Several questions from a reader:

Miscelaneous questions from a reader:

My questions are:

  Trailer has a #195-65-R14 tires on it. It has been suggested that the size remain the same but get a stronger sidewall. Suggested to inflate to 39 PSI. Educate me please. What do those numbers 88,90,91, or 92 mean (suggested by Chris years ago)?  

 

I'm not a tire expert but I would agree that a stiffer sidewall might be good.  Here's a bit of tire info: http://mcgrefer.com/sizeinfo/1956514        The 89,90... might be a speed rating.    

Although these tires show no evidence of deterioration they are old. I read where even if a tire sits inside at the store for 6 years it is no longer any good...comment. Although it is stored inside a well ventilated barn and I have the tires up on rubber pads and drive it around every couple of months is this adequate to keep the tires and bearings in good shape?  My first trailer had ancient tires on it.  I think they were from a mobile home.   They never failed me.   I wouldn't be overly concerned.  Tires standing inthe sun age quickly but you seem to have kept this in a good place.

My brakes are fine.....by that I mean the trailer stops no problem....but I want them checked. All mechanics have insisted they break the seal to check the bearings as well. I realize that it is a 1997 trailer but it is my understanding that the bearings were sealed "for life". Is there another way to check their integrity without disturbing the seal?

 

The brake pads can be seen thru a small hole in the backing plate under the trailer.  There is a photo of this on my blog.  American cars had the same feature back in the 50's.  They should have at least 2mm of pad to be considered in adequate shape.   The brakes should never be adjusted individually once they have been installed and set correctly.  The only adjustment is made with the cable going to the parking brake lever..

 

The bearings can be chedked simply by jacking up the trailer and wiggling the wheels side to side.  If there is no play or grinding noises then all is well.

 

 

Thanks to you I maintain the zerk (sp.?) fittings (3) on the tongue. Is there anything else that I can do by myself?  Other than those fittings there isn't much to do.   I squirt wd40 on the ramp hinge often.

The trailer lives close to the ocean so salt is a problem. I have been using a marine grade lithium lubricant on hinges and other moving parts.  Good choice.

I recently went to see a 2011 Baron One TC for sale to see what was different. I like the new wheel jack arrangement where it stows horizontal, the extra safety latches at the top of the groom doors were a plus as were the catches to hold the groom doors open. Do you know where to get these parts? I called Andy and he did not have them.  The jack is something you can easily replace.   You will find many options at Tractor Supply.  

The other item that needs to be replaced is the tailgate pneumatic piston. It isn't what it once was of that I am sure. Do you know a source?   I think someone may have posted a location to purchase that dylinder but I can't find it.    I do get asked that often.  Perhaps call Traveled Lane Trailers in MD.  They were dealers and still sell used Brenderups.  They often have answers.

On one of your posts someone suggested sealing the floor with deck sealer....mine is in good shape and appears to have some sort of patterned rubberized coating. Was that standard? The first owner had some customizing done. I put a Rhino coating on my truck bed in 2005 and it has held up very well despite normal abuse. My thought was would it make sense to have a coat of that sprayed on the floor and up the sidewalls a bit to keep the floor in great condition "forever"?  Rhino coating sounds excellent to me.

One dealer told me that most of the parts above the floor were purchased here in the US and to find a part  google the part # and voila! Have you tried this method?  That can work.  The bearings were on Amazon at one time.

When they installed my hitch they set it to be 18 or 19" to top of the ball from the ground. From what I have read you are saying that that figure should have had 200- 250 lb. weight on the bumper or in the truck bed...???  Yes, that simulates your truck and trailer loaded.  Take the measurement again with weight inthe truck and see if it goes down vary far. 

 

What do you use to clean and protect the exterior surface?  I wash the outside with car wash stuff.   A  Mr Clean Magic Eraser takes off dirt without scratching.   I don't think I have used wax but it shouldn't hurt.   This thing is similar to boat coatings and the top is fiberglas so you can easily find products for that.

Thanks again for your time. Appreciate your and very helpful suggestions for Brenderups!

Best regards,

Karen 

Checking the brakes on Brenderup Trailers

I saw your post about regular maintenance for Brenderups and that was very helpful.  I tested out the parking brake as you suggested, but I do not hear any clicks.  What would your suggestion be for this ra?  We have not noticed the trailer pushing our vehicle, but we of course want to make sure the brakes are functioning properly.  Appreciate any help.

