OK A Double Axle Trailer With Brakes Is Better

So this afternoon I did a test drive with my new to me 16ft enclosed trailer.

My previous trailer was a single axle tilt with no brakes or suspension and I now  understand why the hive likes them.

I did a test with the trailer empty as it's the same weight as my previous trailer with the car on it.

First up under the heading of duh; it's so much nicer to not have the trailer bouncing around over sharp edged bumps.

Next up was doing a hard stop; this required no more effort than a quick stop with the van. With the other trailer it required more work.

Finally the package was so much more stable at all speeds.

Yup, should have done this sooner. 

Tom1200 said:

Next up was doing a hard stop; this required no more effort than a quick stop with the van. With the other trailer it required more work.

What kind of brake controller do you have?  If it's set up properly, then a normal stop with the trailer should take no more pedal pressure than a normal stop without.

Are the brakes on one axle or both?  You should check to make sure they're properly adjusted, it's only a 30 minute job and well worth the effort.

In reply to codrus (Forum Supporter) :

I should clarify. With the old short trailer and no brakes if you need to do any hard braking it required a lot more attention.

By contrast the new set up is gravy.

Also the double axle is less exciting when a tire blows.😂

Love my accelerometer based controllers.

With a certain member gone, there seems to be less stories about towing a mobile home halfway across the country behind a Ford Ranger with a hitch made from a doorknob and a coffee table leg.

ShawnG said:

Love my accelerometer based controllers.

With a certain member gone, there seems to be less stories about towing a mobile home halfway across the country behind a Ford Ranger with a hitch made from a doorknob and a coffee table leg.

Uh, I'm still here 

In reply to ShawnG :

Full disclosure; I was given this trailer. 

If I hadn't been given this trailer I'd still be towing the single axle open trailer and telling everyone it's fine. It really was fine but the new one is just nicer and easier.

In reply to Tom1200 :

I once towed a car on a steel bed 14" tandem axle trailer with a pair of nonfunctional surge brakes and a pair of electric brakes that mainly served to lock up the left rear wheel if you so much as touched the brake pedal, with a B4000.

I'd tow with that all day every day if my only other option was a single axle trailer