Towing 270 with surge brakes....question

04FV270riverrat

So my trailer has surge brakes instead of electric or electric/hydraulic. Every time I stop, I can feel/hear the hitch compressing and when I take off from a stop, I can feel it pull out until it catches and then a big jerk before the trailer starts rolling. Anyone else’s do this? I don’t feel like it’s good long term and I eventually want to convert the trailer to electric/hydraulic brakes.

reneechris14

My Ventura on my 270 did the same. Did learn to start off slow. Are the brakes working though 

04FV270riverrat

I usually do the slow leave to help it out. They seem to be working. 

Glassguy54

Typical for surge brakes.

69fastback

Pretty normal. 

jhofmann

After a few good jars, you will remember to take up the play in the hitch before stepping on it. On a slight incline or sometimes even level ground, I nudge the truck ahead until I feel the hitch extend so I am able to take off with traffic. 

04FV270riverrat

jhofmann said:

After a few good jars, you will remember to take up the play in the hitch before stepping on it. On a slight incline or sometimes even level ground, I nudge the truck ahead until I feel the hitch extend so I am able to take off with traffic. 

I find myself doing the same

randy56

Have you ck the brake fluid lately, Are they working ? I agree with jhofmann 

Dude_Himself

I'm converting to EoH for just this reason. I hate that THUNK, and I'd like to be able to more independently control the 12500 lbs of weight I'm pulling (Rinker 280 EC) in case of having to stop quickly on a turn or in a crosswind.

rasbury

Yep, same here...i keep hearing however that electric seem to not work so well...at least my clunky surge brakes work.

Cableguy Greg

I had someone rear end a car right in front of me while towing my 280EC, and @tniggel was towing his 270EC behind me. I jammed the brakes on, and my trailer with surge brakes performed flawlessly. I had a little sway, but I was able to slow down enough to get around the wreck on the side of the road. I was glad to have brakes on both axles on that trailer. Tom was able to stop as well, so we both avoided a major accident on an interstate highway. 

Dude_Himself

If done properly, and properly matched across the system, EoH is the best solution IMO. First: critical to note EoH is not Electric. Electric is fast to fully apply, but lacks the stopping pressure EoH and surge can and exert, and very sensitive to salt water. Modern EoH pumps pressurize in less than 1/2 a second, about the same time required for a surge system to start building pressure, and can provide higher pressure than the typical surge system. EoH can be tuned to perform as efficiently as possible for the trailer and tow vehicle, where surge is set and forget (based on a metering valve within the master cylinder).

EoH can be activated independently In a sudden stop, provided you keep your wits about you: you can reach down and activate the trailer brakes before your tow vehicle has even begun to slow. On a downhill, off camber turn (which is the high risk maneuver for surge brakes - the force required to engage trailer braking is usually equal or higher than the force required to fishtail the tow vehicle) you can keep control and even use the trailer braking to help steer the tow vehicle. The EoH brakes can keep the boat from vacuuming in closer to an 18 wheeler (I-95 and I-26 around here are always under construction), and limit/stop trailer sway (not normally an issue with boats, but I've seen it happen to a huge boat on I-95 after swerving to avoid an accident.

EoH isn't for everyone, I'm sure, but I'm pretty sure towing 12500lbs with a 6500lb tow vehicle, EoH will give me an advantage.

halifax212

had the same thing with my old Kodiak set up. I had to replace the entire system due to corrosion with TieDown actuator/lines / rotors /calipers/pads. Works great and the "clunk" is gone.