Electric Breaks and the law

[jarata1]

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?

[bikendan]

i find it hard to believe a 1500lbs. TT unless it's a fiberglass one like the Scamp or Casita.

[Bobbo]

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.

[DownTheAvenue]

The law does not require that you need electric breaks. The electricity never gets tired and never needs breaks. However, you may need electric brakes according to the weight of a trailer.

[bukhrn]

RoyB wrote:
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 lights


Roy Ken

X2, I have exactly the same trailer.

[3oaks]

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. 😉

[Jebby14]

for what its worth you can get a brake controller for like 80 bucks even up here in expensive Canada land. legal or not (I have no idea) its good insurance.

[mgirardo]

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

[RoyB]

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 lights


Roy Ken

[wildtoad]

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.

[Jim-Linda]

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

[msgtord]

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.