surge brakes

boatman37

Well-Known Member
Jun 6, 2015
4,211
pittsburgh
Boat Info
2006 Crownline 250CR. 5.7 Merc BIII
Previous: 1986 Sea Ray 250 Sundancer. 260 Merc Alpha 1 Gen 1
Engines
5.7 Merc BIII
Have a 2016 Venture tandem axle trailer with disk brakes on both axles. Trailer was brand new when we bought the boat summer 2018. I do know the brakes were working last spring when we brought the boat home from storage (at least in reverse). Backing up my driveway the brakes were locking up and stopping me (separate issue that was fixed). I have a 2018 2500 Ram and boat/trailer combo weighs about 9000lbs. My coupler does slide and I have greased the fitting on the coupler. Just doesn't seem like my brakes are activating. Truck now has at least 1 warped rotor with only 15,000 miles on it. Checked the fluid level and it's good.

Anything else I should check? Verify the brakes are working? Ideas? Trailer has maybe 300-400 miles on it.
 
When you apply the brakes do you feel a clunk as though the brake assembly is bottoming? With only a few hundred miles on the trailer and a couple of years you shouldn't have issues but perhaps there is air in the system? Also I know you need to disengage the brake to be able to back up which basically locks the coupler. You said you figured that out. Are you sure you reset it to the brake position.
 
So the new trailers use 5 pin connectors for the solenoid lock out for reverse. Are you sure you are not powering the lock out pin on the connector?
 
Can you intentionally block the brakes, then go for a drive and practice stopping.
Then, unblock the brakes and do the same thing and compare the difference, if any?
 
Lift the wheels off the ground (or even one at a time). You can manually activate the master cylinder from underneath - typically with a large screw driver. Have someone at the wheel while you compress the MC pin. Another way to do this is to use a section of 2x4 held vertically against the front of the coupler. Wrap the trailer chains around the 2x such that you can push the 2x aft to lever the coupler and compress it.

Bleed the brakes.

Go over that trailer with a fine tooth comb and keep a close eye on it - even such things as tread wear. Unfortunately, Venture trailers sell well because of their price.
 
Yeah I wouldn't have bought that trailer but it had been ordered by the previous owner a few months before we bought the boat.

It does have the 5 pin connector and I have the adapter to use on my 7 pin plug. The issue I had before was the blue wire had been pinched on one of the bolts and was split. I fixed that and the backup lockout issue was fixed then.

Good idea about trying to jack a wheel up and manually activating the MC. My old trailer we had with out Sea Ray had the same type system and I could feel the brakes grab and slow us down. This boat is 2000lbs heavier so maybe I just don't feel it as much. The coupler does move when I stop, I can feel that.
 
We have a 21 foot jetboat on a tandem trailer with surge brakes. If you disconnect the plug to the trailer and back up the breaks lock. Not sure if it is the same for all. I do that before each trip.
 
We have a 21 foot jetboat on a tandem trailer with surge brakes. If you disconnect the plug to the trailer and back up the breaks lock. Not sure if it is the same for all. I do that before each trip.
Yeah there is an electric brake disconnect that is activated by your reverse lights on your tow vehicle.
 
Check your virtual pedal. Make a loop with the chains on the ground and drop a 5' 2 x 4 into it and pivot up against the receiver to see if fluid pressure stops travel before it bottoms out. Bitch to bleed and I had to find a truck/trailer shop to do mine for $200.
 
My trailer had UFP brake calipers and master cylinder which failed. They sent me four new calipers but wouldn’t budge on the master cylinder failure a year after the calipers all failed. I replaced the entire tongue and actuator assembly and have been perfect now for 6 years with no more problems.

Closely inspect the boots on the calipers for tears/water intrusion. Dennis posted a great way to check the actuator and master cylinder. If the brakes have no pressure it’s probably the master cylinder that is bad.

Do the hubs get hot when you tow? When my master cylinder went during a long tow the brakes were dragging enough to wear out the pads by 300 miles later.
 
haven't looked at it. the trailer is at my mothers for the summer sitting empty but hope to check this out soon
 
Do the hubs get hot when you tow? When my master cylinder went during a long tow the brakes were dragging enough to wear out the pads by 300 miles later.
I had that issue, only because I was facing downward on a hill and backed up, then parked and it sat for hours. I have the reverse lockout on the trailer. I guess when you are ready to disembark after being parked like that, you are suppose to pull forward to level ground then drive in reverse for a few feet, drive forward, back in reverse and then forward again to release the pads. Mine got so hot, that one brake caught fire about 10 minutes into my drive. Scared me to death.
 
