trailer brakes

[Houndoc]

Question of legality, not smarts here.

My wife took our horse trailer in for a little work, and the mechanic (who I already do not particularly trust) spent a lot of time telling her that if we do not add a trailer brake controller to the truck (Silverado 2500 Duramax) the UHP will pull us over, impound the trailer and confiscate the horses.

Now, I recognize that they are a good safety idea, but are they required?

Trailer is 4 horse, loaded with 5 horses weighs in around 10-11,000 pounds. Has working electric brakes.

 

[Bart]

Wow, not sure. But I can't imagine pulling a load like that without them, especially as easy as they are to add to that truck. There may be a load limit on the trailer that would require brakes.

 

[Jinx]

Not sure either but if you have working trailer brakes, why would they care/how would they know? The brake controllers are nice but I don't think I have touched mine in well over a year... Its just there and the trailer stops... I don't adjust it everytime I have a load on...

Now if you caused an accident because you were pulling a load that you couldn't stop because your vehicle wasn't properly equipped that sounds like a pretty good law suit...

 

[Jinx]

Question of legality, not smarts here.

My wife took our horse trailer in for a little work, and the mechanic (who I already do not particularly trust) spent a lot of time telling her that if we do not add a trailer brake controller to the truck (Silverado 2500 Duramax) the UHP will pull us over, impound the trailer and confiscate the horses.

Now, I recognize that they are a good safety idea, but are they required?

Trailer is 4 horse, loaded with 5 horses weighs in around 10-11,000 pounds. Has working electric brakes.

Just thought I point this out...

 

[Houndoc]

if you have working trailer brakes, why would they care/how would they know? The brake controllers are nice but I don't think I have touched mine in well over a year... Its just there and the trailer stops... I don't adjust it everytime I have a load on...

My thoughts exactly. I think it is a typical case of less-than-honest mechanic trying to scar a female customer into spending more money (nearly worked, too.)

Considering the truck is rated for 12,000 pound towing capacity, it makes no sense the state would require an after-market add on to tow within that range.

 

[Jinx]

typical case of less-than-honest mechanic trying to scar a female customer into spending more money (nearly worked, too.)

I just noticed that your in Grantsville... My Father in Law is out that way and he won't take his stuff to the person I think you are referring to either ...

Funny that guy stays in business...

 

[UFAB]

If your trailer weighs more than the truck, having trailer brakes is a no brainer.



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[STAG]

I pull around 11k lbs behind my F350 every day. Sometimes the trailer brake controller doesn't work (Ford factory in-dash one) and it says "trailer disconnected" and doesn't apply any brake pressure. It is nice when the trailer brakes work, but I also am able to always safely travel without them. I naturally always leave a large buffer-zone in front of me though when towing.

As far as legality goes, we have had guys pulled over before and DOT has checked to make sure the trailer brakes work.

I'd put one on.

 

[gijohn40]

Mine cost me $90 with the cable from ford... and took 2 mins to hook up and mount... is your wifes life not worth at least this much? with all the idiots that pull in front of semis and then hit their brakes I wouldn't even think of driving with that much weight without one....

 

[gary78bronco]

I pull around 11k lbs behind my F350 every day. Sometimes the trailer brake controller doesn't work (Ford factory in-dash one) and it says "trailer disconnected" and doesn't apply any brake pressure. It is nice when the trailer brakes work, but I also am able to always safely travel without them. I naturally always leave a large buffer-zone in front of me though when towing.

As far as legality goes, we have had guys pulled over before and DOT has checked to make sure the trailer brakes work.

I'd put one on.

I have found if you hard wire in a ground, the trailer disconnect goes off, along with the annoying buzzing.

 

[Jinx]

is your wifes life not worth at least this much?

I might be missing something and I am not trying to be confrontational,

but what you think a brake controller is going to give him that is going to be better/different than he already has?

If I am reading things right the trailer brakes are working with his current set up...

