Surge vs electric brakes

[qwerty]

I have a 2010 kz sportsmen classic 14rb and planned to add a friction sway bar. The instructions say not to use the bar if you have surge brakes. The brochure only lists surge brakes as an option and the dealer said it had electric brakes. Is there a way to tell which I have on the trailer? I do know there is a brake away cable that is supposed to activate the brakes.

[JWT]

Where your ball hitch is on the trailer there will be a cap on top for the master cylinder fill ( brake fluid) and you will notice a brake tube going to the axles on the trailer, that's if you have surge brakes. Simple way to check if it has electic brakes is to see if you have wires going into the back side of the brake backing plates.

[wa8yxm]

Surge brakes work by use of a telescoping hitch.. If the trailer "Pushes" against the tow vehicle, then the trailer's brakes are activated.

The friction type anti-sway bars work by not letting one side (or both sides) of the trailer "push" closer to the tow vehicle.

With surge brakes as the trailer wags (Sways) side to side the brakes would be activated, and when you stop it would tend to torque the trailer sideways.. Both bad things

Now: The advantages of electric brakes.....

Electric brakes of old were ON/OFF, or if they were "Adjustable" it was a manual operation.

Today's modern progressive/purportional controllers let you adjust the amount of braking power, relative to the tow vehicle's brakes.. This can be a big plus.

Plus the harder your stand on the tow vehicle brakes. the harder THEY stand on the trailer's brakes.. This too is a good thing.

PLUS... with electric brakes, you can often manually engage trailer brakes w/o affecting the tow vehicle's brakes.. This can be a plus as well.

I recommend them

[qwerty]

Thanks everyone, the dealer replied to my email yesterday and emphasized they are electric brakes. I looked at the trailer last night and saw no master cyclinder or tubing going to the brakes so I am reasonbly sure they are electric.

[wa8yxm]

Now with an electric brake system you need a good controller

Tekonsha P3 is, the current yardstick by which others are measured

(But then... I grew up in Tekonsha so I'm biased )