Trailer brakes frozen stuck

How it feels every time I have a frozen drum:

 

There are a few things that can freeze up to lock up a trailer. If the trailer brake value is frozen up, you will not be able to release your trailer brakes. This is located at the tanks. If your airline are clogged up from freezing up, you will not get air to anything to release. Now if the shoes are just frozen to the drums you can beat on them to get them to release.

It really depends on what is frozen up.

 

Hell, that's how I mounted the steers that are on my truck right now...just 'cuz it's an "old trick" doesn't mean it won't still work.

 

Cost me the better part of my eyebrows once.....I was still dialing in the proper amount and technique!

 

Not that Ive found and we have quite a few trailers with disks.

 

You need a heavy hammer. A 4 pound dead blow hammer is perfect. You can’t use your force to break them lying on your back, so you need the heavy hammer to break the drum free.

 

Sure seems like a dead blow wouldn't give you the shock you need.

 

It does. It’s -26 here and I was banging brakes yesterday.

 

I agree with upnorthwpg...It's standard procedure in northern MN. I usually give the drums a quick bang with a 4lb hammer before even trying to move. We've been below 0 for days with -40 yesterday morning!! Best is not to set your trailer brakes, but if you doing a drop and hook that is out of your control.

 

This goes for parking too.

I tell my drivers not to set the brakes when they park, put a couple chucks out, let the drums cool down and dry up a bit - at least 30 minutes. I also tell them to apply the trailer brakes a bit moving slow to evaporate any water that gets into the drums.

this morning I have three drivers stuck with frozen brakes, one in the Dakotas, one up near Calgary and one up near Marquette. these three didn't read the winter email that was sent to them reminding them how not to have stuck brakes from what I was told a few minutes ago ... now I have one left with stuck brakes, just got a text the other two are on the road.

we give brake cleaner to use, never use alcohol on brakes or starter fluid because they can add water into the brakes. Brake cleaner will melt ice slower but it will melt.

I don't think we ever had frozen lines, I have the air driers checked when they get serviced and the air dumped to see if there is any moisture in the tanks, no moisture means the air dryer is working.