Snipe trailer

colingr

colingr

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I have been using one for a while but was never happy with the brakes. Last weekend spent some time greasing and adjusting so now I have beakes that work and a trailer that doesn't ram the back of the car whenever I put the brakes on.

Trouble is I cannot reverse the blasted thing. I believe that there should be something that kicks in when the wheels turn backwards but this is clearly not happening. Is this easy to fix? Any pics of the internals with some ideas of which bit to attack would be great.
 
Some trailers have a manual device for reversing - often a plate that flips over to prevent the shaft of the towbar pushing on the lever that operates the brakes.
 
Nothing like that on mine but if I cannot sort it out easily I might construct something along those lines. We got round it by lashing some rope round the plunger to stop it activating.

Not ideal but it got us launched.
 
on some early models ( pre 1989) , there's a lever you need to knock into position on the towing hitch coupling to prevent the piston sliding back and activating the brakes.

This lever on one of our farm trailers needed freeing off before it could be used to enable reversing, as it had seized up.

Of course, having made it work properly, I forgot to unlock it, so had NO braking as we next went downhill. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif


Modern trailers ( post 1989) have the reversing set up to come on automatically within the hub.

WTA have some decent diagrams

http://www.western-towing.co.uk/acatalog/Brake_Parts_Diagram.html
 
Definately should auto reverse then as this is a 2004 model.

Next problem is how to get the drums off. I had a quick go yesterday but gave up. Any tips? Tis the type with bolts to hold the wheel on rather than studs and nuts.

Do I just remove the wheel and clout the drum to loosen it or is there more to it than that?
 
The hub nut will probably be a "one shot" - that is they can only be used once and will have to be replaced with new ones after removal. These nuts are pre distorted to a slight oval and torqued up to around 300Nm which probably explains why you're having problems with removing them. You'll need an extra long bar on your socket handle to shift them. When you replace them you'll need a commercial torque wrench to retighten as the normal car type will not go up to that torque value. These can be hired or Halfords sell a "professional" torque wrench for around £70 which goes up to 300Nm.

The braking system is probably Al-Ko. If you Google "Al-Ko braking system adjustment" your problems will be solved.

Phil
 
The adjustment of the brakes should be quite slack as one of the brake shoes slides back when reversing so that the brake shoe lets go allowing the wheel to turn. I have problems getting this right and I have be repairing trailers for over 20 year for a living.
 
Looks like that is the issue. I have taken too much slack out of the rod. I suspect is is a case of trial and error to get the balance between the brakes working and the auto reverse not being active.

A weekend tinkering coming up I think
 
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