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Trailer brakes?

tonitoni Member Posts: 52
in Trailer & Towing
Can anyone tell me if my 2017 T@B Tab Q Max made by Pleasant Valley Trailer co. Has trailer brakes?  We are thinking we would like to buy a Toyota Sienna 2018 XLE to tow it but I can’t seem to find out for sure if my TAB has trailer brakes.  Thank you in advance!!  We love it and have had it since 2017.
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  • HoriganHorigan Member Posts: 677
    Yes, it has electric brakes.  You need a 7 pin connector, brake controller, and the tow package (larger radiator, external oil cooler, tow wiring prep) on the Sienna.
    Rich
    2019 T@b 400
    2013 Toyota Highlander 3.5L V6
    Bellingham WA
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  • dragonsdoflydragonsdofly Member Posts: 1,927
    @toni, yes your trailer has brakes. They are electric and if you have a correctly wired 7 pin trailer connection, one of the "pins" provides power to the trailer to operate the brakes. However, you need a trailer brake controller, to control the amount of braking the trailer uses. The controller can be hard wired into your tow vehicle or radio connected (no wiring necessary), but you need a brake controller. You should be doing (or having done) annual or biennial wheel bearing packing and brake inspections. This is just standard maintenance and if you have owned your t@b since 2016 or 2017, you are behind the curve in care of your trailer. Check the categories to the left of the screen. User manuals, PDF, etc will have specific information regarding the brakes, wheel bearings and axle maintenance.

    @Sharon_is_SAM, one of our forum moderators, tows with a Sienna. Sharon is wise in the ways of that trailer/tv combination and can give you sage advice. Good luck, -Denise
    2017 t@b sofitel(Dr@gonsFly)TV 2015 Silverado 2500hd(Behemoth). Wyandotte, Michigan.
    Draco dormiens numquam titilandus.
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  • Mellow_YellowMellow_Yellow Member Posts: 337
    edited March 2021
    Quite a few of us tow with the Sienna. It's a good match for the T@B 320. When it's raining, I appreciate the extra 'roof' the back hatch of the Sienna provides while I'm getting gear in/out of the van :)
    2014 T@B 320 S "Sunny" - 2015 Toyota Sienna LE - British Columbia, Canada
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  • tonitoni Member Posts: 52
    Oh my gosh!  You are all so helpful!!!  Thank you!!!!.  FYI we have kept up with our wheel bearing and, evidently, break packing and checking.
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,748
    @Toni - a 2018 Sienna should have the factory tow package as it was standard for the 2018 model year for FWD and AWD.  But, as noted, you need to add a hitch, 7 pin harness and a brake controller.  We enjoy driving and feel safe towing our 2015 Sienna.  Since the bumper is so low, we use a Draw Tight hitch.  Also, make sure they face the 7 pin outlet towards the TaB.  Ours faces sideways and can be a bear to plug in.  Enjoy!
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • Mellow_YellowMellow_Yellow Member Posts: 337
    edited March 2021
    Updated: this is the wrong hitch for a Toyota Sienna with a Curt Type III hitch towing a T@B 320. See my later comment below.

    Interesting @Sharon_is_SAM - my 'used' 2014 T@B 320 S came with an equalizer hitch, similar to this. The max distance I have towed with the Sienna, so far, is 100 miles. It creaks quite a bit especially when turning corners, but feels really solid. I hope to do a longer trip soon!
    When connecting the trailer, this hitch requires that I first connect the ball socket, then raise the levelling jack so that the equalizer bars are high enough to fit on the rear brackets without any tension on them. Then when I lower the levelling jack, the bars are loaded by the weight of the trailer on the hitch. To disconnect, it the reverse: raise the levelling jack to unload and detach the bars first, then lower the jack to disconnect the ball socket.
    NOTE: my 2014 has surge brakes so I tow with a 7-pin connection and without a brake controller.

