Trailering

desertkj · **Joined:** Mon Jan 30, 2006 8:24 pm **Posts:** 677

Ok, my family has a trailer for towing our quads around. Its max capacity is 3000 lbs so the KJ should have no problem towing it. However, I seem to remember hearing something about pulse brakes that you can put on which dont require a controller? Am I remebering this correctly? If not, how much have you all done to get the Libby ready for towing. Its already got the tow package on there, so thats good, its basically stopping I'm concerned about. My family has a Dodge Ram 3500 which usually tows it, but its pretty hit or miss on when I get to drive it.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Tue Oct 03, 2006 9:21 pm

Does the trailer have brakes? The type of brakes you are thinking about are called surge brakes. There is a piston in the tongue of the trailer that gets compressed when you apply the brakes which applies the brakes on the trailer. That setup has nothing to do with the jeep and is self contained in the trailer. Some trailers may require a separate power source with surge brakes, but most do not.

desertkj · **Joined:** Mon Jan 30, 2006 8:24 pm **Posts:** 677

The trailer doesnt currently have brakes. The Ram has no problem stopping it as the brakes are the size of a Honda Civic's rims. lol.That surge brake sounds pretty complicated for a simple flatbed trailer. So, is there anywhere good you could put the trailer brake controller so its out of the way? I was almost thinking it would be cool to run it to the inside of the center console. Could that be done?

Cowcatcher · **Posted:** Wed Oct 04, 2006 1:30 am

If the trailer doesn't have brakes the controller will not help. The controller simply allows the electric trailer brakes to be automatically activated as you brake with your truck or manually applied on their own from the controller.

I mounted mine on the knee bolster to the right of the steering column.

Straight6Jeff · **Posted:** Wed Oct 04, 2006 8:05 am

With the surge brakes, the hydraulics are contained in the tongue of the trailer, but the better set ups have a reversing lock out. The lock out can be electric activated (tied into reverse lights), or mechanicla lock out (lever or pin). This is so you can back the trailer up without having the trialer brakes lock.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Wed Oct 04, 2006 11:11 am

Straight6Jeff wrote:

With the surge brakes, the hydraulics are contained in the tongue of the trailer, but the better set ups have a reversing lock out. The lock out can be electric activated (tied into reverse lights), or mechanicla lock out (lever or pin). This is so you can back the trailer up without having the trialer brakes lock.

Lol, I bet some people cannot figure out why the thing wont move when they try to back up a hill without locking it out. :lol:

moose · **Posted:** Wed Oct 04, 2006 12:45 pm

just because it can hold 3k # doesn't mean that's what it's loaded with. if you keep it under 2k#, you shouldn't need the breaks....

desertkj · **Joined:** Mon Jan 30, 2006 8:24 pm **Posts:** 677

moose wrote:

just because it can hold 3k # doesn't mean that's what it's loaded with. if you keep it under 2k#, you shouldn't need the breaks....

I know thats not what it was loaded with. However, I've towed the trailer once and it felt like the trailer was driving the Jeep sometimes coming to a stop. Plus, here in AZ, we have some decent grades heading back into the valley from the mountains.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Thu Oct 05, 2006 1:09 am

desertkj wrote:

moose wrote:

just because it can hold 3k # doesn't mean that's what it's loaded with. if you keep it under 2k#, you shouldn't need the breaks....

I know thats not what it was loaded with. However, I've towed the trailer once and it felt like the trailer was driving the Jeep sometimes coming to a stop. Plus, here in AZ, we have some decent grades heading back into the valley from the mountains.

Just leave O/D off and it should be fine. Leave tons of room to stop and dont ride the brakes. Let off every-now-and then to let them cool off during stops or when going down hills. :wink:

tskalil · **Posted:** Thu Oct 05, 2006 7:00 pm

2 cents worth. I pull a lot of trailers with different vehicles and feel that the best brakes you can get are vital and can save your life. The last thing you want is to have a really long stopping distance, especially in a panic stop. Here in California, you must have trailer brakes if the combined weight exceeds 1,500#. Some states are more liberal, but they're not necessarily doing you a favor.

Surge brakes can work well and are really simple. They wouldn't be my first choice, though, because they can tend to go into a braking, not braking mode when going downhill. Conversely, when you have a brake controller, you can apply brakes to the trailer separately if you find it weaving. And they're adjustable to match your tow vehicle's braking patterns.

Maybe the reason you had the "tail wagging the dog" syndrome (if that's what you experienced) was because of insufficient tongue weight, which should be at least 12% of the total load. Example: 3,000# combined load = 360# tongue weight min. That's a lot of tongue weight for a KJ, not to mention the load. Of course, you could get air bags for the rear to adjust the height, and/or an equalizer type hitch. Now you're talking more money, though, in addition to your adding the brakes to the trailer.

The 3500 your folks have is the right kind of tow vehicle, and it probably doesn't notice the load much. Bigger brakes, strong suspension. Although they're rated for it, I don't think I'd want to tow a 3,000# rig with my KJ, even with brakes, but I have towed much lighter loads.

Anyway, some things to consider.

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