Trailer brakes question??

[PasoRoblesJimmy]

Agreed.

I just didnt want anyone to think their brake controller could sense hills and adjust trailer braking accordingly. Thats not true and would lead to a false sense of security.

Salesdroids tend to get carried away with the marketing hype.

 

[PasoRoblesJimmy]

I thought this would be the case too, but its not.

If it had a walking bar type suspension, both axles would carry the same weight no matter the tilt of the trailer. But since the front axle leaf is hard mounted to a hanger, anytime you raise the level of the tongue, you take weight off the front axle.

Go give it a try...jack your tandem axle trailer up past level so the front is higher and see if you can lift the tongue by hand....now take the weight off the jack, so the front is lower and see if you can lift it by hand.

With mine, that I built here...http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=44000&highlight=trailer

I can take all the weight off the jack, fold it up so the tongue is hanging and lift it up almost 10". If I jack the tongue up to the same height, I cant lift it at all.

Also...Ive changed front axle tires using the jack to lift the front axle off the ground. That means all the weight is on the rear axle. Which means as the tongue goes past level towards being higher than the rear, the rear axle carries more weight.

I have noticed if I hit the manual override hard, it will tilt the equalizer towards the front of the trailer before the wheels lock up. However, the smoothness of the P3 controller, this never happens under normal or even hard braking conditions. Ive got it set at level 6.5 with the brakes freshly adjusted.

In my experience, trailers equipped with dual axles tow better and ride smoother than those with single axles. Longer trailers with dual axles are also easier to back up without jackknifing. Fifth wheels are the most stable. Is the triangular pivoting connector located between the front axle spring, the rear axle spring and the frame called an equalizer? I have always wondered how they worked. I have heard that worn bushings in those things can cause poor handling.

 

[PasoRoblesJimmy]

Yup! I located the Phoenix reverse fluid injector on the web. There are 3 models: The high end Max Pro, the middle price V-12-205 and the low price V-12-DIY. Any of the 3 could work for the average backyard mechanic. I'm leaning towards the V-12-205 kit in the middle.
http://www.brakebleeder.com

For about $30 more, Phoenix also offers a "Secret Weapon" combo which includes the MaxPro-205, Brake Strips, and Brake-Free.

 

[CaseyForrest]

In my experience, trailers equipped with dual axles tow better and ride smoother than those with single axles. Longer trailers with dual axles are also easier to back up without jackknifing. Fifth wheels are the most stable. Is the triangular pivoting connector located between the front axle spring, the rear axle spring and the frame called an equalizer? I have always wondered how they worked. I have heard that worn bushings in those things can cause poor handling.

Each has their place. Ive pulled everything between a 10' utility trailer I built, to a 48', 10' wide drop deck with a CAT 330 or D7 on it.

The nice thing about having two axles is the ability to load the trailer for better towing. With a single axle, load placement is critical to get proper tounge loading. With a tandem axle, its not quite as critical since if your tounge is above level, you are essentially adding weight to the hitch. I prefer to have my trailer level, and build proper tounge loading into the suspension. With my current trailer sitting level, Ive got about 75# on the tounge. Enough to keep it under control unloaded, but not so much I cant move it around by hand.

As for backing...The farther you get from the hitch with the centerline of your suspension the easier it is to back. With a tandem thats the equalizer hanger, with a single thats the axle. The downside is the longer you are the more room it takes to back around corners and such.

And yes, that thing is called an equalizer. They help the suspension "walk" over small road imperfections. Essentially always keeping 1 axle on the road surface. Whereas a single axle has a tendency to bounce if the road surface gets rough.

 

[PasoRoblesJimmy]

Each has their place. Ive pulled everything between a 10' utility trailer I built, to a 48', 10' wide drop deck with a CAT 330 or D7 on it.

The nice thing about having two axles is the ability to load the trailer for better towing. With a single axle, load placement is critical to get proper tounge loading. With a tandem axle, its not quite as critical since if your tounge is above level, you are essentially adding weight to the hitch. I prefer to have my trailer level, and build proper tounge loading into the suspension. With my current trailer sitting level, Ive got about 75# on the tounge. Enough to keep it under control unloaded, but not so much I cant move it around by hand.

As for backing...The farther you get from the hitch with the centerline of your suspension the easier it is to back. With a tandem thats the equalizer hanger, with a single thats the axle. The downside is the longer you are the more room it takes to back around corners and such.

And yes, that thing is called an equalizer. They help the suspension "walk" over small road imperfections. Essentially always keeping 1 axle on the road surface. Whereas a single axle has a tendency to bounce if the road surface gets rough.

RVers prefer dual axles because they don't shake up the contents of their trailers. Proper tongue weight is critical. Most all RV trailers have 10-15% of their total weight on the ball. I once bought a used boat and trailer rig that wandered all over the road. The tongue on the 1,500# GVWR boat and trailer combo weighed 750#. I unbolted the axle from the frame and moved it forward until about 150# was on the ball. After that, it towed like a dream. Keeping the trailer level helps as well.

A body shop repairing the rear end of my GMC Suburban aligned the factory bolt-on receiver hitch at a slight down angle instead of level with the frame. My 26' travel trailer didn't feel right. I made the body shop grind off the welds and do it right.