How cold is too cold to shut the truck down for the night?

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If your trailer brakes freeze up you can take the glad hands loose and pour some alcohol in the lines. Start pumping your brakes and using anything that has air and it should free itself up within a short time.

Amazingly that's exactly what I did on the night before! I was getting worried about the brake lines with such low temperatures, so I bought a bottle of some brake spirit-based fluid. I put it into the air lines before going to bed and then again in the morning - right into the glad-hands. And still one wheel got frozen because I had applied the trailer brakes (this was THE last time!). It wasn't an internal problem (frozen moisture in the lines). It was external - one brake pad FROZE TO the surface of the drum and stayed put even with the brake released. Hammering at it was the only way. And you're right - applying trailer brakes in cold weather is just asking for trouble.

[specialkay]

You can get an alcohol evaporator bottle installed on your truck. They're cheap and easily installed. Some trailers are worse than others for freezing. Back in the day with spoke wheels I used a small sledge and foot long breaker bar to hit the drum. That way you didn't have to get under the trailer. The vibration from hitting the drum will usually break it free. Also try backing up first they seem to break free easier that way. When I got a trailer with hub piloted wheels the problem seemed to go away IDK I don't find any difference with applying the brakes or not. I let the brakes cool down or maybe dry if it's a sloppy snowy day before applying the brakes and that's it.

[GMAN]

Amazingly that's exactly what I did on the night before! I was getting worried about the brake lines with such low temperatures, so I bought a bottle of some brake spirit-based fluid. I put it into the air lines before going to bed and then again in the morning - right into the glad-hands. And still one wheel got frozen because I had applied the trailer brakes (this was THE last time!). It wasn't an internal problem (frozen moisture in the lines). It was external - one brake pad FROZE TO the surface of the drum and stayed put even with the brake released. Hammering at it was the only way. And you're right - applying trailer brakes in cold weather is just asking for trouble.

If the pad is frozen to the hub then it likely won't do any good to put something in the lines. I have found alcohol works as well or better than any of the commercial products and costs about $0.79 at Dollar Store. It can be a pain to have to get out and beat the brake drums when the weather is nasty. That is why I don't apply the trailer brakes in winter. I am glad that you got the brakes loose.

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I remember once leaving my car with a manual transmission in the yard with applied hand brake. The weather was warm when I left on a trip but I was gone a long time and fall turned into winter When I finally got back home, I got into my car and it wouldn't move. Took me a moment to figure out brake shoes froze to the disks (I have all disk brakes). But at least on a car you don't have to climb under it to get the brakes release: I just added more gas, the car hesitated a bit, but then snapped out of it and I was rolling

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It's minus 2 F (!) or -19C in Jamestown, ND right now and the truck started fine. I drove all day, then shut down, drained the water separator/primary fuel filter and my tanks were 90% full with plenty of anti-gel. I idled 1 hour before going to bed and then shut the truck down. Started the bunk heater around 4 am. Started the truck at 7 am. It hesitated a little bit but fired up okay. So, I agree with guys who said you should be okay without idling to -20C or 0F. As long as you don't discharge your batteries too badly and your fuel is winter-ready and you have no water in your water separator/fuel filter. Too bad the CAT didn't make the primary filter the way they made them in a Volvo - where you have the bottom transparent. When I get to drain the damn thing I have to drain it 100% - about 8 oz of fuel - because there is no way for me to tell if it has water at the bottom or not.

[GMAN]

It's minus 2 F (!) or -19C in Jamestown, ND right now and the truck started fine. I drove all day, then shut down, drained the water separator/primary fuel filter and my tanks were 90% full with plenty of anti-gel. I idled 1 hour before going to bed and then shut the truck down. Started the bunk heater around 4 am. Started the truck at 7 am. It hesitated a little bit but fired up okay. So, I agree with guys who said you should be okay without idling to -20C or 0F. As long as you don't discharge your batteries too badly and your fuel is winter-ready and you have no water in your water separator/fuel filter. Too bad the CAT didn't make the primary filter the way they made them in a Volvo - where you have the bottom transparent. When I get to drain the damn thing I have to drain it 100% - about 8 oz of fuel - because there is no way for me to tell if it has water at the bottom or not.

You should be able to open the drain cock on the fuel filter and get rid of most of the water without having to drain the entire filter. Water should settle to the bottom of the fuel filter and you should be able to see if it has water when the fuel hits the ground. It would be great if all trucks had transparent fuel filters. It would make it much easier to spot the water.

