2004 Easyloader trailer needing trailer brakes.

[bob_bra]

I have a 2004 Triumph 170 CC hull and trailer package as furnished by Triumph. I have recently traded my towing vehicle on a 2006 Toyota Sienna. The Sienna has a safety statement in the owners manual which states that all trailers over 1,000 lbs in gross weight require the trailer to be equipped with trailer brakes. (The Sienna is approved to tow trailers up to 3500 lbs, providing the car has a 3500 lb hitch.)

Since my 2004 trailer does not have brakes, I am investigating adding brakes to the trailer or trading up to a trailer which has brakes.

If anyone has experience adding brakes to their trailer please let me know. I would also like to get referrals to a good shop which can do this work or provide me with a replacement trailer at a fair price in the Tampa or Central Florida general area.

Thanks for any information or advice you folks can provide. Bob

[Putershark]

That is Toyota's way of saying (CYA) that the brake system on the Sienna is not strong enough to handle a full blown 3500 lbs rig. In my opinion, Toyota might as well say that the Sienna is only rated to tow 1000 lbs

The State of Florida though does not require trailer brakes till you get to the 3000 lbs mark http://www.heartlandmarinefl.com/Trailer/brake.html and personally, I would not worry too much about needing brakes on such a light BMT package.

If added though, the trailer brakes are only going to give you issues from dunking them into salt water all the time, but if it would make you sleep easier... We have several boat trailer builders in the area that could guide you through the process.

I would in your position, just save my money and use it to either replace the Van's brakes pads when needed more often, OR look into a set of aftermarket brake pads for the Sienna that has a little more beef in the pad material used. The only down side to such, is that they "could" make more noise (squeaking) in the heat of summer from using a harder pad material

To me though, that would be a much more cost effective route to take AND I would not even consider putting on a harder set of pads on, till the first set of pads wore out and see just how many miles you were able to squeeze out of the first set? As a point of reference, if not driven like a race car most people can get on average about 30,000 miles out of a set of OEM front brake pads in this area, so if you get anything near such even with some light towing (heck 2 jet-skis can weight 1000 lbs and you see them on the back of cars all the time) then I would not worry much about it...

[Dick@merrittmarine]

Bob, One of the problems we have noticed is that light trailers with surge brakes do not have enough weight to activate [surge] the master cylinder, under normal conditions. On panic stops they might work.

Dick