Trailer Brakes while parked backwards down hill

[scraggs]

I will try find time to speak to knott technical tomorrow.

Put this to bed hopefully

Although either way blocks won't hurt

[jaime bray]

So how does all this make the brake lights work? Mine don't!!!!! I can tell you its not a bulb as I can see the bulb through the smashed lens. There is definitely power going to them, because when you touch the loose wire it sends a little pulse through the finger of the lad that works for me. I don't touch it... I don't trust electricity, you cant see it coming. Although, the loose wire under the body that can also be used to lift the tipping body can sometimes give off a shock too

[WeFixIt]

!

 

Standard 12v auto electrical circuit won't give you a shock !!

 

Common faults with trailer lights are:

 

1. Bulb blown

2. Bulb loose in fitting

3. Bulb contacts corroded

4. 7 pin plug which plugs in to the towing vehicle - splay the pins slightly to make better contact

5. Connections in the 7 pin plug badly corroded

6. The 7 core cable is damaged between the front and the rear of the trailer

7. Bad earth connection

 

There are more but the should fix most probs

[scraggs]

!

 

Standard 12v auto electrical circuit won't give you a shock !!

 

 

Will if you put your tongue on it

[jaime bray]

!

 

Standard 12v auto electrical circuit won't give you a shock !!

 

Common faults with trailer lights are:

 

1. Bulb blown

2. Bulb loose in fitting

3. Bulb contacts corroded

4. 7 pin plug which plugs in to the towing vehicle - splay the pins slightly to make better contact

5. Connections in the 7 pin plug badly corroded

6. The 7 core cable is damaged between the front and the rear of the trailer

7. Bad earth connection

 

There are more but the should fix most probs

 

Thanks for the reply. I was only joking though. Perhaps should have put a smiley face up.

Was just trying to add some humour to the thread. Failed miserably.... TAXI

Edited February 18, 2015 by jaime bray

[Dean Lofthouse]

No Humour needed Jaime, I hope its not taken the wrong way by anyone. The whole point of this is to point people in the right direction of chocking trailers when parking reverse downhill.

 

It has been suggested that there is no need, but it is vital that trailers are chocked in reverse, whether the brakes work at 150% or 1% it makes no difference. If it comes to a court case you will be to blame 100% if you injure or kill someone because you didn't chock your trailer, there are no doubts there.

 

I spoke to someone at a trailer place yesterday, he wasn't from technical though but did say, the brakes do work in reverse (which we know) but you must nudge the trailer backwards after the handbrake (ratchet type with energy store spring) has been applied, but it must be pulled up to the last notch with the energy store spring compressed fully. If you don't follow the procedure on the ratchet type brake the trailer will run off in reverse as if the handbrake wasn't applied.

 

The over centre type hand brake must be applied to over centre ( which we know) and this type of system doesn't need to be nudged, it will put the brakes on if the auto reverse mechanism is triggered.

 

What he couldn't tell me was if the brake force was equal to forward braking or reduced.

 

He did say however that all trailers, whether caravans, chippers or standard trailers, must be chocked when parked in reverse on a slope and it would be negligent not to do so. All manufacturers require this.

 

He also said that that previous to the introduction of the energy store trailer brakes had extremely poor reverse park braking if any. There has been new shoes/cradles introduced in that last year which are supposed to give near perfect hold but he would not comment on how perfect and emphasised the serviceability and adjustment make a huge difference.

 

So CJ I hold my hands up and apologise for saying there is very little braking effort in reverse.

 

But I don't apologise for recommending nobdy should park their trailer up without chocks

Edited February 18, 2015 by Dean Lofthouse

[C.J]

Imagine this scenario.

 

Its 3.45pm your towing your fully laden trailer up the hill in the middle of your town and the pavements are full of young mothers and schoolchildren.

 

You drive over a raised pedestrian crossing and your trailer comes off the hitch.Fortunately your breakaway cable is attached and activates the handbrake.

 

Will your wheel chocks save any lives ?

 

No,you haven't got time to put them in.

[Stubby]

Imagine this scenario.

 

Its 3.45pm your towing your fully laden trailer up the hill in the middle of your town and the pavements are full of young mothers and schoolchildren.

 

You drive over a raised pedestrian crossing and your trailer comes off the hitch.Fortunately your breakaway cable is attached and activates the handbrake.

 

Will your wheel chocks save any lives ?

 

No,you haven't got time to put them in.

 

But if the breakaway cable is attached its not going anywhere anyway weather the brake gets activated or not . Its when you park it you put the chocks under .

[Dean Lofthouse]

Break away cables were on trailers before auto reverse. They were intended for trailers coming unhitched whilst going forward.

[C.J]

Its called a breakaway cable because it will apply the handbrake and then break.

 

Its is not designed to keep the trailer attached to the towing vehicle.