Ifor Williams brakes sticking

[popsicle]

My Ifor Williams 510 brakes are always sticking. (I don't park it with the brake on) But everytime at least one wheel is sticking and we have to drive along with the horses in to release it. Yesterday all 4 wheels were locked fast. I got a friend to get underneath and tap the brakes with a hammer and that freed them, but now it won't reverse, the brakes come on. Grrrrrrr!!!!!!

 

[popsicle]

Whoops!! Think this is on the wrong topic. Mods can you move it please?

 

[rema]

Hello.We dont have mods on here.Admin are all proably home drinking their hot chocolate and eating crumpets whilst watching eastenders.

.

 

[SpruceRI]

I have similar trouble with my trailer.

Do you have to reverse it into its parking space?

I do, which is fatal. 99% of the time it works to stick something heavy under one of the front axle wheels (I use an old car battery) and then slowly pull forward so it draws the 'nose' back out (pulls the brakes off).

On the odd 1% of time when I go to use the trailer and find one wheel stuck - I jerk the trailer forward and backwards a few times (not with the horse in it of course!) and if that doesn't work, then tap the brake drum with a hammer.

I also have the same problem as you sometimes that when reversing the brakes come on and then we can only go forward.

I got stuck in a laybe like that last weekend. Couldn't go forwards up the steep muddy slope and couldn't reverse up less steep bit as trailer brakes kept coming on.

I'd be interested in the answer to this if anyone has it?

My trailers' serviced regularly and greased if that helps?

 

[Shay]

Ours do too. We've got a 401. Usually only one wheel and it will sort itself out as we drive. But if there is a tricky bit getting in or out (like our yard drive!) it can be a nightmare. Like madhossy ours is serviced regularly etc. I was going to take it down to the dealer to check after a particularly sticky journey on wednesday, but I didn't know this was more widespread.

Come one someone mechanical - any ideas?

 

[Charlotte125]

Ours does that but not as bad as all 4 wheels. If i havent used it for a while one wheel sometimes sticks. We find the best method is to get someone to drive it forward and someone else hit it with a hammer!and my dads an engineer! Dont know it that helps though!

 

[kickandshout]

my 510 is the same as others have posted.
i too dont park with the brake on either.
i too tap with a hammer to release sticking brakes.
i have to reverse to park.
i was also told to jerk the trailer back wards and forwards.

still waiting for someone mechanical to post ??

 

[showjump2003]

Snap! Mine does it too. Been told when i park it ( always reverse it in the drve) that i then need to pull it forwards a few feet before I unhitch. Yet to see if it works!

 

[SpruceRI]

Oh no - so it's a more than common problem with brakes sticking on for the Ifors then?!

Anyone know the answer to the trailer brakes coming on when you're reversing? Mine usually only lock on when I'm reversing up a slope.

Further to me getting stuck in a layby the other day, my friend who was with me and has the same car as me managed to reverse her Bateson trailer including the horse out of the layby no problem at all, in 2WD

My car couldn't even do it with the horse OUT of the trailer - that's how bad it was!

 

[jinxy]

This may have been said already....but I was told this is a common problem with the Ifors when they aren't used regularly, not sure what is classed as regularly though. The only thing that I can think of is to have them serviced regularly, not that that will probably help much.

The trailer I borrowed on Sunday had had its brake left on through all the snow etc by accident, we hammered the tyres and reversed slammed on brakes and then drove forward really quick, seemed to work, dug up the drive though!

 

[Foxfolly]

Mine did too... if parked for a long time without being used that was a 505. So I just hit with a hammer to release, it will happen in most vehicles. Also if a trailer is parked somewhere damp, so on grass especially as the brakes will naturally rust slightly if not used, might be worth just moving it by hand just a meter or so and back again weekly or even every other day!

My 510 used to jam on sharply first time you break after hitching on... so I got it serviced.......Doesn't do it now!!! The ram in the brakes was shot to pieces so they fitted a new one and some new brake pads!! I hadn't had it serviced in 4 years

 

[Ani]

My 505 is fine i did not drive it for about 6 months and it was fine but i keep it in a barn on concrete. i have been told this can be because of the trailer being kept on hard standing or grass where the brakes get damp

 

[popsicle]

Wow! Lots of problems then. I have just had all the brake shoes changed and its fine at the moment. I do have to back into my parking space and although it isn't on grass, it is outside, so perhaps the brakes are rusting a bit.