Thank you,
Cristin
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Morning, Cristin.    Not sure what to tell you.   What year is your trailer?

With the parking brake set does the trailer resist being towed?
~~~~~~~
Thanks for your prompt response.  The trailer is a '99 Prestige, so it is older.  I haven't tried to tow it with the brake engaged, so I am unsure of that. I can call you this evening after 4pm est if that is ok.  Thanks for being willing to help  me out!

~~~~~~

I finally had a chance to hook up today.  The parking brake does cause some resistance and some serious squealing when it is left engaged and towed.  When the vehicle brakes (hard and soft stops) I do not notice the trailer backing off, this is especially true if we braked hard.  

Thanks,

Cristin

~~~~~

At least you know that you have brakes.

Hauling large horses in Brenderup Trailers?

Hi. Found you through a post on horseforum.com - hope you can help. We're in the market for a 2-horse trailer and have an opportunity to purchase a 1998 Brenderup Prestige. I know very little about Brenderup, other than it was the choice for lightweight trailers. Mostly, I'm concerned about what trade-off there might be in sturdiness to get the trailer down to the lower weight. I like the prospect of low maintenance (fiberglas/aluminum), but worry that might come at the cost of durability.

Also, would you know specifically if this 1998 model is suitable for a 15.3hh horse? I've read online that it's good up to 16hh, but not sure if that's accurate or not.

I should note that we're not specifically looking for a lightweight trailer. We're pulling with an F250, so we have plenty of power. But, as I said, I'm attracted by the rust-free construction.

Thanks!

Carl
~~~~~~~~

Good afternoon, Carl!   Thanks for writing.

Good question but I think you will be pleased with the answer.

We have had out trailer for quite a few years and I have bee inside every nook and cranny of its construction.   They didn't cut corners on the structure.   I have never heard of a structural failure, including trailers that came unhitched (like my daughter's),  were in wrecks...   and heavy usage.   Ours has been from northeastern PA to Chicago (3x), Lexington, Ocala, and hundreds of shows.  The only problem we ever had was after we left the brake on and drive to NJ Horse Park... that cooked everything.  Ours is the only one that I have even hear had that mistake happen.

The most often thing I hear is about floors decaying and sometimes the door material.   There have been several nice replacements that weren't terribly  time consuming or complicated.

I think all of the weight reduction was in the wall and roof materials, and that the fibreglass skin is pretty self supporting, like the skin on an airplane.

My daughter tows with either an old blazer or her mom's Ridgeline.   I have even towed it (empty) with my 1994 Toyota pick-up.  (don't try this at home!)

As for the horse, you will have lots of room.   The way they position the breast bar keeps the horses pretty secure and they have plenty of head room.   We have hauled 16h horses easily.

I think you are making a wise investment.   If I had time and cash I would buy older ones and spruce them up for resale.

Don['t hesitate to contact me with questions.   and thanks for visiting the website.


