When I released the brake in the towing vehicle and started towing, I
often heard noise coming from behind me (likely coming from the
connection between the towing vehicle and the trailer). Is it a
standard behavior of a surge brake?

I am wondering the surge brake might have engaged when I stopped the
car, and it remained engaged. When I released the brake in the towing
vehicle and stepped on the gas panel, the surge brake could not respond
fast enough to release its brake. That caused the hitch ball of the
towing vehicle to impact on the coupler of the trailer, and this made
noise. Is my understanding correct? If this was the case, I should go
easy on the gas panel when I go from stop to start the vehicle.

Any idea?

Thanks.

Jay Chan

wrote in message
oups.com...
When I released the brake in the towing vehicle and started towing, I
often heard noise coming from behind me (likely coming from the
connection between the towing vehicle and the trailer). Is it a
standard behavior of a surge brake?

I am wondering the surge brake might have engaged when I stopped the
car, and it remained engaged. When I released the brake in the towing
vehicle and stepped on the gas panel, the surge brake could not respond
fast enough to release its brake. That caused the hitch ball of the
towing vehicle to impact on the coupler of the trailer, and this made
noise. Is my understanding correct? If this was the case, I should go
easy on the gas panel when I go from stop to start the vehicle.

Any idea?

Thanks.

Jay Chan


You get a lot of clunking if the brakes are not working. If there is air in
the lines, or the brake shoes are out of adjustment. Take it by a brake
shop and have them check the brakes.

Also make sure the hitch grease points are fully lubricated for the surge
brake hitch on the trailer.
"Bill McKee" wrote in message
nk.net...

wrote in message
oups.com...
When I released the brake in the towing vehicle and started towing, I
often heard noise coming from behind me (likely coming from the
connection between the towing vehicle and the trailer). Is it a
standard behavior of a surge brake?

I am wondering the surge brake might have engaged when I stopped the
car, and it remained engaged. When I released the brake in the towing
vehicle and stepped on the gas panel, the surge brake could not respond
fast enough to release its brake. That caused the hitch ball of the
towing vehicle to impact on the coupler of the trailer, and this made
noise. Is my understanding correct? If this was the case, I should go
easy on the gas panel when I go from stop to start the vehicle.

Any idea?

Thanks.

Jay Chan


You get a lot of clunking if the brakes are not working. If there is air
in the lines, or the brake shoes are out of adjustment. Take it by a
brake shop and have them check the brakes.

wrote:
When I released the brake in the towing vehicle and started towing, I
often heard noise coming from behind me (likely coming from the
connection between the towing vehicle and the trailer). Is it a
standard behavior of a surge brake?

I am wondering the surge brake might have engaged when I stopped the
car, and it remained engaged. When I released the brake in the towing
vehicle and stepped on the gas panel, the surge brake could not respond
fast enough to release its brake. That caused the hitch ball of the
towing vehicle to impact on the coupler of the trailer, and this made
noise. Is my understanding correct? If this was the case, I should go
easy on the gas panel when I go from stop to start the vehicle.

Any idea?

Thanks.

Jay Chan

You should always do a rolling start when pulling a trailer to allow
all components to take up the stress gradually. The surge brake should
release as soon as the coupler is pulled forward or the trailer takes
the strain off the coupler. (roll back)

You should check all parts of your hitch for any loose bolts and check
that the brakes are being applied and released properly.

On 11 Nov 2005 18:20:52 -0800, wrote:

When I released the brake in the towing vehicle and started towing, I
often heard noise coming from behind me (likely coming from the
connection between the towing vehicle and the trailer). Is it a
standard behavior of a surge brake?

I am wondering the surge brake might have engaged when I stopped the
car, and it remained engaged. When I released the brake in the towing
vehicle and stepped on the gas panel, the surge brake could not respond
fast enough to release its brake. That caused the hitch ball of the
towing vehicle to impact on the coupler of the trailer, and this made
noise. Is my understanding correct? If this was the case, I should go
easy on the gas panel when I go from stop to start the vehicle.

Any idea?

Thanks.

Jay Chan
Is it a slamming noise - metal to metal? If so, do you have a class 3
hitch (2" square tube inside a larger tube with a steel pin stuck
through a hole with a keeper pin?). If so, it's not uncommon for the
holes to have a little slop in them causing the tube to slide forward
and backward making noise when stopping and starting. It could also be
the coupler on the brake. If it is a grinding noise then you may have
a problem with the brakes releasing.

"Tom" wrote in message
...
On 11 Nov 2005 18:20:52 -0800, wrote:

When I released the brake in the towing vehicle and started towing, I
often heard noise coming from behind me (likely coming from the
connection between the towing vehicle and the trailer). Is it a
standard behavior of a surge brake?

I am wondering the surge brake might have engaged when I stopped the
car, and it remained engaged. When I released the brake in the towing
vehicle and stepped on the gas panel, the surge brake could not respond
fast enough to release its brake. That caused the hitch ball of the
towing vehicle to impact on the coupler of the trailer, and this made
noise. Is my understanding correct? If this was the case, I should go
easy on the gas panel when I go from stop to start the vehicle.

