How much weight before trailer brakes are needed?

I agree weight determines by law, but consider as I assume you are talking about a trail trailer, that brakes give you more control on the trail. Think about descending a hill with a loaded trailer and having the trailer helps keep the trailer from pushing your rig out of your chosen line. My trailer is not that big but pretty heavy loaded and I would not have a trail trailer without them. Hope this helps.


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After driving a trailer with surge brakes, I feel they are better then Electric...
Is anyone else using surge brakes?
 
I'm generally not a fan because you can't adjust the bias from the rig according to load, terrain, or environmental conditions. Also, it can be difficult or impossible to back up with surge brakes, particularly uphill, without getting out and disengaging them.
 
sickchilly said:
I'm generally not a fan because you can't adjust the bias from the rig according to load, terrain, or environmental conditions. Also, it can be difficult or impossible to back up with surge brakes, particularly uphill, without getting out and disengaging them.
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Most Surge brakes (at least the ones I have seen) have an electronic cutoff that engages with the reverse lights of the tow vehicle. I have surge brakes on my boat and they work like a champ with the cutoff. if you dont have that bypass you could find yourself in a bad situation if you had to stop on a hill and then back up because the brakes are engaged and you would not be able to place the pin in the trailer tongue to disengage the brakes to back up.
 
For some reason the weight of 2,000 lbs is sticking in my head. Can't remember if I read it somewhere or what, but that number sticks out to me.
 
On one of my first trips learning to tow my trailer off road, on the Rubicon Trail, it was loaded to about 900 lbs. and on 33" tires, without brakes. I went down a very steep granite slab about 30' with all four tires of the jeep locked up and slowly sliding in the dust on the granite. This was normal, without the trailer, but with the trailer when the Jeep came to the bottom and stopped the trailer continued pushing and lifted my rear wheels off of the ground. I left off the brakes and drove forward before anything too spectacular happened. after I got home I put electric brakes on the trailer and a Tekonsha Voyager controller in the Jeep.
I found that when rock crawling I often ride the brake, (my Jeep is an automatic), and this caused the trailer to lock up unless I turned the gain down, and back up when I needed brakes. This was less than ideal so I put a switch in the wire from the brake light to the controller which allows me to easily turn on and off the trigger signal for the brakes.
This system works great both on and off road and I have since towed my now 1400 lbs. trailer over the Rubicon several times with much less drama.
In summary, I highly recommend electric brakes for a trail trailer!2016 Rubicon steep down.JPG
 
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4S50 said:
On one of my first trips learning to tow my trailer off road, on the Rubicon Trail, it was loaded to about 900 lbs. and on 33" tires, without brakes. I went down a very steep granite slab about 30' with all four tires of the jeep locked up and slowly sliding in the dust on the granite. This was normal, without the trailer, but with the trailer when the Jeep came to the bottom and stopped the trailer continued pushing and lifted my rear wheels off of the ground. I left off the brakes and drove forward before anything too spectacular happened. after I got home I put electric brakes on the trailer and a Tekonsha Voyager controller in the Jeep.
I found that when rock crawling I often ride the brake, (my Jeep is an automatic), and this caused the trailer to lock up unless I turned the gain down, and back up when I needed brakes. This was less than ideal so I put a switch in the wire from the brake light to the controller which allows me to easily turn on and off the trigger signal for the brakes.
This system works great both on and off road and I have since towed my now 1400 lbs. trailer over the Rubicon several times with much less drama.
In summary, I highly recommend electric brakes for a trail trailer!View attachment 23813
Click to expand...

Excellent the Granite slab will give you no respect nor will the Cadillac Hill,


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In my experience (and opinion), every off-road trailer should have brakes along with a good (adjustable) controller. They don't hurt on the road either.
 
I've had the unfortunately had the chance, by fate, to use my trailer brakes to make it home twice, after a brake line failure. The first was on my truck towing my trailer and my jeep(approx. 15K#), brake line failed, after the down hill run. I pumped the pedal, then added more trailer brake voltage, till the trailer brakes started to lock up. All were safe. The second was with the jeep and small trailer, similar situation, I used the trailer brakes to supplement the handicapped jeep brakes. Stupid branch broke the "T" fitting at the rear axle, I flattened the line and continued on the front brakes and trailer brakes. You'll like them when all is good, you'll love them when things aren't, Ron
 
I prefer brakes on almost any trailer. I had a little fishing boat and a Ford Ranger years ago. I had to do a panic stop once on the interstate and I could definitely feel the boat trying to push the back end of the truck up and to the side. This was one of those 14' tubs with a 5hp outboard, so NOT a heavy trailer by any means.
 
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