Testing Surge brakes & Emergency brake cable

[malibu3105]

I have a single axle trailer that I tow my 20' Bayliner Capri with. About 3,500lbs total.

Does anyone have a suggestion, or best practice to test the Surge brakes? Not sure I want to go out and just slam my brakes !!

Also, is there a way to test the emergency cable? And if it engages, how does it release?....

Thanks,
Frank

 

[oldjeep]

Not always a good idea to test the emergency brake - depending on what type it is. A lot of them have a ferrule on the cable that gets pulled through the coupler and needs to be replaced after the emergency brake gets used. As for testing the brakes, just disconnect the wire harness so that the lockout solenoid is disabled and then try to back up your driveway

 

[bruceb58]

Depending on your surge coupler, there is either a slot that you can insert a screwdriver and push on the master cylinder or you can push on a lever that the emergency cable is attached to. Do you know the model of the actuator or can you post a picture?

BTW, you will only have a lockout solenoid if you have disk brakes and backing up a trailer with drum brakes tells you nothing since drum brakes are free backing and won't apply

 

[oldjeep]

Depending on your surge coupler, there is either a slot that you can insert a screwdriver and push on the master cylinder or you can push on a lever that the emergency cable is attached to. Do you know the model of the actuator or can you post a picture?

BTW, you will only have a lockout solenoid if you have disk brakes and backing up a trailer with drum brakes tells you nothing since drum brakes are free backing and won't apply

The last 2 drum brake trailers I owned had lockout solonoids, and the brakes definitely locked up in reverse

 

[malibu3105]

No Title

Here are a couple pictures, may not help. I will have to go get a good picture of the coupler and post later.
It's a swing away, so this is the worst angle, but all I have for now....

 

[NYBo]

The last 2 drum brake trailers I owned had lockout solonoids, and the brakes definitely locked up in reverse

I believe there are two types of drum setups, free-backing and "regular", which will actuate in reverse.

 

[WIMUSKY]

In other words, hook it up and take it down the road. Good place to test is when going downhill. Apply the brakes and you should feel the trailer brakes kick in. Sometimes I would engage my tow vehicles brakes a little harder, never slammed on them, to engage the trailer brakes when coming to a stop sign, especially when going down hill. Then I was able to ease up on the tow vehicles pedal. This was on a 24' cuddy. There's no ? when the trailers brakes were working.....

 

[malibu3105]

Ok, sounds good. So I will definitely know the difference between them working / assisting and them doing nothing.

 

[bruceb58]

You should still jack up each wheel and make sure each side is working by spinning the wheel and applying the brakes manually. You could have only one side working and it would feel like you have brakes. I had a traielr with 4 drum brakes and only half were working. Didn't know the others weren't working until I jacked up the wheels.

I would also be pulling each wheel and inspecting the linings and bearings while I was at it. Take a picture of the brakes and post them. You can tell if they are free backing or not. There really is no reason to not have free backing drum brakes on a trailer.

 

[malibu3105]

Is there an easy way to apply those brakes? Need pressure on the tongue, correct?

 

[bruceb58]

Once we get a close up picture of your actuator, we can advise.

You likely have the same actuator as I did on a similar vintage Bayliner trailer.



Where do you do most of your boating? I am in So Cal as well. We have a place up in Big Bear and a dockominium up there.

 

[malibu3105]

I will try and get a picture tomorrow when I pick up my boat. I live in Moreno Valley, about 15 miles from lake Perris. I keep my boat there in a dry slip. Not much towing except for launch and recovery. But... have a trip to Arizona planned in May, and to Lake Mead in August. so some driving planned.
Good times. Plus just purchased a new Obrien slalom ski. Need to get out and get on the water !!

 

[Thalasso]

The last 2 drum brake trailers I owned had lockout solonoids, and the brakes definitely locked up in reverse

Were they electric? Never ever heard of or saw drum brakes with a lockout solenoid. Ever

 

[oldjeep]

Were they electric? Never ever heard of or saw drum brakes with a lockout solenoid. Ever

No, surge brakes.

 

[oldjeep]

There really is no reason to not have free backing drum brakes on a trailer.

Except that the emergency brake in that case only works if the trailer is on flat ground or facing downhill