Safety idea.....

[dm22630]

After reading this thread ---> http://www.steelsoldiers.com/5-ton-up/31998-towing-5-ton.html

I just had a thought.....let me know what you think.....

Theoretically, if the towed vehicle/trailer experiences an airline failure....it would drain both the towed vehicle/trailer air supply, as well as the air from the vehicle towing. This concerns me. I am sure that it has happened....I just dont want it to happen to me.....so.....

How hard would it be to install an airline from the airtanks to the cab w/a manual shutoff valve (on the dash/floor/etc) which would completely shut off the air supply to the emergency air on the rear of the towed vehicle?

Basically, the driver could save himself/others by shutting off the air manually to the emergency air line while driving, and would prevent an accident because of no brakes/airhorn.

What do you think? Good & bad?

 

[rosco]

Commercial vehicles are set up that way. One of the valves on the dash, is called a "Tractor Protection Valve". It preserves the Tractors air supply, in the event of an emergency. In the event it is used, while moving, it will close off air supply to the trailer & activate the towed vehicles brakes with that vehicles emergency air supply. In the event that an emergency exists, and the driver is unaware of it, when the air supply drops below 60psi, all brakes will automatically be applied. Most vehicles (mostly depending on age), has some version of these safety features. A grey area, are the vehicles that aren't specifically designed around towing. The trailers are usually set-up for the safety features. Example: the early, versus the later 105 trailers. There are many examples & many exceptions, to what I have said here! Its best for the drivers to school themselves in all aspects of the braking systems and that adequate brakes exist, before moving the vehicles, Especially towed combinations.

Lee in Alaska

 

[Jones]

The baby HEMTT's axles are out from under an M900 series five ton and those rears have "spring brakes". I have to have air pressure to even get them to release. A loss of air should cause the brakes to set up, not fail to apply.
There are also single and double check valves that can replace an existing elbow or pipe-to-air line fitting to isolate upstream air components from a leak; as well as pressure protection valves that cut off when pressure drops below a set "crack pressure".
Even if the truck didn't come equipped with them, these safety components are very easy to install.