Brakes on towed vehicle or not?

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In CT you don't nead brakes on a towed under 3000 lb BUT, you nead brakeaway function. Our towed is about 2600 lb, if you see us you will know what we have.

Jayco-noslide wrote:
Just wondering how many of you have supplemental braking on your toad vehicle or not. Our toad weighs about 2700 lbs. towed behind a 30 ft. Class C 450 Ford chassis so I believe brakes are not legally required. I know many of you will believe that one should still have them. I don't partly because I just don't want one more expense and piece of equipment to fool with and because I know that I'm just not going to stop real fast with an RV regardless. Also, it feel like it stops as well or better than our previous set-up; a half-ton towing a 25 ft. 5th wheel.

we do on both vehicles we use as toads...a 2003 Jeep Wrangler (~3200-lbs) and a 2010 Jeep Liberty (~3800-lbs). personally, I think anyone who tows anything heavier than a 10-spd bike is asking for trouble without an aux braking system. suit yourself.

I never had brakes on my 04 Wrangler while being flat towed behind a 27 foot motorhome and now my 33 foot motorhome, Jeep weight is around 3600 lbs and I could always stop good without issues so a 2700 lbs should be no issue.

Just don't drive fast and don't tail gate and you will be fine..

I always used a braking system on my toad with brakeaway function. chances are your owner's manual for the RV says that one is needed. you may not have read that section but the lawyer for the person who is harmed by your toad will have read it and if you can't quite stop in time you will be hurting.
bumpy

Dutch_12078 wrote:
The laws of physics apply in all states and provinces. An auxiliary brake system will help your coach stop in a shorter distance in a panic stop, and even a just a few inches can make a world of difference sometimes.

Something to think about, and some simple math. Figure out how much you are increasing your GCVW by adding the toad (MH weight less toad weight divided by MH weight). You mentioned a 30' class C, so figure your MH weighs about 14000 lbs and your toad is 2700 lbs. You've increased your GCVW by 18%, therefore your required stopping distance by same amount. Can you really afford that extra distance in a panic stop?

As far as I'm concerned, brakes on the toad save on wear and tear on the MH's hitch assembly, receiver and tow bar. I have a 30' MH with the Ford chassis and I used to pull a 2700 lb Fiesta with an auxiliary brake (Stay-In-Play duo) and I was almost 3,000 lbs under GCVWR. I would never tow with out a brake in the toad. But that's just me......

I think that South Dakota is the only state that requires brakes on all toads. Most other states require them if the toad is over 3500 lbs or can stop within a certain distance. I have been pulling a toad for many a year and have never been checked. But I have always left myself enough room to stop safely.

WNYBob wrote:


Here in NY trailers that weight more than 1000 lbs need breaks!

So, exactly where should they be broken at? :h

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Ron

As WNYBob says, you need to be sure what your state requirements are. Here in Florida if a trailer is under 3000 pounds you don't need brakes. Secondly, you need to determine what the limits are on your chassis. Most chassis manufacturers now say that the brakes are only good to the GVWR of the chassis. In my case I tow a 2700 pounds car, and the weight of the car plus loaded motorhome is over 1000 pounds less than the GVWR for the chassis. The chassis manufacturer has told me that as long as the combined weight is not over the GVWR, the unit can stop safely.

Ed Headington