I have a tandem trailer with freebacking brakes and I need to replace
same. My question is should I replace the existing brake set with
freebacking brakes or just a standard brake set?

It sems to me that I had a lot of problems with my brakes sticking
this season and I'm wondering if it has been due to having
freebacking brakes? Do they tend to stick and jam more than standard
brakes?

TIA

John C.

John Chaplain wrote:
I have a tandem trailer with freebacking brakes and I need to replace
same. My question is should I replace the existing brake set with
freebacking brakes or just a standard brake set?

It sems to me that I had a lot of problems with my brakes sticking
this season and I'm wondering if it has been due to having
freebacking brakes? Do they tend to stick and jam more than standard
brakes?

TIA

John C.

Hydraulic trailer brakes require a properly maintained and adjusted
backup solenoid circuit to disable trailer brakes while backing.
This works off the reverse gear lamp circuit.

If working good, no problems.

Else, problems.

Terry K

Terry Spragg wrote:
John Chaplain wrote:

I have a tandem trailer with freebacking brakes and I need to replace
same. My question is should I replace the existing brake set with
freebacking brakes or just a standard brake set?

It sems to me that I had a lot of problems with my brakes sticking
this season and I'm wondering if it has been due to having
freebacking brakes? Do they tend to stick and jam more than standard
brakes?

TIA
John C.


Hydraulic trailer brakes require a properly maintained and adjusted
backup solenoid circuit to disable trailer brakes while backing. This
works off the reverse gear lamp circuit.

If working good, no problems.

Else, problems.

Terry K

Can't you just jump out of the tow vehicle and flip a little
lever/switch on the coupler to de-activate the brakes for backing up?

On Wed, 26 Oct 2005 15:54:52 GMT, Don White
wrote:

Terry Spragg wrote:
John Chaplain wrote:

I have a tandem trailer with freebacking brakes and I need to replace
same. My question is should I replace the existing brake set with
freebacking brakes or just a standard brake set?

It sems to me that I had a lot of problems with my brakes sticking
this season and I'm wondering if it has been due to having
freebacking brakes? Do they tend to stick and jam more than standard
brakes?

TIA
John C.


Hydraulic trailer brakes require a properly maintained and adjusted
backup solenoid circuit to disable trailer brakes while backing. This
works off the reverse gear lamp circuit.

If working good, no problems.

Else, problems.

Terry K

Can't you just jump out of the tow vehicle and flip a little
lever/switch on the coupler to de-activate the brakes for backing up?

There is no lockout ( electrical ) for the hydaulic brakes on my
trailer. There is a pin that I can pull that will cause the hydraulic
cylider to not actuate, so that's fine.
But, the trailer also has free backing brakes. These are a special
kind of brake shoe system that allows one of the the brake shoes to
pull back out of position when backing up.

The problem is that my brakes tended to lock up a lot this season.
I think I need to add a flush kit because I'm doing all salt water
boating and I also need to replace the brake shoes. But back to my
question, should I go with standard or freebacking replacement shoes?
Has anyone noticed that freebacking brakes tend to lock up more than
standard?

John C.

John Chaplain wrote:
On Wed, 26 Oct 2005 15:54:52 GMT, Don White
wrote:


Terry Spragg wrote:

John Chaplain wrote:


I have a tandem trailer with freebacking brakes and I need to replace
same. My question is should I replace the existing brake set with
freebacking brakes or just a standard brake set?

It sems to me that I had a lot of problems with my brakes sticking
this season and I'm wondering if it has been due to having
freebacking brakes? Do they tend to stick and jam more than standard
brakes?

TIA
John C.


Hydraulic trailer brakes require a properly maintained and adjusted
backup solenoid circuit to disable trailer brakes while backing. This
works off the reverse gear lamp circuit.

If working good, no problems.

Else, problems.

Terry K


Can't you just jump out of the tow vehicle and flip a little
lever/switch on the coupler to de-activate the brakes for backing up?


