money to put brakes on it. The cost of the brakes was less than the cost of a front bumper.
Scooby Doo, do you have a place in the KC area that you like for service? I'll have to sniff around on getting the brake install done. We purchased the PU at Trailside RV in Oak Grove... good buying experience and their service dept seems very good but I'd like some other input.
Thanks also to Waverly for the info on brake fade. Everyone has been so nice ! ! ! Like I said, this forum has been a wealth of information for us.
Hopefully we'll take our PU on its maiden voyage this weekend to Lake of the Ozarks, if I can convince my city-boy DH that a little nighttime cold weather isn't going to hurt him (the PU has a furnace, for cryin' out loud). Enough of a drive to get more familiar with the towing but still close to home.
Can't help you on where to take it to get the work, I do my own. I got the parts AA Wheel in N KC but I bought the parts for my PUP the same day I spent a couple of grand on parts for the work trucks. If you are just buying the brakes for one little traler you might do better at Croft on Truman rd. Good luck.
I think one point may have been missed in this discussion.
Having trailer brakes is more than just adding stopping power and reducing braking distances.
It also helps keep you in control in emergency (panic) breaking situations, especially in low traction condtions like heavy rain, snow, ice, etc.
The last thing you want in such circumstances is a trailer that weighs a significant fraction of you tow vehicle weight, pushing you around under heavy braking. This is what causes jackknifeing (sp).
Quote from: Steve-o-budI think one point may have been missed in this discussion.
Having trailer brakes is more than just adding stopping power and reducing braking distances.
It also helps keep you in control in emergency (panic) breaking situations, especially in low traction condtions like heavy rain, snow, ice, etc.
The last thing you want in such circumstances is a trailer that weighs a significant fraction of you tow vehicle weight, pushing you around under heavy braking. This is what causes jackknifeing (sp).
Thanks again, one and all for your caring input.
I am happy to report that the brake install will take place this week (at Croft Trailer on Truman - thanks for the suggestion, Scooby Doo). While my unofficial web-and-telephone surveys did yield some opinions that going without would be OK in our situation, we defer to the expertise on this board and will err on the side of safety.
A bit of $$$ that will buy a LOT of peace of mind. I feel much better now.
Hi KCers... I'm from Topeka and had brakes put on my flagstaff 8 box at purchase $320 at nationwide RV in Grain Valley. They had to use a 12 box axle as the 8 and 10 box axles don't have the "flanges" to put brakes on. They are a Forest River PUP dealer so I
>>Incidentally, the law in our home state of Kansas dictates that brakes are not required on trailers pulling 2000 lbs or less. Seems to me that's broadly stated... that much should be contingent on what you're towing with. Thoughts?<<
I found out why... A small trailer is about the only thing related to vehicles that is inexpensive in Kansas. I asked a state trooper at the DMV on trailers and he said, hey you don't even need a plate under 8K but he recommended registering it anyway if I traveled out of state as the other states troopers will pull you over and a plate (not one of the under 2k plates for five bucks) will prevent that. He had a sense of humor and noted it was a royal pain getting stopped every few hundred miles and having to explain Kansas laws to another state's troopers. He had actually gotten calls from people on the road and it only costs 18 bucks or so to register.
Back to why small trailers don't have virtually any regulation is that this is a farming state and there are so many small trailers out there that the farmers don't want to pay anything on or do anything to, so we puppers get off easy...
Back to why small trailers don't have virtually any regulation is that this is a farming state and there are so many small trailers out there that the farmers don't want to pay anything on or do anything to, so we puppers get off easy...[/QUOTE]
This makes sense. When I called the DMV I learned that yes, no registration is at all necessary under 2000 lbs in-state, however if we planned on taking it out of state it would HAVE to be registered, so we did and have the full sized plate. Yes, the registration was only 18 bucks but we also got royally scr*wed paying the sales tax.
Death and taxes...
Back to brakes, Croft tells us that they can refit a 10-ft axle if necessary to fit our 8 foot box. I imagine that's what you had done? Has it worked well for you?