Want to tow 3200 miles, but no trailer brakes?

[smokie901]

Need advice on towing a enclosed cargo trailer 3200 miles with a Ram 1500 V6 etouqe gas with a 5.7 bed that has a trailer package.
Want to buy a trailer,and my towing specs for the Ram are low.
Most trailers with a single axle under 2990 lbs GVRW have no brakes.
Should I be concerned about having no trailer brakes going that distance.
A Tamden trailer would have brakes but are heavier and add more tongue weight to my truck payload.

Just trying to figure the best possibilities.

 

[CanRebel]

Distance doesn't matter. It's gross weight of the trailer.

Not sure about all US states, but here it's anything over 3K needs to have trailer brakes of some kind. That is just simple answer, it's more complex than that.

If you are going up and down mountains, I would personally pick something with trailer brakes, but under 3K ? Wouldn't worry that much about it.

 

[GTyankee]

3000 - 3060 pound weight rating seems to be the point at which Brakes are required in most States.

Manufactures would rather sell a trailer without Brakes,so they build them to haul 2280 - 2290 lbs.

I think it is actually the Axle weight rating that determines it.

Buy a trailer with a heavier axle rating

Like a 3500# axle

 

[GTyankee]

How Much Weight Can a Utility Trailer Handle?

A utility trailer is a worthwhile investment, especially if you haul large equipment or heavy materials on a regular basis. But how much weight can a utility trailer handle? Learn more here.

www.millroadtrailers.com

The other option is to measure the diameter of the axle or axles. From this measurement, you can reasonably estimate the load capacity of the axle:

• 1.5-inch diameter axle can carry up to 1,000 pounds
• 1.75-inch diameter, up to 2,000 pounds
• 2.375-inch diameter, up to 3,500 pounds
• 3-inch diameter, up to 6,000 pounds
• 3.5-inch diameter, up to 8,000 pounds

 

[PA Ram]

Brakes required at 5000 pounds in Pa I believe. If you're trailer is over 3000 lbs I'd use trailer brakes. My 30ft camper is 6500 lbs when fully loaded, but 5000 empty. I can pull it with out trailer brakes and wdh,but I only do that if moving it around my property or short local drive.

 

[Tulecreeper]

Better check the laws for every state you will be passing through. They're all different with regard to what size trailer needs brakes.

 

[Dean2]

No one is going to check if your utility trailer has brakes or not on a trip. We hauled utility trailers of all sorts for decades with no brakes. You pickup weighs 6,000 pounds plus, until the trailer outweighs the tow unit, I have never worried about brakes. Just make sure the trailer is properly loaded, and towing level. Even with lighter trailers I prefer a weight distribution hitch to control sway in the wind and porpoising on rough roads, plus good tires.

I also make darn sure I have room to stop, don't follow close, drive defensively and I never tow faster than 65, no matter what kind of trailer, brakes or no, that I am hauling. Use tow haul mode, also use the gear limiter to gear down on hills so your engine does a bunch of the braking and you aren't heating the brakes on the PU.

Many people read way to much internet crap and get overly worried about totally irrelevant minutia.

 

[bonnyjliss]

drive defensively and you will be fine

 

[Tulecreeper]

No one is going to check if your utility trailer has brakes or not on a trip. We hauled utility trailers of all sorts for decades with no brakes. You pickup weighs 6,000 pounds plus, until the trailer outweighs the tow unit, I have never worried about brakes. Just make sure the trailer is properly loaded, and towing level. Even with lighter trailers I prefer a weight distribution hitch to control sway in the wind and porpoising on rough roads, plus good tires.

I also make darn sure I have room to stop, don't follow close, drive defensively and I never tow faster than 65, no matter what kind of trailer, brakes or no, that I am hauling. Many people read way to much internet crap and get overly worried about totally irrelevant minutia.

While I agree with most of that, my rule of thumb is when the weight of the trailer is equal to or more than 50% of my truck's weight I want brakes of some sort - even surge brakes are better than none. Below 50% I'm not too worried.

