trailer without brakes - max weight

[donn12]

Thank you for the feedback. I understand how important brakes are especially when you get to a certain point of weight being towed. What I’m really trying to figure out is what is that total weight amount If it was behind a Jeep Gladiator or Dodge Ram 1500? The trailers are in completely different weight classes and price points. with availability issues it could be 3500 plus for tandem with brakes and 1500 for small single. Yes i understand 2990 total. for ATV UTV this will be transport to and from dealer for warranty repair if needed. Other than that maybe some very light weight runs to goodwill etc. So I concede that brakes are better at a certain point. The question is what is the limit for you without them?

 

[sandman2234]

Thank you for the feedback. I understand how important brakes are especially when you get to a certain point of weight being towed. What I’m really trying to figure out is what is that total weight amount If it was behind a Jeep Gladiator or Dodge Ram 1500? The trailers are in completely different weight classes and price points. with availability issues it could be 3500 plus for tandem with brakes and 1500 for small single. Yes i understand 2990 total. for ATV UTV this will be transport to and from dealer for warranty repair if needed. Other than that maybe some very light weight runs to goodwill etc. So I concede that brakes are better at a certain point. The question is what is the limit for you without them?

I think a lot of it has to do with your driving style and which vehicle you are pulling it with. I have a friend who is a very aggressive driver, tends to push things to the limit. However, adding trailer brakes to a trailer he is towing, simply adds to his ability to get a little closer to the car in front before backing off. Pulling a trailer without brakes isn't something I haven't done, because I have, many times. However, what really matters is your driving awareness when doing it. Behind those two vehicles, I would think I would start worrying at around 2000 pounds behind my half ton Chevy.
Many years ago, I lost the air compressor on a tractor trailer. I was pulling a load of Mail, plus I had appointments the next morning, and was 65 miles from home. I got another driver to charge up my air tanks and I drove the 65 miles, several traffic lights, and turns to the terminal where it could be repaired. I knew that if I touched the brakes, it would stop, however, I also knew that I only had 1 or MAYBE 2 at the most chances of stopping before the brakes locked down and the whole rig was planted where I was at. I never touched the brakes, simply downshifted and coasted up to every intersection where I might have to stop. It took a lot longer to get back than it should have, but made me realize that we depend on brakes a lot! If you drove like you didn't have any brakes at all, then driving without trailer brakes wouldn't matter as much.
I think the driver is more of a consideration than the weight, but in most cases, the weight is all we can control, because very few of us see flaws in our own driving. ME INCLUDED!!
David from jax

 

[Jstpssng]

That's a judgement call. Years ago I had my snowsled on a trailer behind my Dakota, driving on a snow covered road. It was a light load and I was fine until some bonehead in a parking lot looked right at me, pulled out and cut me off. After braking I checked my mirror and saw the trailer had jackknifed completely around into the other lane and oncoming traffic. I quickly punched it, cut the wheel and into the parking lot then kept going. About 1/2 mile down the road I pulled off because I was shaking so bad I couldn't drive.

 

[ArlyA]

Thank you for the feedback. I understand how important brakes are especially when you get to a certain point of weight being towed. What I’m really trying to figure out is what is that total weight amount If it was behind a Jeep Gladiator or Dodge Ram 1500? The trailers are in completely different weight classes and price points. with availability issues it could be 3500 plus for tandem with brakes and 1500 for small single. Yes i understand 2990 total. for ATV UTV this will be transport to and from dealer for warranty repair if needed. Other than that maybe some very light weight runs to goodwill etc. So I concede that brakes are better at a certain point. The question is what is the limit for you without them?

We have two trailers both without brakes. You at 3K is getting close to where they'd be good to have in my book. One of our trailers might be close to or over 3k.

 

[PILOON]

Many towns now charge to get rid of white goods, furniture and tires. Some even require you to buy bags for household waste disposal.
That cuts into people's beer money though, so rather than paying they just take their trash out and dump it on the side of the road.

Yes, and at one time U paid to dispose of tires so I awoke to find 9 dumped in my ditch.
That woke them real fast so now the tire fee is prepaid.

Now the bulk pickup has been cut back from monthly to 3 X annual so junk often spends months roadside. (Kind of difficult to store bulky items for months if U are in a condo or apartment,)

Hot water tanks is now the new problem as many insurers and condo associations are mandating 10 year replacement. (our condo has twice been flooded by neighbor tanks)

 

[RandyT]

If you read my prior post about getting pushed through a loose gravel intersection with a 6x12 no brake single axle behind my 2011 Ram 1500 4 wheel antilock you will want the brakes on a trailer. I pulled that same trailer for 10 years prior to getting the Ram with a 96 Dakota rear antilock only and never had pushing issues. Don't rely on your vehicle brakes to stop you in certain road conditions.

xThank you for the feedback. I understand how important brakes are especially when you get to a certain point of weight being towed. What I’m really trying to figure out is what is that total weight amount If it was behind a Jeep Gladiator or Dodge Ram 1500? The trailers are in completely different weight classes and price points. with availability issues it could be 3500 plus for tandem with brakes and 1500 for small single. Yes i understand 2990 total. for ATV UTV this will be transport to and from dealer for warranty repair if needed. Other than that maybe some very light weight runs to goodwill etc. So I concede that brakes are better at a certain point. The question is what is the limit for you without them?

 

[Hay Dude]

I have a handy little 3500lb single axle trailer I bought in 2010.
No brakes

 

[travisbb]

So I concede that brakes are better at a certain point. The question is what is the limit for you without them?