    2014 T@B 320 S "Sunny" - 2015 Toyota Sienna LE - British Columbia, Canada
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,748
    @Mellow_Yellow - we have towed thousands of miles including out west and never felt the need for any additional device.  What is your regular hitch?  
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • rfuss928rfuss928 Member Posts: 1,021
    A weight distribution hitch cannot be used with surge brakes.  The weight distribution bars prevent the motion that activates the "surge" brakes.  Also, there are other threads that say WD hitches are not recommended with the T@Bs channel style frame members.  WD hitches are very unconventional for such lightweight trailers. 

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  • Mellow_YellowMellow_Yellow Member Posts: 337
    edited March 2021
    Hi @Sharon_is_SAM and @rfuss928 - Wow! am I ever glad I mentioned the hitch I'm using. I bought the trailer 2nd hand from an RV dealer and the weight distribution hitch came with the trailer. That's what the previous owner used, but that doesn't mean it's the correct hitch for the trailer, obviously! I'll do some research and post the links I find here but it sounds like I need to switch to a Draw Tight hitch like @Sharon_is_SAM uses.
    I was wondering exactly that: how to tell if the surge brakes are working. Sounds like mine are preventing from working by this hitch!
    2014 T@B 320 S "Sunny" - 2015 Toyota Sienna LE - British Columbia, Canada
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,748
    Maybe the previous owner had a wimpy TV😂
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,748
    What does the receiver attach to with your current setup?
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • Mellow_YellowMellow_Yellow Member Posts: 337
    OMG, thanks @Sharon_is_SAM - so the "Draw Tight hitch" would be the one to get for my T@B 320 S with surge brakes?
    2014 T@B 320 S "Sunny" - 2015 Toyota Sienna LE - British Columbia, Canada
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,748
    There may be multiple hitches that work.  The Draw Tight was the preferred hitch of our installer.  Check out eTrailer and see what they recommend.  So, isn’t there a hitch on the Sienna already?
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • Mellow_YellowMellow_Yellow Member Posts: 337
    edited March 2021
    @Sharon_is_SAM - I have a 2" receiver
    Which model of the Draw Tight hitch do you have?
    2014 T@B 320 S "Sunny" - 2015 Toyota Sienna LE - British Columbia, Canada
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  • Mellow_YellowMellow_Yellow Member Posts: 337
    @Sharon_is_SAM - Ohhhh! now I get it... so all I need to do is add a ball to the Curt hitch that I have??? Here are photos. Looks like I might have the heavier duty Type III hitch.
    Is there a special ball I need?

    2014 T@B 320 S "Sunny" - 2015 Toyota Sienna LE - British Columbia, Canada
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,748
    edited March 2021
    That’s a good hitch, too.  You will need a 2 inch ball with a shank that fits your chosen ball mount.  That looks like a 2 x 2 inch receiver.  If I remember we ended up with a 2 inch rise on our chosen 8 inch ball mount.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • Mellow_YellowMellow_Yellow Member Posts: 337
    Woo hoo! Thank you so much. I'm just so glad to get the right hitch and that I don't need those nasty equalizer bars!
    2014 T@B 320 S "Sunny" - 2015 Toyota Sienna LE - British Columbia, Canada
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  • dragonsdoflydragonsdofly Member Posts: 1,927
    @Mellow_Yellow, we've towed our t@b about 44/45,000 miles through every kind of road condition and we use only the standard ball hitch in a 2" receiver. We've crossed the Rockies 7 times, been on heavily rutted forest service and old logging roads etc. Never have needed anything but the previously mentioned hitch regardless of which t/v we used. Trust what Sharon has said and advised. I don't know of anyone owning a t@b towing with what I'd describe as a heavy-duty weight distribution hitch. Kinda like using a nuclear weapon to swat a mosquito. 
    2017 t@b sofitel(Dr@gonsFly)TV 2015 Silverado 2500hd(Behemoth). Wyandotte, Michigan.
    Draco dormiens numquam titilandus.
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  • GatorEggGatorEgg Member Posts: 482
    Mellow_Yellow said:
    Interesting @Sharon_is_SAM - my 'used' 2014 T@B 320 S came with an equalizer hitch, similar to this. The max distance I have towed with the Sienna, so far, is 100 miles. It creaks quite a bit especially when turning corners, but feels really solid. I hope to do a longer trip soon!
    When connecting the trailer, this hitch requires that I first connect the ball socket, then raise the levelling jack so that the equalizer bars are high enough to fit on the rear brackets without any tension on them. Then when I lower the levelling jack, the bars are loaded by the weight of the trailer on the hitch. To disconnect, it the reverse: raise the levelling jack to unload and detach the bars first, then lower the jack to disconnect the ball socket.
    NOTE: my 2014 has surge brakes so I tow with a 7-pin connection and without a brake controller.

