Gareth Dickens Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 Since most of my 109's issues are now sorted, I'm thinking of building a trailer. I have so much Series spares left that I thought of fitting Series hubs, stubs and brakes to this trailer. With all the previous discussions regarding series brakes and the twin leading shoe design, it was mentioned that it is not used on the back of a series because that would negatively affect braking when reversing.........So this got me thinking, dangerous, I know. What about fitting a series front brake setup 11" tls to my trailer? On braked trailers there is an issue with reversing in that you fight the brakes. You have an overide mechanism you have to operate to reverse and if you forget it engaged you have no brakes (on the trailer) when driving. Twin leading shoes are more effective when going forward due to the added servo effect, but apparently useless when reversing. This would be perfect for a trailer. Do you agree, or is the effect not as pronounced? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Smith Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 Here in the UK it has been illegal to use vehicle brakes on a new trailer for many years now, Personally having used both I would get some proper suspension units with auto reverse brakes, the twin leading shoes will still work in reverse just as the do on the vehicle, they just don't work as well. You could still fit them under a landrover rear tub or similar if that's what you intend doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tacr2man Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 Before you get too carried away this might be worth a read : http://www.armitagetrailers.com/trailerlaw.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 I think he's proposing making an over-run brake system similar to the Sankey's, but using SIII parts. Sounds viable to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Dickens Posted July 8, 2013 Author Share Posted July 8, 2013 I don't think the British laws apply to us in South Africa as we haven't been a colony for a fair while now. Definately going for a over-run setup but wanted to know how inefective TLS brakes would be in reverse. Hopefully enough that one could reverse without difficulty? Do Series front lock up easily when reversing at speed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanuki Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 Given the 60+ years that have passed since Series brakes were invented, unless you're seriously into the whole "steampunk" thing I really can't see why you'd want to use such parts in building a modern trailer - specially if you want to travel fast. The trailer I regularly tow has an electronic compression-sensor in the hydraulic coupling and rotation-sensors in each of the trailer wheels, which is really rather nifty, specially when you do a panic-stop from 70MPH in the wet and the whole thing pulls up straight. There's a feed from the towcar's reversing-light circuit too - which lets you reverse without the usual 'wind-up' of mechanical auto-reverse. This stuff's really not that difficult - if you're towing fast and heavy, you owe it to yourself [and those you share the road with] to fit it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Hancock Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 I have driven an industrial fergy 35 tractor, this has hydraulic TLS service brakes and a SLS handbrake. Stopping is fine but to hold anything on an uphill gradient you need the handbrake as the service brake holds nothing in reverse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tacr2man Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 TLS brakes are not that bad in reverse that you could get away without a lock out mechanism . If you are going for an off road trailer think seriously about electric brakes , as you can then get the advantage of being able to apply thebrakes before the tow vehicle , which if you are down hill or even on the flat in very muddy conditions you can stop without jacknifing the trailer round, by using as a drag anchor type stop. I have sen quite a few large off road camper damage in Australia on wet bush tracks . HTSH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Dickens Posted July 10, 2013 Author Share Posted July 10, 2013 Good info from all, thanks a lot. From a cost point of view the options you propose could bankrupt me though. I do not plan to tow heavy and would prefer the total weight of the trailer (fully loaded) to stay under 750 kg which here in SA, legally does not even require overrun brakes. It's more of an assistant during emergency stops. My other option is fitting the same discs I'm fitting to my series (defender Front/rear solid) I'll just have to source some defender drum braked stubs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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