Towing trailer with brakes
Hello, I am involved in a boy scout troop that is going to buy a cargo trailer to haul camping equipment. The trailer will be a single axle trailer and have GVW of less then 3,000 lbs - probably i...
Forum Discussion
wired13 wrote:
Some of the possible towing vehicles (cross overs, mid-size SUVs) have notices in their owners manuals that say "All trailers towed by this vehicle over 1000 lbs must have brakes" but have rated towing capacity is in excess of 3000 lbs. Is this the manufacturer just covering their tails or is there real reasoning behind these statements?
It is the manufacturer covering themselves, but there is likely more to it...
There may be concerns that the towing vehicle is not heavy enough to keep its rear end firmly planted in a hard braking situation, with the full weight of the trailer pushing on it. Especially if the car and trailer are not perfectly straight.
When the rear end cuts loose there is the distinct possibility of a jackknife.
There may also be concerns that even if the tow vehicle is heavy enough to maintain control, the stopping distance may be too great without assistance from trailer brakes.
Brakes may not be legally required but it doesn't hurt to have them and use them.
