I have an old wagon with a 6 volt system. I want to pull a vintage travel trailer but I'm not sure what to do do about a brake system for the car. As I understand it, the brake controllers are all 12 volt. Not sure how this would work (if at all) with the old system. Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks!
Way safer in the long run to upgrade it all, car and trailer, to 12-volts, with modern, new brake guts on the trailer.
What worked in the past works now. Anyway, I want to keep it simple and cheap. Upgrades are well and good if you got the dough. So.......hoping for an answer regarding my original question.
How about those old Warner brake controllers. They are just a rheostat. I have a couple and see them pop up in buckets of junk at auctions. Plus they are cool looking, very period correct with the big bakelite cover.
There are a couple of problems with your idea. First, if you're putting your safety behind your desire to be cheap, you need to rethink the idea of towing a vintage trailer, or ANY trailer behind your old car. A modern brake controller costs less than a hundred dollars, are you really willing to jeapordize your safety, your families safety, and everyone around you because you don't want to use a new controller? Secondly, what "worked" then, doesn't work at all well in modern traffic. Do you really think you can remember to hit the trailer brake controller, up on the dash, separate from your cars system, consistently, EVERY time you need to stop? There is a very good reason brake controllers have evolved to what they are, and that is that the old systems are not reliable every time, nor in a panic situation. Take the VERY minimal effort required to upgrade to 12V so you can use a modern brake controller. They're separate from the hydralic brake system, are easy to install, work EVERY time you hit the brakes without your having to think about coordinating the trailer brakes and car brakes. If the trailer you're thinking of towing has old 6V system, you don't need to do anything to that, the magnets don't care whether they have 6 or 12v applied. We've pulled our 25ft, 1946 Spartan Manor tens of thousands of miles behind our '48 Pontiac convertible and the '51 Pontiac wagon with no issues and no worries using modern brake controls. We belong to the Tin Can Tourists, a pretty large group of vintage trailer nuts, and NOBODY uses old brake controls in their vintage tow rigs. NOBODY. Be smart, don't compromise on the brake system for the sake of expense or traditionalism. Brian
maybe a 6volt to 12 volt converter would do the trick? although its true what flynbrian has posted..and a 12 volt conversion for your tow vehicle isnt all that hard to do. all your 6 volt switches and wires will do the job, its just adding a 12 volt alt, and bulbs, and battery..and maybe some reducers for some of the dash gauges and your up and running again..probably well worth the effort for safety
Why not just install a surge brake setup on the trailer??? 6 or 12 volt won't make a difference then...............
there might also be a way to run a seperate 12 volt battery, alt, and wires for the contoller. just a thought
for as little electric that the brakes will use, a good deep cycle battery would probably last the whole trip. But I can see both sides of this. A very simple brake controller only consists of a rheostat and an electric switch activated by the brake pedal or pressure from a brake line. A simple pressure switch added in line with a t fitting would serve as an actuator. Also saw surge brake suggested, they work well and do not require electric, but would need to change the brake set up on the trailer to fluid instead of electric.
I am with Von Rig Fink and Willy301 in that why not just get a 12 volt battery and use it strictly to control the brakes on the trailer. It could even be mounted on the trailer with power leads going back to the brake control under the dash. New brake controllers aren't all that expensive nor that hard to install. if you can't deal with the looks of the controller in the car it's probably best that you don't attempt to pull a trailer in the first place. Once in a while we have to make a sacrifice to ensure that our family and others will be safe. I wouldn't even consider or condone trying to cobble up some home made setup to try to do the job.
Surge brake controller may be fine in flat country but if you are in the mountains I would think about staying with electric brakes. I've had both & an electric system would get my vote.
The OP hasn't mentioned if the trailer has brakes.I had a 60's 12 foot Scotty trailer I dragged around behind a 37 Chevy pu.The trailer was manufactured without brakes,weighed about 900 pounds,the 37 has front disc brakes on stock type suspension.I never had any problems even during a few emergency stops I not suggesting to not use brakes.........................just my story
That old Warner would be fine, as long as your speed is 45 mph or less, you don't tow in traffic, on the freeway, in mountanous, hilly, flat, city, congested areas, and someone doesn't pull out in front of you as if you had brakes that would stop. Come on guys, this simple stuff. It's your life you're talking about here, not points at a car show. The OP needs to get a brake controller that works, is programmable to his vehicle and trailer characteristics, that doesn't require the brakes of the trailer be applied separately. I'm not sure how you'd operate a new controller on it's own battery, as they're activated by the brake light signal from the tow car/truck, as well as a hot signal from the battery. Maybe, but if he's going to go to all t hat trouble, just get an alternator, change the light bulbs and run 12V. It's just common sense, some that is not all that common any more...
Wow guys, thanks for the great great advice! I know safety is important or I wouldn't even bring it up. I'm certainly not interested in an old set up that requires me to lung for the brake controller knob lol. I had one in an old 60's van...... it was a knee knocker so I tossed it. That said, I will not later my original wagon. I'm mean, what next disc brakes? I like the separate battery idea, I wondered about that before I posted but wanted some unbiased opinions. I think it could work. I'll check into that! It is true some trailers don't have brakes. If a trailer weighs in at 1500 pounds or more it will have them however. Not to ruffle Mr. Tin Can tourist's feathers (and thanks for the scathing reply BTW), but having been to many many vintage trailer rallies, I can say with all confidence many trailerites don't run any brake system. I'm not that stupid and I don't drive 75 like many of them do either. The thing is a lot of people with vintage trailers are idiots and I have seen it first hand. I happen to heartily agree with Mr. Tin Can and hopefully he and others can educate these boneheads. My priniple interest was finding out if I could use a modern brake controller. Thanks to all for setting me straight!
Scathing? Really? I thought I was being thoughtful and offering good advice! The HAMB is getting SOOO sensitive lately... Brian
umm..im not sure if this even came up on this thread or not...but, does your "vintage" trailer even have electric brakes? or is this something your planning on installing? good thinking if you are I dont have it in front of me so dont lambaist me if i miss the weight..but i think in my state it has to be over 3500#? before brakes are required..
Relax Brian.......you tried....some people resist edication..... No shortage of stubborness on the HAMB! Ray
Buy a small converter....they are not that expensive... As stated...why change what worked in the past. Just be aware of it's limits... Good luck, JMHO. Cheers,
Oh yeah, it has brakes. It's a '66 Lo-liner. Dry weight is 1800 and I believe here in Calif, anything over 1500 would have them. My Airfloat is 2700 and it has some nasty looking brakes on it!
You are correct: California V. C. Section 26303 Trailer Coaches and Camp Trailers Trailer Coaches and Camp Trailers 26303. Every trailer coach and every camp trailer having a gross weight of 1,500 pounds or more, but exclusive of passengers, shall be equipped with brakes on at least two wheels which are adequate, supplemental to the brakes on the towing vehicle, to enable the combination of vehicles to comply with the stopping distance requirements of Section 26454. Amended Ch. 1536, Stats. 1971. Operative May 3, 1972.
Update on subject for any who care. Hayes made a hydraulically activated trailer control. It connects via the master brake cylinder but is activated electrically either 6 or 12 volt.They only stopped making it a couple of years ago and may still be available. I'm searching for one now. Wish me luck.
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