electric trailer brakes

[tom]

hello everyone,

Last weekend i bought a complete NOS warner electric trailer brake controler. Can i use this on a gmc cckw 353 and on which types of trailers where they used ben hurs also? And is there a TM for this and are there persons who have the trailer parts? all info is welcome!


Thanks

tom

[Gordon_M]

Depends where you are Tom, basically the restrictions on it would be legal rather than technical.

For example, here in the UK you could NOT use it, as it is illegal to have electric trailer brakes that are controlled from the towing vehicle ( as opposed to automatic ) I have a Dodge van and trailer with electric brakes, and intend to fit an automatic controller in the trailer itself ( legal ) with the manual controller fitted to the truck but not hooked up.

Trailers up to the Ben Hur did not have brakes, other than a parking brake, although I have seen a Ben Hur axle reversed and fitted with over-run brakes that worked via park brake cables - just not very well.

Larger trailers like the Directors, Searchlight, and Smoke Generators, did have these brakes fitted and were used with GMC towing vehicles, you can find out more about them here;

http://cckw.org/forum/index.php#cckw%20message%20board

[Robbo]

See this for some background info :

http://www.cckw.org/pdf/t261b_controller.pdf

[tom]

Gordon and robbo, Thanks for the info. So it wouldn't be wrong to fit it on my gmc? I live in belgium but I don't know if it's legal to use it over here. I will have to find out.

thanks again.

Tom

[Gordon_M]

Well I'm sure in Belgium you could fit the controller and wire it up properly. You would have to check the legal side before using it, of course.

I can't think of any common trailer that would use these brakes except the four wheel / two axle Director / Searchlight / Smoke Generator units, but then these are quite available in Europe.

Just as a note, they are very heavy, so I'm sure although you could tow them with a GMC you would notice the weight.

Thanks Robbo for the manual - duly saved.