RickS Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Well happy that I have such good brakes on the Volvo! The four air disk saved the the day in the rocky mountains this past weekend. Here is a picture of what I found on my Dexter electric over hydraulic trailer brakes....... . Lost all trailer brakes when this line broke. Rick & Carey,Excel W41GKE Wild Cargo Toyhauler Volvo 730, D13, I-shift, 500/1850Brabus Smart Car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSeas Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Another terrific reason to have the safety of a HDT...things can brake and it's nice to have the "extra" that our HDT's afford us. Sorry it happened but glad you and your family are safe! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Hey Scott! I was surprised how hard I had to lean on the truck brakes to stop the 21K behind me. If this failure would have happened with my 1-ton dually I would have been in a lot of trouble and don't believe I could of avoided a serious accident. Rick & Carey,Excel W41GKE Wild Cargo Toyhauler Volvo 730, D13, I-shift, 500/1850Brabus Smart Car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyCooter Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Well that's not good, but at least there wasn't an unhappy story running on the news! 1999 Peterbilt 385 C12 430/1650 13spd 2006 Dodge 3500 DRW 4x4 2010 Hitchhiker Champagne 36 LKRSB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERO Maker Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Glad you're ok. I know the feeling in the same area a few years ago. HDTs Rock! Rocky & Sheri Rhoades '01 Volvo 770 2016 DRV Mobile Suites, HoustonHERO Makers Ministry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSeas Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 After my first "white knuckle " stop with no trailer brakes pushing my LGT into the intersection I was given the "blessing" by my DW to get the HDT. Haven't regretted it and I feel a lot safer carting around my " precious" cargo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spindrift Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Any idea what caused the failure of the line? 2012 F350 KR CC DRW w/ some stuff 2019 Arctic Fox 32-5MCindy and Tom, Kasey and Maggie (our Newfie and Berner) Oh...I forgot the five kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noteven Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Hi RickS - glad you guys are ok. "Are we there yet?" asked no motorcycle rider, ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Mayer Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 I have my trailer plumbed with redundant brake systems. The front axle (with Dexter discs) is on a single BluDot actuator. The two rear axles are on a separate BluDot Actuator. All driven from the truck air. I've had "no brakes" in the mountains before. HDT or not, it will give you "pause". Glad it turned out OK. Jack & Danielle Mayer #60376 Lifetime Member Living on the road since 2000PLEASE no PM's. Email me. jackdanmayer AT gmail 2016 DRV Houston 44' 5er (we still have it) 2022 New Horizons 43' 5er 2016 Itasca 27N 28' motorhome 2019 Volvo 860, D13 455/1850, 236" wb, I-Shift, battery-based APU No truck at the moment - we use one of our demo units 2016 smart Passion, piggyback on the truck -------------------------------------------------------------------------See our website for info on New Horizons 5th wheels, HDTs as tow vehicles, communications on the road, and use of solar powerwww.jackdanmayer.com Principal in RVH Lifestyles. RVH-Lifestyles.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VegasFlyer Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 I have my trailer plumbed with redundant brake systems. The front axle (with Dexter discs) is on a single BluDot actuator. The two rear axles are on a separate BluDot Actuator. All driven from the truck air. I've had "no brakes" in the mountains before. HDT or not, it will give you "pause". Glad it turned out OK. That is a great example of a little planning paying off major dividends. Although the following would not apply in the OP's case, for nearly everyone else, having that second drive axle set of brakes, that they paid to have removed, might just sound like a good idea in the heat of the no trailer brake battle.... Just Sayin..... John Southern Nevada 2008 Volvo 780, D13, I-Shift 2017 Keystone Fuzion 420 Toyhauler 2017 Can-Am Maverick X3-RS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Any idea what caused the failure of the line? I have no idea why it failed....but, the bend of the line may have been done incorrectly from the factory. There are six of the same pieces in this system. I have my trailer plumbed with redundant brake systems. The front axle (with Dexter discs) is on a single BluDot actuator. The two rear axles are on a separate BluDot Actuator. All driven from the truck air. I've had "no brakes" in the mountains before. HDT or not, it will give you "pause". Glad it turned out OK. I am surprised that there is not some type of valving system that could be done to only have maybe one axle or 1 caliper fail when something like this happens. That is a great example of a little planning paying off major dividends. Although the following would not apply in the OP's case, for nearly everyone else, having that second drive axle set of brakes, that they paid to have removed, might just sound like a good idea in the heat of the no trailer brake battle.... Just Sayin..... I feel that planning and spec'ing my single