Safe Hauling: Trailer Brakes And Axle Placement

Published: Wednesday, June 5, 2019
By: Megan Meisler, Co-Owner of Loadmaster Trailer Co. Ltd., www.loadmasterboattrailer.com

In the past, I have addressed the importance of boat trailer safety and making sure you get the proper trailer for your needs. I have also written “to do” lists for maintenance items to check on your trailer and discussed the importance of making sure the trailer accurately supports your boat’s hull to prevent damage to it. And even though each has been important, I have not yet discussed, in depth, the role proper axle placement plays in the overall experience of towing your trailer. Likewise, I am yet to divulge the key reasons we use certain braking systems to create the safest towing experience possible. Since a key focus of this issue is safety, let’s explore these essential topics.

Axle Placement

The key to any properly designed boat trailer is to make sure the axle(s) on the trailer are set according to the boat’s center of gravity. This ensures your ability to regulate the tongue weight put on the vehicle. The idea is to have enough tongue weight so that the trailer does not sway – causing safety issues – but also not too much tongue weight so it rides heavy on the hitch.

Furthermore, proper axle placement allows the weight to be evenly distributed across the axles and the trailer, creating a nice, smooth, even towing experience. When the axle placement on a boat trailer is generic, you never know how it will ride until you get the boat on the trailer itself. You have probably seen a vehicle towing a trailer and it is swaying all over the road and the driver is only going 50 mph on the freeway: that indicates insufficient tongue weight. This can be a huge safety concern, as well as a pain in the butt for the owner of the trailer. Proper axle placement = proper towing experience.

Trailer Brakes

What is the best braking system for your boat trailer? This is the great debate in the trailer industry. We strongly feel that an electrical style brake is far superior over a surge (or what some call hydraulic) braking system. I am not referring to drum versus disc here, just simply the activation style. (For the record, for saltwater use, you would want disc brakes, not drum.)

Electric and electric over hydraulic brakes are both legal in every state in the US, as well as every province in Canada. Surge brakes are not legal in every state and every province, although still legal in most. So, what is the difference?

Electric brakes require the vehicle to have a brake controller inside, whereas surge brakes do not. Electric brakes also allow you to active the trailer brake separately from inside the tow vehicle. You cannot do this with surge brakes. Electric brakes provide you the ability to apply trailer brakes while in reverse. Again, surge do not; however, sometimes they do lock up on you. Electric brakes do not have a delay in activation (although electric over hydraulic have a minimal one); surge brakes do have a delay as they wait for the master cylinder to compress and engage the brakes.

Most trailer companies that build generic, ready-to-buy trailers will provide surge brakes on the trailer because they can be pulled by any tow vehicle. Since we custom build to order, we provide electric drum brakes standard for our freshwater customers since they will have time to add a brake controller, if necessary, while the trailer is being constructed. For saltwater use, we discuss the different disc braking options, but always highly recommend the electric over hydraulic disc, simply for the safety features. I highly recommend submersible electric brakes over surge because they are much safer, activate fast, react quickly, and provide you the ability to activate them separate from the tow vehicle brake, which comes in handy if you hit an ice patch and your trailer starts to fishtail.

Often overlooked until needed, proper trailer braking and proper axle placement are two of the most important factors in creating safety for yourself and others on the road. As boats get larger, so do the trailers, and it is absolutely necessary to ensure you educate yourself and make sure the load you are pulling is the safest possible! Safety is key!