Adding brakes to boat trailer

[gford001]

Hey,
My old trailer is looking the worse for wear, and due for an overhaul. The frame is pretty rusty and I am starting to think that it might not be worth the effort and expense of trying to save it.
I have been offered a trailer from a mate of mine that will suit my 17ft glass boat. Only thing is it doesn't have brakes.
I cant really see it being a big job to add them....
What about Rego? If it is registered as unbraked, can that be changed easily?

[Moonlighter]

If it's currently registered and is un-braked, the issue will be that it's compliance plate will state a max load (ATM) of 750kg, which will be nowhere near enough for your 17ft glass boat. Also, do you know whether its axle, springs and tyres are rated/strong enough to carry your boat?

So you can add brakes to the other trailer by all means, but you'll have to get the compliance plate changed and thus the question of springs, axle and tyres being capable of carrying whatever weight your boat weighs when its on the trailer will arise. You could go to a trailer manufacturer and get them to have a look at it, and if they assess it as suitable, they can issue a new compliance plate for you.

Do you know what your boat/motor/trailer weighs now as a combo? That might be the first step. A trip to your local tip to run it over the weighbridge will get you the answer. They usually don't charge if you just want to write down the weights rather than get a weighbridge certificate.

Ideally, you want to get 2 weights when you're at the weighbridge:

1. First, with the boat trailer still attached to the car but only the trailer on the weighbridge. This is called the Gross Trailer Mass or GTM, which is the weight of the fully loaded trailer imposed on the trailer’s axle when it is coupled to the tow vehicle. GTM will always be less than ATM as some of the trailer weight is transferred to the tow vehicle when the trailer is coupled to it.

2. Secondly, with the trailer de-coupled from the car - when you're on the weighbridge as for the above, just wind the jockey wheel down and disconnect the coupling from the car. You can still leave the safety chains and lights plugged in. This is called the Aggregate Trailer Mass or ATM - this is the combined weight of the trailer and its full load when it is not coupled to a tow vehicle.

This info will then inform you of what capacity your axles and springs on the other trailer will need to meet. Both ATM and GTM will be stamped on the compliance plate.

Once you have a new compliance plate you can go to Transport Department and change the rego and hand in/remove the old compliance plate and fit the new one. They will probably issue a new rego plate too (in Qld) because the 750kg trailers have a smaller rego plate. Expect to pay extra rego and fees.

Hope this helps.

[gford001]

Awesome answer thanks mate.
The ATM of my current trailer is 1500kg.
It has a heavy old Seafarer on it, the guy I got it off reckons its about 1200kg of boat.
I guess I just have to decide whether adding brakes and possibly upgrading suspension of the other trailer is worth the effort.....
Will have a think about it. I will have to figure out how much work Brakes would be to add (and where to get the bits and pieces). Suspension is simple.

[rayken1938]

Bloke on gumtree advertising complete cable override kit conversion for around $275. Doesnt include new axle.You should be able to salvage a lot of bits from your existing trailer. If you are lucky there will be enough clearance between springs and discs.
Cheers
Ray
Here is part of his add.
THIS IS A BRAND NEW COMPLETE DISC BRAKE KIT FOR A TRAILER.


ALL PARTS ARE BRAND NEW.


THIS KIT IS FORD STUD PATTERN.​


THIS COMPLETE KIT CONTAINS.


2 X FORD DISC,S.​


10 WHEEL NUTS.


2 X BEARING KITS.


2 X BRAKE CALIPERS.


2 X CALIPER MOUNTING PLATES.


1 X BRAKE CABLE KIT.


1 X BRAKE CABLE ADJUSTER.


1 X HAND BRAKE.


1 X MECHANICAL 4 HOLE COUPLING. (2000KG RATED).


ITEM IS LOCATED AT THORNESIDE, INSPECTIONS WELCOME,

[Moonlighter]

Awesome answer thanks mate.
The ATM of my current trailer is 1500kg.
It has a heavy old Seafarer on it, the guy I got it off reckons its about 1200kg of boat.
I guess I just have to decide whether adding brakes and possibly upgrading suspension of the other trailer is worth the effort.....
Will have a think about it. I will have to figure out how much work Brakes would be to add (and where to get the bits and pieces). Suspension is simple.

Jut a word of caution - just because your current trailer has an ATM of 1500KG, don't assume that your BMT weighs less than that!

If the boat truly weighs 1200KG there is very little chance the BMT plus anchors gear etc currently weighs less than 1500!

Lots of boats are supplied with trailers that are legal, but marginal. Add in the accumulated gear etc etc that we all seem to gather in the boat and you might get a nasty surprise. Best to get an actual true weight and then you know what you're dealing with, even if you go get a completely new one, you don't want to carry a mistake from one to the other.

[Feral]

Of course it would be totally immoral to move the compliance plate from one trailer to the other.........

[gford001]

Of course it would be totally immoral to move the compliance plate from one trailer to the other.........
Haha don't think I didn't think of that . :-)

[gford001]

Bloke on gumtree advertising complete cable override kit conversion for around $275. Doesnt include new axle.You should be able to salvage a lot of bits from your existing trailer. If you are lucky there will be enough clearance between springs and discs.
Cheers
Ray
Here is part of his add.
THIS IS A BRAND NEW COMPLETE DISC BRAKE KIT FOR A TRAILER.


ALL PARTS ARE BRAND NEW.


THIS KIT IS FORD STUD PATTERN.​


THIS COMPLETE KIT CONTAINS.


2 X FORD DISC,S.​


10 WHEEL NUTS.


2 X BEARING KITS.


2 X BRAKE CALIPERS.


2 X CALIPER MOUNTING PLATES.


1 X BRAKE CABLE KIT.


1 X BRAKE CABLE ADJUSTER.


1 X HAND BRAKE.


1 X MECHANICAL 4 HOLE COUPLING. (2000KG RATED).


ITEM IS LOCATED AT THORNESIDE, INSPECTIONS WELCOME,
Looks the goods .Cheers .I'll check it out .

[Feral]

Bawa trailers advertise a full full system for around $500 on fleabay, they are out near archerfield I think.
I recently bought a donor trailer off an ausfish member and moved the braked axle from it under my existing trailer (so it could be towed with the Missus car which is only rated to 500kg unbraked) because the donor was a wider trailer I had to make up a caraige to put the axle under, it was a toss up to make the carriage or buy a narrower axle, similar price of $100, but I decided to make the carriage as with the wider axle it made getting in to the boat while on the trailer easier.
The only painful bit was finding my existing draw bar was just the wrong width for the hitch, the bolt holes lined up with the sidewalls of the RHS, so had to to make a mounting system, otherwise was an easy changeover.

[gford001]

Think I'll revert to plan A. Bust out the welder and kill rust, will see what sort of state my trailer is in and resurrect it.......
Just gotta figure out what to do with the boat for a couple days with no trailer.....

[Fed]

Chuck it on your lawn mate.

[gford001]

Chuck it on your lawn mate.
Yeah, might be an option .I've done it with my jet skis, and this ones lighter then my old Caribbean......