SweetLou wrote:
Terryallan wrote:
crasster wrote:
I've read many times that exceeding GCVWR is a stopping safety issue.
What I'm not understanding is the GCVWR assuming there are NOT electric brakes?
Is it assuming trailer brake failure and the vehicle's GCVWR can fully stop both trailer and TV?
From my experience, a well tuned brake controller the brakes just feel like stopping without a load at all.
So how does exceeding GCVWR cause a safety issue stopping with electric brakes?
Just curious, not doing it.
Actually. Your tow vehicles brakes are only designed to stop the GVWR of the vehicle. NOT the GCVWR. that is why trailer brakes are required. So your TV can safely stop it's own max weight (GVWR). Anything over that the trailer brakes are supposed to stop.
Yes the TV brakes may stop the trailer. Eventually. But not safely, especially in a E stop.
This is the correct answer!!
I disagree with the above statements. As embarrassing as it is to say I have been guilty of once forgetting to plug the umbilical in when coming home from a camping trip. I made a 1.5 hour highway speed drive with 4 complete stops and several slowing for mountain highway curves and never even realized the trailer was unplugged. It was only before I hit the last steep downhill that I remembered and pulled over to plug the trailer in. And the brakes had been working so well up to this point that I debated not stopping at all and just going home.
Yes my trailer brakes do work and I can definitely feel it when they engage. My point is that the brakes on a properly sized tow vehicle will stop the trailer as well.