I like the sound of driving forward a couple of feet after parking and also the idea of "trying" to move it a few feet by hand every week or so, only mine is up a slight incline, so not sure if I'll have the strength LOl

 

[clancysunny2]

mine is currently stuck on driveway which now looks like trench warfare. using this as therapy @@**!!****. will try the banging with hammer. it's used x2 wk normally but has been on drive for couple of wks. aarrhhkaf;ajha;

 

[Luci07]

So you are all worrying me now. In the 4 years I have had my Bateson this has never happened to me. Trailer is serviced annually. I probably do wiggle it a bit when parking up as have deliberaterly chosen to park it where access is not brilliant. I never leave my handbrake on though - simply put bricks behind the wheels..

 

[sjmcc]

my ifor 510 also the same i have had to tap it with hammer and dont park it with handbreak on must be a fault they have

 

[sjmcc]

my ifor 510 also the same i have had to tap it with hammer and dont park it with handbreak on must be a fault they have

oh and i use it every week if not twice a week

 

[Max123]

I have a 505 and it did that on 1 wheel shortly after I got it (2nd hand) and like others we freed it out by driving backwards and forwards. We never put the handbrake on after that and never had a problem. I have it 4 years and its only been serviced once but not used often and is kept in a barn. A few weeks ago I was practising reversing for my towing test and the next day a neighbour borrowed it and it got stuck when she was driving it. She managed to free it out but its up in her yard with a local mechanic sorting it out who said it needs brake pads replaced because it had been sticking. I wonder after reading this thread whether doing an unusual amount of reversing caused it. Thankfully I was hiring a box trailer for my test and passed.

 

[tinap]

Mine used to do this regularly & braying with a hammer would sort it out. One day it didn't mend it & no amount of bashing would either! so took wheel off & drove it to a mechanic. Something had fell off (a metal plate thing ) & had got jammed so was stopping the wheel from turning. He got it out & glued it back on & I've never had a problem with them sticking since.

I do also make sure I drive it forward a touch after backing onto the drive. x

 

[tinap]

Oh & mine was (& still is) used at least once a week

 

[wytsend]

It is not just Ifor brakes that have problems.... most trailer manufacturers use the same running gear... just that they are the most popular !!!

ALL horse trailers should be serviced by a FULLY qualified mechanic... not just somebody at a garage.... trailer mechanics have to be better qualified.
Should be at least every 12 months.... 6monthly is better.

The National Trailer & Towing Association have a list of fully qualified mechanics who can work on horse trailers.... they are all over the UK so no problems on that score. NTTA mechanics are the only people who are specifically trained to work on trailed vehicles.

Some insurance companies are now asking for written evidence of servicing in the event of a claim. Lack of servicing is probably No 1 cause of trailer accidents... apart from bad driving.

 

[pembs]

to stop the wheels sticking we store the trailer with the front as low as possible, they used to stick all the time but if you put the jockey wheel low it seems to stop it...
Brakes sticking we had this problem to (510 trailer) you can loose/tighten the brakes under the wheel on the left, to much one way and they stick dragging the trailer and burning the wheels but to much the other way and the Brakes dont work... we had our mechanic experiment. you would think ifor williams would have sorted this for us by now?!

Hope this helps

 

[albeg]

Ours stuck once, when we the handbrake was left on (think someone decided to be helpful and do it for us), so we took off the offending wheel, tapped a few things, and put it back on, and haven't had any problems since when it's parked up (although we don't use the handbrake).
However, it does stick in reverse, asked our mechanic, he said it's just the way they are.
Our farrier suggested giving the jeep plenty of juice to get the box up slopes in reverse, and so far, it works, it you get it up the slope quickly enough, it doesn't seem to have time to get stuck...

 

[Goldenstar]

After years of trailer ownership I got an iFor Williams and yes they are very prone to sticking I was told to always pull forwards after resvesing into my parking space which does cut down how often it happens I get it serviced every year but it will still happen every winter. I used to have rice trailers and it never happened to them.

 

[mutley75]

it is worth taking your trailers out and using the breaks sharply before you load up, it is just a build up from light use! its like bedding in breaks in the old days, when ever you had them done your mechanic would always stand on the breaks once or twice before returning your car.

 

[DragonSlayer]

OH is a mechanic and often services horse trailers.

IF you do not use your trailer regularly, the brake drums will go rusty, same as a car. Don't leave the handbrake on.

It is NOT a common fault Ifor trailers, it is a common fault with every vehicle with drum brakes that was ever invented.

Ours is 7 years old, and a brilliant trailer.

Do you get it serviced regulary? He certainly does NOT advise whacking things with a hammer, the wheel needs to come off to do it correctly.

 

[wytsend]

Thank heavens for somebody else giving correct advice !!!

So many myths abound in the horse trailer world.... some down right dangerous.

Basically if the brakes are sticking... GET IT SERVICED pronto... would you use your car if the brakes were sticking ? I don't think so... so why put your horses life at risk by using a trailer in this condition ?