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Old 05-28-2012, 06:03 AM   #1
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Default Illegal?

Is it illegal to tow my x139 without a functional brake controller?
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Old 05-28-2012, 06:47 AM   #2
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Hi Elaine,
That's a bit of a loaded question ! Regarding the legality of it, laws vary from state to state, and it's usually based on weight of the trailer.

More to the point, the question to ask is "is it safe or smart" ?
Brakes on a trailer are either a good idea, or completely necessary, depending on several things.

If you need to stop in a hurry, especially on wet pavement for instance, you for sure will be far better served with properly functioning trailer ( and tow vehicle ) brakes.
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Old 05-28-2012, 08:27 AM   #3
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Totally agree on the "smart" part. But I'm in a real pickle....I'm supposed to leave Wed. for a month of camp hosting. 500 miles, but as a pokey old woman, I prefer to do it over 2 days. Last night, as he was attempting to install the controller on my Jeep, my son (an ASE mechanic, btw) fried the jeeps computer (he "thinks). damndamndamn

Happy Holiday weekend! Doubt this is going to get fixed TOMORROW unless the dealership just happens to have a computer sitting on the shelf? Kid feels guilty and says I can have his Tundra? Debating the pros & cons.
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Old 05-28-2012, 08:33 AM   #4
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Let me tell you of my experience years ago when I transported manfactured housing aka mobile homes. Yes, the trailer was much larger and heavier than yours but then so was the towing truck, called a toter in the business.

I was transporting a 16 foot wide by 80 foot long wood sided, shingled roof mobile home on a two lane blacktop when I came to a long downhilll run of about a half a mile with a narrow bridge at the bottom. To make a long story short, when I hit the 'trailer brakes' and discovered there were none it was to late to downshift and the toter brakes were inadequate to slow the load much while maintaining control. It was a long, long half mile and with great effort to keep the trailer from overtaking the toter as it was pushing me down the hill. I was very lucky there was no on-coming traffic as I aimed for the center of the narrow bridge to make it across as a speed in excess of 75 mph. There was no other choice.

Yes, get a brake controller and make sure it works and so do your trailer brakes before heading out onto the highway.
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Old 05-28-2012, 10:20 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Elaine
Totally agree on the "smart" part. But I'm in a real pickle....I'm supposed to leave Wed. for a month of camp hosting. 500 miles, but as a pokey old woman, I prefer to do it over 2 days. Last night, as he was attempting to install the controller on my Jeep, my son (an ASE mechanic, btw) fried the jeeps computer (he "thinks). damndamndamn

Happy Holiday weekend! Doubt this is going to get fixed TOMORROW unless the dealership just happens to have a computer sitting on the shelf? Kid feels guilty and says I can have his Tundra? Debating the pros & cons.
Take the Tundra ! ( with a brake controller in it ! )
Sorry to hear about the electrical malfunction in your Jeep. It happens to the best of us !
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Old 05-29-2012, 05:12 PM   #6
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Update: I got the jeep back today, brake controller included....pulling out to MD in the am.

We had a short but intense freak wind/rain storm this morning and a 200 ft. cherry, a poplar and a good chunk of maple came crashing down, missed the house at least, $700 to clean up (after I leave). The way my luck is running, I'm almost afraid to get behind the wheel......

Say a prayer.
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