Toter Home needs air brake hook up for trailer

VetteNuts · 12-03-2011, 11:09 PM

Hello im new to the forum. I just purchased a 1986 GMC 6500 Toter home w/air brakes. I also purchased a few months back a 48' Pace Bigfoot trailer w/air brakes. The Toter home does not have a hook up for air brakes. I have done some research tonight and from what i have read its going to be a job to add the trailer air brakes to the truck.

Any advice would be appreciated.
Marc

blizzardND · 12-04-2011, 01:58 PM

Wow, I think you might have bought a big job, I have seen a Bluedot presentation where you hook electric brake rv's behind air brake semi trucks but the other way around? you may wind up converting the truck to air brakes.

The only guy that I know that may have a solution is Jack Mayer on the Escapees HDT forum.. Jack and Danielle Mayer

email Jack, let us know wht you come up with..
-blizz

volvoman · 12-04-2011, 02:13 PM

have local dealer contact tech support and they can give you a list of every thing needed. if they cant ask again and i will find out. i know off the top of my head you need these items. 1)dash parking valve for trailer 2) two double check valves 3) glad hand hookups for rear 4) hand valve is optional 5) tap into foot valve port on bottom side (end away from dash) 6)air line to run from both valves (foot and parking brake) to tractor protection valve. then back to rear of truck. if you call 1-800-air-brake (Bendix) they may send you a schematic.

volvoman · 12-04-2011, 02:16 PM

sounded to me both are air. just no trailer towing package.

VetteNuts · 12-04-2011, 02:24 PM

Thanks for the replies. The truck does have air i just need air hook up for the trailer. Mt next concern is if this Cat 3208 with a 10 speed tranny will pull 18 to 20k on long hilly trips. Im going to hook up a goosneck trailer tomorrow and load my bobcat T300 on it and see how it responds to hills.

This truck is in excellent condition and i want to keep it, however if it is under powered i may look at a Freightliner or Volvo.

volvoman · 12-04-2011, 02:29 PM

good luck with that. is it a 185 or 210 hp? turbo charged? they used to use them as semi tractors. got you there but not fast.

Bob86ZZ4 · 12-04-2011, 04:13 PM

Isn't there a knob on the dash for trailer air? Seems to me most trucks have that. If there is I wouldn't think it should be too tough to set up.

VetteNuts · 12-04-2011, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by volvoman

good luck with that. is it a 185 or 210 hp? turbo charged? they used to use them as semi tractors. got you there but not fast.

Its a 210HP na. I drove it today with a small trailer with a light load and it did good. The 5 speed with the split axle is going to help. The motor is a reman and im trying to find out more info from the previous owners.

I love the truck and was wondering if in the future i decided to replace the motor when it gets tired if i have any options. Is there a motor that will fit to get me in the 350-400hp range? I know there is the 3208 turbo thats 375 however its still a 3208 that was not designed for a turbo. If im going to spend any money replacing it i would like something that i can do once and it last.

VetteNuts · 12-04-2011, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob86ZZ4

Isn't there a knob on the dash for trailer air? Seems to me most trucks have that. If there is I wouldn't think it should be too tough to set up.

No there is only one for the truck parking brake. I have several feed backs from the other section where i posted. Im going to need several parts to add it however it appears not to be to difficult.

VetteNuts · 12-04-2011, 09:06 PM

I just found several youtube videos of Topkicks with 5.9 Cummings dropped into them. This would be one heck of an upgrade! More power and lighter.

bushpilot · 12-05-2011, 11:54 PM

just buy this and get it over w/

Coolhorse: Reduced! 2010 Renegade 34' Motor Coach w/ 2 slides Volvo 64300 model

VetteNuts · 12-06-2011, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bushpilot

just buy this and get it over w/

Coolhorse: Reduced! 2010 Renegade 34' Motor Coach w/ 2 slides Volvo 64300 model

$295k is pocket change if it would pull my trailer

bushpilot · 12-06-2011, 10:00 AM

im thinkin' 485hp (w/ 12 speed) will pull your trailer just fine - and it'll have air connections at the rear too <just think of the savings>

hell you dont even need your trailer...jsut belly up the extra 45k and get the stacker trailer too - you deserve it

originally i thought the trailer was included in that coach price (god knows in this market, it SHOULD be).

