Unbraked trailer, towing limitations

nickthehunter wrote:

tealboy wrote:
I didn’t mean for this thread to turn into such a long debate, although there are a number of useful responses, so thank you. All of this came from the fact that I was unaware of these very low thresholds and the seemingly conservative approach from the manufacturers. Most of my towing has been 2-3k lb boats and trailers using large full size suvs. In some cases, the cargo inside of the suv might have been another 800 lbs but with published tow ratings of 8400, and a bit of ignorance, I thought I was doing it right. I never had a situation that necessitated emergency braking so I don’t know what would have happened but in all my routine driving under these circumstances, I didn’t have any close calls or problems, and no reason to think I was posing a risk to myself or others. Clearly I was wrong, even after giving myself some wiggle room for manufacturer conservativeness.

Now, I feel fairly educated on the subject and trying to make good decisions, particularly since I am in the market for a new suv. All of this is entirely related to my safety and the safety of others affected by my actions, and the risk of legal consequences. It has nothing to do with warranties, damaging the vehicle, or getting pulled over for a weight inspection since my loads wouldn’t trigger any obvious concerns. We live in a litigious society and at this age I worry about that stuff more, in addition to general safety.

If you’re in an accident and “failed to stop in time” you are just as liable wether your trailer had working brakes or not. The point is - don’t outdrive your ability to stop in time. The second point - keep your insurance up to date and adequate; that’s what it’s for.

Bingo. And Nevermind the fact that if your state has a 3klb limit for trailer brake requirements then in the eyes of the law, you’re not breaking any, in a criminal proceeding….
I wonder if the folks who are that worried about liability also wear 3 pairs of underwear each day. I mean, I did shart twice in one day once and the extra skivvies could have come in handy thst day!