1999 Jayco Heritage Glacier Questions

[jgelety]

Hi new to the board and had a couple questions that Ive been unable to find including in the manual. I received this trailer used and have done some repairs to it and some that are still needed like replacing the roof cables. But since this was an abandoned trailer which I had to get titled through the courts the prior owner obviously is not known to answer any questions.

I have a 1999 Heritage Glacier 1004. My trailer has LP, a furnace, frig and water tank. It does not have an A/C or toilet. Listed below are a couple of the questions I had.

1) What type of brakes would this trailer have? Im assuming surge brakes due to its size but does it even have any? It has the Jayco 5 pin plug with a pigtail that converts it down to the typical 3 pin plug to hook up to the vehicle. I know that's for lights only so Ill assume it does not have electric brakes.

2) What is the actual weight of the trailer empty including no water? Ive read several places that it is approx 1800 lbs. The sticker that lists all the info like VIN, weight etc is badly scratched. But it looks like it says that the GVWR is 2700 lbs. I assume if Im reading the sticker correct that the 2700 lbs is probably the correct one? And if so does that weight assume the fresh water tank is filled or empty?

3) My vehicle has a tow capacity of 3800 lbs. Would I benefit from sway bars? Or would it not be needed since the trailer is 1100 lbs under (assuming the 2700 GVWR is correct)?

[Matt Chapter]

If it has brakes, they would be surge brakes. Surge brakes require a master cylinder on the tongue to operate, so if there isn't one, it may not have any brakes at all. It sounds pretty small so may not require brakes. Relatedly, it sounds like your tow vehicle can handle towing it with plenty of margin. I'm much closer to the edge with my 4Runner tow capacity being around 3500 pounds and the trailer GVWR 3500ish. Gross Vehicle Weight Rating is, IIRC, the maximum load of the trailer with gear and water, etc. The best way to know for sure, although it's a bit of a hassle, is to weigh your tow vehicle and then the tow vehicle + trailer at a weigh station. They can be found at some truck stops, among other places. I haven't done this yet but I'm extremely curious to see what I find. Sway bars in this case are probably an added safety measure. I would say it depends on how the trailer tows behind your vehilce. If it feels smooth and safe, they're probably not necessary.