IanJ Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I have a second-hand 7(ish) year old Brian James Minno and a rather steep driveway. Reversing the trailer uphill activates the brake and makes things even more difficult than the effects of gravity alone. Is anybody aware of something like a reversing lock to disable the braking system (perhaps as an option) on Minno hitches? Thanks. Ian 😬 1.6K SS Superlight #006 Penn Sevens Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irrelevant Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Newer BJ trailers have an auto lockout of the breaks when the trailer's reversed. Not sure how this is implemented - if it's just the hitch, or if there's more to it, but I'd bet you can buy the bits you need. Just a case of what they'll cost. Maybe you have the mechanism you need but it's not working Do the brakes come on with normal reversing - i.e. not up a hill? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Is it a hydraulic cylinder on the towhitch neck ? We had a trailer at work a while back, and it had a simple drop down collar to prevent the brake cylinder being actuated when reversing. Had to remember to flip it up when driving forwards though !! 7 related photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Locust Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 The Avonride axles on the Minno I had were fitted with auto reversing hubs. The brakes disengaged if operated in reverse. Interesting if you are trying to man handle a trailer on a slope with the nose uphill as the brakes don't work in reverse! Ian Green and Silver Roadsport 😬 or Mrs Locust's Blue Roadsport Academy 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedazzled Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 My minno trailer locks the brakes when reversing up a hill. One simple solution is to make a temporary collar to block the movement in the tow-hitch (which activates the brakes). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanJ Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 Interesting - thanks for the responses. The trailer reverses OK on the flat, but is a real struggle to reverse uphill (empty) with the hitch significantly more compressed. I don't believe it's a hydraulic hitch. I certainly wouldn't try man-handling it on a hill that steep. It could indeed be the case that there is some clever auto-reverse mechanism which prevents the brakes from activating in reverse even when the hitch is fully compressed. I hadn't considered that as a possibility. It just seemed a bit harder to reverse uphill backwards than I was expecting. Maybe it's just gravity after all... Ian 😬 1.6K SS Superlight #006 Penn Sevens Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanJ Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 Bedazzled: that certainly matches my experience and was an approach that had crossed my mind. Thanks! Ian 😬 1.6K SS Superlight #006 Penn Sevens Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Simon Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Some surge brake equiped trailers have a solenoid valve (similar to a line lock) that blocks the hydraulic line from the coupler's master cylinder to the trailer wheel cylinders. The valve closes when you illuminate the reverse lights. Not sure about BJ trailers, but others offer kits to retrofit this function. -Bob 94 HPC VX Evo III Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedazzled Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 IanJ - I just use a piece of wood which slots tightly in-between the back of the toe-hitch and the front of the A-frame (about 6" long) with a strap wrapped around it and the gater to stop it jumping out of place. There are probably more elegant solutions but it's nice and simple for reversing up a slope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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