Brake Controller for Double Towing

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
lone_star_dsl

lone_star_dsl

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 4, 2009
Posts
828
Location
Monument, CO
Before people get in a tizzy over my question regarding double towing, let me lay out the specifics first.

My trailer is a triple axle fifth wheel. It weighs 12,900 lbs without toys in it. 3,900 of those pounds are on the pin. The remaining 9,000 lbs are spread across it's three (5,000 lb) axles. It has a GVWR of 16,000 lbs. With my second trailer attached, I will be under the Colorado maximum length of 70'. Towing doubles is LEGAL in the state of Colorado where I live and will be towing this combination. My truck is a 2016 Ram 3500 dually with a GCWR of 39,100 lbs. The weight of the entire combination will be approximately 29,800 lbs.

My question is regarding brake controllers for the second trailer. Colorado requires brakes on trailers over 3,500 lbs, which this trailer will be. My truck has a factory brake controller and I'm wondering if I can tie in an aftermarket controller for the second trailer or if there is a better alternative for controlling the brakes? Perhaps converting the second trailer to surge brakes?

How are you other double towers doing it?

Thanks!
 
I tow a 2,200 lb utility trailer behind my 10,000 5th wheel.

I run the brake wires on back from the 5th wheel brakes to the trailer hitch on the back of the 5th wheel.

The utility trailer does not require as much voltage to lock the brakes as the 5th wheel.  As such the two trailers lock at about the same time when I apply the manual control until they lock.  Thus the setting need for the 5th wheel works good for the utility trailer due to the additional voltage drop from the 5th wheel brakes to the utility trailer.

I use a Prodigy 3 controller which is good for 4 axles.
 
You may have an issue fabbing a tow bar for the back of the toy hauler - hows that going? What is your current lenght ? Im curious and what are you planning to tow behind the toy hauler? Weight wise your fine logistically? I will be following this 
 
I ran a surge brake on my 2nd trailer with tandem 3500 lb axles after checking with my state dot officers. They said surge brakes are legal for trailers that size (small). I would check with CODOT for  any legal issues pertaining to 2nd trailer brake controller types requirements....if any.

One of my neighbors has a 38' LEQ and pulls a tandem axle cargo trailer behind it. He wired in a 2nd  brake controller for the smaller trailer.

If it means anything to your particular towing conditions a surge brake has no braking sitting still......electrical controller has braking full time.
 
longhaul said:
I ran a surgbrake on my 2nd trailer with tandem 3500 lb axles after checking with my state dot officers. They said surge brakes are legal for trailers that size (small). I would check with CODOT for  any legal issues pertaining to 2nd trailer brake controller types requirements....if any.

One of my neighbors has a 38' LEQ and pulls a tandem axle cargo trailer behind it. He wired in a 2nd  brake controller for the smaller trailer.

If it means anything to your particular towing conditions a surge brake has no braking sitting still......electrical controller has braking full time.
Click to expand...

Boats over 3500lbs use surge brakes my 24ft MB Sports wake boat at 2700lbs dry  plus 100gallon fuel tank and 1500 lbs trailer used them and they worked great . No brake contoller needed
 
I had surge brakes on a little two axle bumper pull tilt trailer.  I HATED it!  They work well part of the time and not so great at other times.  brakes also may come on when backing up.  I would go with electric brakes.
 
I run two separate brake controllers when towing two trailers. In my case they're air over electric Hayes units, but are wired completely separately so if one fails, the other doesn't get affected. In Colorado, tandem axle trailers requiring brakes also requires them on both axles, and one Hayes brake controller isn't rated for any more than 4 axles. So I have two.
 
steveblonde said:
You may have an issue fabbing a tow bar for the back of the toy hauler - hows that going? What is your current lenght ? Im curious and what are you planning to tow behind the toy hauler? Weight wise your fine logistically? I will be following this
Click to expand...

Since I'm a welder by trade, the fabrication part is fairly easy for me. I'm building a dropped subframe which will be welded to the bottom of the trailer I-beam frame. The subframe will extend 4' toward the front of the trailer from the bumper to eliminate any point loading. I'll then spanning the distance between them with 2" x 6" x 1/4" square tube. The tow bar will be welded to these pieces. There will be four additional risers that connect to the existing trailer beam gussets to control any vertical rotational forces.

The rig right now is 52' long. I plan on pulling a 14' trailer which will put me at my max length when you include the tongue. On that trailer, I will have my Polaris Ranger Crew. I've been hauling it in the garage of my trailer but have to remove the bed and front bumper to make it fit in the 12' space. Having it on it's own trailer will be more of a convenience factor than anything.
 
lone_star_dsl said:
Since I'm a welder by trade, the fabrication part is fairly easy for me. I'm building a dropped subframe which will be welded to the bottom of the trailer I-beam frame. The subframe will extend 4' toward the front of the trailer from the bumper to eliminate any point loading. I'll then spanning the distance between them with 2" x 6" x 1/4" square tube. The tow bar will be welded to these pieces. There will be four additional risers that connect to the existing trailer beam gussets to control any vertical rotational forces.

The rig right now is 52' long. I plan on pulling a 14' trailer which will put me at my max length when you include the tongue. On that trailer, I will have my Polaris Ranger Crew. I've been hauling it in the garage of my trailer but have to remove the bed and front bumper to make it fit in the 12' space. Having it on it's own trailer will be more of a convenience factor than anything.
Click to expand...

Cool very cool keep me posted surge brakes work well on a boat trailer because electric brakes and water arent a good mix all that you need is a 5 pin so a 4-5 or a 5 - 7 adapter to lock out the reverse issue and your good to go.
 
Why not the Prodigy RF on the second trailer? Since the controller is essentially on the trailer rather than the vehicle I can see where it would work... Without a lot of fuss or bother. Just a thought.
 
i think the easiest and or cheapest thing would be to.just add the 2nd brake controller to your truck.  and run two wire conections on you truck  that way.both brakes systems are separate  .... make houre you get led tail.light    to cut down on the load on you truck brake light
switch
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 920 (members: 25, guests: 895)

Forum statistics

Threads
131,929
Posts
1,387,660
Members
137,677
Latest member
automedicmobile
Back
Top Bottom