Long term handbrake use

Alex Shirley
Alex Shirley Forum Participant Posts: 4
edited March 2021 in Caravans #1

Lockdown has given me a chance to thoroughly read my handbook and I note that the handbrake should be off if the caravan is not being used for some time. I suspect that I may have left it on since the end of October! I can't check right now since it's stored 15 miles away and it hardly counts as essential travel.

What is the problem with leaving the handbrake on? Is it to do with the brakes binding on, or might it stretch the cables?

I'm looking forward to getting a look at in it April (only used it once so far!) and wonder if there's anything I need to watch out for if the handbrake has been on all this time. Any advice will be much appreciated.

Comments

  • dave the rave
    dave the rave Forum Participant Posts: 806
    500 Comments
    edited March 2021 #2

    The problem can be the brake shoes stuck to the drum.Should this prove to be the case reverse the caravan a few feet and they should release as the reverse mechanism acts.Sometimes giving the brake rod a wiggle will work.If you are lucky you will not have a problem.

  • Alex Shirley
    Alex Shirley Forum Participant Posts: 4
    edited April 2021 #3

    Thanks noneplussed.

    As it turns out, it was not a problem.

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578
    1000 Comments
    edited April 2021 #4

    A S, I bet you really enjoyed the feeling of utter relief  then wink

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
    1000 Comments
    edited April 2021 #5

    My caravan's hand brake had been on since we last used the caravan last Sept. The caravan moved effortlessly last week when I had new tyres fitted.

    In 40 yrs of driving, the only hand brake I've ever had stick was a year or 2 ago on my daily driver .... applied the night before & didn't want to let go the following morning. 

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