New Break Away required for my trailer

[Black_Jack]

Hi All

I need to change my breaking / break away system on my trailer as I sold the car I usually tow with.

The system I need to replace is a vacuum hydraulic system and I need to change to a electric hydraulic system.

the boat and trailer combo weighs 2.2 tonnes. the tow car is a NP pajero.

the trailer has hydraulic disks breaks so i think i need a new break away and hand controls at the drivers seat.

any comments are welcome

Geoff

[Roughasguts]

Check with Haymen Reece the tow bar place.
They should have every thing right there.

[Chimo]

Hi Geoff

I not long ago did what you are planning to do.

There is a lot of conflicting info out there and after much toing and froing I went with the old style Carlisle Hydrostar. The cost was less than the newer stuff too.

Although its an older style unit with a separate battery box what I heard from a few people was that the newer all in one sensa brake that worked really well also had a few issues and apparently a proportion had to go back when they malfunctioned.

This may never have happened to me but I was advised to go Hydrastar because the bugs had been sorted. That suited me so not wanting to risk hassles thats what I did. Had a tekonsha controller in the vehicle and it works fine too. You are right you will need one of them too.

All went on easily and pretty straight forward.

BUT Get an auto elect to set up the wiring and make sure there kick (is it amps or ohms) at the tow bar female plug to operate the Hydrastar. As you can guess I don't fully understand the electrical side of it and can't be bothered worrying about it so I went to my auto elec.
Where are you located?

Hope this is of some value

Cheers

Chimo

.

[Black_Jack]

Chimo

I live in the thornlands / cleveland area.

the system i have now works fine but it works off my engine vacuum. its very reliable but unfortunately i can not connect it to my pajero because its a different set up.

i am after something reliable. it can gey very confusing

geoff

[Chimo]

Hi Geoff

I'm on the Gold Coast which isn't that far from the thornlands / cleveland area. If your ever down this way your welcome to have a look at my revised set up that works well and complies with requirements for regn and insurance.

However heres a totally different thought as I think aloud!!. Given that your the system works fine but it works off your engine vacuum have you thought about fitting a vacuum pump and maybe an extra tank on your trailer to maintain vacuum. You may also need a back up battery but perhaps not if the existing vacuum tank holds the trailer long enough to comply with regs. It could be worth pricing at truck parts places to see what you need then check out the truck and 4WD wreckers (theres a good 4WD one in Dakara Dr Southport 55915988) for bits. TD 42 Diesel Nissan Patrols also have a neat little vacuum pump to operate brakes etc and that may be all you need. As I write this I can start to imagine just adding a pump and the correct cut-in and cut-out switch for the pump and thats it, your off boating.

Perhaps this way you could maintain your existing reliable system and thus not need a totally different set up.

Interesting project. PM if you want.

Cheers

Chimo

[Chimo]

Geoff

More thinking aloud, you would probably want to think about an isolation switch to cut power to the vacuum pump while parked at the boat ramp etc or the pump would just keep cycling, if there were any leaks in the system.

Chimo

[Getout]

I just bought a new trailer with a Hydrastar system. Prior to collection, I had an electric brake controller fitted and thought all would be hunkey dorey. The brakes didn't work. After much investigation I found that the Auto electrician hadn't wired the auxilliary feed (black wire) to the car plug and that the earth to the plug was inadequate also. Fixed both of those things and the unit works a treat. I would like a handbrake on the trailer though.