    I know this has been discussed a million times on the forum.  But please check your T@b manual.  The NuCamp manual for my 2018 cautioned against using a WDH on a 320.
    2022 TAB 400 Boondock, 2019 Toyota Tacoma Sport 4x4
    2018 TAB 320 Boondock (previous)
    Odessa, Fl.  

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  • Mellow_YellowMellow_Yellow Member Posts: 337
    GatorEgg said:

     I know this has been discussed a million times on the forum.  But please check your T@b manual.  The NuCamp manual for my 2018 cautioned against using a WDH on a 320.
    @GatorEgg - one of the perils of getting a T@B 2nd hand was assuming that the previous owner's towing package would be correct for my vehicle. Also, the R V dealer had never seen a T@B before, so they were also in the dark. Thanks again to this forum!!! 
    I'll be tracking down the correct receiver today and can't wait to try it out next week on my next camping trip :)
    2014 T@B 320 S "Sunny" - 2015 Toyota Sienna LE - British Columbia, Canada
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  • Denny16Denny16 Member Posts: 5,431
    edited March 2021
    The Receiver is part of the TV, what you need is a draw bar with correct drop or rise for your TV to keep the trailer level, and a 2-inch ball.  
    Cheers
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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  • Mellow_YellowMellow_Yellow Member Posts: 337
    edited March 2021
    For a Toyota Sienna, towing a T@B 320 S:
    all shiny and new: 2x2", 8" shank, 2" rise, 2" ball :)

    2014 T@B 320 S "Sunny" - 2015 Toyota Sienna LE - British Columbia, Canada
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,748
    That is a ball mount.  The receiver is the part of the hitch that “receives” the ball mount.  That looks about right.  Try it and see.  We started out with a different ball mount and the tongue was too high, so we changed.  After loading the Sienna, it is pretty perfect.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • Denny16Denny16 Member Posts: 5,431
    That is what I ended up using with my TaB400 Outback (2018 model with new BoonDock higher Pitch axle added) and my Jeep Gladiator truck.  The goal is to keep the trailer frame level when it is connected to the tow vehicle, for best towing dynamics.
    cheers
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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  • AnOldURAnOldUR Member Posts: 1,394
    edited March 2021
    16” from the ground to the top of the ball when under load. If you have a Boondock it’s 18”.
    Stockton, New Jersey
    2020 nuCamp T@B 320S * Jeep Wrangler

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  • GatorEggGatorEgg Member Posts: 482
    Denny16 said:
    The Receiver is part of the TV, what you need is a draw bar with correct drop or rise for your TV to keep the trailer level, and a 2-inch ball.  
    Cheers
    Also the tow vehicle drops when loaded.  So find a friend or two, have them weight down your vehicles bumper and measure.
    2022 TAB 400 Boondock, 2019 Toyota Tacoma Sport 4x4
    2018 TAB 320 Boondock (previous)
    Odessa, Fl.  

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  • Mellow_YellowMellow_Yellow Member Posts: 337
    Confirmed: the cutover from surge brakes to electric brakes occurred just as the "2014" models were shipping (see 'features' below from the 2014 T@B sales brochure. My 2014 was manufactured in Aug 2013, so I squeaked through with surge brakes :smiley:
     It is also noteworthy that the cutover entailed an entirely new frame style, not just the brakes themselves and that the early versions of the newer 'electric brake' frames have shown some structural issues that thankfully have not been seen, that I know of, on the 'surge brake' frames: https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/comment/88271#Comment_88271

    2014 T@B 320 S "Sunny" - 2015 Toyota Sienna LE - British Columbia, Canada
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