In reasonable driving conditions like a bit of rain, but no snow or ice or loose gravel roads or what have you, half the weight of the tow vehicle. You'd need to drive carefully and gently at the maximum, but I'd no problems doing so -- you always need to be gentle when at the max. Of course this is actual loaded weight, not rated weight.

For most SUVs that'd be around 2000lbs. Most half tons around 2700 pounds. 3/4-ton and above, 3500 pounds or more.

 

[Oaktree]

Many towns now charge to get rid of white goods, furniture and tires. Some even require you to buy bags for household waste disposal.
That cuts into people's beer money though, so rather than paying they just take their trash out and dump it on the side of the road.

My town charges for tires, furniture (goes into the "demolition" bin) and appliances with freon. Stoves, washers, HW heaters, etc. just go in the metal pile. They also require special bags for trash, but we generate so little (wastebasket size trash bag every couple weeks) I'll just put it in the trash can at a gas station, Walmart, etc.

 

[Jstpssng]

I'll just put it in the trash can at a gas station, Walmart, etc.

Disposal of household waste that way is called littering here. I was just in the local general store yesterday, where the owner was complaining that somebody had left 5 bags of waste there.

I can get rid of anything at my transfer station but not many towns are that way. A few years ago one of our logging contractors found a couch at lunchtime which wasn't there that morning. The local forest ranger was called, and he found an envelope with a name down inside
the cushions. Somebody had driven 50 miles to dump it... 12 hours later he got it back, along with a summons.

 

[timswi]

I've pulled my previous RTV500 and my quad (not at the same time) on a 6x10 single axle Big Tex with a 1500 GMC. Never had a problem stopping...Just have to drive accordingly. Barely knew it was back there actually.

 

[Dmacleo]

I use a single axle 7x14 to carry a gc1723 TLB and I installed brakes on it myself. well worth the cost.
sometimes I carry enough manure in it that springs are almost bottomed out, brakes help a lot there.

 

[Omega Woods]

Trailer brakes are one of the most inexpensive insurance policies available.

 

[Hunter4282]

It looks like 3000 GVW and above is where most companies install brakes on their trailers. I am thinking about a 6x14 single axle without brakes for ATV UTV etc transport. This would be below the 3000 lb threshold but how comfortable are you towing 2500 without brakes? is there a max weight without brakes you are ok with occasionally? thinking of a Gladiator or full size Ram tow vehicle. I could see a 20 or 40 mile trip for repairs with a total weight of 2500 or less. I could also see a 3 mile trip on my back road to moms house fully loaded once or twice in the next few years.

In Pennsylvania its any axle rated above 3500. Most companies offer upgrades at 3000lbs. But not required. You should be fine with a full size truck or the gladiator, but if you think you want a smaller tow vehicle*smaller suv or car opt for the upgraded brakes

 

[RoostersGarage]

I prefer to have brakes on every trailer. I was driving home with my RTV x1140 on a 16' trailer that didn't have brakes working so I was making sure I kept lots of space in front of me. As I was crossing over the interstate on the 2 lane highway I was on, a person pulled out in front of me causing me to lock up the brakes on my truck which was a 2007 1500 Ram. I was able to bring the whole thing to a stop to keep from wrecking into the guy, but I was cutting it very close. The machine and trailer together probably weighed close to 3000 lbs. I've also had close encounters when pulling a 16' box trailer with brakes and running my brake controller pretty high. The difference was remarkable how much easier I was able to slow down a heavier trailer with brakes versus a lighter trailer with no brakes.

 

[mxr662]

I put electric brakes on my 6x12 single axle enclosed trailer. I already had the controller in my 1/2 ton truck. Did not cost much for the brakes, just bolted right on to my axles. Much nicer to pull and easier on the truck when stopping.

 

[Parkanzky]

The law in Michigan is that:

All trailers over 3,000 pounds must be equipped with brakes, while trailers weighing over 5,500 pounds must have brakes strong enough to control the trailer's movement, stop it and hold it.

I did order a two-axle float-on pontoon trailer with a ~4-5k# GVWR without brakes because it never gets towed more than ~5 miles from the boat ramp to the barn and if it did I'd be towing it with my 7500# truck. None of my boat trailers have brakes and I don't miss them at all. The only braked trailer I currently have is my 14k# GVWR equipment trailer and I'm definitely glad to have them on that when it's loaded up.

 

[Jstpssng]

I'm trying to find a way to put brakes on my little 3000# dump trailer so that I can use it behind my Colorado. It only has 10" rims so it appears I will also need to upgrade to taller tires, which in turn would require me to put wheel wells into the dump bed.

 

[Bearcat81]

It looks like 3000 GVW and above is where most companies install brakes on their trailers. I am thinking about a 6x14 single axle without brakes for ATV UTV etc transport. This would be below the 3000 lb threshold but how comfortable are you towing 2500 without brakes? is there a max weight without brakes you are ok with occasionally? thinking of a Gladiator or full size Ram tow vehicle. I could see a 20 or 40 mile trip for repairs with a total weight of 2500 or less. I could also see a 3 mile trip on my back road to moms house fully loaded once or twice in the next few years.

We haul a NH TC30 and a Kubota RTV900-about a ton each (hauled separately!). No problem--just take your time; don't drive like a bat out of hell; and, be care downhill.

 

[ForestGrump]

Trailer brakes are independent of the tow rig, it doesn’t matter what the tow vehicle is in regards to brakes. Just this past week coming up the hill there was an accident involving a small enclosed single axle trailer. It broke loose from a large van and decided to go downhill hitting cars which brings up another point, a breakaway device to apply those brake should the trailer breakaway. As the man says 1500 lbs in California with a breakaway device.

This is not a matter of ”if you can”. It’s a matter of law and safety for you and others on the road.