bought used boat/trailer with brakes. Newbie!

[erickgs3]

Hello, I bought a used 1995 Rinker 190 Captiva with trailer. The previous owner said he installed brake drums on the trailer. I am towing with a 2007 Chevy Tahoe.

I noticed that when I brake (fairly hard) the trailer brakes lock up, it feels like a thud, thud, thud! Then, i let off the break and it goes away. Is this normal?

It doesn't feel normal to me and I feel it pull my Tahoe. So, I break slowly and I dont feel the thud but I dont know if the breaks are engaging either.

My old trailer didnt have breaks and it felt okay. I was pulling a 19 foot bayliner.
Is this just a new feeling or is something wrong with the trailer breaks.

The previous owner told me that the breaks would take getting used to. They said if you break too hard you will feel the brakes.

So my question is, when I break hard should I feel the thud thud thud??!!
And, when I brake softly should I feel the trailer brakes??

Thanks

Erick

 

[External Combustion]

Re: bought used boat/trailer with brakes. Newbie!

You did not say what type of brakes they are. If they are hydraulic with surge application, then you should feel them come on just a split second after the Tahoe's brakes in medium to hard braking. In slow /soft braking they may not come on at all depending on how tight the surge spring is set. It sounds as though yours are hydraulic.

With electric brakes, you can check them by using your controller without putting on the Tahoe's brakes.

It seems as though you have one or more drums that are out of round. Jack each side up, adjust the brakes and you will know for sure. While you have the wheels in the air, you might as well repack the bearings. As the drums will be off for a repacking job, just take them down to the local machine shop and have them checked for out of roundness and give your brake shoes a good look also. Sometimes mission creep helps!