Trailer follies

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.

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

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)

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

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