I have a car hauler that I’ve had for years. The trailer brakes work on this trailer, but is locked in stop and I can’t figure out what to do. Any suggestions? Thank you.
Car hauler brakes
Kawliga
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What type of brakes? Hydraulic or electric?
This Gravely tractor ended up at a scrap yard,, the brakes were locked up.
![Image]()
Over time, without use, the brake drums rust, and the rust swells and jams against the brake shoes.
The only solution is a LOT of banging,, or cut off the brake drums.
I lucked out, banging got my brake drums off,,
![Image]()
Over time, without use, the brake drums rust, and the rust swells and jams against the brake shoes.
The only solution is a LOT of banging,, or cut off the brake drums.
I lucked out, banging got my brake drums off,,
What do you mean (in detail) by "The trailer brakes work"?
Also, drum or disc? Yes, more information and pictures would help. Meanwhile...
Be sure the actuating force is off, jack up each wheel individually and if drum, tap on the outside in case the shoes are rusted to the drums and the vibration breaks the bond. Try to determine if the problem is actually the brakes, or maybe the bearings are rusted and frozen. Report back about your findings and with more information.
I had a small single axle trailer with drum brakes and the pads were stuck to the drums on one side. It had been sitting for years before I got it. I didn't want to cut up the backing plate for access but didn't care about the shoes. I just wanted it to roll without digging a trench. I tried a bunch of things, such as putting 2k of weight on it and dragging it onto a paved road...nothing, just skidded, then putting pb blast fluid between backing plate and drum for several days and then beat on it...no luck.
**Possible bad advice**
What worked for me was to hook up the trailer to something stationary, wrap a chain a couple times around the circumference of the stuck tire, then use my 30hp tractor to give a few tugs on the free end of the chain in opposite direction, it took a couple tries and had to rewrap the chain a couple times. This had the effect of forcing the tire to turn with some leverage. Could use a tow strap instead of chain, and make sure your trailer is sturdy enough to withstand this.
**Possible bad advice**
What worked for me was to hook up the trailer to something stationary, wrap a chain a couple times around the circumference of the stuck tire, then use my 30hp tractor to give a few tugs on the free end of the chain in opposite direction, it took a couple tries and had to rewrap the chain a couple times. This had the effect of forcing the tire to turn with some leverage. Could use a tow strap instead of chain, and make sure your trailer is sturdy enough to withstand this.
With automobile-type brakes, backing off the adjusting star wheel will give more freeplay and should release some of the pressure, but won't break any adhesion from rust. Squirting phosphoric, citric or oxalic solutions in will slowly eat away rust, but not the metal. Then, waiting is unfortunately necessary. Repeating the spraying helps.
Now I'm wondering if "locked in stop" means the electric brakes are activated all the time when attached to the vehicle, and disconnected off the vehicle it rolls just fine? That'd be a wiring fault or something miswired. Also check the pinouts at the hitch and trailer, make sure they correspond. I think some vehicles and/or trailers themselves have a different six pin layout even with same physical connector.
I had a different trailer, brand new, with a stray wire strand touching another terminal inside the trailer connector, and somehow cause full 100% braking activation whenever applying the vehicle brakes, regardless of the gain on brake controller....that was real fun driving it home. I think what it was, was a stray wire strand for the trailer brake light was contacting the terminal for trailer brakes. Just sloppy wiring from the factory and an easy fix.
I had a different trailer, brand new, with a stray wire strand touching another terminal inside the trailer connector, and somehow cause full 100% braking activation whenever applying the vehicle brakes, regardless of the gain on brake controller....that was real fun driving it home. I think what it was, was a stray wire strand for the trailer brake light was contacting the terminal for trailer brakes. Just sloppy wiring from the factory and an easy fix.
Yes, I noticed when I posted a short while ago that the OP hasn't been back since his first message.
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Yup. It's only been 19hrs. Probably at work.
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Did he unhitch yesterday and pop the break-away switch? Done that to some boat guys that pizzed me off in parking lots by taking up the wrong spots. Idiots were stuck there for hours.
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LOL! It's the little things in life. :laugh:
Maybe. I wasn't faulting him yet; just wondering if he'd be back or be one of the one-post-wonders who expected a three page detailed procedure to be posted within five minutes by an expert here who could read his mind remotely. And hopefully not crushed or stuck under the trailer.
FWIW, I am usually working but am never "at work" anymore.
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Thats just mean. Very funny but mean. Also the first thing I would check for with locked brakes. Another thing Ive seen is non standard wiring causing electric brakes to lock up. I borrowed a skid steer and trailer but the trailer was wired so that brakes locked up when connected to my truck. I thought it was for theft prevention. Transported it without brakes and lights.
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If someone ticked me off enough that I felt inclined to screw with their boat trailer, I'd probably take it too far. Cut the tongue of the trailer or lower the tongue onto blocks, take the trailer jack off, then knock it off the blocks... that sorta thing.
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If it is a 6 pin it is almost surely because the brake signal and power are flip flopped. They are often wired both ways and plugged in with either the vehicle or trailer done opposite to each other it will apply the brakes. One or the other must be fixed so they match.
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