Trailer brakes locked up...need help - PICS

[Quick VR-4]

Trailer was fine and backed it into my driveway. Now that it is time to get the boat out, the brakes are locked. Trailer will roll freely in reverse, but locked in forward. Friend said to flip plug and that would release brakes, but that did not work. Had trailer for a year and this was never an issue. Help, I need to get my boat winterized!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here are some pics I took. Plug has always been missing 4th prong without issue as you will see in pic.

[NautiqueJeff]

The broken pin is in fact the brake lockout pin. That being said, you shouldn't need it going forward, only backward.

My guess is that you backed it up the driveway with the brake lockout not working due to the broken pin, it sat all summer with the brakes engaged, and the brakes seized to the discs over the summer.

You really should fix that pin so this doesn't happen again once you get the brakes released.

[Quick VR-4]

The broken pin is in fact the brake lockout pin. That being said, you shouldn't need it going forward, only backward.

My guess is that you backed it up the driveway with the brake lockout not working due to the broken pin, it sat all summer with the brakes engaged, and the brakes seized to the discs over the summer.

You really should fix that pin so this doesn't happen again once you get the brakes released.

Only reason I think they cannot be seized is it rolls completely free in reverse. No squeal or anything. We were messing with the plug and only the left wheel was locked and then we did something that made both lock. Drug the trailer up the hill and it rolled back freely. If they were seized, would they not be locked going forward or backward???? Plus, trailer worked all summer, this only happened in the last 3 weeks.

[AirTool]

Isn't the pin/connector unrelated? ...it looks to me like it has surge brakes -not electric.

[brettmcox]

I had the same thing with my old trailer. It worked great all the way on a trip and when it was time load up and go home locked up foward. The backing freely is because of the springs in the system but you plunger in the hitch is not pulling the fluid out of the wheels. You will have to pull a bleader from one backing plate this should release. You should be ok but over the winter plan on replacing hitch. With no weight on the trailer your might be to light to release the breaks.

[NautiqueJeff]

Isn't the pin/connector unrelated? ...it looks to me like it has surge brakes -not electric.

Yes, but even with surge brakes, the extra pin powers the pin that slides into place to keep the surge brakes from being activated at the hitch. Older trailers required sliding in a piece here manually prior to backing up. Newer ones do it automatically, based on the power to this pin.

[NautiqueJeff]

Also, based on your prior posts, it sounds like you have a 2005 210. The coupler/surge system does not appear to be original for a 2005 Ram-Lin trailer. It also looks like the electrical connector has been replaced at some point based on the exposed wire in the background. Were these parts replaced?

[brianc]

Ram Line brakes are purly mechanical / hydraulic i would suspect that the piston is seized / stuck in the compressed position there is no input from the tow power socket to realese the brakes in reverse or the brake drum on the hub has stuck in the reverse/ free wheel position

[Quick VR-4]

Also, based on your prior posts, it sounds like you have a 2005 210. The coupler/surge system does not appear to be original for a 2005 Ram-Lin trailer. It also looks like the electrical connector has been replaced at some point based on the exposed wire in the background. Were these parts replaced?

Have no idea because it was like that when I bought it. The guy said the plug would not fit his truck so he cut the 5th pin off which is the brake lock. Not sure what to try first. I can always go and get a new plug and wire it in so all 5 pins work. However, it has been this way since I bought the boat in early summer and never was an issue.

As for the plunger, that is why I took a pic of the underside. You can tell that the piston that is exposed most likely stays compressed most of the time or it would not be all shiny and new looking. Now that it is out, I wonder if that is what has the brakes locked.

We tried chalking the wheels and reversing the trailer to force the piston back in, but it would only slide halfway before the trailer would slide. I guess I could also try the bleeding method because my main concern is getting the boat out off the lift because we have cold snap coming next week.

[Rick]

The picture is not the brake cylinder but the shock absorber. The brake cylinder I believe is the rusted piece above the shock. I think you should get it moving and then take it in if you don't want to replace the master yourself. To get it to move forward all you have to do is bleed some fluid out of each brake cylinder. That will get you moving... but without brakes.

[brettmcox]

the picture is not the brake cylinder but the shock absorber. The brake cylinder i believe is the rusted piece above the shock. I think you should get it moving and then take it in if you don't want to replace the master yourself. To get it to move forward all you have to do is bleed some fluid out of each brake cylinder. That will get you moving... But without brakes.

+1 b-)

[xrichard]

Disc or drum brakes?