Some of y'all are scarin' me!

[TucsonJim]

While at the Good Sam rally in Phoenix last month, a camper was parked next to us. She had an 18ft TT, and was pulling it with an SUV. While there, she purchased a new 22' TT from one of the vendors, but was upset that they were charging her for a "Brake Thingy". I asked her to explain and she showed me the sales contract which had a brake controller listed.

I told her it was probably just a mistake and to show me her current controller and I'd see if it would work on her new trailer. She didn't know what a brake controller was, and didn't know where it was located in her SUV. So I took a look and there was NO controller in her TV. She said she didn't need one because she had a plug on the back of the SUV that she plugged the trailer into and it should connect the brakes.

So I tried to spend the next half hour explaining how it all worked and her final comment was "I should be just fine without it". Hopefully, that dealer won't let her leave without following through and safely equipping her SUV.

Yikes!
:E

Jim

[afidel]

Saw a fun one on the way home today, guy had a huge chunk of steel (couldn't tell exactly what it was in the 30s I was near him) behind a 5500 truck, not only did he not have brakes, he didn't even have trailer lights! He made a lane change and the people he cut off came within about a foot of his trailer with their brakes locked up. People are freaking scary.

[BadgerMcAdams]

ScottG wrote:
...Then there's the OTR trucks. Unless they happen to get caught up in a surprise inspection, they're often junk on wheels.

You think it can be bad here...When I was active duty I had to do my rotation at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. We were in the process of moving all the munitions items from PSAB to the new base in Qatar. This involved packing everything, blocked and braced, into 40 foot shipping containers. We contracted a Saudi trucking company to haul these containers to their final destination.

The first day of the "ship-out", they had truck show up that I swear were used in the old Mad Max movies. There were trucks with only 1 tire per rear axle when there should have been two, trailers with NO Brakes (no shoes, air pots, air lines, actuating hardware, just a brake drum). We had one truck come in with no tread on 3 of the tires (you could see the steel belts).

Our transportation department had to do safety inspections on the rigs before they could be loaded. That first day, out of 27 trucks that showed up, 15 were loaded, the rest sent off for repairs.

The owner of the business, a Saudi, had a conniption fit because we told him he would have to fix those trucks before we would put anything on them, little alone explosives.

[Mchasnpat]

railrode1 wrote:
Ran across this on a truck forum. This guy has a truck camper and public a 21 foot boat. Look at this setup real close. ***Link Removed***

now thats scary

[SpeakEasy]

cmcdar wrote:

WNYBob wrote:
Here in NY I've had several 1000 lb trailers inspected which only involved checking lights and pulling the hitch up and down by hand (to check if it is sturdy)

It will be interesting to watch what they do for the inspection of my 20 ft TT next month!

When I bought my camper, the dealer sent me off, in a storm, with no lights working.

Unfortunately, I found that out a few days after I was home. I was told that the camper was inspected and it had an inspection sticker.

I thought that perhaps a bulb had blown. NO, that was not it. When I took it all apart, I found that the socket was so rusted out that that tail light/directional could have never worked to get it to pass inspection.

I guess passing inspection has a lot to do with WHO is doing the inspection.

You've made reference to your very sketchy dealer here and in at least one other post. Would you mind identifying who that dealer is? As a person who lives in the same area you do I would like to know who it is that is doing such a poor job.

-Speak

[railrode1]

Ran across this on a truck forum. This guy has a truck camper and public a 21 foot boat. Look at this setup real close. https://goo.gl/photos/XhEhLdZiTV1zTSr99

[LarryJM]

SoundGuy wrote:
Phew! ... after all these years of towing it's now finally been confirmed I actually have a "Brake Thingy". Mine's a Tekonsha P3. :W

Now DON'T LAUGH, but I actually do have used for the last 30 years a "Brake Thingy" since I sure wouldn't classify it as one of these fancy "Brake Controllers". I do have an ammeter made for it that sits on my dash so I know instantly how much braking I'm applying to the trailer. For those of you familiar think "sewing machine" speed foot controller which is basically what my "Brake Thingy" is.:B

Here are a couple of pics if interested ....

"Brake Thingy" made by Warner vintage c. 1980





Ammeter on left (note "thingy" on right is my custom remote leveling sensor system now removed/discarded):



Larry

[msmith1_wa]

Several years ago I bought a used 12000lb capacity flat bed trailer. The seller had cut off the 7 pin connector and replaced it with a four pin. By doing this it made the brakes non-functional and did not charge the battery for the break away system. Before actually using it I swinched back to a seven pin.

[CavemanCharlie]

TucsonJim wrote:
While at the Good Sam rally in Phoenix last month, a camper was parked next to us. She had an 18ft TT, and was pulling it with an SUV. While there, she purchased a new 22' TT from one of the vendors, but was upset that they were charging her for a "Brake Thingy". I asked her to explain and she showed me the sales contract which had a brake controller listed.

I told her it was probably just a mistake and to show me her current controller and I'd see if it would work on her new trailer. She didn't know what a brake controller was, and didn't know where it was located in her SUV. So I took a look and there was NO controller in her TV. She said she didn't need one because she had a plug on the back of the SUV that she plugged the trailer into and it should connect the brakes.

