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Prep to trailer 600 miles? What wheel specs to get for spare wheel for 2000 Response LX trailer?


MarkP

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Ask your discount tire people if they can get you some kumho 857 load range E trailer tires.  I have made three 800 mile trips and a couple 300-400 miles trips on mine, balanced they have a smooth ride and track well at speed.

the brakes are surge brakes not electrical brakes, so they are activated by a change in momentum not electric current. You should Take the trailer  to a trailer shop for an inspection. 

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6 minutes ago, Bozboat said:

Ask your discount tire people if they can get you some kumho 857 load range E trailer tires.  I have made three 800 mile trips and a couple 300-400 miles trips on mine, balanced they have a smooth ride and track well at speed.

the brakes are surge brakes not electrical brakes, so they are activated by a change in momentum not electric current. You should Take the trailer  to a trailer shop for an inspection. 

Great info, thanks!

There are no Discount Tire stores up in CT, though there are around here.  We have Discount Tire stores locally (NC) and they have some of the Hartland ST in stock ($70/ea). They don't have the Goodyears.  I could just run over and have those in hand.  Would have to pay tax but would know I'd have them.  In CT, I called a popular tire store there, Town Fair Tire, and they said they would get Powerking Trailer King ST2 for $99.  I called Costco and they don't have trailer tires but would do the mount/balance for $14/ea.

So I'll probably source the tires separately (online or locally in NC) and have Costco do the mount/balance.  This gives me some time to get that spare tire in hand and see if it's good enough to use as a spare or if I should just get a 3rd new tire.  The more I think about it, I think I'll just get a new one so I can trust the spare as much as the main ones.  I'd hate to be 100 miles into the 600mile drive and have to replace and be worried the rest of the drive.

Mark

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53 minutes ago, Bozboat said:

Ask your discount tire people if they can get you some kumho 857 load range E trailer tires.  I have made three 800 mile trips and a couple 300-400 miles trips on mine, balanced they have a smooth ride and track well at speed.

the brakes are surge brakes not electrical brakes, so they are activated by a change in momentum not electric current. You should Take the trailer  to a trailer shop for an inspection. 

Excellent suggestion, even if it necessitates a change of plans.

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Some have suggested a BF Goodrich LT in 14 inch, that might be my next choice.  Main concern for your trailer after tires would be having the bearings repacked and brakes checked out, followed by checking the bunk mounts and tapping for rust damage

Edited by Bozboat
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3 hours ago, MarkP said:

Wow, I had no idea. Does that get activated by a standard vehicle tow package lighting connector, or does the vehicle need something special for that?  I'll be towing with a 2014 Audi Q5 TDI with oem tow pkg option.

Certainly my mom has never (14 yrs) hooked up any brakes and has only towed a few miles locally 2x a year to the marina.

 

hitch_cutout_10.jpg

 

 

Surge brakes, actuated by inertia - you're fine with what you have

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Make sure your electrical hook up matches the one on the trailer. If the trailer has a five pin flat you will need a adapter for that plug on your vehicle.

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19 minutes ago, jrvs23 said:

Make sure your electrical hook up matches the one on the trailer. If the trailer has a five pin flat you will need a adapter for that plug on your vehicle.

Thanks, got that covered as I've trailered few uhaul trailers and a jetski.

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On July 22, 2016 at 4:57 PM, Bozboat said:

Ask your discount tire people if they can get you some kumho 857 load range E trailer tires.  I have made three 800 mile trips and a couple 300-400 miles trips on mine, balanced they have a smooth ride and track well at speed.

the brakes are surge brakes not electrical brakes, so they are activated by a change in momentum not electric current. You should Take the trailer  to a trailer shop for an inspection. 

+1, +1, +1.  I ordered the Kumho's on line and then had them installed by a local dealer. Probably the best trailer tire you can get in a 14", and the only Load Range E i have found.  Very solid tires. 

 

Another option to consider is renting a flatbed trailer and putting the boat and trailer on a trailer, then pulling that home. Then do the work that is needed at your house. 