[heavyhaulerss]

buy the alcohol with the red label. it has a lot less water content in it. It is 91% alcohol instead of the usual 70% I aslo carry a small propane torch kit to heat the drums if needed.

[Maniac]

You can also spray the alcohol ON the brakes linings, it will release them right away, AND NOT hurt the linings.

Save an extra bottle cap and drill a small hole in it, put it on the alcohol bottle and squeeze, it will squirt 20 feet, squirt the linings without going under the truck or trailer.

Rubbing alcohol is IPA, (isopropyl alcohol) , it WILL eat rubber, use Methanol instead, that is what the air brake stuff is, or you can get Methanol in the paint section of Home Depot or Lowes. or any hardware store.

[Copperhead]

The alchohol that is being sold in most truck stops I have seen is the 70% variety. What a waste. Like HeavyHaulerSS stated, get the 90+ percent stuff. Why would anyone want to throw water into the air system?

When in Alaska, I would carry a can of Ronson lighter fluid. If brakes were froze up, I would squirt a line of lighter fluid on the drum and light it up. Maybe not the best choice, but it worked in -60F temps. The use of a small propane torch would be the best choice for most people. Propane didn't work quite so well in real cold temps like Alaska.

Good point, Maniac. I never really considered that before. In Alaska, our alchohol supply was in a bulk tank and we just filled jugs from it. Never noticed whether it was Methanol or not. Based on your comments, I would bet it was.

[mikewayne]

Nothing with the starter dude they are the batteries which creating the problem .... get them replaced....

[terrylamar]

Now explain to me how rubbing alcohol in the glad hands will free up a brake shoe frozen to the brake drum?

[geeshock]

Now explain to me how rubbing alcohol in the glad hands will free up a brake shoe frozen to the brake drum?

I think they ment to apply it directly to the break shoe and drum, hence punch a hole and squirt at a safe distance

[YerDaddy]

Too many trucks are wired with the connections conveniently both at the same end of the row, instead of one at either end for balanced charging and loading. The battery furthest from the connections has a bad habit of being under charged, or the one closest gets overcharged, shortening their lives.

That doesn't matter! LOL! It's electricity not water! What gauge are your "dogbones" [?], 00 right? What gauge comes off your alternator, 6 correct? You really think any amount of alternator amperage is gonna have trouble coming from the 6 ga. on through the 00 ga. from the starter to the "dog bones" [still ?!] and then have trouble getting all the way across the "dog bone"? Barring any uneveness in battery condition and corrosion/bad connections in the cables, each battery is gonna take what it needs and the voltage regulator in the alternator won't overcharge the batteries. If batteries are in uneven condition the best one will charge up slower than the more depleted ones because they are taking more of the available charge.

[YerDaddy]

Methanol or anything else introduced to the air system of a truck is not desireable. I think some mfrs even void warranties? like Bendix or WABCO.

There is no excuse for not maintaining your air system with a properly functioning air dryer. You should not have to contaminate your air system with foreign substances.

I drag my own platform but you D&H guys must all suffer the lowest denominator - the guy who's compressor is running 100% duty, his air dryer pops off every 20 seconds and he drains a gallon of water and oil out of his primary tank!

I own my truck 15 years and have yet to get one drop out of my primary.



And... check this Wolverine Engine Heaters if you have 120V these are the cat's nuts! An engine oil pan immersion type heater, a pad heater for the batteries and your immersion type coolant heater and you should be ready to lease on with Carlisle! Make sure to call Kevin he'll hook ya up right.

[specialkay]

Must be nice, My truck get a new dessicant every year and it still gets moisture on a day with high humidity. Has since the day it was new.

[Fredog]

I am glad to hear that your truck cranked up all right. I never put my trailer brakes on in winter, especially when there is snow or ice. It can be a bit difficult when you are doing drop and hook. I will share something with you in case your brakes freeze up again. Keep a bottle of rubbing alcohol with you. If your trailer brakes freeze up you can take the glad hands loose and pour some alcohol in the lines. Start pumping your brakes and using anything that has air and it should free itself up within a short time.

you should never use rubbing alcohol, it will dry up the seals and cause them to fail, get a bottle of air brake antifreeze, they have it at most truck stops, it has the proper lubricant in it

[GMAN]

I don't usually leave the alcohol in the lines. Once the ice melts I try to blow all the moisture out of the lines. Regular alcohol can dry rubber, but I have never had a problem with it. Once you get the moisture out of the lines you should not have any problem with them freezing unless your shoes freeze to the hub.