So I tried to spend the next half hour explaining how it all worked and her final comment was "I should be just fine without it". Hopefully, that dealer won't let her leave without following through and safely equipping her SUV.

Yikes!
:E

Jim

I didn't read all 6 pages of this thread. No one I know uses a brake controller when pulling their TT. But, they all have small TT's and pull with pickups. They also don't go very far.

I have a Prodigy 3 for my pickup and TT. The brakes on my TT don't work well. But, they do work.

She was fine with her original setup but, she should have trailer brakes now.

You should see the farmers towing big wagons to town behind their pickups. (Not so much anymore though) But, Huge, Huge, wagons to town behind their not so big tractors with only surge brakes on the wagons. Modern tractors go close to 30 mph but, wagon tires are only rated for 20.

[Lynnmor]

Camper G wrote:


I bet you are right. It probably has to do with which inspection stations have trucks with brake controls installed to test the electric brakes and lights.

If the inspection station doesn't have a 12 volt battery or power supply to connect to the trailer, they shouldn't be in the business.

[qtla9111]

And the statistics showing TT and FW accidents caused by lack of brake contollers or bad braking?

How much of this discussion is hype and personal opinion?

[2112]

goducks10 wrote:
those kinds of people are why I quit riding motorcycles after 12 straight years. I've ridden off and on since I was 18. Way tooooo many drivers that don't care.

It was cell phones and Bubba's driving their 8000 lb truck like sports cars for me. You have the ones that arn't paying attention to what's going on around them and the ones that don't care. Both equally dangerous. After over 20 years and over 120K miles riding the shiny side up I hung it up. I realized I was challenging Murphy and he always wins.

People seem to be all spun up about this one young lady with the brake thingy. Come down and drive Houston for a week and observe. You'll find out she's not the problem or my concern. The roads here are full of everyday idiots.

[Camper_G]

ford truck guy wrote:

Camper G wrote:

ford truck guy wrote:

Camper G wrote:

ford truck guy wrote:

RoyB wrote:
You would think that the state DOT inspection station requirements would catch some of this... All of the installed DOT safety lights including the functioning electric brakes are all part of the required safety inspection here where I live.

when all passes then I get a current sticker placed on my trailer...

Roy Ken

Here in PA also... You MUST leave the whole combination when getting the trailer inspected...

BUT - I know that many facilities tell you where to "DROP IT" when calling for an appointment..

Please explain where the language is in the pa state inspection manual that says you have to leave the whole combination for inspection. I have a class 7 PA state inspection mechanics license and don't recall that anywhere in the code.

As far as that ladys attitude, wow, that's crazy. I hope someone has made her see the light. People like that should not be towing trailers. That's how people get hurt

I really don't know, i do not have a class 7 pa state inspection mechanics license... but i did sleep at a Holliday Inn express last night....

Every facility that i took my trailer too,said that in order to inspect, the trailer must be connect to the tow vehicle... sorry for being wrong

Nothing to apologize for friend. I was just asking because i was not aware of that requirement and you had "must" in all capital letters so i wanted to know if there was something I missed. Thanks

Nothing missed... They all told me that the tow vehicle must be hooked up,that way they can make sure the brakes and lights work as planned?? I ASSUMED it was a state law, because it sounded correct to me??

Perhaps it is because not all inspection stations have a vehicle that can hook up to a trailer and move it around the lot ??

I bet you are right. It probably has to do with which inspection stations have trucks with brake controls installed to test the electric brakes and lights.

[Passin_Thru]

Just amazes me how stupid can't be cured. I have advised people over the years about things and it's totally up to them if they take the advice. I told my wife to sell some stock and she didn't. It was MCI and it went fro lots to a $.

[ford_truck_guy]

Camper G wrote:

ford truck guy wrote:

Camper G wrote:

ford truck guy wrote:

RoyB wrote:
You would think that the state DOT inspection station requirements would catch some of this... All of the installed DOT safety lights including the functioning electric brakes are all part of the required safety inspection here where I live.

when all passes then I get a current sticker placed on my trailer...

Roy Ken

Here in PA also... You MUST leave the whole combination when getting the trailer inspected...

BUT - I know that many facilities tell you where to "DROP IT" when calling for an appointment..

Please explain where the language is in the pa state inspection manual that says you have to leave the whole combination for inspection. I have a class 7 PA state inspection mechanics license and don't recall that anywhere in the code.

As far as that ladys attitude, wow, that's crazy. I hope someone has made her see the light. People like that should not be towing trailers. That's how people get hurt

I really don't know, i do not have a class 7 pa state inspection mechanics license... but i did sleep at a Holliday Inn express last night....

Every facility that i took my trailer too,said that in order to inspect, the trailer must be connect to the tow vehicle... sorry for being wrong

Nothing to apologize for friend. I was just asking because i was not aware of that requirement and you had "must" in all capital letters so i wanted to know if there was something I missed. Thanks

Nothing missed... They all told me that the tow vehicle must be hooked up,that way they can make sure the brakes and lights work as planned?? I ASSUMED it was a state law, because it sounded correct to me??

Perhaps it is because not all inspection stations have a vehicle that can hook up to a trailer and move it around the lot ??