RE: Pop Up Brakes

[Tim5055]

 
With all the talk and questions about brakes lately, I decided to put together a page about them.  A-B was kind enough to let me use his post about downhill braking.
 
 I am looking for any comments about changes additions or things to remove.
 
 [link=http://www.title-3.com/Brakes.htm]Pop Up Brakes Web Page[/link]
 
 Thanks for any comments

[brainpause]

 tim5055
Nicely done!
 
 I can t wait to be able to buy a popup with brakes. I have looked into adding them to ours, but it is too much $$ for an old popup. I have had to make a couple of hard stops, and it wasn t too bad, though brakes would have been much better.
 
 Larry

[Rocky Mountain Sue]

 tim5055
Reading Natasha s page, it says all Coleman s come equiped with brakes? Mine doesn t have brakes. Bought it used last summer and have it fixed up, (roof and various system fixes) and ready to go next week. So first time out here we come? Maybe not! Live in Colorado and don t think I want to do those grades without brakes even though loaded I am barely 2000 lbs. Pop up is about 1500 unloaded.
 
 Am wondering if my  93 Newport originally had brakes and if they have been removed. And need recommendation, should I get electric or will surge be okay? HELP!!! I am a newbie to pop up, but an old pro at the ol  tent and the ground camping thing.[&:]
 

[mwh710]

 tim5055
Thank you Natasha!![][][]  Wonderful article.

[mike4947]

 Rocky Mountain Sue
Sue, NEW Fleetwoods come equipped with brakes. As for adding brakes check here: http://www.dexteraxle.com/ for what you need. You will need the number off the axle or tag on the axle to get the correct setup.

[Tim5055]

 Rocky Mountain Sue

 

ORIGINAL:  Rocky Mountain Sue
 
 Reading Natasha s page, it says all Coleman s come equiped with brakes? Mine doesn t have brakes. Bought it used last summer and have it fixed up, (roof and various system fixes) and ready to go next week. So first time out here we come? Maybe not! Live in Colorado and don t think I want to do those grades without brakes even though loaded I am barely 2000 lbs. Pop up is about 1500 unloaded.
 
 

 Sue,
 
 Mike is correct, new units come with brakes.  I will have to research the year that started and make that correction.  Thanks.

[tlhdoc]

 tim5055
Tim and Sue,
 
 In 1999 electric brakes were standard on some Coleman trailers.  I know that they were standard on all trailers in 2001, but I think they became standard in 2000 model trailers.

[AustinBoston]

 tlhdoc

ORIGINAL:  tlhdoc
 
 Tim and Sue,
 
 In 1999 electric brakes were standard on some Coleman trailers.  I know that they were standard on all trailers in 2001, but I think they became standard in 2000 model trailers.
 

 I believe the correct year was 2001.  Our 2000 came with brakes because it had a hot water heater.  Yes, the rule used to be if you got a hot water heater, you got brakes.  It s been three years, and I still haven t figured out the logic in that!
 
 Austin

[AustinBoston]

 tim5055

ORIGINAL:  tim5055
 
 With all the talk and questions about brakes lately, I decided to put together a page about them.  A-B was kind enough to let me use his post about downhill braking.
 
 I am looking for any comments about changes additions or things to remove.
 
 [link=http://www.title-3.com/Brakes.htm]Pop Up Brakes Web Page[/link]
 
 Thanks for any comments
 

 I have a couple of technical corrections.  First, you put in a link to REI (www.rei.com).  That is a different organization than R & R Publishing (I said REI in the article, but it should be R & R Publishing).  These links on Amazon will connect you to the books in question:
 
 Mountain Directory West:
 http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0964680599/qid=1054556289/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-2450129-7730543?v=glance&s=books
 
 Mountain Directory East:
 http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0964680572/ref=pd_bxgy_text_1/102-2450129-7730543?v=glance&s=books&st=*
 
 Second, you put a Mailto: link connecting to me, but the address is one I am not familiar with (tcooper260@mindspring.com).  You can use tcooper260@hotmail.com.  I sometimes check that box.
 
 Austin

[Tim5055]

 tim5055
A-B, thanks for the corrections they have been updated.
 
 Any other comments??
 
 Anyone??

[Gone-Camping]

 tim5055
Perhaps under the surge brake section you might want to mention that they are " true"  porportional brakes, the harder you stop, the more pressure is applied to the tongue and the brake s actuator...
 
 BTW, I ve had surge brakes on 3 different trailers, and never once had to get out or do anything in order to back up, even up-hill. As long as there is no " push"  caused by inertia on the tongue, the brakes on the trailer don t actuate. Going backwards generally wouldn t engage the brakes unless you hit the accelerator hard enough, then they might actuate for a moment. Without inertia, they won t stay activated....

[mike4947]

 tim5055
Cliff, as one who s had several PU s with surge brakes also I can truefully say that yes I ve been " stuck"  trying to back up. That s why in the olden days you had to have a 1 x 1 x about 6 inch block to stick in to block the arms from activating the master cylinder and today they have that little arm to flip that falls down just when you don t want it to.
 When you get into " trouble"  is when there s an elevation change. Backing up into a site will lock those suckers up like someone put a 20 inch tree right behind the bumper. (done that also[][&:]) Don t know the engineering behind it but when the PU starts up an angled slope the forces get somehow multiplied on the braking arms and bingo the brakes come on. The guys at Atwood gave me a detailed explination 25 years ago for which I nodded in agreement, but it s still witchcraft to me.

[AustinBoston]

 tim5055

ORIGINAL:  tim5055
 
 A-B, thanks for the corrections they have been updated.
 
 Any other comments??
 
 Anyone??
 

 Nit-pick: You got the Mountain Dirtectory East & Mountain Directory West links backwards.
 
 Austin