How do Surge Brakes work on a trailer?

[@TheSavvyEquestrian]

I've pulled trailers since I was old enough to assist my dad... so nearly 30 years. Class A CDL for the last decade, and I have NEVER seen tongue actuated brakes.

[@bigmak9636]

I’ve pulled trailer since I was 17 so nearly 50 years I have never seen anything but tongue activated brakes just bought a new trailer and it’s the first time I’m using electric brakes

[@xtremewaianae]

Its called surge brakes. Kinda an important detail since most trailers don’t have brakes and the ones that do usually are electric brakes.

[@kevino3190]

So how do you back the trailer up?

[@forsebiwithu6499]

Dude I was just thinking the same thing

[@NickB-pc4fu]

There is a key or pin you insert when you need to back up. Most trailer breaks are electric, and not hydraulic like these, and there typically on boat trailers

[@ShuswapLivin]

there is a solenoid hooked up to your back up light circuit to deactivate your brakes. Also NicB is correct as well

[@littlejackalo5326]

These types of trailers going use the regular 4 or 7 pin plugs. They use a 5 pin plug that has an extra wire from the reverse lights, that trips a solenoid like Shuswap said.

[@RedDawn430]

That's only how rich people's trailers work

[@northlaketahoeboatrental]

This is the cheapest trailer brakes that I know of

[@justingoodwyn3824]

These are the cheap ones actually, no trailer brake controller or anything

[@yuknasty9199]

@@justingoodwyn3824you don’t know what your talking about. Good try though. Gold star for effort.

[@kyledilligaf550]

And every trailer at uhaul also uses surge brakes because its more of a one size fits all kind of braking system unlike electric or electric over hydraulic systems which require a lot of additional electronics which need to be wired and adjustedted corretly. U can back the trailer up when its empty no problem but when loaded its just about impossible unless theres a manual lock out to keep from actuating the brake its a super simple setup just a master cylinder between the 2 tounge tubes and standard drum brakes on the axle

[@eattit911]

Weird to explain something you don’t fully understand. It’s not activating the brake fluid 😂 it’s compressing the brake master cylinder. Also most use electric brakes which use electricity to power magnets that grab the brake drum and actuate the brake pads. It’s pretty cool

[@kennethwoolever5054]

I've used both electric and hydraulic trailer brakes, I prefer the electric.

[@Beriothien007]

The hell are trailer brakes lmfao? Thats what friction, skill, and Gods will is for

[@AlecioG]

This reminds me of an old Car Talk episode on electric trailer brakes and it was hilarious

[@jhutch666]

That's pretty cool 🤙

[@MegaTime01]

Great one more expensive thing to replace when they go bad

[@youngstar1953]

So, where is your Scooby-Doo go

[@dansmith2372]

Nice video

[@jorjimaco5331]

You should be a rocket engineer

[@swampypolitics9574]

I can see that going very bad. It also relies on trailer weight for brake pressure.. so in an emergency stop with ABS it's gunna shudder like crazy

[@iDAV8]

You can tell this dude really doesnt understand wth he’s talking about