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Old 05-05-2021, 06:16 PM   #1
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Tow Dolly Electric or Surge Brakes Best

Just purchased a FR3 30DS and want to get a tow dolly for my Buick LaCrosse (3700 lbs). Which is best, no brakes, electric, or surge for this weight?
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Old 05-05-2021, 06:39 PM   #2
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With that much weight I would most certainly want brakes. I would prefer surge brakes, they are normally easiest to use because they adjust their intensity based on the weight and rate of deceleration all by themselves. They normally can not be activated from the driver’s seat of the tow vehicle but that is not normally needed anyway.

Electric brakes are more prone to need maintenance and if you are towing the dolly without the car on it you will need to adjust the controller down or you will be sliding the tires every time you touch the brake pedal in the tow vehicle.
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Old 05-05-2021, 08:03 PM   #3
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The only surge brakes I've used were on boat trailers. Very quickly went to electric/ hydro because the surge would engage when engine braking. Didn't take long to eat them up going down 7-9% grades for a mile at a time.
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Old 05-05-2021, 11:20 PM   #4
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My vote would be for electric brakes - you have more human control over them then surge brakes.
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Old 05-06-2021, 05:07 PM   #5
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Is there a cost advantage to one over the other?
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Old 05-07-2021, 04:50 AM   #6
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Remember/consider this: Surge brakes, regardless of the application, are totally dependent on the towing vehicle's ability to decelerate/brake. This is why surge braking systems are prohibited in commercial applications.
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Old 05-07-2021, 06:48 AM   #7
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I have electric brakes on mine. Been over five years and no issues other than routine bearing maintenance. My Escape is about 3500 pounds. The previous poster is correct. You have to turn off the controller when towing empty or you will slide the tires. Once you set the controller balance you don't have to worry about it
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