Thread: Towing braked trailers

There are quite a few different types of electric brakes on the market, the older generation were quite basic and required the controller to be fitted onto the towing vehicle which basically meant that the towing vehicle and trailer were a matched pair. Newer generations are quite a bit smarter and all of the required gear lives on the trailer with in some cases a little controller that plugs into the 12v socket and connects to the control module on the trailer via wireless connections. What you normally get with the controllers, is a control to tell the brake system how quickly to apply the brakes, a proportional controller to tell the brake system how much brake to apply, and then a manual control so you can apply the trailer brakes only.

Some systems have more control or less, some work off the brake lights on the towing vehicle and trailer illuminating, others have an inertia sensor to tell how hard you are trying to stop and then matched it with the trailer brakes so it doesn't lock everything up on application...

Pretty much the best idea is to find out about and learn what the settings and controls do on the brake system you are getting and then work out how it operates.

Other things it might have if the caravan is over a certain weight that I can't recall, maybe 2500Kg or 2000Kg (don't have it in front of me at the mo) is a breakaway control so if the trailer separates from the tow vehicle the brakes are automatically applied. The system may require a dedicated battery to power this, and then that requires a charging setup so the trailer brakes don't stop half way through the trip.

Originally Posted by No.3

There are quite a few different types of electric brakes on the market, the older generation were quite basic and required the controller to be fitted onto the towing vehicle which basically meant that the towing vehicle and trailer were a matched pair. Newer generations are quite a bit smarter and all of the required gear lives on the trailer with in some cases a little controller that plugs into the 12v socket and connects to the control module on the trailer via wireless connections. What you normally get with the controllers, is a control to tell the brake system how quickly to apply the brakes, a proportional controller to tell the brake system how much brake to apply, and then a manual control so you can apply the trailer brakes only.

Some systems have more control or less, some work off the brake lights on the towing vehicle and trailer illuminating, others have an inertia sensor to tell how hard you are trying to stop and then matched it with the trailer brakes so it doesn't lock everything up on application...

Pretty much the best idea is to find out about and learn what the settings and controls do on the brake system you are getting and then work out how it operates.

Other things it might have if the caravan is over a certain weight that I can't recall, maybe 2500Kg or 2000Kg (don't have it in front of me at the mo) is a breakaway control so if the trailer separates from the tow vehicle the brakes are automatically applied. The system may require a dedicated battery to power this, and then that requires a charging setup so the trailer brakes don't stop half way through the trip.

This pretty much sums it up.
our camper (Flagstaff) has the controller unit on the drawbar,, it has a dial on it to regulate the sensitivity of the trailer braking system, we just plug the camper to the ute, turn the controller on and away we go.
A Guy i know just had 1 fitted to his Ranger and the controller is fitted on his center console inside the ute.

Originally Posted by HUNTY

This pretty much sums it up.
our camper (Flagstaff) has the controller unit on the drawbar,, it has a dial on it to regulate the sensitivity of the trailer braking system, we just plug the camper to the ute, turn the controller on and away we go.
A Guy i know just had 1 fitted to his Ranger and the controller is fitted on his center console inside the ute.

if you own a flagstaff check the sealant on the rear lights, never seen one done right yet and the rot sets in before its noticeable

Originally Posted by No.3

....others have an inertia sensor to tell how hard you are trying to stop and then matched it with the trailer brakes so it doesn't lock everything up on application...
..

I had a local SxS dealer bring up one of his toys so I could try it out on the block. He was cursing the brake system a guy had put on his brand new flat deck trailer- barely touching the ute's brakes would have the trailer lock up and the controller couldn't be adjusted to stop it. He was beyond pissed off..

I still think for simplicity that the good old hydraulic over rider system is hard to beat.

Easily maintained and you can turn it off if you need to.

Originally Posted by tac a1

I still think for simplicity that the good old hydraulic over rider system is hard to beat.

Easily maintained and you can turn it off if you need to.

I think hydraulic override couplings are only allowed up to 2500kg, I think, could well be wrong.

Originally Posted by Savage1

I think hydraulic override couplings are only allowed up to 2500kg, I think, could well be wrong.

Correct, 2500kg max.
There is a mechanical override drum brake system available rated to 3500kg. Same as on Ifor Willams trailers & the likes. Meets EU regs to 3500kg so applicable here in NZ too.

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Originally Posted by Mathias

Correct, 2500kg max.
There is a mechanical override drum brake system available rated to 3500kg. Same as on Ifor Willams trailers & the likes. Meets EU regs to 3500kg so applicable here in NZ too.

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Which is crazy. Disk brakes are so more effective than drums. They dispate heat so much better. Drums bloody overheat. Useless bloody things