Hand Valve Brake

Or, you could just learn how to properly drive a manual transmission...

 

i use mine to slide the tandems. get rolling and apply the trailer brakes. i don't use my clutch to slide.

i steer out of jack knife instinctively .

 

That break is incass you jackknife you apply so tractor keep moving forward and trailer slows to un-jackknife.

 

I always thought that lever was a place to put the lot lizards panties.

 

If things are happening slow enough that you can take your hand off the wheel and use a lever you seldom if ever use (therefore no muscle memory) in order to regain control, you could have regained control of it with steering and throttle inputs. If things are happening too fast to maintain/regain control with the steering and throttle, then that seldom used brake lever that you have to THINK about how to use will more likely than not exacerbate the already bad situation. For example, if you're attempting to stop and that trailer locks up and starts to come around, MORE trailer brake isn't going to do anything to help. If your drives are spinning and the tractor is starting to step out, ease up on the throttle a little and keep your steers pointed where you want the truck to go. Applying trailer brakes in this situation wouldn't really help because if the tractor is stepping out under power and you lock up the trailer brakes because you're unfamiliar with applying them, now you've got 4 axles sliding instead of only 2. Not only that, but you've disengaged your brain from the throttle and steering to focus your attention on that silly little brake lever that somebody once told you might help in a jackknife.

 

My understanding is that the hand brake is the only way that you can isolate the trailer brakes while moving, to test that they are operating properly. The rest of it’s uses were invented after the fact

 

Best response yet. Have had to control the trailer this way several times in the ice and snow.
Thanks for sharing the real purpose of its design.

 

Why does everything just have to have a proper use? Not trying to start anything here but honestly. When an 18 wheeler is rolling down the road it has 2 independent brake systems tied together when that glad hand is connected. All a hand brake does in this case is give the driver a way to engage this brake system on an articulated tractor trailer rig separately. This is for what ever purpose the driver desires.

 

Please post any credible source for this statement... I'll wait.

 

Traction is the ONLY thing that will allow you to control the vehicle on ice or snow