"Bill McKee" wrote in message
nk.net...

Do not back up so deep.

The female connector on the truck is going to
get wet no matter what - like in big rain storm.


"Bryan" wrote in message
. ..

"Mr Wizzard" wrote in message
...
Heard from some that you should disconnect
the tailer lights before putting your trailer in the
water. I can't see why you'd do that. Are they
worried about a hot bulbs shattering when hitting
the cold water ? Is this a myth, or is this
something I should continue to do (pain in ass)




My trailer has a label (from the manufacturer) with a list of trailering
steps to remember. The last comment on the label is a note that they
recommend disconnecting the trailer lights before attempting a launch.
That means I need to protect the male and female connections on the
trailer and the truck, respectively, from water. I know that I am going
to back my truck deep enough to wet the female receptors on the truck.
So, who's got the answer?

Can you explain again why you need to back in so deep? Also beware that if
you're talking sal****er, you're talking a rotted out tow vehicle in no time
flat!
G


"Bryan" wrote in message
. ..

"Mr Wizzard" wrote in message
...
Heard from some that you should disconnect
the tailer lights before putting your trailer in the
water. I can't see why you'd do that. Are they
worried about a hot bulbs shattering when hitting
the cold water ? Is this a myth, or is this
something I should continue to do (pain in ass)




My trailer has a label (from the manufacturer) with a list of trailering
steps to remember. The last comment on the label is a note that they
recommend disconnecting the trailer lights before attempting a launch.
That
means I need to protect the male and female connections on the trailer and
the truck, respectively, from water. I know that I am going to back my
truck deep enough to wet the female receptors on the truck. So, who's got
the answer?

Gordon wrote:
Can you explain again why you need to back in so deep? Also beware that if
you're talking sal****er, you're talking a rotted out tow vehicle in no time
flat!
G


Might be time to get the tongue lengthened.

I have replaced them all. The side lights did not break, they just always
got corroded and failed to work.

"Mr Wizzard" wrote in message
...

"Bill McKee" wrote in message
k.net...

"seeray28" wrote in message
...
At a buck a bulb and 2 minutes to change, its not worth it.
JMO.

But you have to change them when you are tired from a day of boating, and
crawling around on the ground to do the job. And corrosion in the light
makes the job really bat at times. Buy a set of LED lights. There is a
reason all semi trucks now use LED trailer lights.

So is the idea to replace *all* of the bulbs with LED's?
(including all of the side marker lights), or just the big
ones (that would tend to get the hottest, and shattering) ?

Lot of difference between dunking the connector, especially in salt water,
and rain spray. I do not notice a lot of moisture in the plug when I pull
it after a rainy day tow.

"Mr Wizzard" wrote in message
...

"Bill McKee" wrote in message
nk.net...

Do not back up so deep.

The female connector on the truck is going to
get wet no matter what - like in big rain storm.


"Bryan" wrote in message
. ..

"Mr Wizzard" wrote in message
...
Heard from some that you should disconnect
the tailer lights before putting your trailer in the
water. I can't see why you'd do that. Are they
worried about a hot bulbs shattering when hitting
the cold water ? Is this a myth, or is this
something I should continue to do (pain in ass)




My trailer has a label (from the manufacturer) with a list of
trailering
steps to remember. The last comment on the label is a note that they
recommend disconnecting the trailer lights before attempting a launch.
That means I need to protect the male and female connections on the
trailer and the truck, respectively, from water. I know that I am
going
to back my truck deep enough to wet the female receptors on the truck.
So, who's got the answer?

Actually, I wasn't speaking of any risk from shock- just that a modern
truck's electrical system is a fairly complex beast, with the computer
control and numerous sensors, etc. Same reason I wouldn't dip my laptop
mouse in the tub.



Yeah, 12 volts in water (even salt water) is not a
risk in it of itself, but yeah, I can understand that.

"Stanley Barthfarkle" wrote in message
. ..
Actually, I wasn't speaking of any risk from shock- just that a modern
truck's electrical system is a fairly complex beast, with the computer
control and numerous sensors, etc.

Same reason I wouldn't dip my laptop
mouse in the tub.