There is no lockout ( electrical ) for the hydaulic brakes on my
trailer. There is a pin that I can pull that will cause the hydraulic
cylider to not actuate, so that's fine.
But, the trailer also has free backing brakes. These are a special
kind of brake shoe system that allows one of the the brake shoes to
pull back out of position when backing up.

The problem is that my brakes tended to lock up a lot this season.
I think I need to add a flush kit because I'm doing all salt water
boating and I also need to replace the brake shoes. But back to my
question, should I go with standard or freebacking replacement shoes?
Has anyone noticed that freebacking brakes tend to lock up more than
standard?

John C.


I was convinced that the s/s disc brake conversion kit would be the way
to go. see...
http://www.championtrailers.com/tech...hnical_support

I was convinced that the s/s disc brake conversion kit would be the way
to go. see...
http://www.championtrailers.com/tech...hnical_support

Yeah but....
I wanted to do it cheaply. A stainless disc brake conversion would
probably run me 700 bucks or so.

I don't have to tow it very far usually so I'm looking at replacing
the drum brake assy and wheel cylinders for about 150 bucks total
parts cost from Southwestwheel.com

Don White wrote:

Terry Spragg wrote:

John Chaplain wrote:

I have a tandem trailer with freebacking brakes and I need to replace
same. My question is should I replace the existing brake set with
freebacking brakes or just a standard brake set?

It sems to me that I had a lot of problems with my brakes sticking
this season and I'm wondering if it has been due to having
freebacking brakes? Do they tend to stick and jam more than standard
brakes?

TIA
John C.



Hydraulic trailer brakes require a properly maintained and adjusted
backup solenoid circuit to disable trailer brakes while backing. This
works off the reverse gear lamp circuit.

If working good, no problems.

Else, problems.

Terry K

Can't you just jump out of the tow vehicle and flip a little
lever/switch on the coupler to de-activate the brakes for backing up?

That would be one option, more likely on older systems, too easy to
forget to reactivate after loading but before leaving for the
highway. I would much prefer a properly maintained idiot proof system.

Terry K

"Terry Spragg" wrote in message
news:dKKdncsDu7Fko_3eRVn-

That would be one option, more likely on older systems, too easy to forget
to reactivate after loading but before leaving for the highway. I would
much prefer a properly maintained idiot proof system.

Terry K


"properly maintained, idiot proof system" - isn't that a contradiction ;-)

Peter HK

Peter HK wrote:
"Terry Spragg" wrote in message
news:dKKdncsDu7Fko_3eRVn-


That would be one option, more likely on older systems, too easy to forget
to reactivate after loading but before leaving for the highway. I would
much prefer a properly maintained idiot proof system.

Terry K



"properly maintained, idiot proof system" - isn't that a contradiction ;-)

Peter HK



Yes it is, no it isn't, the easy way is the hard way, the hard way
is the easy way.

Everything is relative. Newer, modern systems are more complex,
easier to use, harder to understand and fix. In this world, why do
basements not float? Why do skidoos sink?

Less is more, more is less, we do not own our possessions, they own
us. We do not own the universe, the universe owns us, body and soul.

The natural state of the universe is fullness of light in the mind
of God. It is only our intelligent nature, ignorance and bold
foolishness that permits the existence of darkness. In reality,
darkness cannot exist. Nature hates a vacuum. Logic hates a vacuum.
Only relative values can make any sense.

Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread, and when they get where
they were going, find the place full of idiots. So, where do angels
go? -Nowhere, you must seek them out in their homes.

An honest fool knows he is a fool, everyone else are idiots, lying
to themselves.

The cages at the zoo are to keep the idiots out.

We are all of you and all of me, and at our core we are all the
same, us. It is only our circumstances, the luck of the draw, that
make us different, defects and all.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

Pray for enlightenment. Hug a tree. The best you can hope for is to
be one, like me.

Terry K

"I came here for an argument. What you offer is purely
contradiction." -Monty Python, et al.