Because pop-up campers are basically small trailers, a lot of people don’t know if they need brakes or if they even come with brakes already installed.
With safety in mind, you might be asking, “Do pop-up campers have brakes?” Let’s find out.
Do Pop-Up Campers Have Brakes?
Some pop-up campers come with brakes while others don’t. This depends on the manufacturer.
Because pop-up campers are smaller trailers, some manufacturers don’t think about designing them with brakes. So, this is something you need to refer to your camper’s manufacturer about.
However, don’t worry if your pop-up camper didn’t come with brakes. You can install brakes on it yourself or with the help of a professional.
How to Know If My Pop-up Camper Has Brakes?
There are two ways to find out whether your pop-up camper has brakes or not. You can call the manufacturer and check if it already comes with brakes.
If this isn’t applicable, you can check it yourself. Simply check the tongue of your pop-up camper and see if there’s a looped cable coming out of a box on its side.
This looped cable or wire—usually blue—is the brake switch that’s connected to the frame of the towing vehicle. This cable is what activates your pop-up camper’s braking system.
If you can find this cable, then your camper already has brakes. If you can’t, you need to install your own brakes.
Do I Need to Install Brakes on My Pop-up Camper?
The answer to this question depends on the braked and unbraked towing capacity of your vehicle. The unbraked towing capacity of your towing vehicle is the maximum weight it can safely and legally tow while having no brakes on your camper.
In most areas, the legal unbraked towing capacity is around 1,653 lbs (750 kg). It’s different from one state to another, though. So, it’s important to check the towing regulations in your area.
On the other hand, the braked towing capacity of your vehicle is the maximum weight it can safely and legally tow while having brakes on your camper.
If your vehicle unbraked towing capacity allows you to tow your pop-up camper safely, then you’re not required to install brakes to your camper. Otherwise, it’s necessary to install either hydraulic or electric brakes on your camper.
How to Know the Towing Capacity of My Vehicle?
To know the towing capacity of your vehicle, you need to understand the following terms:
Towing Capacity
The towing capacity of your vehicle is the maximum weight your vehicle can pull safely.
If you exceed the towing capacity, your trailer might swing causing you to lose control over your vehicle.
So, for safety purposes, as well as legal purposes, it’s important to calculate your vehicle’s towing capacity.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
This is the maximum weight your vehicle can withstand while sitting still. Your towing vehicle and pop-up camper each have their own GVWR. You shouldn’t overload any of them, even separately.
The towing capacity of your vehicle and its GVWR isn’t the same. The maximum weight of the frame your vehicle can withstand while being pushed down is totally different from the total weight it can withstand pulling a camper horizontally.
Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating
The gross combined vehicle weight rating is the total of the GVWR of both your towing vehicle and camper. It’s the maximum weight your towing vehicle and camper can safely weigh while being fully loaded.
Curb Weight
The curb weight of your vehicle is its total weight with all the fluids it requires to function, such as a full tank of gas.
The cargo weight and passengers’ weight aren’t included in the calculation of the curb weight.
Cargo Weight or Payload
The cargo weight is the total weight of everything you put in your vehicle. It’s the total weight of passengers, food, accessories, liquids, etc.
You need to calculate the cargo weight of both your towing vehicle and pop-up camper.
Dry Weight
This is the weight of your trailer or camper as shipped from the manufacturer. This doesn’t include cargo, passengers, dealer installed options, or any accessories.
Hitch or Tongue Weight
This is the weight or the pressure your camper or trailer applies from its tongue to the hitch of your towing vehicle.
Calculating Your Vehicle’s Towing Capacity
Your towing capacity refers to the braked towing capacity of your vehicle. The simplest way to calculate it is to subtract the curb weight of your vehicle from the gross combined vehicle weight rating (GCVWR). You can also use an online towing capacity calculator.
Some towing capacity calculators require you to input all the above-mentioned weights. Others might only ask for the year, make, and model of your towing vehicle. Some calculators also use different calculating methods than others. Check them out for yourself and see which one works best for you.
I recommend you use a calculator that requires the most inputs to ensure a detailed answer on whether or not you can tow your trailer.
Do I Need to Install a Brake Controller to My Pop-up Camper?
A brake controller is an electronic device that you install on your camper. It regulates the job of the electric brakes of your trailer or pop-up camper.
This means that it’s only necessary when you’re using electric brakes for your camper. When you brake your towing vehicle, the brake controller activates the electric brakes of your camper.
Without a brake controller, electric brakes won’t be activated. However, if your pop-up camper is equipped with surge brakes, then you don’t need brake controllers.
Surge brakes or hydraulic brakes use the weight and the momentum of the pop-up camper to actuate its brakes.
The Wrap-Up
Not all pop-up campers come equipped with brakes. You might not even need brakes on your pop-up camper if it’s a tiny one. If it’s on the heavy side, though, you may need to install brakes.
Don’t forget to calculate the towing capacity of your vehicle to know if it can tow your pop-up camper safely or not.
As a general rule, it’s always better to have brakes on your camper as this gives you better control and ensures your safety. It’s certainly worth it to spend the extra dollars on getting and installing brakes to your pop-up camper.