[AT] Trailer brakes

[charliehill]

Don,  I think it's time for you to invest in a 3/4 or 1 ton 4wd pickup!

Charlie
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Don Bowen" <don.bowen at earthlink.net>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Sunday, December 06, 2009 10:09 AM
Subject: [AT] Trailer brakes


>I know this has been discussed many times here but here goes again.  I 
> had a somewhat harrowing experience yesterday.  The road into this place 
> is a steep graveled quarter mile long.  The top end is very steep with a 
> short shallow section before another steep piece.  My two wheel drive 
> pickup cannot pull the trailer up the hill.  Yesterday as I started down 
> the brakes on the trailer failed.  The trailer pushed me down the hill 
> and about all I could do was pump the brakes, slide, panic as the 30' 
> drop off got closer, let off on the brakes to head for the other bank, 
> rinse and repeat.  I finally got it stopped on the shallow part and 
> called a friend.  We chained his pickup to the back of the trailer and 
> went down very slowly.  It defiantly made the heart beat much faster.  
> It took a good application of Pizza and beer last night to set things in 
> order again.
> 
> I thought the brakes were not working right.  As I applied the brakes 
> they would start to come on then grab then let go then grab again.  I 
> stopped and got the brakes working where they seemed to be ok on the 
> pedal and manual.  That is until I went over the hill when they grabbed 
> then never applied again.  Not even manual worked.  I thought it might 
> be a ground so I hooked some jumper cables between the pickup and 
> trailer but that had no affet.  I am thinking the controller may be bad 
> but I am looking for suggestions on what it could be and how to test.  I 
> am headed for california in a week but the trailer stays here.
> 
> -- 
> Don Bowen           KI6DIU
> http://www.braingarage.com/Dons/Travels/journal/Journal.html
> 
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