Braking Point: Are your trailer brakes up to the job?
You may think that your tractor has good brakes, do you think that your trailer could stop quickly in an emergency?
Is your trailer up to the task?
Many of today's tractors are now equipped with a 40kph (25mph) gearbox and there are even some that can do 50kph (31mph). These machines have superior road handling to deal with their fast gearing and up rated brakes to dissipate all that extra energy. But what about the trailers they pull?
Effective braking when pulling a trailer requires both the tractor and trailer to have the same braking ability. If your trailer brakes are poor, the tractor will have to compensate for this and this attributes to faster wear and tear. Older trailers were not designed for lots of road use, as the axles are too small and the drums and shoes are too thin. Therefore, an older trailer will need to have an additional hydraulic system fitted and may require its existing brakes to be replaced. Additionally an emergency trailer braking system such as Vapormatic's Power-Brake system is strongly recommended to protect against trailer detachment.
What is The Power-Brake System
The Power-Brake System is a failsafe spring loaded emergency braking system which has been developed to support sections in the Road Traffic Regulations Act 1963 that relate to break away braking systems which are now being rigidly enforced.
How does the Power-Brake System work?
The power-brake system (VFM2002) is hydraulically powered from the existing brake line and comes into operation when the brake is controlled by a 12 volt valve, which automatically applies the brake when the power supply is off. The brake can then be released by reconnecting the power supply and hydraulically recharging the power brake by depressing the brake pedal.
If you are interested in improving your trailer brakes, take a look at our selection of trailer braking products, which includes our high quality Power-Brake kit (VFM2002).