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I was wondering if anyone had installed trailer brakes to a trailer that previously didnt have them? i have a chance to pick up an utility trailer for next to nothing but needs some work! Tires, wooden deck replacement, few modifications to the actually lay out of the trailer. The only thing holding me back is the trailer brakes!!

thanks in advance.

I was wondering if anyone had installed trailer brakes to a trailer that previously didnt have them? i have a chance to pick up an utility trailer for next to nothing but needs some work! Tires, wooden deck replacement, few modifications to the actually lay out of the trailer. The only thing holding me back is the trailer brakes!!

thanks in advance.

Do a complete inspection followed by a thorough budget on what you think needs to be done to the trailer. You may come out ahead just buying a new one. For whatever reason trailers typically hold their value really well, even in poor condition.

Don't forget that NC requires brakes on all axles, not just one.

§ 20‑124. Brakes.
(a) Every motor vehicle when operated upon a highway shall be equipped with brakes adequate to control the movement of and to stop such vehicle or vehicles, and such brakes shall be maintained in good working order and shall conform to regulations provided in this section.

(b) Repealed by Session Laws 1973, c. 1330, s. 39.

(c) Every motor vehicle when operated on a highway shall be equipped with brakes adequate to control the movement of and to stop and hold such vehicle, and shall have all originally equipped brakes in good working order, including two separate means of applying the brakes. If these two separate means of applying the brakes are connected in any way, they shall be so constructed that failure of any one part of the operating mechanism shall not leave the motor vehicle without brakes.

(d) Every motorcycle and every motor‑driven cycle when operated upon a highway shall be equipped with at least one brake which may be operated by hand or foot.

(e) Motor trucks and tractor‑trucks with semitrailers attached shall be capable of stopping on a dry, hard, approximately level highway free from loose material at a speed of 20 miles per hour within the following distances: Thirty feet with both hand and service brake applied simultaneously and 50 feet when either is applied separately, except that vehicles maintained and operated permanently for the transportation of property and which were registered in this or any other state or district prior to August, 1929, shall be capable of stopping on a dry, hard, approximately level highway free from loose material at a speed of 20 miles per hour within a distance of 50 feet with both hand and service brake applied simultaneously, and within a distance of 75 feet when either applied separately.

(e1) Every motor truck and truck‑tractor with semitrailer attached, shall be equipped with brakes acting on all wheels, except trucks and truck‑tractors having three or more axles need not have brakes on the front wheels if manufactured prior to July 25, 1980. However, such trucks and truck‑tractors must be capable of complying with the performance requirements of G.S. 20‑124(e).

(f) Every semitrailer, or trailer, or separate vehicle, attached by a drawbar or coupling to a towing vehicle, and having a gross weight of two tons, and all house trailers of 1,000 pounds gross weight or more, shall be equipped with brakes controlled or operated by the driver of the towing vehicle, which shall conform to the specifications set forth in subsection (e) of this section and shall be of a type approved by the Commissioner.

It shall be unlawful for any person or corporation engaged in the business of selling house trailers at wholesale or retail to sell or offer for sale any house trailer which is not equipped with the brakes required by this subsection.

This subsection shall not apply to house trailers being used as dwellings, or to house trailers not intended to be used or towed on public highways and roads. This subsection shall not apply to house trailers with a manufacturer's certificate of origin dated prior to December 31, 1974.

Every motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer and pole trailer and any combination of such vehicles operating upon a highway within this State, shall be equipped with brakes in compliance with the requirements of this chapter.

(c) Every vehicle, manufactured or assembled after June 7, 1949, shall be equipped with brakes acting on all wheels except:

(1) Trailers, semitrailers or pole trailers, of a gross weight not exceeding three thousand pounds, provided that:

(a) The total weight on and including the wheels of the trailer shall not exceed forty per cent of the gross weight of the towing vehicle when connected to the trailer, and

(b) The combination of vehicles, consisting of the towing vehicle and its total towed load, is capable of complying with the performance requirements of § 56-5-4860.

(2) Any vehicle being towed in driveaway or towaway operations, provided the combination of vehicles is capable of complying with the performance requirements of § 56-5-4860.

(3) Trucks and truck-tractors having three or more axles need not have brakes on the front wheels, except that when such vehicles are equipped with at least two steerable axles, the wheels of one steerable axle need not have brakes. However, such trucks and truck-tractors must be capable of complying with the performance requirements of § 56-5-4860.

(4) Special mobile equipment.

(5) The wheel of a sidecar attached to a motorcycle or to a motor-driven cycle, or the front wheel of a motor-driven cycle need not be equipped with brakes, provided that such motorcycle or motor-driven cycle is capable of complying with the performance requirements of § 56-5-4860.

Now, if I had already made the choice to buy a trailer and it only had brakes on one axle, I'd probably live with it and I'd check them OFTEN. But the price difference to go to brakes on both axles is so minimal, folks *really* should get them on all axles. It's just too easy for you to get a failure on one, IMHO.