I live in Massachusetts and just bought a used trailer.The weight of the travel trailer is 1600 pounds.I do have electric breaks but the suv I'll be towing them with doesn't have the setup for them.My question is I brought the trailer into a dealer to go through it.He said if you have electric breaks on camper they must be hooked up and you must also have a battery backup or you will get pulled over and ticketed.Looking at mass law they say a trailer is required to have electric breaks if it's over 3000 pounds my trailer isn't even close to thatSo who's right do I have to get them hooked up like dealer says?

By law no brakes needed. But.....Towing with a full size pickup, I wouldn't worry about the brakes. A small suv would be allot safer when towing in wet weather if it had trailer brakes.

A travel trailer that only weighs 1600 lbs??? I would seriously doubt that. Did you look on the sticker/label on the left front of the coach? What is the brand and how long is it?Jim

Not to pick nits, but is there a difference in the following:a) A trailer exceeding 3000 lbs GVWR must have electric brakes.b) A trailer with electric brakes must be operational when in use.Regardless of what Massachusetts says, other states will vary. Some states require brakes on all trailers, some at 1,500 lbs. If it were me, I'd expend the money to have your car modified to work with the braking system of the trailer.

What weight is listed on the Title you have for this trailer. That is what the Law Enforcement is going to go by when the trailer license is run through their system check.What is the model of the trailer.What will happen is Law Enforcement will possibly look over your way when passing you and your trailer and see the trailer breakaway cable not hooked up and it will go down hill from there for you... If all of this is mounted on the trailer tongue I would most definitely have it all hooked up working or not...If your trailer becomes disconnected on public roads and causes alot of damage or worse then your Insurance may NOT go in your favor if everything is not up to legal status.You know how all of that goes haha...Our State also requires a State Inspection Sticker for trailers that weigh a certain weight and have Brakes installed. If we have an expired Safety Inspection Sticker we can usually be allowed to pull the trailer to a Inspection Station if we call ahead and let the garage know we are in-route.Even my small utility trailer I have here has a valid State License tag on it... Its title says EW is 700lbs and GW is 2990lbs. All it requires is working safety lightsRoy Ken

Every state is different. AAA lists each state's requirements. I don't know how accurate it is, but if it is accurate, you don't need brakes in MA. I would check with the MA DOT to find out for sure.Keep in mind, if you travel through a state that requires electric brakes for trailers 1,000 lbs or more (like New York), you probably should have electric brakes to be safe.-Michael

Electric Breaks and the law | Good Sam Community

Bobbo
Explorer II
May 05, 2016
Nate1979 wrote:
1460lb is a very strange GVWR for a trailer. Are you sure?

I think he is quoting the dry weight, not the GVWR. Very different numbers.
Nate1979
Explorer
May 05, 2016
1460lb is a very strange GVWR for a trailer. Are you sure?
navegator
Explorer
May 04, 2016
You can install a brake controller on the vehicle that pulls the trailer, they are cheap to install in comparason to an accident or a law suit and you will be legal in all the States.

navegator
Dandy_Dan
Explorer
May 04, 2016
Bobbo wrote:
jarata1 wrote:
I live in Massachusetts and just bought a used trailer.The weight of the travel trailer is 1600 pounds.I do have electric breaks but the suv I'll be towing them with doesn't have the setup for them.
My question is I brought the trailer into a dealer to go through it.He said if you have electric breaks on camper they must be hooked up and you must also have a battery backup or you will get pulled over and ticketed.
Looking at mass law they say a trailer is required to have electric breaks if it's over 3000 pounds my trailer isn't even close to that
So who's right do I have to get them hooked up like dealer says?

This trailer, Scamp 13' trailer is 1500 pounds. Compare its size to yours.

Check your states trailer laws to know for sure. I am in Ohio and no brakes are needed if under 3000#
JaxDad
Explorer III
May 04, 2016
Double check the fine print, some jurisdictions have a little twist in there that's says any safety equipment on the trailer must be operational.

In the case of electric brakes some LEO's will say a TV with no brake controller means the brakes are not operational.

Of course the other wild-card in this day and age is lawyers looking into accidents. A TV with no break controller would make any shady lawyers mouth water.
jarata1
Explorer
May 03, 2016
For the people that gave good advise thank you
jarata1
Explorer
May 03, 2016
bikendan wrote:
i find it hard to believe a 1500lbs. TT unless it's a fiberglass one like the Scamp or Casita.

Don't find it hard to believe you have one right above you that's 1500 pounds thanks though for doubting
jarata1
Explorer
May 03, 2016
Jim-Linda wrote:
A travel trailer that only weighs 1600 lbs??? I would seriously doubt that. Did you look on the sticker/label on the left front of the coach? What is the brand and how long is it?

Jim

I would think I know the weight of my own trailer its 1460 pounds it's a 15 foot prowler Lynx but thanks for your concern
wa8yxm
Explorer III
May 03, 2016
There are two sets of laws.. Now in most states a trailer under 2,000 pounds is NOT required to have aux brakes (Not necessarly electric) but may be so equipped.

Depending on the state however trailers as light as 1500 pounds may need brakes,, in other states 3999 pounds does not but 4K and up do.

(Moral your millage (Weight limit) may vary)

The other law is civil

Having brakes on the trailer can make a BIG difference in your skid distance. So if you are sitting there, steam coming off your busted radiator, And I'm in front of you with a dent in my truck.. You better hope your have brakes on your trailer. It's that simple.
IDoMyOwnStunts
Explorer
May 03, 2016
3oaks wrote:
A whole bunch of preachers, but no one answered the question. :R

jarata1, I would contact your state department of transportation or vehicle licensing agency to get the right answer. ;)

x2. The laws vary by state and sometimes those websites that have condensed versions of the law aren't quite accurate. For example, the AAA digest suggests that Oregon has no trailer brake requirements as long as you can stop within a certain distance. That's not quite true. Oregon says that if the trailer came with brakes, they must be operational and hooked up. Massachusetts may be similar. Only your DOT will know for sure.

Besides, if you want to take the trailer to neighboring states, they may have different laws that require brakes. Just because you comply with your home state laws doesn't mean you're legal towing that trailer in another state without brakes. So unless you plan on camping only in Massachusetts, you have a few phone calls to make.

If it were me, I'd get the brake controller installed. Then you know you're legal.

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