brakes stuck - safety chain?

[CA ML]

:smt100I have a Shoreland'r trailer for my Sea Ray. The brakes are stuck. I can back up w/o issue, but the brakes engage as I pull forward a foot or so. I believe the safety chain was pulled, but I can't figure out how to disengage it. New boat owner needs help. Thanks

 

[Nehalennia]

Have you tried to disengage the "safety lever"?
How do you assume that's the issue?

Has the trailer sat for sometime? If it's been locked up from corrosion, it can do that until it breaks free, but it either way it sounds like you have some maintenance to schedule.

 

[CA ML]

The chain/wire got pulled out.
can you tell me how to disengage?

 

[Nehalennia]

The chain/wire got pulled out.
can you tell me how to disengage?

Well depending on the acuator, you may simply need to Push the lever(whatever the cable was attached to) back in place then immediately go get your coupler serviced.

 

[roostrs]

There should be a lever you can push under the tongue, if that is the problem it will have pressure on it.

 

[Lazy Daze]

deleted - double post. sorry.

 

[Lazy Daze]

And, make sure you guide the safety cable back into where it came from. You might have to lift up on a small "keeper", so to say.

What does the safety cable look like where it starts to go into the trailer? Do you see a "stop" on there? It'd be a little piece of metal, about 1/4". That should not be on the outside. Do you see a difference in the color of the cable? The part of the cable that is usually inside the actuator may look different - the outside length has been exposed to more weather.

 

[Morpheus]

There should be a lever you can push under the tongue, if that is the problem it will have pressure on it.

Yup mine is under the tonge. I did this once by accident had unhooked and somehow the dang safety cable got hung on the truck and I didn't noticed started to pull forward and engaged it almost straighted out the s-hook on it. Used the release and all was back to normal.

 

[Lazy Daze]

CA ML,

Sorry - I missed your post where you said you already knew the cable was pulled out. These kids are driving me crazy, here!

 

[CA ML]

Friday morning I sprayed WD 40 up inside wherever I could, wiggled the safety wire and accuated the "release" on the underside of the trailer tongue. Came back out 1 hr later and trailer worked great. Pulled boat to upholstery shop, had new covers put on and pull it back home. Came out today, hooked up and was ready to pull boat to marina and the brakes were locked up again. Don't know if cable got pull tight when I made a tight turn on the street.

Anyway, in the same spot again; however this time, nothing I try (WD 40, pressing the release, etc) releases the brakes. I am ready to take to shop, but how do I get it there if the brakes are locked???