Jeff
~~~~~~~~~~


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Other resources with information about Brenderup Horse Trailers

Comments from horse peeps in the east frequently appear on Chronicle of the Horse forums <<<

There is also a facebook group, although not very active.

Happy Trails!

A dealer's update on what happened to Brenderup and comments about Böckmann trailers.

This note was received from a reader who received it from a former Brenderup dealer in Dec, 2013:

Attached is the spec page from the Brenderup brochure.    Brenderup Real Trailers (the U.S. distributor) had one brochure to cover all of their long-offered models.  The Horseliner was offered for a few years in the States and was not available when the brochure was printed.  I tended to think of the Horseliner as a decontented Prestige (for horses to 16 hands), so the Prestige dimensions apply.  If I recall correctly, the Horseliner empty weight is 1400 lbs. and the GVWR is 3500 lbs.  If you look at the Horseliner, you should be able to verify the GVWR on the ID plate for the trailer.

 

I forgot to answer your question about whether Brenderups will again be offered in the States.  The door is open, but I doubt it will happen.  Brenderup has been owned for several years by Thule, the company well known for car top carriers and sport racks.   Brenderup Real Trailers (the folks in Midland, Texas, that Americans thought of as Brenderup) was actually an independent distributor.  They imported parts and assembled the trailers in Texas.  They did all the North American marketing and created the informational DVD you may have heard mentioned.    Trailer manufacturers are tiny compared to auto manufacturers.  A trailer company that produces 1000-2000 horse trailers a year is actually a good-sized manufacturer.  I estimate that Real Trailers sold about 400 Brenderups a year before the economy crashed.  Considering that fuel in the States is relatively inexpensive, 400 units a year is a pretty good total (in my opinion) for a niche product.  Which brings us back to Thule.  Sales weren’t good enough for them.  They threatened to appoint a new distributor, so the folks in Texas built a much larger facility and moved into it in the summer of 2008.  And we all know what happened in September 2008.  I suspect that a combination of higher cost structure and near-depression economy are the reasons why Real Trailers closed, although I’m sure we’ll never hear that from either side of the Atlantic.  The running gear on the North American trailers was the same as that of the European trailers (chassis, axles, brakes, Inertia brake mechanism in the tongue), but the Solid Phenolic Core (SPC) walls were a North American innovation and lights and safety chains were arranged for North America.  Since some details were different for America, apparently Thule decided to see if someone would step in to fill the role of Real Trailers rather than perform the modifications on the European production line.   Even though we’re a big country, because of cheap gas, I think Thule sees us as a small market (and I can’t fault them for that).  (However, we dealt with another trailer company that Thule bought, so we had two different windows to see how Thule operates.  I was impressed, but not in a good way.  Their racks are excellent, but if I need something and have a viable other-than-Thule alternative, I’ll buy the other product.)

 

Since we discussed the Böckmanns briefly (“Boeckmann” if no umlaut available), I’ve included a scanned image of a 2-page flyer so you can see some of the models I mentioned.  The Champion R (for horses to 17 hands) caught on for us this year and has been very popular.  It’s about the same size as the Brenderup Royal series.  The Portax (for horses to 18 hands) was popular for us from the start and is still popular.  They’re showing the 2012 style Portax on this flyer.  The design changed slightly for 2013, but overall, it’s very similar.  (Also, they’re showing the Portax AK, which has a front unload ramp.  The most popular Portaxes have one or two front doors instead of the front ramp.)  The Big Master is Böckmann’s Baron-sized trailer.   All of the Böckmanns are about 4” taller than the Brenderups.  The body length of the Big Master is about the same as that of the Baron and the Big Master is about 4-5 inches wider. 

 

The  trai are assembled in the German factory, so they’re not reliant on a North American assembly facility.  The trailers have been imported into Canada for about 10 years, so there’s an established support infrastructure, which we thought would be reassuring to folks who might have been skittish after the sudden closing of Brenderup Real Trailers (after nearly 30 years in the North American market). 

 

This Böckmann info was intended to be informational, since you seemed to be curious about the trailers.  Hope it didn’t sound too sales-pitchy.  I wasn’t trying to talk you out of the used Brenderups, as a good one can provide many years of excellent service.

 

I enjoyed our conversation.  If you have any questions, feel free to email or call.

 

Regards,

Jon

Question about interior lights on Brenderup Horse Trailer

HI Jeff,
I am the second owner of this trailer.  When I bought it, I was not able to get the interior lights to work, but the running lights are fine.  A phone call to the dealer, and I was told that I needed to turn the interior light cover in the tack room to turn it on. This didn't work. The dealer had no idea about the interior trailer light.  The wiring has a flat four plug - is this the problem, do you think?
Thanks,
Cathy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Mon, Dec 9, 2013 at 3:22 PM, <jeff@kurtzinpa.com> wrote:
Thanks for writing, Cathy.

I am not certain about the lights in that particular trailer.   On ours (Baron) the dome lights turn on by turning the covers... not a simple task.   Then there is a light in the tack compartment that has an on off switch that turns.

The Brenderup lights aren't very impressive.   The bulbs (if they look like a little torpedo) are available at most places that sell auto parts.  They are used by BMW, Mercedes and AUDI for interior lights.  Eventually I want to convert mine to LED lights with either a switch or just the stick on lights that you press to light.   Available at Lowe's and Home Depot.

The flat four plug isn't the problem.

You could call Traveled Lane Trailers in MD and ask Suzie or John.  They really know each model.

Let me know how you make out with this!

Happy Trails.
Jeff

~~~~~~~~
Thanks, Jeff!
I finally did get a reply from the dealer, will cut and paste it for you:

