What do you do if you cant get tandems to slide

Just a quick note to make sure something is clear. There is a huge difference between brake's holding and the wheels sliding. If the tandems are stuck you are going to either free them, slide the wheels, or smoke a clutch (even an auto shifter can burn a clutch). That smell of burning clutch is a VERY distinctive odor! Once you smell it that clutch has already been smoked!

 

Here is a YT video showing this with the older style trailers. I have done this JUST as shown hundreds of times.

 

Spoken like a true mechanic. (Let’s career this one)

It does always help a lot. If you jump up and down. Yell and scream. Works for me.

 

Brakes can get out of adjustment. It doesn't always mean they are ready to be replaced.

 

If they are out of adjustment, the slack adjusters are either seized up, or the drums are oversize too far/shoes worn too thin for them to self-adjust.

 

One issue I keep seeing with some of these replies is the failure to realize the largest majority of the time recalcitrant tandems are caused by the trailers sitting for weeks at a time. All it takes is just a week or so and all sorts of problems can result. The brakes are just a small part of it. I have spoken to many State DOT cops and to a person they tell me when they do an OOS it's on the trailer. Brakes, Tires and expired or missing registration is rampant all over the place. Then add in cold winters and you have a mess. I remember doing a drop-and-hook at the Lewiston Maine Walmart DC. There had been a mistake and I was sent in to get the load and take it to the correct DC. That trailer had sat for several days, thankfully while it was in a reefer it was not a temp-controlled load. It was below zero almost the entire time. It took me close to 3 hours to get that dang trailer to roll. The airlines had water in them that had frozen. I would be willing to bet that at least 25% of all trailers sitting right now all across the US have brakes that are needing adjustment.

 

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This is the BEST Answer. If all this fails after doing them twice, just incase, then its time to call your company, or road breakdown. They will dispatch a trailer repair service near you.

 

I get paid by the mile ,I don't have time for all that.
Make sure the pins are released, then get the 2 chains out and hook 1 end on the crossmember, as close to the frame rails as possible, drape the chain over the tire depending on which way you want to move the wheels and drive the tandems up on the loose chain. When the chains tighten up something got to give.
Yes that can be hard on the crossmembers
Worked every time for me.

 

I would love to see you do that.

 

I was taught to put a bungee around the lever and hook it to the floor beams and then rock the trailer. Worked every time. A 12” bungee is about perfect for that.