LBrown, he said he's got an F350 Superduty.
I reckon he's got the truck department covered
...
Truthfully though, since you're tow vehicle is probably already set up for trailer brakes, I'd opt for them, regardless of what kind of trailer you get. You're probably only talking 100-150 bucks or so over one without...
Well, it is a Ford
I just had to say that, I like my Duramax.
Seriously though, if you are runnng a light trcuk, like a ranger, colorado or s-10, you want trailer brakes, especially on long hauls and down steep hills. Most people think that the braking system in their trucks is barely adequate for the vehicle it's self. Let alone if you add another 3 or 4000 lbs behind it. That is a lot more energy pushing you. Also, with a 4000 or 5000 lb truck, that much weight could in the right conditions over power your truck without brakes on the trailer.
I towed a Geo Tracker with my S-10 once. Just getting off on a flat ramp from speed limit was a bit nerve racking, and my truck had disc brakes all the way around it.
Another thing to note is the tongue weight. With a short trailer there is more weight added to the tongue. With a slightly longer trailer, you can offset that weight a bit which will help the truck manuver better.
Also, read the specs on your hitch and ball, the ones you buy at Wal-Mart are typically only rated for 5000 lbs (the hitch). With a 3000 tractor and your trailer, you could easily be at max. Although the hitch may hold up, they are not as strong and will weaken after time. I have seen the pin holes widen and cause a lot of play which results in some good banging back and forth. Not fun when in a turn going down hill especially in a small truck.
Brake options do not add that much cost to a trailer, and in the end lessens the wear and tear on the tow vehicle when properly adjusted.
We all have seen that overloaded trailer with the lttle 12 inch tires swinging back and forth on the road at 80 MPH, it just a matter of time that it will crash. I don't about everyone, but $16,000 tractor is worth spending the money on a descent trailer that will not fail as easily. Also, there had been many times when I wished I had a larger trailer to make a few extra bucks hauling someone's car.
One last thing. It also seems to be easier to back a heavily laiden longer trailer than a small strailer at it's max.
