greenmech 15 23

[jase8519]

Can anyone help. Yesterday turned up at a job to find that one of the wheels on my chipper was smoking and very hot. The compensator rod was bent so I guess this is what applied the brake . Also the draw bar brake hitch was and still is jammed fully in and has no movement at all.

 

I have slackened the brake cables off so the wheels run freely but as said the hitch is solid . I can and have towed this back to the yard but does any one know the best way to free it off ?. Does any one know if they have a lock on them to stop it moving when reversing so as not to apply the brake ??? . Cheers J.

[dig-dug-dan]

Sounds like the shaft inside the coupling has been bent. This can happen when reversing too sharply, or jacknifing. Therefore once you brake, the shaft jams jnside and wont release the brakes.

what coupling is it? Knott , avonride ? It can be expensive to repair

[PeteB]

Sorry, just seen this....As stated, they have been known to sieze both on and off. Lack of grease, incorrect adjustment are the main reasons for it. You did right to slacken off the brakes to get her home and I would recommend that you repack the bearings with fresh grease too. As the chipper is in the sub 750kg class, it isn't unreasonable to run about without the brakes and the constant working of the towset may help to free it off to be honest.