[terrylamar]

Originally Posted by Glad Hand

Hell, I've been using vice grips with success for years. Pull the lever out as far as it will go. Catch a bite with the vice grips. Rock the truck. Pull the lever out a little further. Catch another bite. Rock the Truck. Continue until the pin unlocks. Works for me.

Sounds like this would work. Or, actually, it sounds like a lot of work. If you jog back and forth from your cab to the tandem back to the cab and repeat as needed, how many miles do you get in per day?

Just picking on you!

[Dave_0755]

I have fought those straight bar tandem releases for years.

The ones that have the lever lifts are the best. You just go back there pull up on it and 99% of the time the pins just pop right out and the lever goes all the way up. If they don't release just pull up on the lever go back to the truck and rock it one time gently then go back and it raises....no problem. I've never had 1 ounce of problems out of the lever lift releases.

If I purchase a trailer it will have that type of release on it or I won't be a buyer.

[Windwalker]

Originally Posted by Dave_0755

I have fought those straight bar tandem releases for years.

The ones that have the lever lifts are the best. You just go back there pull up on it and 99% of the time the pins just pop right out and the lever goes all the way up. If they don't release just pull up on the lever go back to the truck and rock it one time gently then go back and it raises....no problem. I've never had 1 ounce of problems out of the lever lift releases.

If I purchase a trailer it will have that type of release on it or I won't be a buyer.

I'll take that rod that I can attach the bungee cords to any day before I take the lift-bar. I've fought with those lift bars. They get old, they get to be just as bad, and even worse, than the pull-rods. I've already put a 3-ton bottle jack under the lift bar to try to get it to move. Didn't get it to move, but after bending the bar, I took it down to the shop and left it there. After doing that with several trailers over a 4 month period, the shop manager strongly suggested the company never get another one with that type. They have to use a torch to heat the bar and straighten it back out before they can send the trailer out again.:lol:

But, try sliding tandems when one of the pins is disconnected from the pull mechanism.

[AsphaltVoyager]

Originally Posted by Dave_0755

I have fought those straight bar tandem releases for years.

The ones that have the lever lifts are the best. You just go back there pull up on it and 99% of the time the pins just pop right out and the lever goes all the way up. If they don't release just pull up on the lever go back to the truck and rock it one time gently then go back and it raises....no problem. I've never had 1 ounce of problems out of the lever lift releases.

If I purchase a trailer it will have that type of release on it or I won't be a buyer.

Better yet, get the trailers with the hydraulic pin releases. They work a trick, lemme tell ya.

[VPIDarkAngel]

Originally Posted by AsphaltVoyager

Better yet, get the trailers with the hydraulic pin releases. They work a trick, lemme tell ya.

As do the pneumatic ones. The only catch is, one must have the trailer parking brake engaged in order for that to work. One can't just use the hand valve.

I also use the vise-grips on trailers without the air-release, but I also use a company-issued pin-puller to help pull the handle out on the older trailers. I rarely run into problems with that method.