Community Forums

abarkl · 05-20-2005, 03:01 PM

I have a 3 month old Texas Tow Dollies tow dolly that doesn't have brakes. I would like to know if anyone has added electric or surge brakes to their tow dolly? I've seen many complete brake assemblies for sale on eBay but I'm not sure if my tow dolly could be adapted.

abarkl · 05-20-2005, 03:01 PM

I have a 3 month old Texas Tow Dollies tow dolly that doesn't have brakes. I would like to know if anyone has added electric or surge brakes to their tow dolly? I've seen many complete brake assemblies for sale on eBay but I'm not sure if my tow dolly could be adapted.

Gary RVRoamer · 05-20-2005, 05:29 PM

You will need to replace the wheels to add brakes - the actual brakes are part of the wheel/hub assembly. There should be standard braking hubs available for your size wheel. I think electric brakes are the easiest to install - it's basically just swapping the wheels for ones that have brakes and then connect wiring to the stub wires that come out of each wheel.

You will need a brake controller in the towing vehicle, though.

abarkl · 05-20-2005, 06:56 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by RV Roamer:
You will need a brake controller in the towing vehicle, though. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Please excuse my ignorance. Can you please enlighten me as to the purpose of a brake controller?

TXiceman · 05-21-2005, 05:34 AM

With the electric brakes you need something to energize or control the brakes. The brakes use an magnetic field to move them or apply the brake shoes to the brake drum. The brake controller is what senses that you are braking and sends an appropite signal to the brakes on the towed dolly or for that matter travel trailer.

If you add surge brakes for the dolly, you will have to add a lot of hydraulic lines, plus replace part of the tongue (hitch) with one that has a hydraulic cylinder to apply the trailer brakes when the trailer (dolly) pushes aganst the hitch ball when stopping.

Clear????

Ken