My trailer had UFP brake calipers and master cylinder which failed. They sent me four new calipers but wouldn’t budge on the master cylinder failure a year after the calipers all failed. I replaced the entire tongue and actuator assembly and have been perfect now for 6 years with no more problems.

Closely inspect the boots on the calipers for tears/water intrusion. Dennis posted a great way to check the actuator and master cylinder. If the brakes have no pressure it’s probably the master cylinder that is bad.

Do the hubs get hot when you tow? When my master cylinder went during a long tow the brakes were dragging enough to wear out the pads by 300 miles later
I had that issue, only because I was facing downward on a hill and backed up, then parked and it sat for hours. I have the reverse lockout on the trailer. I guess when you are ready to disembark after being parked like that, you are suppose to pull forward to level ground then drive in reverse for a few feet, drive forward, back in reverse and then forward again to release the pads. Mine got so hot, that one brake caught fire about 10 minutes into my drive. Scared me to death.
thats how it was parked before I left with a full tank of gas.

I tried the back and forth a few times but everything was cooked.

Thank God my boat didn’t burn up during a trip with my kids.

Great information.
 
I have a 2016 Venture Custom triple axle aluminium I beam trailer with disc brakes on all three axles and surge brakes. I haven't had the issue you speak of. I don't think mine has the electric lockout for reverse though, not mentioned in the manual I have for it. Where is that valve located? I usually use the latch pin inserted into the couple slide to prevent brake engagement when reversing. Maybe I need to do some investigating.
I can feel the boat surge into the truck when I apply the brakes and they do most of the stopping of the combo while towing.

I'm thinking you either have an air issue or you are powering that valve all the time.
 
5 Pin flat instead of 4 pin plug.
 
I've got the flat 5 pin connector and plug it into a round adapter to fit my truck.
 
I have a 2016 Venture Custom triple axle aluminium I beam trailer with disc brakes on all three axles and surge brakes. I haven't had the issue you speak of. I don't think mine has the electric lockout for reverse though, not mentioned in the manual I have for it. Where is that valve located? I usually use the latch pin inserted into the couple slide to prevent brake engagement when reversing. Maybe I need to do some investigating.
I can feel the boat surge into the truck when I apply the brakes and they do most of the stopping of the combo while towing.

I'm thinking you either have an air issue or you are powering that valve all the time.
If you have disc brakes you should have the reverse lockout solenoid. Unfortunately, Venture is not really known for their quality control so it wouldn't surprise me if they forgot the solenoid. On the other hand, you may just not know that you have it. If you have a blue wire on the trailer-side wiring, you should have it. Follow the blue wire to find it. When you put the truck into reverse, the solenoid should close, thereby stopping the brake fluid from going to the brakes.
 
If you have disc brakes you should have the reverse lockout solenoid. Unfortunately, Venture is not really known for their quality control so it wouldn't surprise me if they forgot the solenoid. On the other hand, you may just not know that you have it. If you have a blue wire on the trailer-side wiring, you should have it. Follow the blue wire to find it. When you put the truck into reverse, the solenoid should close, thereby stopping the brake fluid from going to the brakes.
I'll take a look, thanks.
 
Yep. Should be a light blue wire. Should be able to see it pretty clearly. Mine was actually pinched between the frame rail and the big washer for my coupler bolt and broke the wire, which was why mine wouldn't back up. Problem is I had bought a new 2018 Ram 2500 and had never towed with it before so thought it might have been the truck. Well when the wire shorted it did blow the fuse under the hood so had to replace that too.
 
If you have disc brakes you should have the reverse lockout solenoid. Unfortunately, Venture is not really known for their quality control so it wouldn't surprise me if they forgot the solenoid. On the other hand, you may just not know that you have it. If you have a blue wire on the trailer-side wiring, you should have it. Follow the blue wire to find it. When you put the truck into reverse, the solenoid should close, thereby stopping the brake fluid from going to the brakes.

interesting take on Venture. I have had 4 trailers from them and all have been perfect. I will consider myself lucky on this one.
 

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