WakeWorld

WakeWorld (http://www.wakeworld.com/forum/index.php)
-   Boats, Accessories & Tow Vehicles (http://www.wakeworld.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=3183)
-   -   is there a way to quickly and easily temporarily disable the trailer brakes? (http://www.wakeworld.com/forum/showthread.php?t=793748)

stang_killa_ss 06-05-2012 8:07 AM

is there a way to quickly and easily temporarily disable the trailer brakes?
 
weve got a ramp thats the road down to it is very steep. probly 35 degrees. and when they poured the road, they laid 3/4" rebar every 2" to make deep grooves for some reason. its like a washboard, and when the boat is off the trailer, because of the steep downgrade the brakes are on. it makes the trailer jump in the air and bounce violently. litterally the tires come of the ground. the tires are locked(braked) so when it comes back down the torsion axles chirp the tires and send the trailer right back in the air. its very violent and loud. only happens on this steep washboard road.
how can i disable the brakes when bringing the empty trailer down to load up. weve tryied driving .5 mph, and we tryed mega fast to outrun/unbrake the trailer nothing works.

how can i quickly temporarily disable the trailer brakes?

ScottR 06-05-2012 8:09 AM

Which electric do you have...4 prong 5 prong or the big circular one?

wakeboardin 06-05-2012 8:10 AM

I believe you can flip your trailer plug around if its the five flat and this disables them, also some trailers have a lock out pin if they are a surge style. It would be helpful to know what pin connector and trailer type you have to best determine this.

ScottR 06-05-2012 8:12 AM

Yes the flip trick works, sometimes (at least for me) I had to turn on the headlights so it would work. If it is the circular one you may need to check your fuses in your truck. I blew one and it did exactly what you are talking about.

bzubke1 06-05-2012 8:18 AM

Trailer brake lockout key. We got one in that big bag of stuff they give you when you buy the boat. If you need one asap I would bet any boat dealer would have one otherwise you could get one straight from boat mate. You would have to tape or zip tie it in place. Only thing is I'm not sure if would stand up to the abuse of driving down the road I think it is mostly used for backing up when the trailer lights aren't' working.
http://www.boatmateparts.com/product...-t-65-2062.htm

craigtxmc 06-05-2012 8:21 AM

Depending on what brand trailer and coupler you have....

There should be a manual override that uses a key (Boatmate) or it may have a small hole that you can put a bolt or phillips screwdriver through to keep the brakes from engaging (MasterCraft).

You basically need to keep the coupler from being pushed into the tongue which engages the surge brakes. Each trailer should have a way to override this. Some even have a latch made on the trailer to help.

craigtxmc 06-05-2012 8:22 AM

1 Attachment(s)
this is on one of our Boatmate trailers...

brazosfreak05 06-05-2012 8:24 AM

Get a long bolt and a nut and there should be a place for you to feed it through the tongue of the trailer to bybass the brakes from locking up. This works great for backing up to prevent trailer brakes from locking up. Take the pin out while you drive though so that you have trailer brakes while towing.

jarrod 06-05-2012 8:26 AM

A socket will also work.

roomservice 06-05-2012 8:28 AM

several ways that i know of: if your trailer has a flat connector it's a 5 pin, the last one is the lockout override, the blue wire. all you need to do is get power to that, that's why the flipping over of a 4 pin flat works, with the headlights on. OR, the trailers usually do come with a lockout key, but we all lose those,OR, last resort, a $5 C-clamp to keep the tongue from sliding in the surge slot works.

mark197 06-05-2012 8:29 AM

I heard that a nickel works but I haven't tried it.

vette74 06-05-2012 9:12 AM

A nickel is a hare to big. I got tired of messing with it also my trailer is used in salt water and having corroding issues with the brakes so I just welded the tongue to the frame and solved the problem :D

Rad_Matty_D 06-05-2012 9:24 AM

I do the "flip trick" too. the launch is one block away from my house so I never use trailer brakes. Turn your headlights on and flip the 5-prong so it's upside down. Works great.

hatepain 06-05-2012 10:03 AM

Quote:

I heard that a nickel works but I haven't tried it.
I've done this in a pinch and it worked but i had to really wedge it in there.

willy2373 06-05-2012 10:40 AM

Verify your wiring in the plug. As you reverse you should be sending volts to release the brakes.

pprior 06-05-2012 10:58 AM

If the behavior you describe is when you're backing up,then you have a wiring problem. Othewise, the key Craig shows is how you disengage the trailer brakes, although the flip trick sounds neat - if you forget to switch it back afterwards you have no brakes, right?

stang_killa_ss 06-05-2012 11:20 AM

im sorry i should have specified, the problem im having is when im driving forward. and yes it is the typical boatmate setup, 5 wire with sliding tongue.
so the flip trick wont work for me.

but that manual lockout key looks to be exactly what i need. the grade is so steep its puting the brakes on, and because of the crazy road surface it makes the trailer bounce violently like a pogo stick.
its a '11 boatmate, but i dont recal ever seeing a key like that.

shredthagnar 06-05-2012 11:31 AM

I had that happen to me an it made me so mad I gunned it and pushed the trailer with the brakes locked and jumping all the way in the water with my truck tires squealing. Everyone at the ramp was looking at me with their jaws dropped haha. That was the day i learned about tht little tool

b33nine 06-05-2012 12:50 PM

My buddy has talked about building in a switch that would turn your reverse lights on for going down hills like you are talking about Stang. From what I understand, those lights coming on without the truck actually being in reverse will make your trailer breaks disengage.

Don't ask me how to do it, I just know I've heard him and my Dad discuss doing it for driving over big hills.

nailem 06-05-2012 1:23 PM

Kind of like the last post said this is what I'm going to do this summer. All you need to do is get power to the reverse wire so just wire in a toggle switch in your toe vehicle that has 12 volts constant. Run a wire to blue wireon your plug flip it on will cancel the brakes switch it off and your back in business

stang_killa_ss 06-05-2012 2:08 PM

ive being told doing the flip trip on the 5 wire plug, while turning on your headlights will electronicly disengauge your trailer brakes no mater what direction your traveling. because the headlights are sending a signal to the reverse pin, so it thinks your backing up and disables the brakes. can anyone confirm this?

watermags 06-05-2012 5:36 PM

Hey Cory. The outside male pin of the five wire connector on your trailer is the one that disables brakes when in reverse. Basically when 12 volts are supplied to that pin brakes are disabled. If you plug that outside pin only into hole that powers tail lights and turn on headlights brakes will be disabled. Make sense?

stang_killa_ss 06-05-2012 9:10 PM

it does. thanks! iliminates the need to carry a manual fix. and something the G/f can do since shes the one driving the trailer.

stang_killa_ss 06-12-2012 6:16 AM

ok we tried the flip 5 wire, and headlights trick last night. it worked amazing! she was able to drive down the road as fast as she wanted. no bouncing or nothing smooth as silk! then after we loaded we fliped the 5 wire plug back to normal, and the brakes work normal for the drive home.
thanks guys! such a simple fix too!


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 4:28 PM.