axle truck with the best (4-way air disks) brakes payed off in spades. The full on engine brake and service brakes did there job. Even though I had to really press on the brakes to get everything stopped it was very much in control. The incident that happened to me here is the second time in the last 15 years that I've had a trailer brake issue. I wouldn't change a thing and tandem axle trucks here in Alberta require different licensing that is a consideration when going the HDT route. That is one reason that when asked many times in my travels if that truck is big enough I always reply...."It is now". Rick & Carey,Excel W41GKE Wild Cargo Toyhauler Volvo 730, D13, I-shift, 500/1850Brabus Smart Car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Glad you're ok. I know the feeling in the same area a few years ago. HDTs Rock! Any idea what caused the failure of the line? Thanks guys...... Rick & Carey,Excel W41GKE Wild Cargo Toyhauler Volvo 730, D13, I-shift, 500/1850Brabus Smart Car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Hi RickS - glad you guys are ok. Thanks Rick & Carey,Excel W41GKE Wild Cargo Toyhauler Volvo 730, D13, I-shift, 500/1850Brabus Smart Car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyates007 Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Rick glad you and your big black truck are ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dollytrolley Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 That is one reason that when asked many times in my travels if that truck is big enough I always reply...."It is now". This spring we shoe-horned the ole Freightshaker into the Thunderbird mini-mart for $2.45 diesel in Fallon NV when a younger chap wondered from is jacked-up Ram 3500 LGT to our rig and walked around it with a grin and then said " so......do you think your truck is big enough.....my RAM has 800 ft pounds of Tq......... It was obvious that this guy was not wanting to listen to any merits of a HDT so I replied " well my wife is a very strong-willed lady.... and she says that this Class 8 truck is just the right size so........I can't have a bigger truck right now......he trotted back to his LGT..........(with tiny brakes........). You know it's sorta odd that many of the super-pickup owners can tell you how much torque they have but have no clue how far it takes to stop the RV after descending 4 miles of 7% grade with hot brakes that you can likely smell in the cab with the windows closed and the A/C on max.......The answer ..........maybe it will take a long distance ........or........maybe it will NOT stop......... RickS........your HDT paid for itself in ONE stop when your trailer brakes failed..........You will never have ANY investment pay that good ......Ever...... Drive on...........( with plenty of HDT reserve brakes.....) 97 Freightshaker Century Cummins M11-370 / 1350 /10 spd / 3:08 /tandem/ 20ft Garage/ 30 ft Curtis Dune toybox with a removable horse-haul-module to transport Dolly-The-Painthorse to horse camps and trail heads all over the Western U S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyCooter Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 I find it interesting how hard an exhaust brake sale is to most of the people I talk to even though their trip in here is for a full brake job sometimes costing $2K! I ask them how it was that the brakes got so hot that it melted the calipers, wheel seals, and brake hoses when they reply they have a huge 40+ foot toy hauler and tow it in the western states. The decline and tell me they would let me know if they felt the need in the future...... The Pacbrake was the only reason we were able to get by with the LDT for all this time, but that is minimal help in a panic stop. 1999 Peterbilt 385 C12 430/1650 13spd 2006 Dodge 3500 DRW 4x4 2010 Hitchhiker Champagne 36 LKRSB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maveric Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 I had a Jacob's exhaust brake on my Dodge when I bought it, and didn't think I would use it much. I actually wore it out, and replaced it with a BD. I have decided that I will never own another diesel without one. It saved me numerous times, and just made pulling a trailer better. I had over 100k miles on my last set of brakes before I got rid of the truck. Only thing I have found that makes towing a trailer more enjoyable is a truck that doesn't even know it is back there. Chris & Tonya '99 Freightliner FLD120, '01 Wabash Toyhauler (32' garage, 20' LQ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alie&Jim's Carrilite Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 1 panic stop with the trailer trying to run over you is all it takes to convince most wives of the need for a bigger truck. For Shees and grins, I have unplugged the RV and rolled down a nice straight road with little traffic and found out just how far/long the truck brakes take to stop us. (without reorganizing the cabinets). It was further than with trailer brakes, but I never felt like I was being pushed or that I couldn't steer without jake-knifing. Our story is that we literally drove thru a wreck as it was happening around us at 65mph. The Dodge dually at the time, with PAC brake, pulled fine, but wouldn't stop. A car merged onto I20 outside of Columbia SC, and decided to swerve from shoulder to shoulder before barrel rolling around us, then over the wire barrier into oncoming traffic. Everything performed as it was designed to..... the PacBrake slowed us, the truck brakes went into anti-lock, the trailer brakes locked up, and the momentum of the RV pushed us down the highway. It's the only time that I can recall that I felt if I turned the wheel, the trailer was going to roll over us. That was in September 2014, bought the flamin' Volvo in November... Sorry to HiJack the thread! Alie & Jim + 8 paws 2017 DRV Memphis BART- 1998 Volvo 610 Lil'ole 6cyl Cummins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darryl&Rita Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 I'm only using the phone, but what I can see of the photo suggests metal fatigue due to vibration. I'd be looking at the other lines real close, paying attention to clamps in particular. I have been wrong before, I'll probably be wrong again. 