 

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Surge brakes get activates by the action of slowing the tow vehicle. There is a hydraulic piston in the trailer coupler, when you hit the brakes in the audi, the trailer initially will pushe forward, activating the hydraulic piston, and the brakes.

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Having never experienced trailer brakes like this, nor towibg this specific trailer/boat, how am I going to be able to "test" them to see if they work?

Also what's tge best way to locate a "trailer shop" to see about checking them out? Start with a marina? Search for a dealer locator for a brand of trailers (which)? Other?  Looking near Danbury, CT.

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2 minutes ago, MarkP said:

Having never experienced trailer brakes like this, nor towibg this specific trailer/boat, how am I going to be able to "test" them to see if they work?

You can test them by unplugging the truck/trailer connection.  This will keep the solenoid from activating.  Then back the trailer up, it will be very difficult if the brakes are working.

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9 hours ago, Soon2BV said:

+1, +1, +1.  I ordered the Kumho's on line and then had them installed by a local dealer. Probably the best trailer tire you can get in a 14", and the only Load Range E i have found.  Very solid tires. 

 

Another option to consider is renting a flatbed trailer and putting the boat and trailer on a trailer, then pulling that home. Then do the work that is needed at your house. 

 

I see the Kumho 857 are metric size 205R14C which is more like 205/82R14 US size. It has 27.0" diameter vs 26.1" diameter, so I just need to ensure there's an extra half inch of clearance all around, with spring movement, etc. Of course these tires are 2x the cost of the others, sheesh. I suppose i could get 2 of these and a different spare....

2 minutes ago, MadMan said:

You can test them by unplugging the truck/trailer connection.  This will keep the solenoid from activating.  Then back the trailer up, it will be very difficult if the brakes are working.

You're saying if the electrical connection (ie for the lights) is not connected, then the surge brakes will be "braking" when in reverse, but if the electrical comnection is connected, then it will release brakes when reversing?  I thought these brakes only applied during inertia surges?

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2 minutes ago, MarkP said:

You're saying if the electrical connection (ie for the lights) is not connected, then the surge brakes will be "braking" when in reverse, but if the electrical comnection is connected, then it will release brakes when reversing?  I thought these brakes only applied during inertia surges?

The brake light signal is only connected to the trailer lights. 

Surge brake systems have a 5th wire on the trailer plug that is connected to the back-up lights on the truck, this is used to disengage the brakes.

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42 minutes ago, MadMan said:

You can test them by unplugging the truck/trailer connection.  This will keep the solenoid from activating.  Then back the trailer up, it will be very difficult if the brakes are working.

maybe - looks like drum brakes, most of them back up fine with no solonoid.

50 minutes ago, MarkP said:

Having never experienced trailer brakes like this, nor towibg this specific trailer/boat, how am I going to be able to "test" them to see if they work?

Also what's tge best way to locate a "trailer shop" to see about checking them out? Start with a marina? Search for a dealer locator for a brand of trailers (which)? Other?  Looking near Danbury, CT.

To find a "trailer shop"  just find a place locally that sells car trailers, utility trailers, etc - they would be able to check it out.  If you were not towing with an undersized tow vehicle I'd say to just forget about it that a 1/2 ton has more than enough brakes for a boat and trailer that light.  Towing with a unibody soccer mom suv you are going to want the trailer brakes working ;)

Edited by oldjeep
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13 minutes ago, oldjeep said:

One easy way to test the brakes would be to put the trailer on jackstands, verify that the wheels both spin and then use a ratchet strap to compress the coupler then check again if the wheels spin.

This is what I always did.

And if you have a UFP actuator, there is a way to apply the brakes with just a screwdriver when you have the wheel(s) jacked up.  Under the actuator, there is a lever that you can depress with the screwdriver and it will apply the brakes.  You won't even have to disconnect trailer from vehicle to do this.

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4 hours ago, MadMan said:

The brake light signal is only connected to the trailer lights. 

Surge brake systems have a 5th wire on the trailer plug that is connected to the back-up lights on the truck, this is used to disengage the brakes.