Any idea?

Thanks.

Jay Chan
Is it a slamming noise - metal to metal? If so, do you have a class 3
hitch (2" square tube inside a larger tube with a steel pin stuck
through a hole with a keeper pin?). If so, it's not uncommon for the
holes to have a little slop in them causing the tube to slide forward
and backward making noise when stopping and starting. It could also be
the coupler on the brake. If it is a grinding noise then you may have
a problem with the brakes releasing.

If this is an Atwood coupler, take the receiver hitch stinger from the car
and install it in the coupler. Step on the stinger and activate the
coupler. See if it goes down easy. If it does, you either have brakes out
of adjustment or air in the line. A Dico coupler needs to use a prybar to
slide the coupler.

Thanks for everyone who has responded to my post. This is what I will
do in the coming spring (I have already parked the boat for the
winter):
- Add tape around the steel pin in the class-3 hitch to ease the
metal-to-metal contact and see if the noise will go away. If not...
- Add grease to the hitch grease points and see if the noise will
go away. If not...
- Bring the trailer to a brake shop.

Thanks!

Jay Chan

When you stop your tow vehicle, the surge brakes are activated by the
trailer tongue telescoping into itself, and in the process, pushing a
plunger in a master cylinder which sends brake fluid to the brakes in
the wheels, thus stopping the trailer. It will stay this way, until the
brakes are released by extending the tongue back to its extended
position. When you resume towing, by putting your foot on the gas
pedal, you extend the tongue within itself, causing a clunking noise.
What I do is try to stop a bit short of an intersection, and then while
you are waiting for the light to change, ease forward a bit to take up
the "slack", releasing the brakes and extending the tongue gently.
It has nothing to do with the hitch ball.
If you are using sway bars (like a Reese Hitch) between the tongue and
tow vehicle, be careful not to put too much tension on the sway bars as
they will prevent the tongue from telescoping in on itself.

Jim

wrote:

When I released the brake in the towing vehicle and started towing, I
often heard noise coming from behind me (likely coming from the
connection between the towing vehicle and the trailer). Is it a
standard behavior of a surge brake?

I am wondering the surge brake might have engaged when I stopped the
car, and it remained engaged. When I released the brake in the towing
vehicle and stepped on the gas panel, the surge brake could not respond
fast enough to release its brake. That caused the hitch ball of the
towing vehicle to impact on the coupler of the trailer, and this made
noise. Is my understanding correct? If this was the case, I should go
easy on the gas panel when I go from stop to start the vehicle.

Any idea?

Thanks.

Jay Chan

"Jim Goodall" wrote in message
...
When you stop your tow vehicle, the surge brakes are activated by the
trailer tongue telescoping into itself, and in the process, pushing a
plunger in a master cylinder which sends brake fluid to the brakes in the
wheels, thus stopping the trailer. It will stay this way, until the
brakes are released by extending the tongue back to its extended position.
When you resume towing, by putting your foot on the gas pedal, you extend
the tongue within itself, causing a clunking noise. What I do is try to
stop a bit short of an intersection, and then while you are waiting for
the light to change, ease forward a bit to take up the "slack", releasing
the brakes and extending the tongue gently.
It has nothing to do with the hitch ball.
If you are using sway bars (like a Reese Hitch) between the tongue and
tow vehicle, be careful not to put too much tension on the sway bars as
they will prevent the tongue from telescoping in on itself.

Jim

wrote:

When I released the brake in the towing vehicle and started towing, I
often heard noise coming from behind me (likely coming from the
connection between the towing vehicle and the trailer). Is it a
standard behavior of a surge brake?

I am wondering the surge brake might have engaged when I stopped the
car, and it remained engaged. When I released the brake in the towing
vehicle and stepped on the gas panel, the surge brake could not respond
fast enough to release its brake. That caused the hitch ball of the
towing vehicle to impact on the coupler of the trailer, and this made
noise. Is my understanding correct? If this was the case, I should go
easy on the gas panel when I go from stop to start the vehicle.

Any idea?

Thanks.

Jay Chan




There should be a shock absorber in the Atwood couplings and the Dico use
some of the brake fluid as a dampener.

... When you resume towing, by putting your foot on the gas
pedal, you extend the tongue within itself, causing a clunking noise.
What I do is try to stop a bit short of an intersection, and then while
you are waiting for the light to change, ease forward a bit to take up
the "slack", releasing the brakes and extending the tongue gently.
It has nothing to do with the hitch ball.

Thanks for the tip. I will try this next year when I start towing the
boat.

If you are using sway bars (like a Reese Hitch) between the tongue and
tow vehicle, be careful not to put too much tension on the sway bars as
they will prevent the tongue from telescoping in on itself.

The trailer doesn't have sway bars (it is a basic small trailer).
Therefore, I don't need to worry about this.

Jay Chan