 

[Ramfanski]

Brakes are nice to have on a trailer. Even a 3000 lb trailer. You can make emergency stops much quicker. I’d try to get brakes if I were buying a trailer. That being said, I am sure I have towed many 3-5 k trailers that had no brakes with much less capable trucks than my ram…. Drive very carefully. Don’t push any situations….

 

[crazy jerry]

i towed 4k with a tacoma about 500mi and no trailer brakes. youll be fine

 

[Docwagon1776]

I never got the notion of trying to save a few bucks in exchange for longer stopping distances.

 

[stevenP]

Also if the trailer is not loaded, and if it had brakes you would more than likely lock up the tires on most stops anyway.

 

[nlambert182]

You do know that you can adjust the brake gain from the truck, right? It shouldn't matter the size or whether it's loaded or unloaded if you properly set the gain on the brake controller. That should happen each time you hook up to a trailer with brakes.

If you're locking up the brakes that's user error. The truck nor trailer care.

 

[PA Ram]

You do know that you can adjust the brake gain from the truck, right? It shouldn't matter the size or whether it's loaded or unloaded if you properly set the gain on the brake controller. That should happen each time you hook up to a trailer with brakes.

If you're locking up the brakes that's user error. The truck nor trailer care.

This ^^^^^ I adjust mine all the time depending on weight in my camper.

 

[turkeybird56]

Need advice on towing a enclosed cargo trailer 3200 miles with a Ram 1500 V6 etouqe gas with a 5.7 bed that has a trailer package.
Want to buy a trailer,and my towing specs for the Ram are low.
Most trailers with a single axle under 2990 lbs GVRW have no brakes.
Should I be concerned about having no trailer brakes going that distance.
A Tamden trailer would have brakes but are heavier and add more tongue weight to my truck payload.

Just trying to figure the best possibilities.

Just me: You are talking buying a trailer with combo weight around 3K maybe more depending upon load. No way I would drive across the country without some type of braking system. Spend a bit more and get a trailer that has brakes, preferably electric (you need TT controls for electric). I have a 2,150 LB stock trailer, but my GVRW is 6-7K, and it is dual wheel so brakes required anyway due to payload capacity. My neighbor has a old dual wheel flatbed trailer, that I borrow to go local to get hay. And nothing more I hate than the slamming of that trailer into hitch when stopping, no brakes not even hydraulic/tandem. ALSO, remember, you are talking putting that more STRESS on truck braking system.

ADDED: You said you have trailer package, does that INCLUDE TT controls, because without those controls, you do not really have full package.

BUT OP your backside, your wallet, your truck, do what makes U happy. Whatever you do, drive defensively and be safe!!!!!

CAVEAT: URL provided FYI: You can get for cheaper, just picked URL for PIC.

Mopar RAM 1500 Electronic Trailer Brake Controller 82215040AC (16-25 RAM 1500) - Free Shipping

FREE SHIPPING! Improves Trailer Operation. If you’ve attached a trailer to your RAM 1500, then you might need this Mopar Electronic Trailer Brake Controller. Th

www.americantrucks.com

 

[Ramfanski]

I just turn the gain way down on light unloaded trailers. I don’t go through the process of finding the correct gain. I might if I were driving hundreds of miles….

 

[Tulecreeper]

Also if the trailer is not loaded, and if it had brakes you would more than likely lock up the tires on most stops anyway.

The trailer brakes/controllers these days are almost impossible to 'lock up', even with the gain set to 10.

 

[Ramfanski]

I never got the notion of trying to save a few bucks in exchange for longer stopping distances.

When I was younger and much poorer, the cost/risk benefit was less clear…..lol

 

[PA Ram]

The trailer brakes/controllers these days are almost impossible to 'lock up', even with the gain set to 10.

Yeah, I have a tekonsha Primus IQ and with boost set at 2 it damn near stopped my truck. I felt the trailer pull me to a stop. Now I found the sweet spot.