When Do You Need Electric Brakes On A Boat Trailer

Without an electric brake controller the electric brakes on your trailer will remain inactive.

When do you need electric brakes on a boat trailer.

Whether you are preparing for an upcoming fishing trip with your family or just taking your boat for a spin it is always important to have your boat trailer parts in check. Any trailer over 3000 lbs must have brakes on all wheels in most states but laws do vary. Some states require braked axles on trailers with a gvw as low as 2000 lbs. Like a purely hydraulic system an electric over hydraulic eoh braking system is activated whenever the tow vehicle brakes are applied and the trailer surges forward.

Rv grade systems with painted automotive grade components are not intended for submersion especially in salt water. Other states have a higher limit. If you have a trailer with electric or electric over hydraulic brakes you usually need a brake controller. If the trailer and boat combined weigh 750kg or more you will need override mechanical or hydraulic brakes.

Do you need a brake controller. However few boat trailers are equipped with electric brakes but they re used on many rv and utility trailers. Unless you were towing a load with a gtm below 750kg. If together they weigh up to 2 000kg brakes are required on the wheels of at least one axle.

Boat trailers with surge brakes can often be submerged in water when boats are being retrieved and launched causing premature corrosion on the components of electric brakes. The trailer always brakes first and this positive brake action is safer for downhill driving and quick stops. Surge brakes require no setup or knowledge of the braking system to operate no electric controller or special wiring and can be submerged in water. Most states have laws on the books about brake controller requirements typically any trailer 3 000 lbs or more requires one although laws vary by state.

Electronic brakes are most commonly used on caravans and trailers over 750kg and are legally required on all caravans and trailers where the gtm is more than 2000kg. But electric over hydraulic brakes on boat trailers are now an option on models built by ez loader magic tilt pacific trailers and loadmaster to name just a few. In the usa a tandem axle utility trailer with a gross vehicle weight rating gvwr of 7500 lbs should have brakes installed. Back when the manufacturing technology for trailer brakes was not as technologically advanced as they are now.

They are automatically applied by the brake controller and can be manually operated by a manual control which is installed within reach of the driver. This means that for towing any load beyond a basic box trailer it s crucial that you have trailer brakes. This would put you in breach of the road rules in any state or territory of australia.