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When the unexpected happens


RickS

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Last Friday heading up the 15 freeway coming out of sandiego in my company truck. On the opposite side heading downhill was a rolled over travel trailer about 25 ft long still hooked to a older Toyota tundra. ( one of the smaller ones).

Looked like he was heading down the hill and lost it in heavy traffic.

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WOW !!!! This thread should be a sticky at the top of the page. Kind of a reminder as to the real world happenings of towing.

 

Where's Big5er? He usually has some insight on this sort of stuff as he has seen a lot of different things in this category over the years.

 

Glad you made it to safety and are able to be here to tell about this. Too many end up a statistic instead.

I'm a work'n on it.

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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,

 

Do you have any indication of operation of the actuators, so that you would know if one failed?

John

Southern Nevada

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Rick, I'm glad you guys are OK. I lost my trailer brakes on a grade due to a bad connection in the umbilical. It was a bit scary and one of the main reasons I started my search for an HDT. My current trailer isn't near as big and heavy as yours, but I know I will have a bigger one in the future. There is no way I would pull anything that size with an LGT anymore.

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I had this same thing happen to me twice coming down vail pass, you want to talk about having a rough day, I was in my FL50 with hydraulic brakes grossing 45K. I am currently in the process of installing another actuator so i Can have 2 brake circuits. Everyone that i have talked to said oh that is overkill but maybe i am crazy, at least i will have trailer brakes :)

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In 42 years of RVing lost trailer brakes 4 times for various reason (twice brake controllers went south). Almost bought the farm on two of those occasions, I guess the Almighty didn't think he was ready for me yet. All those instances were with me up front in an LGT.

Being up front in an HDT is a different story. The six Dexters in my 22,500 pound rig need rebuilding but I did pull it in this condition without "too much excitement". Yes it does require pushing those truck air brakes quite a bit more, but it will stop with no problem.

I had a little bit of "excitement" when doing it in pouring rain and the fifth started to "peek around the corner". Backed off the brakes and thing straightened out, used lot less pedal to stop things, doubled my distance to things in front of me.

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Jack,

Do you have any indication of operation of the actuators, so that you would know if one failed?

I'll tell you we when you have trailers has heavy as jack and mine. You will know when you loose any brakes!!!!!

 

Going to update mine with redundant blue dots this fall.

 

JC

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I h8 juice brakes in heavy vehicles...

 

El Cajon is one of those downgrades where you'd "wake up Earl..."

 

Only times I've ever scared myself driving trucks was going downhill.

 

I've never scared myself because I didn't have enough hp or torques.

"Are we there yet?" asked no motorcycle rider, ever. 

 

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RickS,

glad you guys are okay. always nice to have the HDT with engine brake...

 

ive had the 7 pin trailer connector wiggle loose enough i didnt have brakes on the 5er. i noticed it almost to my destination.

yes it requires a bit more brake but its doable. wouldnt want to try it in my Dodge with the Pacbrake. 5er would have been pushing me.

Fulltimer Class of 2007

1998 Volvo VNL64T610 Detroit Series 60 12.7 470HP/1650TQ Eaton 18spd 228"WB Tandem
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RickS, be sure to jiggle your truck calipers and look at the guide pin seals every morning. They need to jiggle a nickel's width or you got something that needs a fixing/adjusting/rock taken out of. You might want to buy a box of shear adapters and keep in your glovebox or toolbox so you have them on hand. Part BW802455 at your favorite truck dealer.

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