adding trailer brakes and trany cooler

[fibersport]

Re: adding trailer brakes and trany cooler

The nice thing about surge brakes is that you can tow the trailer with any vehicle and won't need a brake controller. They can feel a bit wierd at first as there is a very slight lag between the vehicle brakes applying and the trailers but you get used to it. Disc brakes will require a connection to your backup lights as there is a bypass solenoid that needs to be in the trailer brake line circuit. Not sure what year you van is but I have an '05 Town & Country, be very careful when connecting the lights. I strongly suggest one of those isolators that draws power from the battery rather than from the wires to the bulbs, it acts as a relay circuit and helps protect the BCM (body control module). The wiring on the newer vans is very light gauge and can cause problems if not protected.

 

[Mark42]

Re: adding trailer brakes and trany cooler

I have that same trans cooler. It does a good job of keeping things cool. Make sure you identify the sending and return lines to the trans and install the cooler AFTER the stock trans cooler, as per instructions. Its easy to make the connections. The difficulty comes from how much space you have to work in and how much you need to remove to install the cooler. Some vehicles it's a snap. Others, its a royal pain in the butt.

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: adding trailer brakes and trany cooler

If you must have brakes, stick with the surge brakes--much more simpler design. Electric brakes don't like to get wet, as they use magnets to expand the shoes. Also, a good brake controller is $100 + a wiring kit to the rear end. (Your van is not pre-wired.)

While you have a vehicle that may have the power to pull the trailer, all the weight of any FWD shifts to the rear axle on steep boat ramps--the front tires will spin.

Mini-vans are already 4500+ pound vehicles, and they already are pulling a max load without addition of a 2000 pound boat/trailer. FWD components are just not that heavy duty. The 1000# max load in your owners manual is Chrysler's way of suggesting you not tow. However, auto manufacturers are inherently conservative when it comes to towing weights.

A piggyback trans cooler can be bought for just over $100--a good addition to any automatic transmission. Heat is the enemy.

Northeast Dallas is pretty flat country. A trans cooler and a top quality set of van brake pads might be better investments. I suggest first trying to pull the boat without trailer brakes.

Note: I tow with a F250 crew cab diesel 2wd, and I often get stuck on a boat ramp. My diesel weighs so much that I'm nose heavy/rear end light.