Oh now wait a second here.... Apples/Oranges.
Computer/electronics is one thing, but a simple
low-voltage "electrical" system (non computer)
is quite another. No matter how complex the
truck is, a simple lighting circuit is just that, simple.
Maybe just symantics here, but this is how "myths"
get started. Next thing you know, people will be
going around saying that you need to disconnect
trailer light before launch or you'll blow your
on-board computer, hehe. If we're talking about
cause-n-effects, we should all at least have "some"
sence of realistic reasoning when talking about this
stuff.



Yeah, 12 volts in water (even salt water) is not a
risk in it of itself, but yeah, I can understand that.

"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 17 Jul 2005 01:40:42 -0700, "Mr Wizzard"
wrote:


Last year, about this time, I replaced all four brake rotors, backing
plates, and calipers. I'm about 99.44% sure that this was necessary
because people had backed my trailer without releasing the surge
brakes electrically (that is the only way to do so with my coupler).

Can you explain this to me? ...Or explain your thoery on
why not releasing surge brakes caused all this apparatus
to fail ? (I don't know jack about surge brakes), but it
would seem to me that if you tried to back up a trailer
with brakes on that it would be hop, skip, and jumping
all around the place, and generally lettung you know that
the brakes are on. Also, I lost track of how any of this
was caused by water etc. (something about the solenoids?)

Thanks





When I replaced the brakes, I checked the springs and felt that I
could get a few more years service out of them. However, this year I
replaced all four springs, one of which failed, one fell apart while I
was removing it, and the other two had cracks in at leas one leaf.
Again, I'm pretty sure these springs were damaged by torque from
locked rotors...
--



Grady-White Gulfstream, out of Southport, NC.

http://myworkshop.idleplay.net/
Homepage
http://www.thebayguide.com/rec.boats
Rec.boats at Lee Yeaton's Bayguide

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On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 10:18:07 -0400, "Gene Kearns"
wrote:

On Mon, 18 Jul 2005 23:16:02 -0700, "Mr Wizzard"
wrote:


Can you explain this to me? ...Or explain your thoery on
why not releasing surge brakes caused all this apparatus
to fail ? (I don't know jack about surge brakes), but it
would seem to me that if you tried to back up a trailer
with brakes on that it would be hop, skip, and jumping
all around the place, and generally lettung you know that
the brakes are on.

Basically, you are correct... bottom line is, you have to give a sh*t.
Every time I have observed this problem has been soon after
maintenance or yard related moves. If you have a big enough tow
vehicle, you can muscle around even the largest trailers and that
bends backing plates. strains brake pads, and torques the axles and
springs....

FYI, a surge brake system doesn't know the difference between wishing
to stop or slow down the trailer and backing a trailer up.... it only
senses pressure and applies the brakes if the tow vehicle and trailer
push against each other. In that sense, there is a solenoid that
actuates when the back-up lights are energized on the tow vehicle that
prevents hydraulic pressure from the brake cylinder to pass on to the
wheel cylinders and the trailer freewheels backwards. If the tow
vehicle operator doesn't have a way of energizing this solenoid, the
inevitable result is backing the trailer against the brakes.... and
the harder it is to back the trailer and the larger the tow vehicle,
the more likely the damage....


Also, I lost track of how any of this
was caused by water etc. (something about the solenoids?)


The solenoid is electrically actuated from the tow vehicle back-up
lights. Depending on the wiring harness, it may or may not be possible
to disconnect the lights (during immersion) without disconnecting the
wire to the back-up solenoid.... and, thus, forcing the operator to
back-up against the brake pressure.

These surge brakes must be different on bigger trailers. Every surge
brake that I have ever seen on smaller (3,000 to 5,000 lb boats) boat
trailers are free wheeling in reverse specifically for that reason (of
course these were all drum brakes, if that makes any difference).

The Other Dave Hall

Mr Wizzard wrote:
"Bill McKee" wrote in message
k.net...

"seeray28" wrote in message
...
At a buck a bulb and 2 minutes to change, its not worth it.
JMO.

But you have to change them when you are tired from a day of boating, and
crawling around on the ground to do the job. And corrosion in the light
makes the job really bat at times. Buy a set of LED lights. There is a
reason all semi trucks now use LED trailer lights.

So is the idea to replace *all* of the bulbs with LED's?
(including all of the side marker lights), or just the big
ones (that would tend to get the hottest, and shattering) ?

I replaced all of mine. They're maintenence free.