 

[Shawn]

Not having trailer brakes for a trailer that big/heavy is not a big deal until that small car carrying a small family on the freeway traveling 55 has to slam on the brakes and you are behind them. Changing their life and yours is not a reality you want to experience. Legal or not, choosing to be smart, is the smart thing to do.

 

[STAG]

I have found if you hard wire in a ground, the trailer disconnect goes off, along with the annoying buzzing.

We have like 45 pickups and 10 or 12 equipment trailers that are pulled behind them, always in different combinations, I wouldn't e able to talk my boss into the time/effort it would take to set them all up for that, but yes I agree. I did that with my personal tow-rig and camp trailer and have had zero issues.

I might be missing something and I am not trying to be confrontational,

but what you think a brake controller is going to give him that is going to be better/different than he already has?

If I am reading things right the trailer brakes are working with his current set up...

im reading it as; he owns a horse trailer that is equipped with electric brakes that are in functioning order, but without a truck equipped with a brake controller has no way to deliver voltage to the trailer brakes.

 

[Jinx]

I agree with Shawn and everyone else that you should have operating trailer brakes.

Houndoc. Please clarify on whether or not the truck is able activate the brakes on your trailer.

growing up we had trailers that were wired off the brake light and would engage when you hit the brakes. No controller in the trucks, worked great loaded but the trailers would hop when empty.

 

[Maverick]

If your truck doesn't have a built in controller then you are crazy to pull that much weight without having a way to actuate the trailer brakes. Anything over 5000lbs is supposed to have trailer brakes.

The vehicle manufacturers in recent years have built in controllers in the 3/4ton and 1ton trucks. Before that, the rating typically took into account (fine print) that you had a brake controller.

I seriously can't imagine not using one. Especially with the multiple times that folks have pulled in front of me and slammed on their brakes.

 

[Jinx]

Thinking about it. That trailer I was thinking of had surge brakes. Like a boat. That explains no controller. My bad.

 

[1993yj]

I don't know if the UHP could/would confiscate the horses, but without any real legal knowledge here, I am absolutely sure that they would ticket you, and possibly impound the trailer. I doubt that they want any horses though. In the long run, regardless of safety (which I do agree with everyone else here though that there is no way I would pull that without a working brake controller installed), the $100 or so for a controller will be far less than the ticket.

 

[Toad]

I think what is going on here is the OP is frustrated by the lies that were told to his better half. I dont think there is any legal requirements for a brake controller. But I did find this on the interweb. Number 24 says that the vehicle must be able to stop in 40 feet at 20 mph. Sorry that your frustrated with the shop. I dont think you have to worry about your horses being confiscated, truck and trailer being impounded, dogs and cats living together, or any other mass hysteria.

I would be more worried about the consequences of not having trailer brakes in a panic situation. The risk and the extra wear and tear on the truck is not worth the 100 dollar expense of a brake controller. If you need a brake controller I will gladly mail you one. I have several that I have taken out of trucks on the way to the scrape pile. Just PM me your address.

http://towingworld.com/towinglawsbystate.cfm?state2=UT

 

[Maverick]

^^^this.

Well stated.

 

[Houndoc]

I think what is going on here is the OP is frustrated by the lies that were told to his better half. I dont think there is any legal requirements for a brake controller. But I did find this on the interweb. Number 24 says that the vehicle must be able to stop in 40 feet at 20 mph. Sorry that your frustrated with the shop. I dont think you have to worry about your horses being confiscated, truck and trailer being impounded, dogs and cats living together, or any other mass hysteria.

I would be more worried about the consequences of not having trailer brakes in a panic situation. The risk and the extra wear and tear on the truck is not worth the 100 dollar expense of a brake controller. If you need a brake controller I will gladly mail you one. I have several that I have taken out of trucks on the way to the scrape pile. Just PM me your address.

http://towingworld.com/towinglawsbystate.cfm?state2=UT

That is exactly the point!

As was mentioned in my original post, trailer brakes on the trailer work fine. I have not had any real hard emergency stops, but the truck stops about as well with the trailer as with out.

The shop involved is in Tooele.