Brakes locking up in reverse with plug off

Anita Marie

I know this has been hashed over before but I can't find it in the search. When I remove the plug to launch the boat the brakes lock up immediatley in reverse. So what am I doing wrong?

TyBoo · Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2005 5:54 pm Post subject:

gljjr · Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2005 8:08 pm Post subject:

I agree with Mike, don't unplug the trailer!

Also, once the angle of the ramp makes it so you don't need reverse pop the truck in nuetral. That way you will have all 4 truck wheels braking for you rather than just the fronts. And it will be a simple matter to drop it in drive if needed. On a stick I usually put it in first gear with my foot on the clutch. The last thing you want is to power yourself down into the water while launching because the ramp is too slippery for only having brakes on the front wheels.

starcrafttom · Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2005 8:39 pm Post subject:

I never unplug the lights, but if you want you can unplug and stick a rod in the space just in front of the control box. How do I explain this? There are two half moon metal things coming out of the front of the control box. there is room between the inside of them and the control box. if you put a rod in that gap, then the cup part of the hitch can not move backwards and can not engage the brakes. then you can unplug and back up. It shows how in the trailers owners manual I think.

Luna C · Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 12:18 am Post subject:

Once the boat is down hill and being pulled by gravity, the break should not engage - unless you "push" the boat down the ramp. Let the boat pull you down and it should be fine. (If you have surge breaks, they only engage when there is force between the rig and trailer)

rogerbum · Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 12:21 am Post subject:

I think he doesn't have surge brakes - I think he has electric brakes and hence the problem with disconnecting power...

TyBoo · Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 12:32 am Post subject:

Roger -

Pretty sure he has the same trailer I have. They're surge brakes. There is a solenoid valve in the pressure line that is activated by the truck's backup light circuit to close the flow to the brake calipers, so when it is backing up the brakes will not function.

Luna C is right on with his suggestion, unless there are cleats or other bumps on the ramp that allow the truck to overtake the trailer when coasting backward. Once the brake is applied, you usually have to go forward to pull the surge mechanism free because the disc brakes will not allow the boat to roll away from the truck. It can be a real pain. Nine times out of ten, though, it never hangs up. Obviously, Fred is lower than 90%. Maybe because he is unplugging before he is steep enough for gravity to do its thing.

Another problem Fred has is the sheer power of the Cummins deisel. If the truck is in gear, all you have to do is breathe on the throttle and nothing will stop it.

rogerbum · Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 12:50 am Post subject:

So the King surge brakes operate quite a bit differently than the EZ loader... The problem I have with the EZ loader is backing it in to a slightly up-hill spot that has a short downhill run first. I engage the lock but unless I can do it all in one smooth motion (which happens roughly 0% of the time), the latch disengages and I have to hop out to re-engage it (usually several times during the process of putting it in the driveway). I was think that perhaps this problem could only be solved with electric brakes but it sounds like the king setup is better and would alleviate my problem (if it could be mounted on my ez loader)...

TyBoo · Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 1:07 am Post subject:

johnf · Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 1:19 am Post subject:

Hi Fred,

I leave the wiring connected but turn off my truck lights when backing down so the lights only go on when I hit the brakes. I also put LED lights on the trailer which I think will handle the water better and I hope longer. Seemed like I was always replacing the bulbs on my jon boat trailer!!!!

I also have a bolt for the surge breaks as backup should any of the wiring become faulty.

Hope all is well.

Crazy John Frazey

starcrafttom · Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 1:21 am Post subject:

I just wired the back up light wire as the outside wire on the plug. then you just turn one plug 180 degrees to the side so only the back up light is pluged in to the trailer. really simple and easy.

TyBoo · Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 1:32 am Post subject:

Anita Marie · Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 10:51 am Post subject:

Thanks for all the help. This problem came up as I was trying to move my boat with my camper on and my boat on a three foot extention off of my reciever. It is a three point hitch extension to take the tongue weight. I could not back the boat into the driveway because of this problem. I am going to make an extention of the wiring so I can tow/back the boat up with the camper on. It would seem that Mikes idea about a valve in the line to prevent the brakes from engaging is the most elegant way around this problem.

Thanks
Fred

Jon - CLou · Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 11:11 am Post subject:

Luna C is right on the money. This way works fine for us but there is one other thing to remember.

Fred, we have the same truck and I really had a head scratcher about two years ago. While backing or rolling downhill with everything plugged in, my brakes would lock up on the trailer. It took me a week to figure this one out.
At first I thought it was the solenoid or the brakes but it wasn't. It was a bad switch on the truck for the reverse back up lights. And what really drove me nuts, it was an intermittent problem. So, make sure when you put it in reverse the backup lights come on and stay on.

Sea Wolf · Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 11:17 am Post subject:

Fred-

You'll have to bleed the lines after you install the valve, plus get all the threads to fit, etc. The biggest disadvantage of the valve is that it will have to be activated by hand each time you want to back up, an inconvenience, at least, and in an emergency, a real problem.

When I replaced the drum brakes with disks on my trailer last year, I also replaced the actuator (required) and added the back up solenoid lock out. The lock out is only about $35 at Cabelas or Champion Trailers, and the wiring is not difficult at all unless you don't have a factory tow package and have to wire it from the back up lights. Still would be very easy. My two Rupples (sp.)? Joe.