My Hauling Trailer Experience

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Here's my converted boat/articulated trailer. Still need to finish the chip guard and reeled the safety chains. Also need to sink the python into the deck to make it ride better and add some tie down points and she'll be ready to haul next winter ... thinking maybe Texas or Florida Keys (on the bucket list to tour the keys on a bike)

 

[mgwtrike]

Florida Keys (on the bucket list to tour the keys on a bike)

A couple tips on the Florida keys.

Bring lots of money and patience.
Don't travel down on Fridays or back up on Sunday, traffic is nuts from the party goers on the weekend.
Make overnight reservations at a motel in advance.
Get to like roosters wake-up call @ 4:00 a.m.
Most of all, watch your speed on the way down, locals cops love speeding tourist.

 

[mgwtrike]

Is that a South Dakota Thing? :Joker3:

Haa....I'd pay admission to see that!!! :laugh::laugh::laugh:

And I'd bet she'd exit right though the walls without using the door.............:clapping:

 

[schiel1]

You may want to look into "surge Brakes" The braking is done in the tongue and no wiring, all you do is hook it to the ball and go.

- - - Updated - - -

You may want to look into "surge Brakes" The braking is done in the tongue and no wiring, all you do is hook it to the ball and go.
www.amazon.com/Atwood-82543-Painted-Surge-Actuator/dp/B00BJ2EG2G

 

[Lawingnutz]

Be sure to give everything a good washing when you leave....salt is hard on everything.....

 

[Razor]

I had a boat trailer with surge brakes "once". You have to put a pin in it when backing up or the brakes will engage. If you forget to pull the pin when pulling forward you will have no brakes. The surge brakes can also engage to hard and tend to lock up the trailer tires. A good brake controller with electric brakes makes for a smoother safer controlled stop. A blow out with a single axle trailer while traveling at highway speed in a curve can make life interesting. I do not plan on ever owning another single axle trailer. Duel axle trailers are also easier to back up. I've been told if you have a ten dollar head buy a ten dollar helmet. Same goes with trailers. When something goes wrong it tends to take the tow vehicle with it. We had a young family lose their father earlier this year on straight stretch of I85 in a single car accident pulling a trailer. Safety First. All else second.

 

[irmagoo]

i think brakes are a must-pulled a trailer once that a barrowed it was winter and had to stop quickly trailer pushed me around and tore up quarter panel of my truck...ya i buy brakes on mine cuz $**T happens!!
magoo

 

[FuzzyWuzHe]

i buy brakes on mine cuz $**T happens!!
magoo

Exactly why I installed them on my trailer.

 

[Doc*]

I had a boat trailer with surge brakes "once". You have to put a pin in it when backing up or the brakes will engage. If you forget to pull the pin when pulling forward you will have no brakes. The surge brakes can also engage to hard and tend to lock up the trailer tires. A good brake controller with electric brakes makes for a smoother safer controlled stop. A blow out with a single axle trailer while traveling at highway speed in a curve can make life interesting. I do not plan on ever owning another single axle trailer. Duel axle trailers are also easier to back up. I've been told if you have a ten dollar head buy a ten dollar helmet. Same goes with trailers. When something goes wrong it tends to take the tow vehicle with it. We had a young family lose their father earlier this year on straight stretch of I85 in a single car accident pulling a trailer. Safety First. All else second.

My experience with surge and/or hydraulic trailer brakes differs from yours. I have a 10,000 lb. shore-lander boat trailer with surge brakes and it stops smoothly and you can back it up with no problem on a reasonably level surface. Trying to back up a steep hill is another situation. I also have a U-Haul tandem converted car-hauler with hydraulic brakes that I use for my trike and John Deere 4520 tractor. It is even smoother than the boat trailer and I have never experienced wheel lock-up even with extremely hard and fast stops (love it). It is a heavy duty open trailer and is probably heavier than most of you would want or be able to pull. I pull it with a Dodge Ram 2500 Turbo Diesel. You can see pics of it in my album on GL1800 Riders Forum under the Trike Section by clicking on Doc1 and it will take you to my profile where you can see my album. I much prefer the hydraulic brakes on the car-hauler as compared to any electric brakes that I have experienced (JMHO). Hope this helps. Ride Safe. Doc ThumbUp