2000 Kenworth T 2000 w/N-14 and 10 speed Gen1 Autoshift, deck built by Star Fabrication 2006 smart fourtwo cdi cabriolet 2007 32.5' Fleetwood QuantumPlease e-mail us here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERO Maker Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Vibration is what caused 3 of my lines to crack at the connections. Strapped the lines down better along the axles and vibrations aren't there anymore. Lock those lines in place so the natural up and down doesn't have an impact on the connection points. Rocky & Sheri Rhoades '01 Volvo 770 2016 DRV Mobile Suites, HoustonHERO Makers Ministry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Darryl......I do agree with you. One end of the line goes into a T-block that rests on top of the axle. The others that I checked under the trailer were firm against the axles. This one had a clamp much further away from the T block than the other lines. I added another clamp closer to the t-block to prevent any possible vibration at the block that may of caused this failure. Rick & Carey,Excel W41GKE Wild Cargo Toyhauler Volvo 730, D13, I-shift, 500/1850Brabus Smart Car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyretired Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 2 of our friends caught their PU brakes on fire coming down from Grand Mesa. Neither had exhaust brakes. We went back and retrieved their rigs. We only touched the service brakes 3 or 4 times over 40 miles. To pull in the mountains without some form of engine brake is not a gamble I will take. I have seen the mess when trailer brakes fail on a LDT. A friends trailer plug failed and he was on a small to medium down hill. He managed to get stopped but it took a long time. Fried the trucks brakes. Even the antilock sensor wire insulation was burned. Expensive fix but luckily no one was hurt. Randy 2001 Volvo VNL 42 Cummins ISX Autoshift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Refuzn-To-Grow-Up Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Rick: I am happy to hear that you are OK. Looking forward to seeing you again at the next WC-HDT Rally. Does your Volvo have a three speed Jake brake? I came down the El Cajon pass (southbound) with no trailer brakes (the umbilical cable to the trailer had vibrated loose from the truck). I was on first speed jake with the cruise set to come on at 45mph. I never touched my service brakes. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the El Cajon, I call it the widow maker. It is long, steep and has several turns. The truckers who do not adhere to the 45mph descent speed will burn up their brakes and end up in the sand traps (run away truck ramps). If I had been in the Ford F550 (with its worthless engine brake), I would have been in the sand traps, looking for a place to hide my soiled shorts before the Highway Patrol showed up to have me towed out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Rick: I am happy to hear that you are OK. Looking forward to seeing you again at the next WC-HDT Rally. Does your Volvo have a three speed Jake brake? I came down the El Cajon pass (southbound) with no trailer brakes (the umbilical cable to the trailer had vibrated loose from the truck). I was on first speed jake with the cruise set to come on at 45mph. I never touched my service brakes. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the El Cajon, I call it the widow maker. It is long, steep and has several turns. The truckers who do not adhere to the 45mph descent speed will burn up their brakes and end up in the sand traps (run away truck ramps). If I had been in the Ford F550 (with its worthless engine brake), I would have been in the sand traps, looking for a place to hide my soiled shorts before the Highway Patrol showed up to have me towed out. Hi Jim! These are the settings for the engine brake The I-VEB has a six position control • O = Off • A = Engine Brake Cruise Control ? In this position when Cruise Control is enabled and vehicle speed exceeds the set cruise speed, the I-VEB will engage with infinite control (within the limits of the engine brake) to maintain that speed • 1 = 40% Engine Braking • 2 = 70% Engine Braking • 3 = 100% Engine Braking • B = I-Shift Brake Program — When ordered in conjunction with the Volvo I-Shift Transmission, the controls are integrated Rick & Carey,Excel W41GKE Wild Cargo Toyhauler Volvo 730, D13, I-shift, 500/1850Brabus Smart Car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Refuzn-To-Grow-Up Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 Rick: Sounds like it is the same as is on my Volvo. I love it! It is perfect for drivers like me. All I have to do is point da truc in da rite direction. I call it "stupid" driving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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