I was thinking, for extra security to remove the cable used for the runaway brakes when I'm setup at a campsite in addition to the chocks used under my wheels.Could this cause damage to my brakes?

Magnets inside of wheels would over heat, and battery would go dead if you did not have 120 Volt connection. Like said, they are emergency brakes, for when your trailer may separate from the tow vehicle. So trailer will stop.

Those are electric brakes run by your battery. I wouldn't recommend it.

NOBrake magnets will be energized with full voltage/amps from trailer batteryUnnecessary drain on your trailer batteryTrailer brakes, although magnets energized, will not be engaged..until trailer is rolling away.NOWheel chocks........1st item installed before unhitching. LAST item removed before driving away.

Old-Biscuit wrote:NOBrake magnets will be energized with full voltage/amps from trailer batteryUnnecessary drain on your trailer batteryTrailer brakes, although magnets energized, will not be engaged..until trailer is rolling away.NOWheel chocks........1st item installed before unhitching. LAST item removed before driving away.I agree. And although I have never tried it, I think if the trailer were to roll backwards the brakes would not set as they need forward rotation to force the shoes against the drums.

Good advice above...don't do it. Run down battery and possibly damage the brake mechanism.If you are camping on such a steep slope that chocks won't hold your trailer, you should move to another spot.

Can I use my runaway brakes when camping? | Good Sam Community

15 Replies

rseymour21
Explorer
Apr 06, 2014
jasult wrote:
these work if you need extra locking
trailer tire lock

X2 - I use these and chocks as well
komodo
Explorer
Apr 06, 2014
What I meant Pappcam, by security in that the wheels would not move on their own, but I see now that it was a bad idea.

Thank you all for your comments.
bikendan
Explorer
Apr 06, 2014
what you need to use is tandem wheel chocks between the wheels, not cheap wedge chocks under the wheels, instead of thinking of pulling the emergency brakes.
pappcam
Explorer
Apr 06, 2014
komodo wrote:
I was thinking, for extra security to remove the cable used for the runaway brakes when I'm setup at a campsite in addition to the chocks used under my wheels.

Could this cause damage to my brakes?

What do you mean by "extra security"?
tvman44
Explorer
Apr 06, 2014
No, you will burn them up. Not designed for continuous activation. :)
jasult
Explorer
Apr 05, 2014
these work if you need extra locking
trailer tire lock
noteven
Explorer III
Apr 05, 2014
Wheel chocks.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Apr 05, 2014
It can indeed overheat the magnets and it will run down the battery. Best security is a hitch lock, if they can't hook to it they can not tow it.

or a big dog dish and a few bits of kibble (no dog required) A very big dog dish. One that holds GALLONS.
Golden_HVAC
Explorer
Apr 05, 2014
komodo wrote:
I was thinking, for extra security to remove the cable used for the runaway brakes when I'm setup at a campsite in addition to the chocks used under my wheels.

Could this cause damage to my brakes? YES

The brakes use a magnet to pull the forward brake shoe towards the moving drum, and that is the force that applies the brakes. So if the brakes are turning less than about 10 revolutions per minute, they really will not work well. I don't know if they work in reverse at all, but you can try it in a gravel parking lot at low speed and check.

If the magnet is left on for more than a few minutes, it can overheat and melt, or the coil wire can melt. Then they will not work at all on the return trip. One "Trick" to test the brakes is have someone apply the brake in the truck by hand, and hold a compos near the brakes. If the compos turns toward the brake drum while it is applied, then the brake magnet is working.

Fred.
dodge_guy
Explorer II
Apr 05, 2014
NO! First off they will overheat the magnets and render the trailer brakes useless. Second the brakes need forward or backward movement to work. So once you are setup and you pull the pin the trailer would still move back and forth a bit.