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Quote: Originally posted by CHRISALIZ on 15/8/2009

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We are taking charge of an ABI Dalesman 520 in a couple of weeks and hope to store on our drive.  Unfortunately tho it has quite a slope.  Advice would be most appreciated from this well informed forum.  One query is how do we leave the break off when stood when it is on a slope?  It has an motor mover fitted and alko hitch.  Another query is what would you recommend for security fittings?

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My caravan sits on my sloping front drive and has the steadies down and the brake on all the time and a wheel clamp fitted, it has never caused me a problem in 17 years but the van does go out very regularly. Some people suggested to me that I should chock it and leave the brake off but my thoughts were that should anything happen and it moved and caused some damage or injured someone then the first question my insurers would ask was whether the brake was on, so I choose always to have the brake on that is what it is there for.

The main reason for leaving the brake off when a vehicle, be it caravan or car, is left for any length of time is to stop the brake shoe from rusting on to the brake drum.

I own two classic cars and both are left with the handbrake off and the wheels chocked. But even with this arrangement, unless the adjusters are also slackened right off, the shoes will over a long period, rust onto the drums.

By the by, both of these cars are inside a workshop but dampness gets everywhere and brake drums, dry and not protected from any oils, will rust quite quickly when not in use.

The drums may rust but the shoe linings shouldn't.  If the bore of the drum is going to rust then leaving the handbrake off won't stop it.  Could it be that leaving the handbrake off stops weakening of the springs. 

Perhaps its an urban myth.  Do car dealers leave their handbrakes off on their stock?

Brian

Quote: Originally posted by brianconwy on 19/8/2009

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The drums may rust but the shoe linings shouldn't.  If the bore of the drum is going to rust then leaving the handbrake off won't stop it.  Could it be that leaving the handbrake off stops weakening of the springs. 

Perhaps its an urban myth.  Do car dealers leave their handbrakes off on their stock?

Brian

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Sorry. I thought everyone would realise that if the inside of the drum forms rust, it will "weld" the brake lining onto the drum meaning the the wheels will not turn nor will the return springs on the brake shoes be stong enough to pull the shoes away from it.

If you attempt to move the wheels when the shoes are stuck to the drum, you will either wreck the brake machanism or tear the linings off the shoes.

As you then cannot get the drum off to clean it, the only way to free the drum is to release the handbrake and thump the drum with a hefty hammer to attempt to release the shoe from the drum, being careful not to crack the drum.

Any rust that then forms will be quickly removed once the wheel is moving and the brakes applied during normal road use.

All in all, it is far easier to chock the wheels and leave the handbrake off.

Have many people had a problem with brake shoes 'welded' onto the drum?  It may be down to the length of time needed for the vehicle to to be laid up.  I chock the wheels and have the steadies down as well. 

I have now moved the van to a less steep part of our drive, but I like the idea of having a post to lock the hitch onto.

Brian

Whilst a security post is a good idea, how would one go about moving the caravan to stop it sitting on the same part of the tyre all winter.

I know that it is recommended that the van be moved every so often.

Quote: Originally posted by brianconwy on 19/8/2009

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Have many people had a problem with brake shoes 'welded' onto the drum?  It may be down to the length of time needed for the vehicle to to be laid up.  I chock the wheels and have the steadies down as well. 

I have now moved the van to a less steep part of our drive, but I like the idea of having a post to lock the hitch onto.

Brian

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I have twice. Once with a trailer tent, left for about 4 months over winter and the second time when borrowing a neighbours twin axle box trailer. In the latter case - only last year - I can confirm how difficult it is to clear. As the brake is used, it wears a slight groove in the drum wall, and with the brake shoes already pressed tight onto the drum it is almost impossible to remove the drum to free up the brake shoes. Hammering and heating the drum is the only option, but all to easy to crack the drum as said above.

If its the wheel parked against the wall, add on the cost of a new tyre as you drag the van out to get at the brake shoe and leave a black streak of rubber on the drive.

 

Would jacking up the van once in a while and spinning the wheel sort out the problem with sticking brakes and uneven tyre loading caused by the van sitting on the same part of the tyre?

I worry more about the van running down into the house wall, but as the steadies are down as well as chocks up against the wheels, its a belt and braces approach.

Brian

Quote: Originally posted by brianconwy on 19/8/2009

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Would jacking up the van once in a while and spinning the wheel sort out the problem with sticking brakes and uneven tyre loading caused by the van sitting on the same part of the tyre?

I worry more about the van running down into the house wall, but as the steadies are down as well as chocks up against the wheels, its a belt and braces approach.

Brian

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