Ifor Williams trailer refusing to budge

[sidesaddlegirl]

Up until my mare got injured and got PTS last June, my Ifor 401 had been in regular use every weekend. Then got my new mare last August and trailer was fine and did not travel anywhere as wanted her to settle in, etc. Since November, my trailer has developed a problem where the nearside front wheel does not turn at all, forwards or backwards. Even dragging it out with the car and rocking it back and forth. The YM's husband services trailers and had the wheel off and had a look and said that the brake had seized up as I hadn't been using it and managed to sort it out. He said for me to take it on a run every week and that when I bring it back home and go to park it, to reverse it with the car into position and then pull it forward again so that the brake comes off and then push it back by hand. I never put the handbrake on either.

I've been doing this religiously every weekend since then to keep trailer ticking over but last weekend, my car was poorly and so was I, so couldn't take it out. Now this morning when I've tried to take it on a run, it's well and truly stuck again. The YM's husband was not there today for me to ask but has anyone had this happen with their Ifors? I'm annoyed as shows are going to start soon.
Does anyone reckon the underside needs stripping down maybe? (I know nothing about cars and mechanical things. It's a late 2003- early 2004 build.

 

[JillA]

Have you set the handbrake on it? They seize up very easily so I don't use mine, I wedge a brick under the wheel to stop it moving when it isn't in use.

 

[alainax]

If the brakes were done it shouldn't need them done again. Did he replace the parts or just free them off? If he just freed them off there is a good chance they have become stuck again. You might need to have them replaced. Shouldn't be too expensive.

Have you tried putting some weight on the wheel when dragging it forward with the car? The 401's are light, so the other 3 wheels will take the load of the sticking one, so essentially there is not much pressure to try to force it to free off.

 

[Goldenstar]

Do you reverse it into its parking space ?

 

[ROG]

When parking up a trailer for a long time then chock wheels and release handbrake

 

[milliepops]

OP stated that she didn't apply the handbrake when parked

Sorry OP I don't have a trailer so can't help my old YO's Ifor used to stick if left for any length of time, they used to whack it with a hammer (which I'm QUITE sure is the *wrong* thing but there you go... hillbillies! )

 

[Goldenstar]

If you reverse them to park then you need to pull them forward a couple of feet before you unhitch them otherwise water gets in and then they rust up .
They are pain if not in regular use .
IW are by far the worse trailers wehave had for doing this .

 

[alainax]

Sorry OP I don't have a trailer so can't help my old YO's Ifor used to stick if left for any length of time, they used to whack it with a hammer (which I'm QUITE sure is the *wrong* thing but there you go... hillbillies! )

That's ok, I was going to suggest she get a large person to bounce some weight onto the wheel whilst hanging onto the side of the trailers when she pulls it forward slowly with the car to free it off... but then deleted it cause it sounds mad when you type it!

 

[Gloi]

my old YO's Ifor used to stick if left for any length of time, they used to whack it with a hammer (which I'm QUITE sure is the *wrong* thing but there you go... hillbillies! )

Worked on mine

 

[sidesaddlegirl]

No, I don't leave the handbrake on and I don't reverse park it (I back it up into position, then pull forward and then unhitch and push it back by hand). Whacking doesn't help (I've tried) either.

What sort weight are we talking about to put into my trailer to put weight on it to set the wheel free? Should I drag it out with the car (leaving rubber marks on the floor as usual) and load my horse into it? Most people at my yard at tiny. I'm the biggest at 5'9", lol.

YM's husband just took the wheel off and then freed up the brakes. I'm wondering now if I need new ones. I don't feel happy towing it if metal bits are going to get stuck

 

[Tiddlypom]

I think a proper service is the way forward. As said by others, Ifors are prone to sticking unless you manage them how they like it, but an annual service is a good idea anyway,

I'm not sure about you manually pushing the trailer back into position, how would this be different to reversing into position? The trailer should always been drawn forwards a little to disengage the autoreverse prior to parking, so I'm told.

Don't try and free it by towing with a seized wheel, you would end up with a sizzling shredded disintegrated tyre, and the wheel would probably still be stuck.

 

[Farmer Chalk]

I think a proper service is the way forward. As said by others, Ifors are prone to sticking unless you manage them how they like it, but an annual service is a good idea anyway,

I'm not sure about you manually pushing the trailer back into position, how would this be different to reversing into position? The trailer should always been drawn forwards a little to disengage the autoreverse prior to parking, so I'm told.

Don't try and free it by towing with a seized wheel, you would end up with a sizzling shredded disintegrated tyre, and the wheel would probably still be stuck.

As above....I know through personal experience.... I have dragged a trailer a mile up the road and just destroyed the tyre...

Shocking it does work...either with a lump hammer or dragging it backwards and forwards ...

Unfortunately if it has seized on that much only taking it to pieces will work! It's caused by dampness on the brake pads which will just make the pads fester and swell slightly which brings them into contact with the brake hub.

If leaving my trailer I never apply the brake and chock the wheels. I also put boards over the wheels to protect the brakes from rain and also stops the sun perishing the tyres.... UV rays will make the tyres crack badly...

 

[Suechoccy]

I'm not sure about you manually pushing the trailer back into position, how would this be different to reversing into position? .

