Flat Spot On Tires - Please Explain

Drug his tires, tires were not moving, and skidded off all the rubber. tires are shot need replaced. Could have been frozen and not released, from driving in snow and slush then parking in below freezing temps. Could also be a frozen or kinked airline. Basically the spring brakes need air pressure to release them from parking mode, pushing the springs back. So either air was not getting to the brake chamber, or air got there but the pushrod and S-cam assembly was frozen, or the shoes were frozen to the drums. All of which cause a no-turn situation. These are either his engage only drive axle or his trailer tires since you would really know it if your normal drive axle had a frozen brake somewhere.

Phil

OK, so they weren't spinning for one reason or another and this is from friction? Also, is there a way to prevent this? I mean, if it's from driving in icy conditions and then parking overnight and driving again. Thanks for breaking it down to simple terms for me 😊

When it gets cold below freezing don't set your trailer brakes... The moisture on the brakes freeze and locks the brakes....

Miss Red, in cold slushy conditions, when you stop for a bit, DONT set your trailer brakes because they'll freeze up and be hell to break loose. There will be water on them, because your wherls are warm. The truck sits and that water will freeze and your brakes won't release.

On your tractor, make sure you have power going to both drive axles. Take off slow and easy and use your mirrors to check that your drives are actually turning.

it's a preventable thing that just takes attention that many rookies haven't been taught.

Miss Red, in cold slushy conditions, when you stop for a bit, DONT set your trailer brakes because they'll freeze up and be hell to break loose. There will be water on them, because your wherls are warm. The truck sits and that water will freeze and your brakes won't release.

On your tractor, make sure you have power going to both drive axles. Take off slow and easy and use your mirrors to check that your drives are actually turning.

it's a preventable thing that just takes attention that many rookies haven't been taught.

👍👍 thank you👍👍

Miss Red, in cold slushy conditions, when you stop for a bit, DONT set your trailer brakes because they'll freeze up and be hell to break loose. There will be water on them, because your wherls are warm. The truck sits and that water will freeze and your brakes won't release.

On your tractor, make sure you have power going to both drive axles. Take off slow and easy and use your mirrors to check that your drives are actually turning.

it's a preventable thing that just takes attention that many rookies haven't been taught.

Sort of related: Make sure you aren't parking on water... Ice under the tires makes for a rude awakening when trying to drive off with your load at 07:00. Lol

Like Sue D said, check your drives and also your Trailers as you start to roll, If you roll up with the brakes wet and warm and it's below Freezing then they could freeze and lock if you set them. If given some time to get cold before you set them, then shouldn't be a problem.

I had a lot of experience with locked up brakes as a mechanic in Chicago in the winter and as a Driver in ND oil fields, see if you can get themto break loose by going forward and back.

If they still won't break loose, then the trusty short handle 2Lb sledge is you friend,, get down and dirty and beat the offending Brake Shoe loose with a couple of well placed Hits.. :)

Also sometimes Water would get past the Dryer so we would Pop the trailer air supply line and por Alcohal (Methanol) into the Trailer air system to thaw out any frozen Brake Air valves as you pump the brakes.

This has not been mentioned: Swift sent this out- after parking for 1-2 hours, move you vehicle back and forth to break up any ice that may have formed in the brakes. I believe it was Errol who wrote about the Swift message.

I think it has already been mentioned to dry out the brakes by engaging the service brake and dragging your vehicle to heat up the brakes and evaporate any water in the brakes.

Just to clarify, would I need to move every couple hours? Or just once? Also, is there a need to do this if you dried them out?

Just to clarify, would I need to move every couple hours? Or just once? Also, is there a need to do this if you dried them out?

If you moved once after waiting an hour or two you wouldn't have to move again. You're breaking free any ice that may be forming before it gets any worse and you would be fine after doing it once.

I was one to drag my brakes while I was going through the parking lot or rest area approaching my final spot for the night. That will get the brakes plenty hot enough to dry any residual moisture off them. If anything you might get a little condensation on the brakes from the hot metal in the cold air but I very much doubt that would be enough to lock them up. But often times to be extra sure I would also leave my trailer brakes released.

Just to clarify, would I need to move every couple hours? Or just once? Also, is there a need to do this if you dried them out?

If you moved once after waiting an hour or two you wouldn't have to move again. You're breaking free any ice that may be forming before it gets any worse and you would be fine after doing it once.

I was one to drag my brakes while I was going through the parking lot or rest area approaching my final spot for the night. That will get the brakes plenty hot enough to dry any residual moisture off them. If anything you might get a little condensation on the brakes from the hot metal in the cold air but I very much doubt that would be enough to lock them up. But often times to be extra sure I would also leave my trailer brakes released.

Brett- I am inexperienced, so I was hoping an experienced driver would respond to Miss Red.

OK, so I park for the night, and don't engage the trailer brakes. Therefore there is air pressure in the system, so the pressure keeps the springs from pulling the brake pads against the drums. Won't the air gradually drain out, over night? Causing the trailer brakes to be engaged?