Torch for frozen brakes

If it's the tanks or lines freezing up I've used a small camping stove running off a propane bottle under the tanks

 

I’ve had tires freeze to the ground. Learn to recognize what a locked brake drum and a free one sounds like.

 

When you push the trailer brakes in see if you notice if any of the chambers move. You'll also hear the air flowing to the chambers and airbags. If its dead silent than your tanks are frozen. Trailer tanks

 

Just beat on the drums with a good hammer... Doesnt matter what part of the drum you hit, as the resonance vibration of the drum will break ice anywhere in the drum.

For frozen airlines or tanks pour some rubbing alcohol into the glad hands on your airlines then reconnect them and cycle the brake knobs and foot brakes a few times... Repeat this process 3 or 4 times usually does the trick.

 

As long as you don't have any bad wheel seals...

 

Do you stay hooked to the same trailer?? In 25 years I may have banged drums a dozen times maybe . The biggest mistake is dumping air as soon as you park to unhook trailer. Spend 5 minutes doing paperwork then roll forward and back before dumping air it allows the snow to quit melting onto drums and breaks up whatever ice is forming. I never do the so called drag the brakes to heat drums because often my wheels are buried in built up snow and that just melts it onto the brake pads. As to your original question the torch can help for drums valves door locks etc it’s a good tool to have .

 

I don't like fire around my trucks. I've never had a brake not pop loose with a hammer. You still have to crawl under there and a few whacks of an engineers hammer gets it done every time for me. We have to drop our trailer on every return trip (4 times a week) so we have no choice but to dump the air. Dragging the trailer brakes pretty much always works if we remember, even on super snowy days.

 

If you got it no reason not to use it. All it takes is a little heat on the drum and Walla! More effective than pounding them with a hammer. All I have is a mechanics mall but don't think for one second I wouldn't fire up a torch if one was handy.

 

Exactly, literally takes 2 seconds of heat.