5 things you need to know about trailer brakes: Towing Advice

Trailerboating used to be a fairly simple affair. That is, until we started going bigger, heavier and more complicated. With that burden comes the need for big tow tugs and superb maxi 4WDs, beautiful multi-axle alloy trailers and, yes, hot brakes.

But at what point does your trailerboat rig need brakes? Are you legal? And insured? And do you know how to use the brakes and maintain them?

Our in-house towing expert sheds light on the calipers, discs, drums and actuators that can mean the difference between a safe tow on the Pacific Highway to fishing nirvana and, well, let's no go there…

NO BRAKES HERE
If you're towing a trailer weighing 750kg Gross Trailer Mass (GTM) or less - which is only the weight on the trailer wheels, not including the weight on the towball - you don't legally need trailer brakes. This weight, and all other weights mentioned here, only relate to legal requirements for trailer braking systems.

The rules about what weight you can legally carry in your vehicle and trailer are different. To get the full run-down on the rules for trailer brakes, have a look at Vehicle Standards Bulletin 1 on the Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities website.

But you have to be careful here, because GTM includes the weight of your trailer, your tinny or trailerboat, as well as its motor and everything else within the entire on-road rig. So that means stuff like your fishing gear, fuel, esky - everything you chuck aboard - is part of the weigh-in!

If your trailerboat has no brakes and has a GTM of 751kg or more, you'll be up for a fine at the least — and possibly no insurance cover if you have a crash.

Don't guess: load up as you normally would to go out on the water and take your trailerboat to a public weigh bridge and get it weighed. If you're over, then carry more stuff in the car or ute tray rather than the boat.

THE MIDDLE WEIGHTS
If you're towing a trailer weighing between 750kg and 2000kg GTM, you must have trailer brakes by law. But there are a few types that you can use.

Override mechanical or override hydraulic are fine, as are electric brakes or electric/hydraulic. If you go for an electric or electric/hydraulic braking system, you'll need an electric brake controller fitted in your tow vehicle for the brakes to work. See below…

THE HEAVY HITTERS
With trailerboats weighing more than 2000kg GTM, the law says you need brakes where there's a control for the brakes within reach of the driver.

The most common and practical braking system of this type is electric brakes (either electric or electric/hydraulic).

The regulations also say that the trailer must have brakes on all axles, and have a breakaway system.

A breakaway system automatically applies the trailer brakes if the coupling becomes detached from the towing vehicle, and must stay energised for at least 15 minutes after being activated.

5 TIPS FOR SETTING UP TRAILER BRAKES
You have to set up an electric brake controller for the trailer brakes to work effectively.

You can do this by firstly towing your trailerboat to a quiet road (with the boat on the trailer of course and with brakes dry - not just after dipping it into the water).

1. Set the controller to about mid-point on the gain dial, (so for a dial marked from 0 to 10, start on 5).
2. Now drive to about 40km/h and pull up.
3. If the tow vehicle feels like it's being pushed by the trailer when you're braking, there isn't enough trailer braking.
4. If the trailer wheels lock up, you have too much trailer braking.
5. Increase or decrease the gain in one level increments (that is, up from five to six, or down from five to four and so on) until you're happy with the level of trailer braking.

MAINTAIN YOUR BRAKES
Salt water is not only a killer for your boat, motor and hull, but also for your trailer brakes.

After launching, you need to spray fresh water around the brake caliper to flush out salt water to avoid onset of corrosion and brake problems.

Disc brakes are the norm these days, as drum brakes are difficult to maintain due to the havoc salt water corrosion does within the drums (and they're very hard to flush out too).

Cable-operated brakes will need the cables adjusted periodically.

Override brake couplings need to have fresh, clean grease applied every once in a while.

Hydraulic systems need their fluid flushed out every two years, if not before.

Look after your brakes and they will look after you. Them's the brakes.

More towing advice and towing tips here.