Hi all,
I'm new to the group and I bought a MacGregor 19 last year. It had been standing for 9 years so I trailered boat and trailer on a car transporter trailer to get it home, as I've owned a trailer sailor before and I'm aware of the issues with brakes and wheel bearings.
I've been cleaning it up over the winter and considering my trailer options. It's on the original trailer with the American hydraulic brake coupling, although the brake pipes and brakes have rusted away so it's unbraked. I'm weighing up whether to leave it as it is (the wheel bearings are all good and I've cleaned them out and repacked them with marine wheel bearing grease).
Does anyone tow an American 2" trailer coupling with a 50mm European spec towball? According to the coupling user manual, it can be adjusted to a 50mm towball and it does seem well locked onto mine, but some forums I've read advise against it. The trailer must have been towed this way by its previous UK owners.
One option I'm considering is replacing the original American braking system with a new American hydraulic coupling, pipes and galvanised hydraulic drum trailer brakes. Even with shipping costs, it's cheaper than converting the whole thing to UK spec trailer brakes which requires a new axle, drums, coupling, cables etc. But obviously it's not worth saving the money if it's not going to be 100% safe. Or does anyone tow a M19 unbraked without issues?
I'd appreciate members' thoughts on this - I'm sure some of you must have had to make similar decisions!
Thanks,
Adrian
Hi Adrian
An interesting problem! To answer your last question first, any trailer with a gross weight over 750kg must be braked, so you need a braking system.
I haven't heard of a 2" coupling adjustable to 50mm, but I guess it could work. Otherwise it doesn't fit properly and there is a real risk of the coupling coming off while towing - i.e. not safe! You should be able to see if there is an adjustment mechanism.
I'm not sure that American hydraulic braking systems are actually legal here at all, although there are obviously trailers on the road fitted with them. Part of the issue is the breakaway safety system. On UK systems the breakaway cable applies the handbrake, which is spring-loaded to hold itself on once activated. I believe UK law says this system must be directly mechanical, not hydraulic.
New UK axle, brakes, and coupling is the safest way to go, but as you say not especially cheap.
It might be worth looking for a complete second-hand trailer. Quentin found an excellent break-back one for his 19, see his post here: https://macgregorowners.org.uk/comment/10174#comment-10174.
Rick Jones (Treasurer), former 26X & 19 owner, Isle of Wight
Hi Adrian,
I towed my M19 with the original American hydraulic system for years without a hitch (pardon the pun but too tempting to miss!). I really liked it, much smoother breaking than the cable operated uk systems, and it was very reliable for many years. Mine had a breakaway system that applied the breaks via a little lever on top of the hitch unit.
Lots of people told me it was illegal to have hydraulic breaks and I spent hours and hours researching and could find nothing that said this anywhere on the gov site or any of the popular towing sites. Hydraulic systems are available in the UK but tend to be for heavier trailers than the M19.
I did eventually refit all my running gear with uk cable operated kit. I only did this, though, because of the hassle of sourcing parts. I particularly fancied a disc brake system because of the ease of washing it out but have ended up with a very standard drum braked setup.
Good luck with whatever you settle on,
David
Well I've just been reading through The Construction and Use regulations. I could just possibly be a little wiser, but I doubt it!!
One of the problems with some of the American trailers is that the braking was electrically applied reliant on the electrical system of the towing vehicle. We can't use these. In effect the brakes must be applied by independent force at the tow hitch with its own handbrake, and with the ability to brake on overrun if detached from the tow ball. I can't see that it matters if the linkage within the trailer is via a sealed hydraulic system, we just don't seem to do it in UK or Europe.
If I can be bothered the Caravan club is a good source of info. or the RYA ofcourse.
Jonathan
When MacGregors were still being built and there was a sales agent over here, new imports were routed via Mersea Trailers who modified the trailers to make them legal for UK roads. Sorry, I can't remember what the mods were but it might have been to do with brakes.
Simon Armitage.