Boat Trailer locking up

[Randt26]

Ignorant question warning!!!!
Just purchased a new boat and for the first time the trailer has real braking not surge. I have a 21 ram with everything other than trailer brake control. After launching the boat I often have to drive the unloaded trailer home, when this happens the trailer brakes often lock up. Would adding trailer brake control solve this?

 

[deerreeper]

Ignorant question warning!!!!
Just purchased a new boat and for the first time the trailer has real braking not surge. I have a 21 ram with everything other than trailer brake control. After launching the boat I often have to drive the unloaded trailer home, when this happens the trailer brakes often lock up. Would adding trailer brake control solve this?

Yes. When the trailer is loaded and heavy it needs more braking power than when it's unloaded and light. Being able to adjust the power to the brakes will help keep from ruining tires

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[Travelin Ram]

If you don’t already have a trailer brake controller, what is activating the brakes now?

What kind of brakes are on the trailer? Usually with boats it’s surge, because they are self regulating loaded or unloaded, and they can handle submersion.

Electric brakes are common on dry land trailers but almost never seen on boat trailers because they don’t handle water well.

There are electric over hydraulic also, normally on higher cost heavy trailers.

Some clarification on what type of brakes will help you get better answers.

 

[crash68]

You'll definitely want to add the factory brake controller and when running unloaded just back the trailer gain down to 1.
I doubt a twin axle trailer for a 21' boat could be much more than 1500 lbs, little to no extra braking needed.

 

[Wallyb4]

You need to add a brake controller either Aftermarket or factory. I would suggest factory they are better in controlling than AF.

 

[14hemiexpress]

Aren’t boat trailers typically surge brakes with no need for a controller? Does your trailer have 5 pin hook up or the 7pin? If it’s surge brakes there’s a way to lock out the brakes for “backing up” you could just lock out the brakes to get you home. boat trailers are light with nothing on them.

 

[KKBB]

I have surge brakes on my boat trailer. Might want to check and see what they are like many others have said. Not sure what would be telling your brakes to brake if they aren't surge, and if you have no brake controller.

 

[Randt26]

Thanks for the responses and here's the clarification:
Dual Axel Mastercraft trailer
7 pin connector
Disc Brakes
trailer weight 1400lb

I can literally feel the trailer brakes engaging when going down hill even on a slight/low grade without even braking the truck. I thought this meant surge as well but the dealer said no....He told me that the 7 pin connector was the difference between surge and disc brakes. Sorry very ignorant when it comes to trailers.

 

[sandawilliams]

Without a brake control there should be no power to the trailer brakes. Are you sure the light weight trailer isn't bouncing some? This has happened to me with unloaded trailers where the tire actually leaves the ground and upon contact with the road it will give the sense of light braking.

 

[Randt26]

When speaking to "feeling the trailer brakes engaging", very sure its not the trailer bouncing, it did it yesterday on a freshly paved road. However when they lock up, they lock up so damn hard that the trailer hops down the road like a pogo stick, I mark the road for about 50 ft and smoke the trailer tires.

 

[deerreeper]

If you have disk brakes then they are hydraulic. They could be electric over hydraulic in which case you would need a controller. As the one member mentions I don't know how they would work without a controller hooked up if it's electric over hydraulic

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[dhay13]

They could be electric over hydraulic in which case you would need a controller. As the one member mentions I don't know how they would work without a controller hooked up if it's electric over hydraulic

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My 2016 Venture trailer has disc brakes but they are surge. No electric at all. Some are electric over hydraulic and I am not an expert on any of these types but know that mine are definitely disc and are surge. I have the blue wire for lockout when backing up. I have the 7 pin adapter to plug my 4 wire trailer plug into to allow the reverse lockout to work properly.

If you do have surge brakes you should see a 'sleeve' type thing near the front of your trailer that will slide in and out to activate the surge brakes. Some have a hole that you put a pin or bolt through to lockout the reverse brakes and some have an electric lockout that is activated by your reverse lights on the truck.

Here is mine. Notice the grease fitting to grease the 'slide':

 

[pacofortacos]

Thanks for the responses and here's the clarification:
Dual Axel Mastercraft trailer
7 pin connector
Disc Brakes
trailer weight 1400lb

I can literally feel the trailer brakes engaging when going down hill even on a slight/low grade without even braking the truck. I thought this meant surge as well but the dealer said no....He told me that the 7 pin connector was the difference between surge and disc brakes. Sorry very ignorant when it comes to trailers.

Your dealer is full of BS - 7 pin has nothing to do with surge and disc brakes. Surge can be drum or disc. 7 pin could be wired in place of the standard 5 pin .

Here's how to tell which you have (drum or disc it doesn't matter) - IF there is an electric motor and breakaway battery on the tongue then you most likely have electric over hydraulic brakes.
IF there is NO electric pump/motor on the tongue of the trailer then you have surge brakes.

There are electric brakes but rarely ever used on a boat trailer as they just don't like water eventually. Also, I don't know of any electric disc brake setups, just electric drum brakes.

Take a picture of your tongue on the trailer and it will be easy to tell which you have.

Any version of electric brakes will require a controller AND breakaway battery kit installed on the trailer - stock or aftermarket.

 

[pacofortacos]

If you need a picture of electric over hydraulic, I just installed mine this weekend - which totally turned into a cluster fk.

 

[Travelin Ram]

Please post up some pictures of your equipment so we can determine what you have. Alternatively take it to a mechanic or trailer shop who’s capable of properly explaining to you what you have and what you need (which your selling dealer seems unable to do). We’re just shooting in the dark here.

If it’s surge brakes it shouldn’t be skidding empty unless there’s a serious problem that needs immediate attention.

If it’s electrical brakes and you have no controller in your truck then the brakes are not powered.

Either the OP is misinformed, or someone has crossed up the wiring and done something stupid and dangerous like connecting the trailer braking to the brake lighting circuit or something.

This is a situation where a couple of pictures is worth a thousand words.

 

[deerreeper]

My 2016 Venture trailer has disc brakes but they are surge. No electric at all. Some are electric over hydraulic and I am not an expert on any of these types but know that mine are definitely disc and are surge. I have the blue wire for lockout when backing up. I have the 7 pin adapter to plug my 4 wire trailer plug into to allow the reverse lockout to work properly.

If you do have surge brakes you should see a 'sleeve' type thing near the front of your trailer that will slide in and out to activate the surge brakes. Some have a hole that you put a pin or bolt through to lockout the reverse brakes and some have an electric lockout that is activated by your reverse lights on the truck.

Here is mine. Notice the grease fitting to grease the 'slide':

Surge brakes are hydraulic.

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[dhay13]

Surge brakes are hydraulic.

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Yeah. When I initially read your post I interpreted it as you saying disc could not be surge/hydraulic but after I posted I re-read it and got it straight that time so edited my post...lol

 

[CaptOchs]

How heavy is the boat? If it's only around 17-19ft your probably light enough you don't even need the brakes. Some states are stricter than others. In NY anything over 1000 lbs technically requires brakes now. My boat/trailer are around 2500 lbs and I have plenty of stopping power without trailer brakes in my truck and the wife's minivan. I used to tow with my Charger too. No problems with hills or anything.

 

[Randt26]

4300lb Boat
1400lb - trailer weight

Full set up and trailer pics attached, thank you all so much for the help!

 

[David Langford]

Don't know if anyone has mentioned it yet, but since it only happens after you unload the boat, could it be shorting out? What about when you pull the trailer back from the house to the lake, do you get the same feeling?
What about the breakaway safety cable, could it be pulling some, not enough to disengage the safety, but just enough to slightly engage the brakes?