LIGHT WIRES:

Our trailers come with a trunk harness (you will find it plugged into the trailer harness near the hitch). The exposed ends of the trunk harness must be wired into the light wiring of your car. The other end should be plugged into the trailer wiring harness. The wires on the trunk harness and trailer wiring are color coded as follows:

• White - Ground
• Brown - Running lights or tail lights
• Yellow - Left turn signal and brake light
• Green - Right turn signal and brake light

Make sure you have a good ground or you won't have lights. The light mounting brackets and ground wire must contact metal (you may have to scratch through the paint). Don't use the trailer unless all lights are working. You must have the following:

• 1 red tail light at each rear corner of the trailer.
• 1 red clearance light mounted on the side of each tail light.
• 1 clear license plate illuminator.
• 1 amber clearance light mounted at the outboard rear corner of each fender. (These must be visible from the front.)
• 1 three lens gang light centered on the trailer rear.

You must have two red lights at the extreme rear end of the load (normally on the end of the mast). During the day, a red flag may be used. Here again, check your state laws for this and other requirements that you have to meet.

If your trailer has brakes, make sure the ground wire is connected to the trailer frame, and not to the moving portion of the brake actuator.

HYDRAULIC (SURGE) BRAKES:

State laws concerning brakes vary. Check with your dealer or with your appropriate state agency to determine whether or not trailer brakes are required in your area.

If your trailer is equipped with brakes, read the following carefully to make sure you understand their operation.

When you apply your car brakes, the trailer will try to push forward against the car. This push compresses the actuator mounted as part of the hitch, which applies force to the master cylinder, which creates hydraulic pressure to operate the trailer brakes.

The harder you stop, the more hydraulic pressure you generate, and the more forcefully the brakes will be applied. The safety chain must be loose enough to permit free motion of the actuator assembly. Brakes work poorly when wet.

The surge brake system has a breakaway chain that connects to the car (this is not the same as the safety chain mentioned above). If the trailer gets loose from the car, the breakaway chain will cause the brakes to engage and try to stop the trailer. Make sure that this chain is fastened securely to the tow vehicle. It should have some slack so that it will not engage the brakes while the trailer is still connected to the car. The chain should be loose enough, even during turns, so that the breakaway lever is released (pointing all the way to the rear of the trailer) while the car and trailer are engaged. Check this each time before you use the trailer. No teeth on the breakaway lever should be engaged in the leaf spring. Accidental application of the lever will cause the trailer brakes to engage, drag, heat up and perhaps burn out. Do not use the emergency breakaway system as a parking brake.

The surge brake actuator linkage and the sliding mechanisms should work freely through the full range of travel. Do not mistake shock absorber resistance in the system for binding. Nylon bearings and the plated shafts do not normally need lubrication, but should be checked periodically. If you encounter erratic or unusual braking performance, investigate the cause immediately. The trailer should not push the tow vehicle, or try to jackknife during stops. The brakes should release when the trailer is pulled from a dead stop. To be sure the brakes are releasing properly, pull gently from a dead stop and then slowly stop so that the actuator ends up in a fully extended position. Then, with the vehicle stopped, tap each brake drum with a metal object. The brake drums should ring clearly when the brakes are released.

TOWING THE BOAT AND TRAILER

TURNING:

Don't try to make really tight turns. Extreme turns, while going forward or backwards, may damage the actuator or other parts of the trailer or car.

TOWING WITH HYDRAULIC BRAKES:

When you back up, the brakes may apply and you will get some brake pressure. Damp brakes may tend to seize when backing. Back slowly and steadily. You may have trouble with brake actuation if you try to back up a steep hill or driveway.