MadMan, thanks, so let me take this a step further to make sense of it... the one electrical plug from trailer to vehicle has an extra connection (more so than a smaller/typical trailer with only lights) which connects to the braking system.  This electrical connection's only purpose is to disengage the brakes when the vehicle is in reverse.  So then what's going on when it's not connected?  I assume the brakes don't default to be engaged.  Combining this with other replies, I'm guessing that backing up (perhaps quickly) is actually engaging the mechanical mechanism in the hitch receiver that matches what would occur during surge braking (in forward direction)?  That is, the trailer is being compressed towards the vehicle, and thus the brakes will engage? 

Very interesting, this is all new to me.  I would imagine if I only backed up slowly (or backed up downhill) this may not engage.  I assume I should do it swiftly (but safely) or uphill?  Or does that not really matter?

Thanks!

4 hours ago, oldjeep said:

One easy way to test the brakes would be to put the trailer on jackstands, verify that the wheels both spin and then use a ratchet strap to compress the coupler then check again if the wheels spin.

Maybe I'll do that while removing wheels.  Good to know.

4 hours ago, RTS said:

This is what I always did.

And if you have a UFP actuator, there is a way to apply the brakes with just a screwdriver when you have the wheel(s) jacked up.  Under the actuator, there is a lever that you can depress with the screwdriver and it will apply the brakes.  You won't even have to disconnect trailer from vehicle to do this.

Oh, maybe I misunderstood the prior comment about ratcheting the coupler.  I assumed this meant with the trailer connected to the tow vehicle, compress the trailer to the vehicle by way of taking a ratchet strap, going through hitch chain hook holes, wrap through something on front of trailer, and back to chain hook holes and tighten down.  But then you make it sound like only if you have a different type of actuator can you do this with the trailer connected to tow vehicle.  Or did you mean it the other way around (that with this other actuator you won't even have to connect the trailer to vehicle)?

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4 minutes ago, MarkP said:

MadMan, thanks, so let me take this a step further to make sense of it... the one electrical plug from trailer to vehicle has an extra connection (more so than a smaller/typical trailer with only lights) which connects to the braking system.  This electrical connection's only purpose is to disengage the brakes when the vehicle is in reverse.  So then what's going on when it's not connected?  I assume the brakes don't default to be engaged.  Combining this with other replies, I'm guessing that backing up (perhaps quickly) is actually engaging the mechanical mechanism in the hitch receiver that matches what would occur during surge braking (in forward direction)?  That is, the trailer is being compressed towards the vehicle, and thus the brakes will engage? 

Very interesting, this is all new to me.  I would imagine if I only backed up slowly (or backed up downhill) this may not engage.  I assume I should do it swiftly (but safely) or uphill?  Or does that not really matter?

Thanks!

Maybe I'll do that while removing wheels.  Good to know.

All that 5th wire does is engage a solenoid that keeps the brake line pressure from the coupler from reaching the brakes.

 

 

Edited by oldjeep
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4 hours ago, oldjeep said:

maybe - looks like drum brakes, most of them back up fine with no solonoid.

To find a "trailer shop"  just find a place locally that sells car trailers, utility trailers, etc - they would be able to check it out.  If you were not towing with an undersized tow vehicle I'd say to just forget about it that a 1/2 ton has more than enough brakes for a boat and trailer that light.  Towing with a unibody soccer mom suv you are going to want the trailer brakes working ;)

Ha, thanks. Yeah, it's unibody and short-ish wheelbase in comparison, but the brakes and engine should be up to the task I think.  428 ft-lbs in this diesel soccer mom suv with Brembo 4-piston calipers and 345mm (13.6") x30mm rotors.  But I'll still take extra braking :)

Thanks for advice too on trailer shop for car trailers.  I'll see what I can find online once Google starts working again :/

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Chief, thanks for video. I watched the 5 in that series and that was helpful.  So it does indeed seem that the reason backup up may be difficult without electrical connection is because the inertia system thinks the trailer is decelerating in the forward direction, and thus applies the brakes.  Makes sense.  I look forward to checking it out and seeing how ours is doing.

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