the previous owner of my coach pulled a 30ft stacker (like the one pictured w/ that volvo coach) - loaded w/ 2 cars and 2 golf carts, tools etc - he said he got pretty consistent 8mpg but hauling the mail <fast> he saw it go as low as 6.5.

I've not experienced anything less than 9.5 and ive seen as high as 9.9 - opps i take that back...in july thur the virginia mountains (birmingham alabama to winchester virginia) i dropped back to 8.6 - but again i was running moderately - lots of throttle modulation getting around that i81 traffic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by VetteNuts

$295k is pocket change if it would pull my trailer

hot rod · 12-08-2011, 10:18 AM

I used to know the guys you bought that trailer from. We sell parts @ hot rod shows and used to do some of the same shows as those guys, we'd be next to them on the midway at Super Chevy shows and some others back in the day. They used to pull it with a big class 8 toterhome conversion, but I never noticed the trailer was air brakes. That's pretty rare for a car trailer like that. Be happy, it will be worth the pain to get it hooked up, a trailer that big is scary with electric brakes. I know my 40' trailer loaded to capacity would never make a panic stop if it had to, and I keep my brakes in top condition and properly adjusted. I always wondered how these trailer companies can get away with the electric brakes that almost every trailer in the world has. In my opinion they are wholly inadequate for the job. You have the right idea.

Are you a racer or a vendor? Maybe we'll bump into each other.

#90-GTSC · 12-08-2011, 04:04 PM

You make a good point about big trailers and electric brakes.

I pull a 24' enclosed with the 1999 Suburban. I think loaded I'm probably 10k to 11k; should weigh it sometime!

I've heard that the new trucks (1 ton and less) have a trailer brake controller that is hooked to the anti-lock brake computer and it applies the electric trailer brakes depending on how hard the brake pedal is being pushed. Light pedal push, light trailer brakes. Heavy pedal in say an emergency situation and the trailer brakes are applied hard very quickly.

Anyone have experience with that?

Anyone have experience with MaxBrake™ - Hydraulic over Electric Variable Brake Controller ???

It apparently uses hydraulic pressure from the truck's brakes to controll the trailer brakes.

Dick

bushpilot · 12-08-2011, 11:54 PM

fluid/pressure based sensors are not new - maxbrake is the last to the party.

brakesmart has been around for significantly longer - Dr Performance Brakesmart Brake Controller

ford was the 1st manufacture to include a fluid/pressure based trailer brake system as an option on a truck (2005) - theyve gotten RAVE reviews for it - strangely enough.

these cheap electric "progressive" (laughable) controllers like Tekonsha's Prodigy and others are garbage compared to TRUE progressive controllers like maxbrake, brakesmart and the ford OE system.

Don Mcl · 12-09-2011, 12:57 AM

i had a 1999 f350 7.3 drw pulling a 30' eby stock trailer that had vacuum over hyd .

a vast improvement over anything electric at that time.

the hardest part was finding an empty spot under the hood to install the vacuum pump.

on a side note, i'm looking to purchase a used stacker in the 28' area. keep me in mind if you come across anything under 20 grand.

don

andyg · 12-27-2011, 01:28 PM

Sounds like you have an air brake truck that was never set up to pull a trailer. You will have to add the valves and plumbing needed for a trailer connection. Volvoman pretty much covered what you need. Look up air brake systems/schematics on Google. These things are not quite as complicated as they sound. It should not be to hard. Don't worry about the 3208 it will pull just fine. People often get WANTED horse power confused with NEEDED horespower. If you are loaded heavy you migbht slow down a little on the hills. No big deal.