What does the trailer battery do?

[gran racing]

I've finally got the tow vehicle hooked-up to the brake actuator (well, almost). I read the box on the trailer that has a battery in it, then tried to charge it although the charger wouldn't say it was even connected no matter what I tried. What does this battery do? Is if used in the case of the trailer getting disconnected from the tow vehicle?

[mlytle]

it provides emergency power for the brakes to stop the trailer in the event the trailer separates from tow vehicle. it is actuated by the breakaway switch. it should be charged by the truck when connected in normal use.

they die because they get forgotten. i removed mine and routed power from the onboard deep cycle 12v battery in the trailer.

[JLawton]

I've finally got the tow vehicle hooked-up to the brake actuator (well, almost). I read the box on the trailer that has a battery in it, then tried to charge it although the charger wouldn't say it was even connected no matter what I tried. What does this battery do? Is if used in the case of the trailer getting disconnected from the tow vehicle?

Holy sh*t Dave, you scare me sometimes!!

[lateapex911]

Hey, he wrote the book on how to get started RACING, not how to get started TOWING, LOL.

Don't forget, Dave always likes to tow during the day, so he's not "tired". Uh huh....ever wonder why? (Hint, it just might have to do with lights........
............trailer lights, hee hee.)

Sorry Dave!

(I did as DAn did, I let the larger winch battery do double duty.)

[gran racing]

Jeff, I also noticed that there are these chain things that hang from the front of the trailer. I thought about just cutting them off but wonder if they're supposed to attach to something?

[JeffYoung]

I have those too! I generally just let them drag on the ground to throw up cool sparks so everyone can see my electric sparking power!

[lateapex911]

No, no no, you guys have it all wrong. Those attach to your wallet, Harley style!

(I always wondered about those, The dudes that use them are often so feakin' huge that they could sit on me and either crush me or suffocate me, if I tried to swipe it from them, and usually their personal grooming indicates a lack of toothpaste cash, so the wallet can't be that fat.....so it seems the chains are pointless.
Or maybe they are just prone to drink and forget it, so they chain it to themselves, kinda like their Moms did with their mittens? )

[JeffYoung]

I agree with teh above post.

Unfortunately, also true that if I HAD those chains, that would have saved me several thousand dollars over the years in forgetful lost walletness.......

[JamesB]

Dave who needs safety chains, just let the sucker slide when it falls off the ball

The lil battery does go bad over time, I usually test my breakaway with the truck power disconnected every so often to make sure I hear the brakes lock. Otherwise I dont think twice about it.

[Racerlinn]

Trailers have brakes?
Uh oh..... :O

[CRallo]

ever hear the story about the racer towing at night who stopped to check his trailer lights that went out and found out his trailer was gone??

[Gary Gentry]

ever hear the story about the racer towing at night who stopped to check his trailer lights that went out and found out his trailer was gone??

Kinda reminds me of a time, many moons ago (too many moons to count actually), that a group of us were traveling from Dallas to Oklahoma for a National AMA Hare Scrambles race (that = 2 wheel and lots of mud) with 3 bikes on the trailer behind the van. Most everbody was asleep when the driver woke us up and said " Hey, Whattya think that light is behind us?".....yep, it was one of the bikes that had come off of the trailer and was being drug down the Interstate by a single tie-down. Quite a light show.....and the damage that was done was most remarkable (wasn't my bike...thankfully) but the owner of the victim came through with a "loaner" and even ended up with a podium finish. Ya gotta watch those things that are supposed to be following you down the road and then..... And that reminds me.....does anyone else have my kind of frackin luck when it comes to flat trailer tires? Gheesh!

[Edwin Robinson]

Holy sh*t Dave, you scare me sometimes!!

On the trailer subject....

I have also wondered why(?) they put so damn many tires on these things too... I took a couple off as soon as I got my trailer, and keep them inside as spares.

;^)

~E.