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On Jun 14, 11:05*pm, Eric Greenwell wrote:
On 6/13/2012 7:56 AM, Grider Pirate wrote: I totally agree! *Ever tried to back up a hill with your mechanical surge brakes?? Good luck with that! My tow vehicle weighs roughly 5 times my trailer with the glider in it. I don't really think brakes are all that helpful. My understanding is the brakes release when the wheels turns backward. Doesn't that happen when you back up a hill? I have 170,000 miles on my Cobra trailer, and I can't recall ever having trouble backing up; however, I don't recall how steep the inclines were. I did have dragging brakes on one side from misadjusting the brake on that side, but I don't know if that is also possible with electric brakes.. -- Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me) The Cobra brakes have the traditional "star wheel" which automatically tightens up the brake adjustment when applied in reverse or when backing up hills with a surge hitch. Surprisingly, the trailer shop tech said there was no hole in the back plate for manually adjusting the brakes. As I understand it, the surge hitch has an air spring inside which must be overpowered before the brakes come on. If this is working properly, brakes shouldn't activate anytime except on hard braking. |
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Am 15.06.2012 15:30, Bill D wrote:
On Jun 14, 11:05 pm, Eric wrote: On 6/13/2012 7:56 AM, Grider Pirate wrote: I totally agree! Ever tried to back up a hill with your mechanical surge brakes?? Good luck with that! My tow vehicle weighs roughly 5 times my trailer with the glider in it. I don't really think brakes are all that helpful. My understanding is the brakes release when the wheels turns backward. Doesn't that happen when you back up a hill? I have 170,000 miles on my Cobra trailer, and I can't recall ever having trouble backing up; however, I don't recall how steep the inclines were. I did have dragging brakes on one side from misadjusting the brake on that side, but I don't know if that is also possible with electric brakes. -- Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me) The Cobra brakes have the traditional "star wheel" which automatically tightens up the brake adjustment when applied in reverse or when backing up hills with a surge hitch. Surprisingly, the trailer shop tech said there was no hole in the back plate for manually adjusting the brakes. There are a few axle/brake system manufacturers on the market that may work different in how to adjust, You can get detailed drawings and instructions for almost all systems, all you need for that is the brake type (you find that usually on a small type plate riveted onto the brake base plate, near where the cable goes inside the brake), If you tell me the type of your brake, I can give you a link to the drawings and tell you more about it. I have worked with those brake system for several decades on different trailers, and I can tell you for sure it is not rocket sience, and usually very easy to fix. As I understand it, the surge hitch has an air spring inside which must be overpowered before the brakes come on. If this is working properly, brakes shouldn't activate anytime except on hard braking. It is not a air spring, it is just a damper. If on a hard brake your trailer quickly changes between full brake and no brake, that damper is no longer working and has to be replaced. Takes about one hour of work if you know how to do it. -- Peter Scholz ASW24 JE |
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On 6/15/2012 6:30 AM, Bill D wrote:
The Cobra brakes have the traditional "star wheel" which automatically tightens up the brake adjustment when applied in reverse or when backing up hills with a surge hitch. Surprisingly, the trailer shop tech said there was no hole in the back plate for manually adjusting the brakes. My 17 year old Cobra axle does not have self-adjusting brakes (they are manual adjust only), and the brakes released automatically if the trailer was backed up. This feature - automatic release - is why Cobra trailers have a wheel chock mounted on each fender: you are supposed to chock the back of each wheel when you are using only the parking brake, otherwise the trailer can turn in the wind. My 3 year old Cobra axles has exactly the same braking system: no automatic brake adjust (manual adjust only), and releases the brakes when backing up. I suspect all Cobras have the manual adjustment opening, but the trailer tech missed it on your trailer. -- Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me) |
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At 00:12 17 June 2012, Eric Greenwell wrote:
On 6/15/2012 6:30 AM, Bill D wrote: The Cobra brakes have the traditional "star wheel" which automatically tightens up the brake adjustment when applied in reverse or when backing up hills with a surge hitch. Surprisingly, the trailer shop tech said there was no hole in the back plate for manually adjusting the brakes. My 17 year old Cobra axle does not have self-adjusting brakes (they are manual adjust only), and the brakes released automatically if the trailer was backed up. This feature - automatic release - is why Cobra trailers have a wheel chock mounted on each fender: you are supposed to chock the back of each wheel when you are using only the parking brake, otherwise the trailer can turn in the wind. My 3 year old Cobra axles has exactly the same braking system: no automatic brake adjust (manual adjust only), and releases the brakes when backing up. I suspect all Cobras have the manual adjustment opening, but the trailer tech missed it on your trailer. -- Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me) The following is a link to a pdf document which describes the operation and adjustment of the Alko brakes as used on Cobra Trailers. I have not heard of many complaints against this system here in the UK and have not seen many if any glider trailers using electric brakes. http://www.al-ko.co.uk/edit/files/ha...m-handbook.pdf Terry Walsh |
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Am 17.06.2012 09:08, Terry Walsh wrote:
At 00:12 17 June 2012, Eric Greenwell wrote: On 6/15/2012 6:30 AM, Bill D wrote: The Cobra brakes have the traditional "star wheel" which automatically tightens up the brake adjustment when applied in reverse or when backing up hills with a surge hitch. Surprisingly, the trailer shop tech said there was no hole in the back plate for manually adjusting the brakes. My 17 year old Cobra axle does not have self-adjusting brakes (they are manual adjust only), and the brakes released automatically if the trailer was backed up. This feature - automatic release - is why Cobra trailers have a wheel chock mounted on each fender: you are supposed to chock the back of each wheel when you are using only the parking brake, otherwise the trailer can turn in the wind. My 3 year old Cobra axles has exactly the same braking system: no automatic brake adjust (manual adjust only), and releases the brakes when backing up. I suspect all Cobras have the manual adjustment opening, but the trailer tech missed it on your trailer. -- Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me) The following is a link to a pdf document which describes the operation and adjustment of the Alko brakes as used on Cobra Trailers. I have not heard of many complaints against this system here in the UK and have not seen many if any glider trailers using electric brakes. http://www.al-ko.co.uk/edit/files/ha...m-handbook.pdf Terry Walsh Excelent manual that describes everything you need to know. Following these instructions will guarantee a working brake system on your trailer. Thanks for the link. And BTW, the wheel chocks on the trailers are legally required in Germany, so you will find them also on trailers that do not have an automated reversing feature. -- Peter Scholz ASW24 JE |
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