Legal brakes on US (IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE!) trailer

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Little Star

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I have an US Spec trailer for a Catalina 22 (1992) which has hydraulic brakes on it. Currently not working as it is missing a cylinder but am told a Morris Minor cylinder will fit it. Someone mentioned that these kind of brakes are not legal does anyone know if this is correct.
If it is then not worth fixing so any thoughts about converting brakes to normal cable type

All thoughts welcome
 
Little Star said:
I have an US Spec trailer for a Catalina 22 (1992) which has hydraulic brakes on it. Currently not working as it is missing a cylinder but am told a Morris Minor cylinder will fit it. Someone mentioned that these kind of brakes are not legal does anyone know if this is correct.
If it is then not worth fixing so any thoughts about converting brakes to normal cable type

All thoughts welcome
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You maay find some info on the NTTA website http://www.ntta.co.uk/
 
Nigel_Ward said:
I think they are not legal as they are not EU type approved.

You may need a new axle and damped coupling to make things legal.
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That's the problem, I fear. it's not so much that your hydraulic setup is illegal, more that you can't prove it IS legal. The Construction and Use Regulations demand that trailer brakes comply with the requirements of either Directive 71/320/EC or ECE Reg. 13. Those hydraulic brakes MIGHT comply, but you have no proof (which by default, makes them illegal). I guess (if you know the name of the trailer and / or brake manufacturer in the USA you could ask them if they have any certification (too expensive to get yourself), but I imagine they'll just give you a funny look!
 
I tried very hard to import a cylinder from US supplier. They refused point blank. Never thought of Morris Minor! I use my American trailer as a winter yard trailer for my bilge keel Snapdragon. I ended up removing the brakes completely and changing the hitch for an unbraked UK one. Since I only tow the trailer on the road empty this sort of works for me.

I noticed that Bayliners seem to sometimes be imported on trailers, so I was going to try to source a scrap cylinder from a dealer who was converting trailers or not using them. I saw them at Eastbourne Marina. It would then have been functioning but still not legal.

Good luck.

PS if the cylinder is missing then presumably ever other part will be corroded, on a complete UK system would be a better but expensive solution.
 
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Thanks for replys....doesn't sound good. so probably could get it working but technically illegal. so either convert or buy second hand trailer
 
It seems the law requires that
the parking brake being operated by “direct mechanical action without the use of hydraulic, electric or pneumatic systems”
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but does not forbid the use of hydraulic or electric operation of the braking system.

There are many discussions on the internet on the subject.

(To confuse things even more
New trailers built after November 2014 must use a braking system that does not rely on the principle of overrun / inertia, the weight of the trailer bearing on the coupling and operating a simple mechanism to transmit a movement to effectively apply the trailer brakes. The new regulations state that any trailer with more than one axle, and if the axle centres are positioned more than 1 metre apart, may not be fitted with an overrun / inertia braking system.
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. So presumably an hydraulic or electric system operated by the towing vehicle will be required. It just gets more confusing. Thank the EU, again.
 
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I can't comment on the legality of any brake system in UK or EU. (it does seem like EU regulations are there to keep all business in EU). I don't know of any restrictions in our part of Oz although various weight trailer caravan require various degrees of sophistication. Electric brakes are common on big caravans. vacuum powered brakes on bigger boat trailers.
I fitted hydraulic overide brakes to my trailer many years ago. Basically a sedan backing plate stub axle cylinders etc. Worked OK.
What it did find was that the piston in the cylinder was made of alloy in a steel cylinder. This corroded and caused brakes to jamb on resulting in arrival with hot brakes wheel and tire. Much smoke. I got some nylon rod about 30 cms diameter and made a new pistons out of nylon which worked beautifully. The piston supports a rubber cup that actually seals the fluid.
So if you dunk the trailer and use hydraulic components watch for this. I spent so much effort maintaining the trailer in those days due to all voyages beginning with a 40 minute tow. Now with boat mostly on a mooring and a very short seasonal tow home I have removed all the hydraulics and go illegal. I just go slow and careful for the 500 metre trip. good luck olewill
 
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