Brake quick disconnect - really? No air in the line?

[SilentSeven]

New to me 2005 DHM trailer has a removable tongue and - as part of that - a quick disconnect line for the hydraulic brake system. Now I have been around cars a bit...and even race cars that have rapid line connection systems - but I find it a bit hard to believe that you don't get a little air in the brake line each time you reconnect the plugin.

Of course, pragmatic experience is best...what's yours?

Thanks!

[bturner]

I had the same type system years ago on an Eagle trailer for a Cobalt I owned and thought the exact same thing. I've seen this same fitting used in hydraulic systems for frame machines in body shops but those systems also have self bleeding cylinders (at least the one I worked with did). I never disconnected mine as the idea of bleeding the system every time I used pulled the tongue off didn't seem worth the effort unless I was doing it for end of year storage.

The other thing that would bother me is how do you tell with a boat trailer that you have air in the lines? That is without it being an extreme case. It's not like a car where you can feel it in the pedal. I'd expect the effectiveness of the trailer brake or perhaps some pulling from one side or even uneven wear / non functioning caliper but it probably wouldn't be that noticeable without actually bleeding the brakes and seeing the air for yourself.

All this is pretty much why I bought a motive power bleeder (https://www.motiveproducts.com/) and bleed my brakes every other year. This a super easy system to use and it won't brake the bank on the purchase either. I used to do my tandem axle trailer in about 30 minutes if the boat was on the lift. Connect the adapter, pump up the power bleeder and crack the bleeders starting with the one furthest way and work your way back to the master cylinder. You don't even have to jack up the trailer if the boat is off the trailer.

[SilentSeven]

Concur with everything you say.

I actually have a movtive bleeder. Question - what sort of adapter did you use to connect the bleeder to the master cylinder? My coupler is a surge type and the top is a press fit cap. No screw on type fitting.

Like this...https://www.pacifictrailers.com/coll...-bolt-on-47102

[bturner]

I have 2 but chickened out on the one I really wanted. These are the 2 I have.....

https://www.motiveproducts.com/colle...iversal-marine
https://www.motiveproducts.com/colle...railer-adapter

And this is the one I just couldn't get myself to spend the money on......

https://www.motiveproducts.com/colle...rine-universal

I almost always end up using the bottle stopper one (the first one).

[SilentSeven]

ah ha...should have looked on their site. Might have to pickup one of those.