Quick Surge Brake Question....

[642mx]

Long story short....

Driving home from the lake last weekend I had a trailer tire blow out at 80 mph (fun with a single axle!). Anyways, when the tire came apart, it knocked out a tail light and mangled the wiring.

Tonight, while rewiring the trailer (bought a harness from the iboats store) I saw a wire attached to some kind of soleniod just behind the brake master cylinder. It was just one wire.... The old harness was one of the round ones, and the new harness is a 4 pin.

So my question is, what is this wire for? Was it a lock out wire for older style drums possibly?.... I plugged the old connector into my truck and its not for lights (no power at the terminal). I jumped 12 volts to the wire on the trailer and something makes a clicking sound when its powered.

The trailer is a 96 Dorsey single axle with disk surge brakes. I didn't buy it new, so i have no idea if the disk brakes are factory or not.

Somebody help me! I want to go boating this weekend!!!! Thanks in advance.

 

[okboating]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

The 5th wire should go to the lockout to the brakes. It is triggered off your backup lights so you can backup a hill and not fight your disk brakes. There are 5 wire connectors, but they are hard to find (they look just like the flat 4), but I think most people use the round rv plug (I think they are 7 pin). If you cannot find the connectors, take a minute and make sure you can lock out the brakes, some trailer couplers are easy to do and some are little more difficult.
Dave

 

[CatTwentyTwo]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

What okboating said, but really, 80 mph towing a boat?

 

[642mx]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

What okboating said, but really, 80 mph towing a boat?

Yeah... I do it all the time. I drove 80-85 for 500 miles straight this summer.... it seems to do okay, its not a heavy boat.

 

[642mx]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

The 5th wire should go to the lockout to the brakes. It is triggered off your backup lights so you can backup a hill and not fight your disk brakes. There are 5 wire connectors, but they are hard to find (they look just like the flat 4), but I think most people use the round rv plug (I think they are 7 pin). If you cannot find the connectors, take a minute and make sure you can lock out the brakes, some trailer couplers are easy to do and some are little more difficult.
Dave

Thanks Dave. I figured it was some sort of a lockout wire. I haven't had any issues backing up since I've owned the boat.... and I know the trucks reverse lights are not hooked to the connector. I guess while I'm redoing the wiring I might aswell hook it up correctly. I'll reuse the old connector with the new wiring.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

Yeah... I do it all the time. I drove 80-85 for 500 miles straight this summer.... it seems to do okay, its not a heavy boat.

FYI: ST tires are only speed rated to 65 mph

 

[642mx]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

FYI: ST tires are only speed rated to 65 mph

I read that on the net a couple weeks ago. I'm sure its a conservative rating. Any radial should with-stand 100 mph.

 

[642mx]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

Where is it that you tow to? I really need to know so I stay the HELL away from you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why? Do you think its wreckless? I've been pulling enclosed trailers for 15 years and I always run 70-80 or more on the interstates, the boat trailer shouldn't be much different. I don't think its a big deal.

But to answer your question, I towed from Evansville, IN to Branson, MO and back. And from Evansville, IN to Kuttawa, KY multiple times this year.

 

[HappierWet]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

Someone should start a poll entitiled " how fast do you Tow "
I run pretty fast myself but I'm running car tires and usually between 2000 to 3500 pounds.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

Obviously "any radial tire does not hold up at 100 MPH" as yours blew at 80. Geez man -- have a little concern for those around you.

 

[642mx]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

Obviously "any radial tire does not hold up at 100 MPH" as yours blew at 80.

So you know how my tire blew out?.... Wow, your good! It could've been the high speed, or improper inflation, or maybe some debris punctured it, or maybe it was just a bad tire?... I really don't know. It was a Goodyear that was 2 months old. I didn't check the pressure, but it looked fine. I replaced them as a set with Maxxis Radials.

Geez man -- have a little concern for those around you.

Now you don't think I have concern for those around me?.... Give me a break. This thread was about a surge brake, its not suppose to be a bash fest about my driving. Either add something to the thread that could help me or others..... or MOVE ALONG!

 

[642mx]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

Someone should start a poll entitiled " how fast do you Tow "
I run pretty fast myself but I'm running car tires and usually between 2000 to 3500 pounds.

Go ahead and start the thread. I'll be over to hijack it in a few minutes.

 

[wajajaja02]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

Tow a trailer at 80 mph in NJ and you ll get arrested. Its not about going , its about stopping.

 

[QC]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

75 is legal in AZ . . .

 

[triumphrick]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

I read that on the net a couple weeks ago. I'm sure its a conservative rating. Any radial should with-stand 100 mph.

This is a joke...Right??

 

[pk2655]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

I've heard that the Goodyear Marathon ST radial tires had problems with developing heat blisters. On those I wouldn't tow above 65 MPH. I've also heard that the Maxxis ST tires do not have the blistering issue. Take it for what it's worth.

 

[642mx]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

I've heard that the Goodyear Marathon ST radial tires had problems with developing heat blisters. On those I wouldn't tow above 65 MPH. I've also heard that the Maxxis ST tires do not have the blistering issue. Take it for what it's worth.

I've read all kinds of bad things about all the trailer tires.... I thought the Goodyears would be top of the line, but I think they are closer to bottom of the barrel. Hopefully the Maxxis will hold up, I read a lot of good things about them. Kumho makes a load range D in a 14", but I couldn't find them locally.

 

[642mx]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

Tow a trailer at 80 mph in NJ and you ll get arrested. Its not about going , its about stopping.

And in Illinois you can't pull any trailer over 55 mph..... which is the dumbest law I've came across. One of Illinois finest was happy to clear up my misunderstanding with a warning ticket.

And stopping at 80 mph with a trailer isn't bad. Heck, I stopped real quick with only one tire last weekend. I'm not sure what you drive, but I have a new Tundra thats capable of pulling 10800 lbs, and it really doesn't know the trailer is behind it accelerating or braking. Plus the trailer has brakes (remember the thread title?)

 

[642mx]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

This is a joke...Right??

No, the real joke is asking a simple question and getting blasted by a bunch of judgemental people that think I'm public enemy #1 for driving 80 mph with a boat behind me.

 

[soaringhiggy]

Re: Quick Surge Brake Question....

In Idaho you can pull at the speed limit if you want, 75, but I see folks pulling faster than that all the time.

Why do you automatically assume the op is doing something incorrect, we were not there? There are times that pulling slow is very dangerous, this could go back and forth for a long time and no one learns anything, folks just get polarized and mad.