"If you have the wiring correct in your vehicle for all the lights to work including the one inside on top of the entry ramp then that light in the tack room should work too. If it doesn't work then the bulb might be burned out. You just twist the outside of the light and if it doesn't turn on then you push in and turn it and the plastic plate will come off and you replace the bulb. Have you checked your floor? The Brenderup floors are one solid piece so if the mats aren't picked up and off the floor then the floor will rot. To test the floor ( which is more of a concern to me then the lights) Take a screwdriver and poke it into the edges of the floor. If it penetrates then you need to start considering a new floor. If it doesn't then do yourself a favor and get some waterproof decking sealer and seal the floor.   Pam"

Floor repair photos.

I get lots of floor repair questions.  This was one that arrived this morning:

"Hi, I live in southwest Florida (between Sarasota to the north and Fort Myers to the south). I purchased my brenderup new in 2008. The floor has water rot damage in the front of the trailer. Do you know anyone in Florida that does floor repair?"

One of my readers this spring returned the following photos of a really nice repair job:
 https://plus.google.com/photos/108474721505505420021/albums/5950217411802742417 

Click the link to see the other photos of that repair.   I believe this was done by a boat dealer.

If you have photos of a successful repair please send them to me at Jeff@Kurtzinpa.com

Happy Trails!    Jeff

.




s

Someone wrote to me moments ago and the email vanished...   Judy, if you are out there, please write again to jeff@kurtzinpa.com.

Her question was,"with all the options provided with my Jeep towing package I'm confused.   Which tow bar do I use?"   (paraphrased)...

This is a simple answer:   Put  250# of weight in the bed of your tow vehicle.   That's likely to be two of your average friends or a few bags of oats.

With the trailer empty and connected to the 2" hitch ball, the top of the ball should be at about 18" above the ground.   With our Honda Ridgeline truck we use a straight bar that does not drop down at all.    A taller vehicle would need a hitch bar that drops down the appropriate amount for the ball to be at about that height.

If you are shopping for the right part the people at most auto parts stores should be able to help.

If the ball is way too high your tow vehicle will be carrying extra weight.   If the ball is way too low the trailer will not follow properly and there is a chance that the trailer will pop off of the balll.

I hope this helps.   Please call or write if I can further explain.

Jeff Kurtz
www.Brenderhelp.com
570-401-4843

If you have a pressing issue please don't hesitate to call me directly or email my personal address:

Jeff Kurtz
570-401-4843
Jeff@KurtzInPA.com

Some times I don't see posts at this page for much too long.   It's not that I am ignoring you...   just techie issues.

Travel safe,
Jeff

I had an email today about annual maintenance on a Brenderup.   Most of what I am posting here is included in earlier posts, but it's fall and a good time to take a fresh look at the end of the season.   Here are my suggestions:

Semi-annual -

- Grease three fittings (grease zerks) on hitch assembly.  Two are obvious on top.  Third is below the brake release lever underneath where the lever pivots.  This is the only lubrication point on the entire trailer.

 

- Check the brake release lever for excessive travel.  This is likely only to need to be adjusted every couple years.   With the trailer not connected to the tow vehicle:  Push the button on the break lever and move the lever to the lowered position so that the parking brake is not engaged.     Now, lift the brake lever until it springs up, engaging the brake.   Count how many CLICKS you hear as the lever is rising.   You should hear two click and not more.  These are two loud and fast clicks.   If you hear three clicks, or more, the cable adjusting the brakes needs to be tensioned slightly.  Below the lever assembly, under neath the trailer tongue you will see where the cable going back under the trailer is connected to the break lever with a threaded bolt that has two nuts against each other controlling the length of the cable.   Hold the bolt from turning, loosen the first nut and then TIGHTEN the second nut to effectively shorten the cable and take up some of the slack going back to the trailer brakes.  Test the lever again for clicks.   When you release the lever and only hear two clicks then the cable is adjusted properly.  Tighten the first nut against the second nut to hold the adjustment in place.

This cable also controls the brake being properly by the telescoping trailer tongue which creates what is called the Inertial Braking system.   Failure to have this adjustment proper can cause the trailer brakes not to be applied and the trailer will push the tow vehicle when the tow vehicle is trying to stop.   We learned about this the hard way when the loaded trailer pushed us down a mountain.   \

This adjustment is not an indication of excessive brake wear.  It is normal.

