Your towing rigs and trailers

[ning]

It's weird to me that you folks have trailers that have issues when backing them up. I've used various 10K equipment trailers from places I've rented bobcats from in past years (4 or 5 in the past 10 years) and they all had surge brakes and I had zero problems backing them up anywhere. My dad also had a big old Larson inboard/outboard boat back in the 70's that had a trailer with surge brakes and he never did anything special to back it up. Admittedly I don't have tons of experience with trailers with surge brakes but given what I know I'm surprised.

Rob

The problem isn't backing them in general - it's backing them up a (steep) hill; the slope in that direction looks like enough deceleration for the surge brakes to engage.

 

[farmer2009]

Tractor Supply and Runnings both run specials on them in the $7-10 range from time to time.



Can you point me to the law saying that (or at least the town/city where it is illegal)? People have told me that, but I have never been able to track down a town that has that ordinance.

Aaron Z

No I can’t point you to the ordinance. But I will say there used to be signs at the city limits of Russellville, KY. I haven’t been down there in a few years but I presume they are still there. Seems like I’ve seen them other places also but I can’t put a name to it.

 

[farmer2009]

All mechanical. A lever + cables that will get the pressures even in each wheel and a strong over-center spring to keep it either locked or unlocked.

Here is an overview of the system:

I think my trailer does what you mentioned. I've backed up fully loaded onto a steep hill and after a bit of struggling to get it to start to move, the surge brake just fully retracted and after a slight bump the trailer just felt like it was not braking.

Some surge brake systems will fully release when they sense reverse. Problem is it takes some time. Others had a lever that you got out and pulled when backing. This released the pressure on the system. Only ever used surge brakes on anhydrous ammonia tanks and liquid nurse tanks. They all had the manual release. Never had one with a parking brake.

 

[BMan2005]

16' Ram 3500 Dre, Aisin transmission, 4.10 gears with a 35' + 5' dove tail, dual tandem trailer with triple ramps.

 

[aczlan]

No I can’t point you to the ordinance. But I will say there used to be signs at the city limits of Russellville, KY. I haven’t been down there in a few years but I presume they are still there. Seems like I’ve seen them other places also but I can’t put a name to it.

As of April 2007, surge breaks are legal anywhere in the US: http://www.rentalmanagementmag.com/Art/tabid/232/ArticleId/10591
Before that, it was legal some places, but not in others on the commercial side.

Aaron Z

 

[3930dave]

16' Ram 3500 Dre, Aisin transmission, 4.10 gears with a 35' + 5' dove tail, dual tandem trailer with triple ramps.

View attachment 564730

Nice setup !

Rgds, D.

 

[3Lfarms]

16' Ram 3500 Dre, Aisin transmission, 4.10 gears with a 35' + 5' dove tail, dual tandem trailer with triple ramps.

View attachment 564730

What does that 40’ trailer weigh? If it has 12k axles, would you feel comfortable putting 20k lbs on it?
I want a 40’ gn, but as the length goes up, the weight capacity goes down.

 

[4570Man]

Taking a quick look at the Big Tex website their trailer with 12k axels at 35+5 long can’t haul 20k. Its payload is 17k and weighs 8900 pounds.

 

[BMan2005]

Nice setup !

Rgds, D.

Thanks man, I hope to be driving the same rig 10-15 years from now. Figure buy once cry once. Lol

What does that 40’ trailer weigh? If it has 12k axles, would you feel comfortable putting 20k lbs on it?
I want a 40’ gn, but as the length goes up, the weight capacity goes down.

It's a PJ classic flat deck trailer and they don't list the weight with dove tail just straight deck. If I remember right they said about 8,500 lbs. So that's 16,500 lbs capacity left. The hitch is the limiting factor on mine at 25k lbs max rating.

But, I believe you can get an upgraded GN hitch rated for 30,000 lbs & twin 15k lbs axles which gives you a GVWR of 30k. That would leave you 21,500 of capacity on this specific trailer.

 

[Bowhunter1527]

My rig 14 Ram Outdoorsman and a 20' Big tex/12k limit trailer. Tractor is a Ck3510SE (2734lbs) FEL (840lbs) with filled tires (235-250lbs/tire). The Bbull (604lbs), Bblade (514lbs) and I brought home a Lpride tiller (362lbs). This adds up to 5554+2800 for trailer is 8354lbs. I pulled her 200 miles each way at 55-60mph with no problems at all. It did squat down a bit and definitely more on the way home with tiller in the box. Im hoping my other tires and adding some airbags will help to mitigate that issue.