[Rhodes22-list] trailer brakes

[Graham Stewart]

Thanks to all for their advice regarding trailer brakes. Good advice all.

Graham Stewart
gstewart8 at cogeco.ca
613 389-1737


-----Original Message-----
From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
[mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of
R22RumRunner at aol.com
Sent: May-03-13 6:44 AM
To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] trailer brakes

It's all about balance. If you find the tail wagging the dog, you need more
tongue weight. Move stuff around on the boat forward, or, move the entire
hull  forward on the trailer.
I have a single axle trailer without brakes and don't find it difficult to
tow or to stop with a 1/2 ton Dodge pickup.
 
Rummy
 
 
In a message dated 5/3/2013 12:23:00 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
mcneelyd at site-solutions.com writes:

I've  pulled backhoes, hydroseeders, and boats (among other things), and
found  that the sway you're referring to will even happen to fairly heavy
tow vehicles (think F-250 Powerstroke) if you don't have enough weight on
the tongue. If you need to pull the outboard and put it in the cockpit to
get weight on the tongue, use the sheet and boom to do so - but make it
happen somehow. 
My electric brake control even let me manually activate  the trailer brakes
while giving the berries to the tow vehicle in an effort  to 'pull' out the
sway - but in the end I gave up and repositioned the  tractor (and that was
on a tandem trailer with brakes on both axles).  
I'm sure others have tales to tell of their harrowing experiences with blown
tires or failed bearings - but I was just tempting fate for no good  reason.
Fortunately I was able to reposition the tractor fairly easily -  moving a
boat on the side of the road would be another matter. 
Having  said that, my 86 Rhodes' trailer has no brakes, and the axle is just
a  little beyond its rated load capacity with the trailer and boat sitting
on it. I found a (relatively) inexpensive axle supplier not too far away
that sells beefier axles (with brakes) for about $350. I understand that
single axle trailers are a little more maneuverable and fuel efficient, so
I'll stick with just the one axle. 

Dennis  

www.great-loop.us
s/v Magic Moments
berthed in Gibraltar,  Michigan


-----Original Message-----
From:  rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
[mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org]  On Behalf Of Graham Stewart
Sent: Thursday, May 02, 2013 11:58 PM
To:  'The Rhodes 22 Email List'
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] trailer  brakes

I have an older RC trailer that does not have brakes and on one  occasion
the trailer broke into a fantastic sway motion so powerful that it  almost
took me off the road. I was going too fast but ever since I have  been very
worried about towing the boat when the trailer does not have  brakes. 

Looking through the archive I see that one person added a  second axel with
brakes and got good results both towing and stopping. Does  anyone have more
details about how this might be done? Was the existing  axel moved? Would
braking really be acceptable if the brakes were only on  one axel?

Graham 

->  snipped

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