How heavy is TOO heavy? GVWR on a 2500

blt2ski wrote:

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

Lantley wrote:

JIMNLIN wrote:

Question though, you mention the brakes not stopping the trailer, that hasn't been the case in my experience, maybe just good brakes??

Nor has it been my experience either.
With five trailers on the road with 3500 tandems......6000 lb triaxles....7000 lb triaxle Rockwell American and Dexter axles with electric drum brakes on enclosed and GN flatdeck trailers they all would smoke the tires at full loads if I had the gain turned up enough.
I would advise anyone that their trailers brakes won't stop the trailer to get them fixed.

Even my 11200 lb 5er with 5200 lb tandems will smoke all four tires.

All the above was after I reworked the brake wiring which I did on every new or used trailer I put in service.

Put disc brakes on those same trailers and tell me what you think.
Smoking tires does not equate to stopping, that what ABS is all about

I don't have to. The brakes I have have enough power to take them beyond the traction limits of the tires.

I never said I set my brakes to smoke the tires and left them there. I said they can. I set them just to the point before locking up. This is where everyone should set them.

Again, if your trailer or anybody else's won't stop your vehicle with the hand brake I would advise you to get them fixed. Mine stops just fine both just fine with drum brakes.

My dual 6k equipment trailer will stop my 12k met dump truck. Including when it is loaded with the box at and Trackhoe. 11k on trailer axles....something is.wrong with lantleys setup. With that said. Rigs with disk brakes generally are.nicer.than drums.

Marty

Thanks Marty,
Finally someone open minded enough to step away from their old school way of thinking.
I'm never said my brakes don't work or that I am having any problems.
However I did say I don't believe the trailer brakes alone stop the trailer. The tow vehicle's brakes plays a significant part.
If you tow any of those superior braking trailers you guys mentioned with 1/2,3/4, and dually trucks. You will get different and better stopping distances each time. The trailer will not stop the same with the dually as it does with the 3/4 ton.
Put disc brakes on the trailer and you will get even better results.
You guys want me to believe a 1/2 ton will stop the same as a dually because the trailer brakes are stopping the trailer. Sorry I don't buy into that. Experience has taught me otherwise.
Why are rigs with disc brakes thought to be nicer? Because they stop significantly better! Slowly the towable RV world is learning of disc brakes and the dramatic improvement they provide.
With disc brakes maybe the trailer is capable of stopping itself, but even then the TV brakes are part of the equation.
As mentioned the GAWR has braking as one of its components. That braking force will be applied to whatever it's carrying. Be it a load of bricks or pin/hitch weight, the truck is applying braking force to the combo.
To be clear I did not say magnetic drum brakes don't work at all. But I am saying trailer brakes do not stop the trailer by themselves. The TV braking system has a significant impact.