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Need advice on Brakes


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This is not that big of a deal, but does anyone know of a simple way to disengage the surge brakes when pulling just the trailer. I am keeping my trailer a ways from my house, so if I need to pull the boat, I have to drive about 25 miles with an empty trailer. About 10 of these miles are on surface streets with a lot of stop lights.

The trailer bouncing hard on almost every stop is annoying. I wonder if anyone else has had this issue and come up with a quick fix. Here is my only solution right now:

Install the lockout key and place duct tape over the fitting to prevent it from falling out. I still forsee it working it's way out a bit. (I did install a cable to the key so I will not have to worry about losing it)

Any other ideas would be appreciated.

Troy

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I don't recommend it since if you get into an accident your insurance probably won't cover you.

However, I disengage my brakes when I have to push my boat up my driveway in reverse. What I do is put the pin down, then use a 4 inch "C" clamp (over a rag so it does not scratch my trailer) to hold the pin in place.

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Back yard machanics. On your trailer plug find the out what wire is hot for your running light. I think it's the one next to the ground pin. Next run a jumper wire over to the back up brake wire on the plug. I think its the one on the out side. Then turn on your running lights and the brakes should be turned off.

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Back yard machanics. On your trailer plug find the out what wire is hot for your running light. I think it's the one next to the ground pin. Next run a jumper wire over to the back up brake wire on the plug. I think its the one on the out side. Then turn on your running lights and the brakes should be turned off.

I agree with D-Goose...what I do is to unplug the flat 5 pin ( trailer & truck ) and flip one around 180 degree's from the truck and only plug in 4 of the female pins leaving the one male pin exposed..then turn on your lights and that should do it! If this does not make sense let me know and I'll gladly take a picture for you!

RJ

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My fix (mechanical... not electrical) for backing up my driveway:

I have a bungee cord double-wrapped around the trailer tongue.. and attached to itself. When I need to insert the lock-out key, I simply slide the two tight parts of the bunger cord over each side of the lockout key.

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What is this lockout key you are referring to? This may be a solution to my nagging problem.

My solution to date has been to insert two 9/16" nuts on either side in the elongated slot, then hold in place with a C-clamp.

An easier way would be, well, easier.

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i had to bug my dealer 3 times to get a book and 'kit' that should have shipped with my trailer. i was glad i did. trailer ships with the lockout key, flat 5 pin connector and a book that details service requirements. if you didn't get same, poke at your dealer.

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Back yard machanics. On your trailer plug find the out what wire is hot for your running light. I think it's the one next to the ground pin. Next run a jumper wire over to the back up brake wire on the plug. I think its the one on the out side. Then turn on your running lights and the brakes should be turned off.

I agree with D-Goose...what I do is to unplug the flat 5 pin ( trailer & truck ) and flip one around 180 degree's from the truck and only plug in 4 of the female pins leaving the one male pin exposed..then turn on your lights and that should do it! If this does not make sense let me know and I'll gladly take a picture for you!

RJ

Yep roadrunner Thats what I do from time to time with my flat 4 to back up but I was thinking he would need his brake lights on the trailer for going in town.

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I don't think the brakes are causing the bouncing. I THINK what you are feeling is the torsion of the trailer without a boat on it, as well as the combination of tires, springs, and physics throwing the trailer in the air without a boat. The reason I think this is because old trailers (before there were brakes on skiboat trailers) drove the same empty as a new (empty) trailer with brakes. I pulled an empty trailer for about 500 miles one time, and let me tell ya, it just drives like crap.

Edited by wakebrdgod
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I don't think the brakes are causing the bouncing. I THINK what you are feeling is the torsion of the trailer without a boat on it, as well as the combination of tires, springs, and physics throwing the trailer in the air without a boat.

That's what I think too...the trailer is made to run with a couple tons of 'bu, and without it the thing just bounces around like mad.

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Back yard machanics. On your trailer plug find the out what wire is hot for your running light. I think it's the one next to the ground pin. Next run a jumper wire over to the back up brake wire on the plug. I think its the one on the out side. Then turn on your running lights and the brakes should be turned off.

Is there an electrical lock out on the new fangled SURGE brakes (ie. non electrical, ram type hydralic) On my trailer the surge brakes there is a lockout bar that is manually moved. If you lock out the only problem is if you go forward and then try to go back the lockout clicks off. Hence, the duct tape. My surge brakes don't even engage much without the boats weight on the trailer.

I know with electric brakes there is an electical lockout but I thought the OP had SURGE brakes.

edited once agin fer spelin

Edited by Rod S
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Rod I don't know about others but most of the boat trailers sold around here are surge brake and not electric. The electric part that were talking about is for looking out the brake's in rev. just the same as your manual lockout bar.

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Rod I don't know about others but most of the boat trailers sold around here are surge brake and not electric. The electric part that were talking about is for looking out the brake's in rev. just the same as your manual lockout bar.

I may be wrong here, but don't most of the new trailers with surge brakes have a reverse lock out solenoid installed in them from the factory?

Of course as said above, this is in reverse and wont help with complete locking out.

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Rod I don't know about others but most of the boat trailers sold around here are surge brake and not electric. The electric part that were talking about is for looking out the brake's in rev. just the same as your manual lockout bar.

I may be wrong here, but don't most of the new trailers with surge brakes have a reverse lock out solenoid installed in them from the factory?

Of course as said above, this is in reverse and wont help with complete locking out.

I must be too old school. I didn't know they now came with an electrical lock out.

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