| Author | Message | ||
     Brad Zevenbergen (Bazeven) New Member Username: Bazeven Post Number: 29 Registered: 01-2004 |
I have a 1997 Disco 1 and want to know if it would be safe to pull a 2100 GVW fold down camper with it. The camper does NOT have trailer brakes. The owners manual says 1650 without brakes - so am I out of luck? Suggestions? | ||
| David (98disco) New Member Username: 98disco Post Number: 39 Registered: 03-2004 |
Brad your braking distance will be noticeably longer if you have to stop quickly, but you should be okay. I pull a 2,000 lb. bass rig all the time with my 98 disco and no problems in six years. I also, pull a 5,900 lb. travel trailer from time to time, but usually don't go more than a couple of hundred miles with it, and I do that at a fairly slow speed. Just use common sense and don't tailgate or drive fast without leaving yourself some room. If you pull a trailer very much it will definitely decrease the life of your brakes on the disco. You might consider investing in drilled/slotted rotors for your D1. They help a lot. | ||
| S.C.Young (Youngsc) Member Username: Youngsc Post Number: 45 Registered: 10-2003 |
I agree with the brake upgrade suggested... the drilled/slotted don't fade as much under harsh braking. At least a fresh set of "regular" brakes if yours are long in the tooth. I tow a camper trailer about the same weight and almost forget it's back there sometimes. If the camper is yours to mess with, adding brakes is a relatively cheap bolt-on... but it doesn't seem heavy enough to need it to me. | ||
| Brad Zevenbergen (Bazeven) New Member Username: Bazeven Post Number: 30 Registered: 01-2004 |
Where could I find some add-on brakes for this camper? I'm not sure on the tire size - but I would guess that they would be in the 12" - 14" range. What kind of brakes can be added? Thanks | ||
| S.C.Young (Youngsc) Member Username: Youngsc Post Number: 48 Registered: 10-2003 |
There are different types of brakes, hydraulic and electric and electric is the more common for a smaller tye trailer. It's been awhile since I looked at the options for my camper so I'd have to search some stuff out, I don't recall the specifics. If I remember correctly it was $450 for a new axle assembly with brakes- I priced out a new axle, but often you can just add the brake set. I'm modifying my camper by adding a lift and some A/T tyres. Check out Northerntool.com for some ideas on parts. If you are handy in the garage, it's not bad- dealer installation can get expensive. | ||
| Dave Statler (Falconx84) Member Username: Falconx84 Post Number: 150 Registered: 02-2004 |
Electric brakes -- can't stress them enough. Hydrailic brakes are not worth the trouble. I got away with pulling 3000lbs w/ no brakes and a single axle for 300-400 miles on a trip. | ||
| Ryan Graham (Ryangraham) Member Username: Ryangraham Post Number: 73 Registered: 01-2004 |
add an anchor or parachute attachment to the trailer. braking distance will be cut in half | ||
| David (98disco) Member Username: 98disco Post Number: 44 Registered: 03-2004 |
For a 2100 lb. trailer I don't think you need to worry too much about adding trailer brakes, even though your braking distance will increase somme in a hard stop. But, the add-ons are fairly inexpensive. I saw some add on electric brakes for $89 at Tractor Supply Co. while looking at riding mowers. | ||
| S.C.Young (Youngsc) Member Username: Youngsc Post Number: 53 Registered: 10-2003 |
A 2100lb trailer empty... but add your camping gear, spare water, food etc and then load the truck down with more camping gear, booze and women and you'll soon be overloading your brakes. For short tows or flat terrain you'd be ok, but for longer trips or hilly/mountain terrain I'd add the brakes. | ||
| Brad Zevenbergen (Bazeven) New Member Username: Bazeven Post Number: 31 Registered: 01-2004 |
OK - so I found out that my camper DOES have electric brakes. Does anyone know if there is a pre-wired wire in the trailer harness ('97 Disco 1) that could be hooked up to an electric brake controller - or would one by chance be built in since I have the tow package? Or does anyone know of a wire under the dash that needs to be hooked up to a brake controller in order to make this function? The camper has a 6 pin connector which I can wire in - but how do I get the electric brake control done?? | ||
| S.C.Young (Youngsc) Member Username: Youngsc Post Number: 59 Registered: 10-2003 |
I *think* what you want to do is tap a universal brake controller to the towing harness in the back, AFTER the big multiplug thingie where the towing harness itself is hooked into the vehicle's wiring harness. I heard the trick is to only tap the tow harness and not to tap in the vehicle harness. Not sure why, just heard that from two different people who do that stuff for a living. |
