David,
I'm almost surprised that they used that sort of lashup that recently."Back in the
old days" there were many different schemes for actuating trailer brakes.I actually
saw a system that used a slave cylinder that was actuated by the vehiclebrakes and
was permanently plumbed into the system. You'd remove the cylinderfrom a bracket on
the bumper and snap it into place on the trailer, where it would actuatea master
cylinder that powered the trailer brakes. I've also heard of thesevacuum lashups.
Surge brakes, with the master cylinder on telescoping the trailer toungewere popular
on many horse trailers and other applications, but I don't know ifthey're still used
or not. The nice thing about surge brakes was/is that they always work,no matter the
tow vehicle. All too many trailers are connected to a tow vehicle thatdoesn't have a
matching hookup, so the trailer is being dragged around w/o ANY brakes,and that's not
a Good Thing.

Along the same lines, how do you folks go about connecting the lights?I've seen
"isolators" that power the trailer lights independantly so the signals,taillights,
etc. aren't being fed straight from the light switch, turn signal,etc. Are these
necessary?

<<Jim>

David Newell wrote:

> Acording to my '77 manual there was a Vacuum Hose connetion to thetow viehicle
> which was controleed by a under the dash controller. I saw one inDover Delaware
> on a 31 foot yacht. I don't know of anyone who is using this systemI think
> Tapping into the vacume or hydaulic systems is not advised as itvoids most
> warrantee's these days. My '77 has been convewrted to electric andI plan to check
> them out as soon as things dry out here in Mass. Dave Newell
>
> Jim Dunmyer wrote:
>
> > What actuates those brakes, do they use a surge coupler? (my wife'shorse

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