That trailer brake handle, how does it work?

The purpose of the Johnson bar was always for a tug test or to hold the trailer to slide the 5th wheel. And that is what it was always for, nothing else.

 

Wasnt it also used to keep trailer from pushing away as you backed under it, in the days before double chamber brake cans?

 

I believe, the initial use for the johnny bar, was indeed to use the trailer brakes at the drivers discretion. Someone may correct me, but in truck air brake infancy, they didn't have proportioning valves, I don't think, and the foot pedal may have only operated the tractor brakes, trailer brakes had to be applied manually, via the johnny bar.

 

Taking cues from that crowd probably not real bright.

 

Maybe, but who connects the gladhands before getting under a trailer?

 

In the old days you had better.

 

The gentleman that I hauled cattle for had an old lowboy that had single chamber brake cans... So I can honestly say that I have hooked the glad hands before getting under the trailer. Used it several times to haul farm equipment...

First time I hooked it took me a few mins to figure it out... It kept wanting to roll away from me. I ended up getting the loader and putting the bucket against back of the trailer so it wouldnt roll away... Just as I got hooked the foreman came into the yard... He was laughing so hard it took him a good 2 minutes to explain the proper way to hook to that trailer and why.

 

Ha! Be chasing your wagon around looking for a curb,, I worked for a tanker outfit that had an old tank, no parking brakes, and you had to do that, get close, hook up the lines and pull the johnny bar. A new guy didn't know that, and hammered the plate, rolling the wagon into a ditch. Had "peg leg" dollies and broke them off. Boss was upset.

 

I didn’t know I had to go back to the 1960’s and 70’s for this thread??
Okay, strike the post about connecting glad hands.