When you reverse it (attached to car), you are compressing the sprung hitchlock head which will initially cause the brakes to come on and then they should release but then when you press the brakes on the car, it's more likely to cause the trailer brakes to come on again.

Whereas when you push it back by hand unhitched, you're nowhere near the sprung hitchlock so there's no chance of it compressing or jerking and therefore causing the trailer brakes to apply.

 

[Meandtheboys]

I have just had a similar issue with a project trailer I was getting refurbished - wheels stripped / brakes renewed. Anyway when it when to be looked at by specialists it was the bit from the hitch that releases the brakes ( sorry I am not a expert so I have forgotten the name of it ) - it cost me £38 for the part and fitted as part of the service.

 

[popsdosh]

No, I don't leave the handbrake on and I don't reverse park it (I back it up into position, then pull forward and then unhitch and push it back by hand). Whacking doesn't help (I've tried) either.

What sort weight are we talking about to put into my trailer to put weight on it to set the wheel free? Should I drag it out with the car (leaving rubber marks on the floor as usual) and load my horse into it? Most people at my yard at tiny. I'm the biggest at 5'9", lol.

YM's husband just took the wheel off and then freed up the brakes. I'm wondering now if I need new ones. I don't feel happy towing it if metal bits are going to get stuck

The Auto adjuster has gone wrong get it replaced in the sticking wheel . You can free it off by manually backing off the adjuster but its not a job thats easy to explain .If you need to get it to a repairer as long as its empty just take off that wheel and go steady then you wont trash the tyre.

 

[Tiddlypom]

As above....I know through personal experience.... I have dragged a trailer a mile up the road and just destroyed the tyre...

Me too . The black line of rubber leading along the road from my house was a bit of a giveaway afterwards, oops.

Suechoccy, that's interesting. I am too knackered to manually push my 510 back into place to park these days, but I reverse it back hooked up, then creep it forwards for a few inches and stop very gently, without the trailer brakes being applied.

I've also learned to take the trailer for a good run of a few miles empty after servicing, with lots of fairly hard braking (having checked its clear behind!!). The servicing dislodges some rust on the brakes, and it all needs a good work up afterwards or the wheels seize even after correct parking.

 

[LovesCobs]

Sorry to hijack, I've needed to park my trailer on my drive as the field is now too wet to get on. It's on a slope so I've applied the handbreak which I know isn't great. I'm scared the chock won't work on the slope?! Will they work if parked on a slope? I don't want the trailer to roll into my house

 

[kempah]

sounds like a pantomime...

I'd get it serviced, shouldn't cost much

could be the cable sticking inside the sleeve and not letting the brake shoes spring back like they should....if that's the problem you can sometimes push the cable back manually from the yoke (part where the 4 cables join to the handbrake and go off to the wheels) without having to take the wheel off

 

[Tiddlypom]

Sorry to hijack, I've needed to park my trailer on my drive as the field is now too wet to get on. It's on a slope so I've applied the handbreak which I know isn't great. I'm scared the chock won't work on the slope?! Will they work if parked on a slope? I don't want the trailer to roll into my house

Depends how steep the slope is, and what the surface is. If you chock each wheel (the dedicated plastic chocks are good), and use a wheel clamp, it should be ok.

Don't underestmate the power of the wind to push a trailer around, my 510 was blown forwards several feet once on gravel even though it was wheelclamped.

 

[trailer guy]

Hi, I'm a trailer engineer and naturally I'd say get it serviced!

However, I've found that a lot of the issues with horse trailer brakes are down to the brake cables sticking, as someone else has mentioned above. They're not expensive (around £15 each) and worth replacing if they're sticking.

Once serviced, defective parts replaced, and stored without the handbrake 'on' then there's no reason why the brakes should stick.

 

[pepsimaxrock]

Sorry to hijack, I've needed to park my trailer on my drive as the field is now too wet to get on. It's on a slope so I've applied the handbreak which I know isn't great. I'm scared the chock won't work on the slope?! Will they work if parked on a slope? I don't want the trailer to roll into my house

Yes they will work - if they are big enough of course. I do this all the time

 

[LovesCobs]

Thanks guys, yes they worked and break is now off (I did say a little prayer )

 

[sidesaddlegirl]

I'll see the YM tomorrow morning when I'm down and ask her if she can get her husband out. It's due a service anyways and fixing trailers is his proper job so he can do it at my yard without me having to worry about dragging it to him. After he freed up the brake in November, I was taking it out on runs every weekend to keep it ticking over and braking hard on quiet lane from my yard but it seems maybe it is time for stripping and new parts (whatever they may be). I get paid this week so I know where my money is going this month, lol but it needs to be done as shows are starting soon and want to get out this year after a rubbish 2016.

 

[Dubsie]

We've a 505 and the back wheel drivers side invariably seizes up despite parking it attached to car, pulled forward again slightly & no brakes on. It's due to the damp, making the brakes stick, so if it's been raining I usually try to remember to let the car move forwards slightly the day after. If not I either kick the wheel (if only a couple of days usually works) or tap the wheel nuts, if it's still stuck then I tend to drive it over a brick half buried in our gravel drive - gravel doesn't help I'm sure it give more than concrete (dropping off the brick usually releases the stuck brakes) or get husband to take it apart and free it.