Need brakes in reverse!

[PaceWithGrace]

Hi,

My primary boat ramp is steep and covered in loose gravel. As I back down it, sometimes the truck starts to slide while braking (very scary). This is because there is a 5000 lb boat+trailer pulling on it and because I'm in reverse (and the trailer is downhill), the trailer surge brakes are not used.

Has anyone found a solution for this?

I considered an emergency switch to disconnect the reverse light signal and allow the trailer brakes to engage, but I think they won't because the trailer is pulling on the truck, not pushing against it (surge function).

My truck is capable of modulating electric trailer brakes, even in reverse, but the trailer has hydraulic surge brakes.

Is there perhaps an electric surge assist mechanism available (that would pressurize the trailer hydraulics) in an emergency?

Thanks for any and all ideas

Severin B.

[PaceWithGrace]

It occurs to me that regular electric trailer brakes don't really work in reverse either...

[PaceWithGrace]

Hmm, anyone familiar with this?

http://www.etrailer.com/p-HBA16.html

[chpthril]

Does the tow rig have 4-wheel ABS?

[PaceWithGrace]

It's a 99 Durango. It appears to have ABS on rear wheels only. It's the front wheels locking up.

I've been reversing down the ramp in 4WD so the front wheels are less likely to lock up, but it's pretty nerve-wracking nonetheless.

I've now done some reading on EOH brake conversions, but it's not cheap.

[bluebomb78]

Your thread made me think of this thread:

http://www.tigeowners.com/forum/show...=trailer+brake

ragboy is an excellent source of information and he did an excellent writeup of a similar device to the one you linked to. Hope this helps!

[ericinmich]

It will slow down when the boat hits the water! Just keep her going the right direction...

[PaceWithGrace]

It will slow down when the boat hits the water! Just keep her going the right direction...

Yes, it will/does. However, it's a 200 ft long ramp, 10 feet wide with a rock face on one side and trees on the other, and STEEP.

Boating on this lake is worth it, but did I mention that launching is nerve-wracking? :-/

---

BlueBomb - thanks for the link!

[JLG]

i feel your pain with the scary feeling of backing down a steep slick ramp. I refuse to use my wife's escalade at one of our lake's ramps as the pos slides the entire way down. It's all wheel drive also, but think the Z3 is a bit too much tongue weight when backing down the steeper ramps. It happened to me a couple of times and I refuse to use it again on this particular ramp as its a helpless feeling. I have no issues with the diesel on that ramp.

Something you should be doing is unstrapping the rear end of the boat in case the vehicle can't stop it. At least that way the boat should float and not drag the entire vehicle in if it hits the water too fast!

[PaceWithGrace]

Something you should be doing is unstrapping the rear end of the boat in case the vehicle can't stop it. At least that way the boat should float and not drag the entire vehicle in if it hits the water too fast!

No problem. There's a huge stump underwater that will stop me if I go too far

I guess I should practise my high-speed reversing, since that's what will happen if I less off the brakes enough for the front (steering) wheels to un-lock-up.

[jmhatchett]

Why would electric trailer brakes not work in reverse?? Every trailer I have with Electric they work any time the brake is applied...

[chpthril]

It's a 99 Durango. It appears to have ABS on rear wheels only. It's the front wheels locking up.

I've been reversing down the ramp in 4WD so the front wheels are less likely to lock up, but it's pretty nerve-wracking nonetheless.

I've now done some reading on EOH brake conversions, but it's not cheap.

So, basically 1 wheel that wont slide.

[PaceWithGrace]

Why would electric trailer brakes not work in reverse?? Every trailer I have with Electric they work any time the brake is applied...

Straight electric trailer brakes use an electro-magnet (energized by an in-cab brake controller) on a lever arm to spread the drums shoes. That lever only works in one direction. (Or at least that's the way my previous travel trailer worked.)

Electric-over-hydraulic brake have an electric pump to pressurize regular hydraulic brakes and should work in forward or reverse.

[PaceWithGrace]

So, basically 1 wheel that wont slide.

One front and one rear wheel that won't slide, yep.

[jmhatchett]

I have a bunch of trailers that have forward and reverse brake power that are all electric brakes. But my truck will also tell me if a wire in the trailer harness is not connected so that may be part of it. My brake controller is smarter than me!

Have you had a trailer shop quote you the price?

So basically you already have Hydraulic brakes on at least 2 wheels maybe 4. The surge type hitch would have to be removed or bypassed and a hydraulic actuator installed along with a battery on the trailer for breakaways, also a brake controller for the tow vehicle. Now the thing about EOH is that it is not a brake type that can be properly controlled by any and every electric brake controller. So if you rig up one vehicle to tow the boat and back it down then that will be a thing to think about before buying a new tow vehicle. Most new trucks have built in ability to switch from pure electric brakes to EOH in just a few seconds so that would be another consideration. I would guess having that trailer rigged up for EOH would run $2,000.