Trailer wheels are locked up

I have done this 100 times.Just back off the brake adjuster and hit the side of the brake shoes with a large punch and hammer.I am talking about a punch with a diameter between the size of a quarter and a 50 cent piece.I also use a 4lb hammer.Usually its just 1 or 2 shoes that are stuck.Take a screwdriver and place it between the edge of the brake shoe and the drum and gently pry to see which ones are stuck.I do road service for Big Rigs the last 10 years and run into this often with trailers that are parked for any length of time.

 

I going to say you don't spend much time with heavy equipment off road. Its an "extra extra bad idea" to pull one truck with another using a chain? Maybe you should tell that to a heavy wrecker service. I can't remember a day when I didn't have to hook a chain or winch to another truck, D-6, or some immovable object.
Personally, I would use a winch in this situation but I assumed the OP doesn't have a 25K winch in his truck like I do. Pulling doesn't mean pulling till someone dies, it means pull within reason but if it won't free up, you have other issues. If those brakes don't break loose with that kind of pull, something else is very wrong.

 

Alright

 

Cheap will cost you

 

I'll remember this line next time I talk to a broker.

 

If you backed off the slack adjusters and can still see the shoes are hanging onto the drums, I would try to cage the brakes, if that doesn't do it then, wheels have to come off, Hammering sounds good but remember your wacking cast iron and it breaks and cracks pretty easy. Once you've caged the brakes, the wheels should move and get the wheels turning and if theres any rust it shoud break away, Good Luck

 

We aren't closing this until you spill the beans on what you spent the other 10 g's on. Now you have my interest.