please help me settle and argument!

[smellsofhorse]

Is a standard horse trailer, say an Ifor Williams hh510 braked or unbraked?

Having a disagreement with other half!

Please help, facts and any links would be good!

 

[flying solo]

Braked surely due to weight

 

[Oberon]

My IW401 is braked

 

[smellsofhorse]

Well I always thought so!

But other half is convinced they are not!

 

[abitodd]

It is braked.
The clue is the hand brake cable which goes to the wheels.

 

[Keimanp]

They are generally braked trailers.

Generally as a rule of thumb is a trailer is unbraked up to around 750kg and then will be braked over this

I can try and dig out some material from somewhere but the trailers that have handbrakes on them are braked as the hand brake acts as an overide to the braking system when stationary. When moving and the car slows down the weight of the trailer pushes on the drawbar and activates the brakes on the trailer. When reversing there is generally some way of overriding the brake activation by means of a metal flap (thats how it is on the HB505 I have)

Hope this helps! (Sorry if I've not helped you win your arguement!)

 

[flying solo]

I'm sure anything with mam of 750kg needs to be braked? I could be completely wrong though, it has been known!!

 

[pec]

Braked, every time I have mine serviced it seems to require new brake shoes.

 

[LouandBee]

Braked! Get him to look up spare parts - he will find drum brakes and cables will be on the list....

 

[Keimanp]

Its also why the trailer service centres service the brakes on the trailer when you take it in for a service!

 

[Hairy Old Cob]

Braked

 

[be positive]

They are braked, it is often recommended that when parked, unhitched, the hand brake is not left on as the brakes can stick on if left for some time, if there were no brakes this would not be a problem.

 

[flying solo]

One up on your OH, OP! haha x

 

[smellsofhorse]

He's convinced its not braked as there is nothing atatching my car brakes to the trailer braked.
Obviously it has a hand brake and break away cable.

If he is correct I've been towing a very over weight trailer for years!

 

[NeilM]

Try putting the argument this way: An Ifor 505 weighs 900 kgs. A 14hh pony (like mine) weighs around 400 to 450 kgs, lets add another, just for fun at 400kgs.

So, now you have a 900kg trailer with a further 850kgs of dobbins =1750kgs. Do you REALLY want to try and slow that lot, coming down the Cheddar Gorge, or Burrington Coombe just using the brakes on you car, which, let's not forget, holds you, your OH and all you tack, coats, hats etc.

I think not

 

[smellsofhorse]

Thanks, um rights yeah.

But any written proof?

Or you are all invited to mine to shout the truth at him.
Keep telling him he us wrong!

 

[NeilM]

He's convinced its not braked as there is nothing atatching my car brakes to the trailer braked.
Obviously it has a hand brake and break away cable.

If he is correct I've been towing a very over weight trailer for years!

Here's a clue. The rubber crinkly bit on the tow hitch, behind the hitch itself. That hides / protects the plunger assembly which compresses as you apply the brakes on your car.

Alternatively, just get him to look under the tow hitch on the trailer, and get him to explain what all the cables and pipes are for.

 

[Zebedee]

Just google Ifor Williams trailer brakes & see how many pages of results come up !

 

[Maiko]

Braked. ANY trailer with a Max Laden Weight of over 750kgs must BY LAW have brakes fitted. The IW has a over-run braking system, which is, in non technical speak, the part that is covered by the springy rubber bit on the hitch! The trailer brakes are applied by the braking action of the tow vehicle, using an over-run system (technical speak!). There is also a break-away cable that is attached to the tow vehicle, in the event of an unscheduled uncoupling.

 

[be positive]

www.equispirit.com/info/articles/safetychecks.htm

This mentions checking brakes as part of servicing.

 

[monikirk]

Braked - I have a new trailer it is def braked

 

[Keimanp]

http://www.barlowtrailer.co.uk/Ifor_Williams_Parts

There is a PDF document for the brakes. If it was just for a handbrake when stationary it would be only on one wheel (more cost effective)

http://www.barlowtrailer.co.uk/Ifor_Williams_Parts/Couplings_and_Supports

Details the different couplings availiable and the top one 'Unbraked couplings including dedicated coupling locks, up to 750kg GVW' After that they are all for braked trailers.

The trailer is braked through the force the trailer exerts on the car through the draw bar when the car slows down. The faster you slow down the harsher the brakes act.

They do not attach to the car's brake system but have their own independant one.

Go out to the car and couple the trailer up, reverse backwards quickly, you will lock the wheels up. be careful of it jacknifing though!

 

[smellsofhorse]

Thanks Neilm.
I've been down through cheddar with the horses in the trailer, yes unbraked and we wouldn't have stopped!

 

[smellsofhorse]

Thanks everyone, think I'm proved right!

 

[paulineh]

Tell him to take a wheel off and he will find the brake drum behind it. Then follow the cable to the two hitch where the brake plunger is.

All horse trailers have to be braked it is the law.