Pulling an end dump trailer behind Freightliner Cascadia day cab

Discussion in 'Tanker, Bulk and Dump Trucking Forum' started by corneileous, Jan 23, 2025.

  1. corneileous

    corneileous Road Train Member

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    Being that this is my first fairly new truck to pull my end up with- it’s a 2017 Cascadia but all the trucks my boss has had before are old 379 Petes and a small variety of other old old trucks that have the traditional trailer brake handle on the steering column that I used every day to dump my trailer, what do you guys do if you have one of these Cascadia’s that has the trailer brake lever that won’t stay down because it’s spring loaded?

    generally, the way I unload my trailer is if I’m on a really good hard surface, I just pull back on the trolley bar to lock the trailer brakes and then raise my trailer with my truck backing towards the trailer and once the load starts coming off, I release the trailer brakes and then set the truck brakes so that the trailer comes to the truck for the rest of the way up but because the trolley bar won’t stay down unless you hold it down, I just pull the red knob which is a pain in the butt.
     
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  3. RockinChair

    RockinChair Road Train Member

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    Why not just hold the trolley valve with your hand?
     
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  4. corneileous

    corneileous Road Train Member

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    Well because being that the trolley valve is over there on the dash, it’s kind of in an odd spot to hold that down with either hand and still be able to work the controls for the end dump which is on a tower that’s bolted to the floor in the middle of the seats.

    Now, if I have to unload on really soft ground, I’ll just set the truck brakes and pull the trailer to me to keep one side from digging in being that it’s a frameless that raises up on the back axle.
     
  5. 062

    062 Road Train Member

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    Easiest thing would be make a weight to hang off the end.
    A hand valve like you’re used to could be installed,just depends on how much effort the boss will put into it.
     
    corneileous Thanks this.
  6. corneileous

    corneileous Road Train Member

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    It’d be kind of nice if I can figure out a way to put like an auto-releasing tab on there to where when you pull the handle down so far, it locks it and when you’re ready to release it, you just pull the handle down a little further and then let go of it and it goes back up… You know, kinda like an air hose reel; pull out enough hose and then pull it till it clicks, locking it and then when you’re done, you just give it a little tug on the hose and then it winds it all back up.
     
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