Trailer Brakes; Safety Chains - Chevrolet 2005 SSR Pickup Owner's Manual

4. Reinstall the housing cover.

Safety Chains

You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer to help prevent the tongue from
contacting the road if it becomes separated from the
hitch. Instructions about safety chains may be provided
by the hitch manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer.
Follow the manufacturer's recommendation for attaching
safety chains and do not attach them to the bumper.
Always leave just enough slack so you can turn with your
rig. Never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.

Trailer Brakes

If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs (450 kg)
loaded, then it needs its own brakes — and they must
be adequate. Be sure to read and follow the instructions
for the trailer brakes so you'll be able to install, adjust
and maintain them properly.
Your trailer's brake system can tap into the vehicle's
hydraulic brake system only if:
•
The trailer parts can withstand
3,000 psi (20 650 kPa) of pressure.
•
The trailer's brake system will use less than
0.02 cubic inch (0.3 cc) of fluid from your
vehicle's master cylinder. Otherwise, both
braking systems won't work well. You could
even lose your brakes.
If everything checks out this far, then make the
brake fluid tap at the port on the master cylinder that
sends fluid to the rear brakes. But don't use copper
tubing for this. If you do, it will bend and finally break
off. Use steel brake tubing.
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