Annual -

-inspect brake shoes for wear.   This DOES NOT REQUIRE removing the wheels!!!   There is an inspection port (a small observation hole) in the backing plate of all four wheels.   Scroll through my photographs and you will see what I am speaking of.   This is exactly how brakes on a 1959 ford were inspected.   You can see the brake show material through the opening and it is save until it wears down to a 2.5mm thickness.  Then you need to start a replacement job.   Not insurmountable.   The brakes are adjusted in the hole just below the inspection port but they should only be adjusted when replaced.   The brakes are self adjusting at all other times.

- Inspect wheel bearings for wear.   Jack the trailer up so the wheels on one side are off the ground.   Grasp the wheel at the top and wiggle it in and out to see if there is any side to side play.  If the bearings are bad the wheel will be loose and you will probably hear a grinding noise when you spin the wheel.   Bearings will likely last the life of the trailer unless you leave the parking brake engaged and drive 100+ miles.  That's how our adventure all began.   By the time we returned home the wheels were grinding when we turned a corner.  Not good.

That's pretty much it for maintenance.   I suggest propping the floor mats up so that the flooring can dry during the off season or if you find a lot of rain getting in thru the back door.   Floors do rot and are a pain to deal with.

The interior light bulbs are available at any auto parts store.  They are the same as used on the interior lights of AUDI and BENZ automobiles.

Happy Trails!

Jeff Kurtz

www.BrenderHelp.com

570-401-4843

Here  a link to manual I have found for Brenderup Brakes:

Operation Manual <<<  (several languages... scroll thru to find English)

I have a couple others at home but won't be there until July.

Hopefully this helps.   The links posted previously have been moved... sorry.

A friend of mine has a Brenderup horse trailer. The local inspection garages in our area do not want to inspect a Brenderup trailer. Do you know of any Garages in the Allentown, PA area that would inspect this trailer? What is so different about a Brenderup trailer that would cause them to not inspect it?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Joel
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The only thing they need to see is the thickness of the brake pads.   That can be seen thru a little inspection hole on the inside backing plate behind the wheel.  Tell them it's exactly like a '59 ford...   They can see the thickness of the pad using a flashlight.  Same on all four axles.

Don't let them pull the drum unless you have replacement axle nuts.  Those are a one-time-use item.

I had two mechanics in Drums, PA that inspect ours.   See if you can find a trailer dealer that does inspections.

Let me know how you make out.

While you are at it, check the brake application lever to see how many times it clicks when you lift it to apply.  If it clicks 3 or more times you need to take up some of the slack in the cable that goes to the back.  That's pretty simple.


The hole on the left is the inspection hole.   The hole on the right is for adjustment.  Adjustment should ONLY be made when installing new shoes.  

As they wear the only adjustment needed is made with the "number of clicks" described previously.

Struts anyone?

If you have found a source for replacement of the device that assists in lifting the tail gate, please let me know...   I have had quite a few inquiries but have not found a replacement for this device.

Thanks and safe travels to all.

Jeff

1/6/13:

I own a Brenderup solo, and I have a silly question. How do you replace the interior bulb at the back of the trailer? I can turn the housing but it doesn't come off. Also, you suggest greasing the THREE in the braking system. What is the THREE?

Answer:
The bulbs are same as used in AUDI and Mercedes automobiles.  Any autoparts store has them.  They are shaped like a torpedo with a contact on each end.

The light fixture covers are a pain to deal with, but you have to rotate it till some tabs line up and the cover comes off.

They seem to be problems all the time so I am going to replace them with LED's.  Even battery operated and attached with velcro would be easy.  Will post pics when I get that far.

There are two grease fittings on the tip side of the hitch which are very obvious.  look underneath where the brake lever pivots and there is one there pointing upward.

Happy Trails!  Jeff




-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Brenderup question
From: Jane Rodrigue <jane_rodrigue@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, January 04, 2013 10:47 pm
To: "jeff@kurtzinpa.com" <jeff@kurtzinpa.com>

I own a Brenderup solo, and I have a silly question. How do you replace the interior bulb at the back of the trailer? I can turn the housing but it doesn't come off. Also, you suggest greasing the THREE in the braking system. What is the THREE?

Drove 903 miles to Ocala FL with my BMW on the right and daughter's mare on the left...   12 MPG.    ugh.