Anybody try this w/ e-brake?
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Redding, Ca USA
Anybody try this w/ e-brake?
At work we had some trucks that the front disk brakes would lock up in the snow or ice and to help this out you would push the e-brake down a couple of clicks so the back brakes would engage better or first so the front ones would not lock up. Anybody try that on our trucks when going down long winding hills when towing? Just curious because Sunday we are headed to the coast and there is a six mile hill that is very curvy and long. My brakes start to smell going down it towing my travel trailer which weighs 8200 lbs. Just got the trailer last year and the brakes work good. The old trailer weighed less, so was thinking about this w/ the e-brake.
Think it might work? I just had new brakes put on last year (my truck).
Think it might work? I just had new brakes put on last year (my truck).
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 5,105
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From: western SD
I would say all you would do is make the rear brakes heat up faster. Start off the hill slower, and don't let the speed build up. I.E. start off the hill at 50, and try to keep the speed at 50. Over the road truckers are instructed to come off a hill 1 gear faster than you can pull the same hill. Remember you can come down a hill a 1000 times to slow, it only takes once to fast.
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 8,476
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From: Madison, WI
Automatic or manual transmission?
Just remember, when you apply the parking brake (it's not called an emergency brake anymore; mfr CYA...), if you don't also have your foot on the service brake, you're not applying the trailer brakes at all, so the trailer is still "pushing" the truck. I would agree with the above; you don't want to just have the rear brakes dragging constantly.
Whatever was going on with those work trucks, they should have fixed them rather than "tricking" the brakes that way. Either the rear brakes were not adjusted properly (you can't count on "self" adjusting drum brakes), or there was a proportioning valve failing, or a RABS valve not working right, or possibly even something wrong with the front brakes (I've heard of flex lines to front brakes collapsing, causing the caliper to fail to release). Esp. with work vehicles, that's not something to neglect.
Just remember, when you apply the parking brake (it's not called an emergency brake anymore; mfr CYA...), if you don't also have your foot on the service brake, you're not applying the trailer brakes at all, so the trailer is still "pushing" the truck. I would agree with the above; you don't want to just have the rear brakes dragging constantly.
Whatever was going on with those work trucks, they should have fixed them rather than "tricking" the brakes that way. Either the rear brakes were not adjusted properly (you can't count on "self" adjusting drum brakes), or there was a proportioning valve failing, or a RABS valve not working right, or possibly even something wrong with the front brakes (I've heard of flex lines to front brakes collapsing, causing the caliper to fail to release). Esp. with work vehicles, that's not something to neglect.
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Senior User
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From: Redding, Ca USA
The work trucks are no more....they got about 3-400k on them and they scrapped them...new trucks now. I was just inquiring, I have never done that w/ my own truck. I know to take the hill slow.....maybe 25-30...I think it's like a 6-8% grade and curves like a snake for 6 miles....I don't like it, but got to do it. My truck don't like it either....I will just make sure the trailer brakes are adjusted properly at the controller, don't want them to grab too hard or too soft.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 20,419
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From: AZ
You have to maintain a 'average' safe speed. Too slow and the trucks run you over. Too fast and you over heat your brakes. I have gone down a lot of hills with the 16K camper in my signature and finally two summers ago put disk brakes on. Oh my, they are fantastic!! I kid people now that I can tailgate, LOL.
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Redding, Ca USA
This is a rural hwy...not many big rigs...most people towing are going slow...there are turn-outs to allow cars to pass which we let happen. I would like to upgrade my brakes to disk, but I would like to do other things to my truck before I can do that like e-fuel and a inter-cooler. Plus the trailer is only 1 yr old...so as it gets a little older I might look into a disk brake set up for it.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,756
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From: Nampa, ID
To make a light to medium braking input when towing downhill, I use the brake controller to apply the trailer brakes only. This isn't used to slow down from 75 MPH to 55 MPH or anything like that. I have my speed adjusted by the time I reach the top of the hill. As I descend, I use small braking inputs with the trailer brakes to adjust / maintain a safe speed. Most of the 6% - 8% grades I travel I have been able to maintain 55 MPH to 65 MPH with just the trailer brakes and taking my E4OD out of overdrive.
I rarely gain excessive downhill speed using this method.
I rarely gain excessive downhill speed using this method.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 20,419
Likes: 197
From: AZ
To make a light to medium braking input when towing downhill, I use the brake controller to apply the trailer brakes only. This isn't used to slow down from 75 MPH to 55 MPH or anything like that. I have my speed adjusted by the time I reach the top of the hill. As I descend, I use small braking inputs with the trailer brakes to adjust / maintain a safe speed. Most of the 6% - 8% grades I travel I have been able to maintain 55 MPH to 65 MPH with just the trailer brakes and taking my E4OD out of overdrive.
I rarely gain excessive downhill speed using this method.
I rarely gain excessive downhill speed using this method.
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Redding, Ca USA
Like I said this hill is to curvy to get any kind of speed. Maybe 30 mph if you have a good stopping vehicle. I will just take it slow and pull over in the turn outs if anybody wants around. This is the first trip over there w/ the new heavier trailer so I will be taking it easy.
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