tow dolly brakes

I had electric brakes on our Tow dolly because I also tow an enclosed car trailer and had a brake controller for it. One advantage of an electric brake is you can stop any swaying if it were to occur or possibly on slippery conditions, without using the MH brakes. I have had that problem with with TT or Car Trailers under different conditions.

Towed a dolly with surge brakes from SoCal to Yellowstone via the Great Basin. No smoking at bottom of grades or any other problems. Used exhaust brake extensively and went down in the same gear as I went up. Just check the master cylinder on the tongue once in awhile and away you go. Liked the idea of other vehicles being able to use the dolly without having a brake controller installed.

jules6 wrote:
I currently have a tow dolly with surge brakes and I have towed a pop-up camper with surge brakes and there was never a problem with going down hills with surge brakes. Surge brakes work very well and they do not require you to purchase a brake controller and can be towed with any vehicle that has a hitch installed. I would go with surge brakes every time.

On steep mountain grades the surge hitch pushes against the towed vehicle and over brakes. I've seen them smoking at the bottom. Towing 4 down if I see my toad over braking on a steep grade I turn down the amount of braking with my remote device. JMHO

jules6 wrote:
I currently have a tow dolly with surge brakes and I have towed a pop-up camper with surge brakes and there was never a problem with going down hills with surge brakes. Surge brakes work very well and they do not require you to purchase a brake controller and can be towed with any vehicle that has a hitch installed. I would go with surge brakes every time.

Me, too.

I currently have a tow dolly with surge brakes and I have towed a pop-up camper with surge brakes and there was never a problem with going down hills with surge brakes. Surge brakes work very well and they do not require you to purchase a brake controller and can be towed with any vehicle that has a hitch installed. I would go with surge brakes every time.

skipngail wrote:
im going to buy a tow dolly what kind of brakes are the best mechanical or electrical ( big difference in price)

I like electrical brakes on trailers, especially in the mountains. I've owned several trailers, never a tow dolly, My present tandem axle dump trailer has electrical brakes. Going down a mountain grade with a heavy trailer with surge mechanical brakes can be a problem.