Electric Trailer Brakes

[Freewheeling Ron]

I just purchased a new to me Roll a Home. It has electric brakes and I'm wondering if I should wire my Freewheeler for them or tow it without using the electric brakes. I also have a cargo trailer I use that has a flat 5 wire plug, as does the Freewheeler. The Roll a Home has a rectangular 6 wire plug. If I wire my trike to accommodate the 6 pin plug I will have to change the plug on my cargo trailer also. I've read pros and cons concerning electric trailer brakes on motorcycle trailers and looking for some advice from those that are pulling tent campers. Do you think the electric brakes are needed since I'm towing with a trike?

[lah2420]

I have no experience towing with a trike or bike. But I do with a truck. To me, one of the biggest advantages of electric brakes is that if the trailer tries to start fishtailing, you can bump the brake controller to apply only the trailer brakes and straighten things out. I have had to do that a few times in my camper.

[DK Custom Products]

I have pulled several pop-up tent trailers with both 2 wheels and 3 wheels.

One of them was a Bunkhouse, which is pretty similar to the Roll-a-Home.

I have not had electric brakes on any of them, and never felt I needed them either. Even with a fully loaded trailer, I can still stop faster than most any cage on the road.

However, if I had them, I would probably use them...nothing wrong with having some extra stopping power.



Kevin

[jc1300]

I'm curious what the downside could be. We trailer {light wt. Aluminum rig} and I can't help but increase distance and slow my speed. But unless the trailer brakes where tuned too tight.....having a slight pull behind me when stopping would be cool.....I assume......?

jc

[rhino 2]

Like iah2420...Larry, I also haven't had any experience towing with a Trike... But my Two trailers that i tow with my Truck have brakes...And if i was towing with a Trike and can wire a trailer with brakes' I would do it, I can't see any downside to it...

[Freewheeling Ron]

Dexter has recommended not using trailer brakes, particularly with torsion suspension. If the axle rotate past a certain point (as I understand it, a situation where there is not enough weight on the axle and you hit a large bump) it can cause the brakes to engage. I have no idea how often this has occurred, if any. Maybe just a no fault legal warning, but there is a notice of this in my paperwork. Besides this warning by Dexter, there are other issues that can occur (best to google if interested in more detail), and many dealers that sell lightweight trailers with electric brakes recommend installing a bypass switch where you can manually turn them off in case of issues. I'm just reading what I can but those are the negatives I've read. I'm towing it this weekend and not wiring in the brakes and see how it feels.

[DK Custom Products]

Dexter has recommended not using trailer brakes, particularly with torsion suspension. If the axle rotate past a certain point (as I understand it, a situation where there is not enough weight on the axle and you hit a large bump) it can cause the brakes to engage. I have no idea how often this has occurred, if any. Maybe just a no fault legal warning, but there is a notice of this in my paperwork. Besides this warning by Dexter, there are other issues that can occur (best to google if interested in more detail), and many dealers that sell lightweight trailers with electric brakes recommend installing a bypass switch where you can manually turn them off in case of issues. I'm just reading what I can but those are the negatives I've read. I'm towing it this weekend and not wiring in the brakes and see how it feels.

On two wheels I can see that I would NEVER want the trailer brakes to lock up behind me...don't think it would be near the issue on the Trike....BUT, I don't know.

I failed to mention in my previous post....While I can still stop very quickly with the loaded trailer behind me, I cannot stop as quickly as without it...so I do leave an extra buffer of room in front of me.

Hope you have a really enjoyable weekend camping!

Pic of us camping, somewhere up north a few years back. We were just there for the night, did not even unhook the trailer from the bike before setting up camp.



Here we are at a rally, with the pop up and the TG-



Kevin

[therocksharley]

I just purchased a new to me Roll a Home. It has electric brakes and I'm wondering if I should wire my Freewheeler for them or tow it without using the electric brakes. I also have a cargo trailer I use that has a flat 5 wire plug, as does the Freewheeler. The Roll a Home has a rectangular 6 wire plug. If I wire my trike to accommodate the 6 pin plug I will have to change the plug on my cargo trailer also. I've read pros and cons concerning electric trailer brakes on motorcycle trailers and looking for some advice from those that are pulling tent campers. Do you think the electric brakes are needed since I'm towing with a trike?

You can check to see if a Hydraulic Surge Brake set up is available for your trailers wheel size. They will come on when the trailer starts pushing on the tow vehicle. No need to have any wires connected. I prefer them over electric trailer brakes. Good Luck, Tony