senior50:
Shunter at our place report you if you don’t use trailer brakes
At our place they’re the biggest culprits. And if the brake isn’t on the headboard then forget it.
Terry T:
Too many drivers in this thread seem to be under the potentially dangerous illusion that the red button is popped out once the red air line is disconnected on all new trailers.From my (admittedly limited) personal experience, having auto brakes is a luxury. Only ever seen it at Stobarts. At my gaff we have hundreds of new trailers and they all have manual brakes.
When I was on contract to Magor brewery most of the trailers had it plus the button was on the headboard. (they also had auto buckle on the curtains which is a bloody lovely system 
)
Terry T:
Too many drivers in this thread seem to be under the potentially dangerous illusion that the red button is popped out once the red air line is disconnected on all new trailers.From my (admittedly limited) personal experience, having auto brakes is a luxury. Only ever seen it at Stobarts. At my gaff we have hundreds of new trailers and they all have manual brakes.
With ours once the line is pulled the brakes lock on. This is not auto brakes however but they still lock on the same. Its just when it come to connecting it back up it releases them and where the ‘danger’ is but then it would only be a potential danger if you happen to have made the mistake of not putting the unit brake on.
As I said above, I’m not saying I’m right in not applying it, in fact I’ll say that according to the book I’m wrong.
Still won’t be putting it on though. It’s ok though, no one else will ever be pulling our trailers.
I was under the impression that as soon as you drop the air pressure in the system the brakes lock into place and can’t be released until the air has reached the correct pressure?
Terry T:
Too many drivers in this thread seem to be under the potentially dangerous illusion that the red button is popped out once the red air line is disconnected on all new trailers.From my (admittedly limited) personal experience, having auto brakes is a luxury. Only ever seen it at Stobarts. At my gaff we have hundreds of new trailers and they all have manual brakes.
Yes, they are called pownall brakes and they’re a special spec or aftermarket fit mainly with big fleets as a safety initiative.
Without sidetracking into a big technical discussion a downside with them is that if the trailer breaks loose you only get spring brakes applying rather than full service brake.
Radar19:
I was under the impression that as soon as you drop the air pressure in the system the brakes lock into place and can’t be released until the air has reached the correct pressure?
Sort of.
If there’s no air in the trailer tanks then the spring brakes will go on but when you drop the red line and there’s enough air in the trailer the regular service brakes go on.
Own Account Driver:
Without sidetracking into a big technical discussion a downside with them is that if the trailer breaks loose you only get spring brakes applying rather than full service brake.
You may aswell… No harm…So…
By break loose you mean seperated from unit/burst the lines?
Manual brake if red line is taken off the service brake comes on if there’s air in the trailer?
Does that not happen with auto parking brake trailers?