Cobra Trailer Brakes

On Monday, May 20, 2019 at 4:37:20 PM UTC-4, wrote:
As far as I can tell, every time that the tow vehicle uses its brakes, the brakes on the trailer engage. Is this not the way it is supposed to work?

DVM

No - only if the towing vehicle decelerates fast enough so that the trailer does overcome the force of the damper in the tow bar will the brakes be engaged. If you feel a subtle 'bump in the rear' every time you tap the brake, check/replace the damper.

Uli
'AS'

How much force does it take to compress the trailer tongue. My estimate was about 75 pounds. Does this seem about right?

DVM

On Monday, May 20, 2019 at 5:00:45 PM UTC-4, wrote:
How much force does it take to compress the trailer tongue. My estimate was about 75 pounds. Does this seem about right?

DVM

I would guess that depends on the weight of the trailer. Mine is a two axle one with a max weight of around 3,500#. I would imagine that my damper requires more force to collapse than one in a trailer for a 1-26. I tried to compress my tow bar by hand and couldn't.
Only if I have to do a 'panic stomp' on the brake do I feel the bump in the rear. The three grease fittings get a few shots every year and that seems to be all required to keep it happy.

Uli
'AS'

On Monday, May 20, 2019 at 3:19:55 PM UTC-7, AS wrote:
On Monday, May 20, 2019 at 5:00:45 PM UTC-4, wrote:
How much force does it take to compress the trailer tongue. My estimate was about 75 pounds. Does this seem about right?

DVM

I would guess that depends on the weight of the trailer. Mine is a two axle one with a max weight of around 3,500#. I would imagine that my damper requires more force to collapse than one in a trailer for a 1-26. I tried to compress my tow bar by hand and couldn't.
Only if I have to do a 'panic stomp' on the brake do I feel the bump in the rear. The three grease fittings get a few shots every year and that seems to be all required to keep it happy.

Uli
'AS'

To order the correct tongue damper for a Cobra requires sending the information stamped on the trailer's AlKo tongue to Ralf at Spindelberger.
This would imply there are different dampers, different forces.
(several are in stock at W+W)
When the damper is REALLY gone, you'll feel and hear a loud clunk on starts and stops.
Jim

I have contacted Cobra and they told me that my trailer has 2051 brakes and the overrun device is 161S. However; that still does not tell me what the compression force is? As noted above the trailer tongue compresses with i'm guessing 75 pounds of force and then extends out to its full extension in about 10 seconds.

DVM