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"over-run" brakes?

While perusing a Land Rover web page, I noticed that the towing capacity of
a Defender 90 is similar to that of a Jeep's except when using a trailer
with "over-run" brakes, in which case the towing capacity is about 7,700
lbs (3,500 kgs).

I did a search on "over-run" brakes, and it seems there's a sensor in the
trailer hitch or ball that controls the brakes on the trailer. Would this
also work for a Jeep? Is anyone familiar with "over-run" brakes? It seems
they're more popular in Europe than in the US.

Thanks.
--
Michael White "To protect people from the effects of folly is to
fill the world with fools." -Herbert Spencer

Re: "over-run" brakes?

Prolly a surge brake.

On Sun, 17 Apr 2005 04:08:58 GMT, Michael White
<michael12@mindspring.com> wrote:

>While perusing a Land Rover web page, I noticed that the towing capacity of
>a Defender 90 is similar to that of a Jeep's except when using a trailer
>with "over-run" brakes, in which case the towing capacity is about 7,700
>lbs (3,500 kgs).
>
>I did a search on "over-run" brakes, and it seems there's a sensor in the
>trailer hitch or ball that controls the brakes on the trailer. Would this
>also work for a Jeep? Is anyone familiar with "over-run" brakes? It seems
>they're more popular in Europe than in the US.
>
>Thanks.

Re: "over-run" brakes?

On Sun, 17 Apr 2005 04:08:58 GMT, Michael White
<michael12@mindspring.com> wrote:

>While perusing a Land Rover web page, I noticed that the towing capacity of
>a Defender 90 is similar to that of a Jeep's except when using a trailer
>with "over-run" brakes, in which case the towing capacity is about 7,700
>lbs (3,500 kgs).
>
>I did a search on "over-run" brakes, and it seems there's a sensor in the
>trailer hitch or ball that controls the brakes on the trailer. Would this
>also work for a Jeep? Is anyone familiar with "over-run" brakes? It seems
>they're more popular in Europe than in the US.
>
>Thanks.

Surge brakes (same as over-run brakes) are found in the USA mainly on
commercial, rental and marine trailers. Electric brakes are most
common on light utility and travel trailers.

http://www.championtrailers.com/brkart.html Trailer brakes tech
article

Look in any marina parking lot and all you will see are surge brakes.
With stainless disc brake rotors they can be a waaay cool braking
system, but lots more expensive than plain vanilla Dexter electric
brakes.

For your Jeep trailer you want electric brakes, unless you plan on
submerging the trailer often. You can control the trailer's behavior
much more precisely and easily with an electric controller than you
can with a surge brake actuator. For example, you can dial back the
braking current on gravel roads or wet pavement to prevent premature
lockup, and you can manually apply just the trailer brakes if you need
to. Neither of these is possible with surge brkaes.

John

Re: "over-run" brakes?

"John Davies" <saab95aerowagon@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:k7p361h2cnrrir8k95igsgm8158u30nl8c@4ax.com...
> but lots more expensive than plain vanilla Dexter electric
> brakes.

just yesterday i ordered a 7x18 haulmark kodiak
http://www.haulmark.com/php/products...model_id=70117
enclosed trailer. electric brakes are included in the base price of the
trailer, the hydraulic surge brakes are an addition $900+ ($600 on the 7000
gvwr trailer, but i got the 10000). as you can see in my invoice
http://img185.echo.cx/img185/3082/trailer7rj.jpg it was worth the $900 to me
to have the convenience of the surge brakes.

> You can control the trailer's behavior
> much more precisely and easily with an electric controller than you
> can with a surge brake actuator.

i disagree completely with this statement. electric brake controllers
require adjustment any time your load or the terrain) changes. yes you can
get "close" with numbered settings but youll rarely set it "perfect" even if
it "feels right". to much adjustment (even just enough that you dont even
notice it) and you wear the trailer brakes prematurely. not enough and you
wear the vehicle brakes prematurely. coming down bozeman pass at 90mph
pulling 10000 pounds will require a lot more braking than slowing for
traffic as you climb it. adjusting on the fly like that sucks and can
rarely be done with precision the first try.

> For example, you can dial back the
> braking current on gravel roads or wet pavement to prevent premature
> lockup, and you can manually apply just the trailer brakes if you need
> to. Neither of these is possible with surge brkaes.

what are you talking about? "dialing" it isnt necessary at all on surge
brakes because you only get exactly what you need anyway. premature lock up
isnt a concern with surge brakes because the vehicle will provide less
braking pressure anyway as it will also have less traction on gravel roads
or wet pavement. this is the beauty of surge brakes, and this is why rental
trailers are equipped with them....theyre idiot proof and require no
thinking or adjustment. i could have made electric brakes work just fine
but i also wanted a trailer that my wife could just hook up to and run,
without have to try to teach her how to get close with an electric
adjustment. besides, with the nature of my work the load would change many
times throughout the day and the self adjustment of the surge was the way to
go.

that said, the expense involved makes surge brakes impractical for most and
anything that can be pulled by a swb jeep would probably do just fine with
electrics.

--
Nathan W. Collier
http://7SlotGrille.com
http://UtilityOffRoad.com