The Camping Forum

[in-a-tent]

We had an interesting/worrying thing happen on the way home on Sunday.

In the last 2 or 3 miles the trailer started to creak every time we went around a roundabout and as we turned into our road.

At first I thought it was the ALCO hitch but but then when I had reversed it in front of the house i noticed as I unhitched it that the brake was one one notch. Releasing it stopped the creaking as I pushed it.

I am wondering if the safety cable had somehow got snagged and pulled the brake on.

Any thoughts? Anyone got experience towing a braked trailer?

[Rob-merlin1973]

Sorry mate i have no exp with braked trailers.

[in-a-tent]

I posted on Touring and Tenting and one of the Caravanners on there has replied, might be the pads on the hitch or it might be that the brakes were on and got hot at which point the creaking started.

Looks like I need to get the running gear checked out by someone - caravan dealers or similar. Hope it's all OK

Will be a bit annoyed with myself if I've caused any major damage by being a bit lax while hitching up.

[Wayne]

Creaking \trailer,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,that was an interesting header that grabbed my attention and deserved a closer look .

Do you think you might have just left the brake on one click (notch) then by mistake if I am understanding you right .

Silly question, do they do a Haynes Manual for your trailer, more for the road systems than the actual trailer, its just if they do I would imagine its quite easy to swap the pads over yourself if its damaged/warn them down.

[in-a-tent]

Yes I think the brake was probably on one notch, which is very annoying.

No we don't have the haynes manual but we do have the manufacturers manual somewhere, I'll go and dig it out later.

[in-a-tent]

Have just realised why the title is funny, in a Carry On Camping kind of way

[Wayne]

Have just realised why the title is funny, in a Carry On Camping kind of way

[in-a-tent]

Just to bring you up to date - I took the trailer for a jaunt around the village today and the creaking seems to be caused by the stabilizing hitch (kind of brake block the clamp the tow ball) releasing it stopped the creak, interestingly re-applying it didn't seem to re-introduce it.

Anyhow got a service booked by a guy who's mobile, comes to the house which is great. £90 (+parts) to service the wheel bearings, brakes, chassis, hitch and so on, which will give us peace of mind at least. Not sure we'll do it annually but as it's 6 years old and I don't know how many times it's been serviced in the past I thought it was worthwhile.

[Wayne]

That sounds quite a good price and I agree its something I would consider having done.

[Rob-merlin1973]

It's a good idea to get it done.

My brother is a mechanic so i take my trailer to him at the beggining of the season to get it checked and greased up redy for the year ahead