Trailer size

[69ranger]

My buddy was a U-Haul dealer for several year, and surge brakes were pretty common on the rentals he had. About all of the U-Hauls had them, and got along pretty well, and I never saw him working on one. I think the one thing that was in U-Haul's favor, was that they were being used often.

I think on a personal trailer, they experience the same issues as old grain trucks, and my old cars do... The wheel cylinders will freeze up if not used for a while, and then you have diminished braking, or worse nothing at all.

Electric brakes seem to hold up well, and with electronic controllers, there are no hydraulic lines to run, like there was in the past. Most trucks come wired for them, and some, like my Super Duty came with one already built in.

We have three trailers around here that are set up with magnetic brakes, and other than adjusting them once in a while, they have been fool proof.

I just about wont pull with out trailer brakes, unless its under 1000 lbs. My super duty is heavy, and can stop most things, with out brakes, but you never know when some one will test your stopping distance.

I have had car drivers, in a big hurry, especially in town pass, and then cut in in front of you, and then stop at a stop light. Though not the end all for this, having trailer brakes helps add a layer of safety.

Im my youth, I was guilty of pulling heavier loads than I should have, with an old 73 Ford F150, because that was all I had at the time.
I always kept the brakes on the truck, and on both trailer axles adjusted up and working at the best. Even though I was a little over loaded, I could stop a 6,000 pound plus, (trailer and tractor) really well.
Over all it handled well, but the speed limit was lower then, and with 55 or so being top speed made it safer as well.
For me its not what I can pull its what I can stop, and how quickly.

I hope to have a goose neck one of these days, and have some thing heavy enough to haul up to 3 small tractors or my old Farmall M and John Deere A safely. Right now I cant, as both tractors really are too heavy for my 18 foot trailer.

[Ken (48 Cub)]

It is tight but doable...tandem axle trailer with brakes are a must. Be careful at there.

[Barnyard]

Hey Ken, if that Loboy were a regular Cub you would have to put a couple of 2x10's under the rear tires to make it fit.

[Ken (48 Cub)]

I've seen it done...

[Matt Kirsch]

I've hauled Cubs almost exclusively on a 6x12 single axle 2990GVWR no brakes trailer. Over hill and dale. From destinations as far away as Bill Hudson's (4 hours). At speeds up to 65MPH. Loaded forwards and backwards.

The only time I had any concern was when I picked up a derelict Cub that had a massive 8D battery mounted to the drawbar. I pulled that one on forwards because that's the only direction I could get at it from. Maybe it was just my imagination but I thought the trailer was dancing around a little too much for its own good. When I stopped at Arby's for dinner I took the battery off the back and strapped it on the front of the trailer.