Line Lock parking brk ? DOT?

[GardnerM]

I know a line lock is not a replacement for parking brake. My stock parking brake won`t hold a loaded trailer on a hill. So when I unload trailer I want to set park brake ,switch on the micro lock and then throw a wheel chock down behind it so when I am up on the backhoe I don`t need to swet bullets hoping my truck don`t pop out and take off which would be a huge liability. I park on a flat then drive to job now . Question is , can you have a micro lock and still pass annual DOT inspection ,as we run commercial,not for hire, no employees... . ? I know from searches you get all these horror stories from line locks but my neighbor installs them on all the company trucks and it is a huge corporation in the asphault business. Thanks in advance , Mark

 

[GardnerM]

Correction he installed them on trucks that belonged to a huge quarry operation but the trucks were used on the highway also.

 

[Motorhead]

I don't know about whether a micro lock would pass your states inspection or not. I do know when I first started working at UPS in 1977, They had Mico-Brake, brake locks on them. From a delivery driver stand point, They were real neat. I could come up to a customers stop, put the truck in neutral while still rolling, flip up the lever on the Mico Brake and tap the service brake pedal just right so the truck slowed to a stop. While it was slowing to a stop, I was already out of the drivers seat, grabbed the package I had to deliver and was jumped out of the truck as it STOPPED.
The MAJOR downfall to the Mico brake valves was the brakes would bleed off the pressure sometimes and the truck would have a roll away. Shortly after I started there, UPS pulled all of them out of the package cars because they were a liability.

 

[jhenderson]

As far as I know, as long as you leave the mechanical parking brake installed and functional, it's ok.

 

[GardnerM]

I`m hoping because it looks like everything else in life, use your brains and its a good thing, stand on it and leave it all the time and sooner or later rear calipers would break seal. Used to have a six month state inspection,now its annual (federal) because I cross state lines making it "intrastate commerce".

 

[HBarlow]

Are you talking about adding a brake lock to an ordinary Dodge truck? You didn't id the truck you own.

I went through many DOT roadside or scale inspections with a Dodge dually when hauling 48 state commercial and never had an inspector lift the hood, look in a wheel well, or under the truck like they routinely do on a big truck.

The best way to get a definitive answer would be to ask an officer in your IL state DOT office. If you don't identify yourself you'll avoid the chance that the answer will be no and you'll be on record as having been advised not to.

 

[TCDiesel]

When dumping at landfills the truck would launch forward when the load reach the end of the dumper, I install a hot wire on a switch to the break-away on the trailer this locks up the trailer brakes, Yes we have the inspections also, yes the trip switch works as required by Law. The DOT ask if he could flip the switch to see what would happen I agree, I pulled away dragging the tires ,then he flip it back to off and I rolled away, then he pull the thither cable and the brakes lock up .



I see your problem, even if you put the truck in 4x4 mode and the backhoe reaches the ramps and/it can be ... ... ... . when the truck and trailer launches forwards.....

 

[mwilson]

Here is the Mico 2013 Catalog and the lever lock that we all know and love is still available. About three pages down. They state that a Mico-Lock is designed to be used WITH the mechanical vehicle parking brake. They have also added a low pressure warning to each style of Mico-Lock. They do list fitment for your truck, scroll down thru PDF and you come to the Ram section. They do not list the lever style for the Ram, only the 691 system shown at the very top with it's own hydraulic pump.



I would certainly add one to lock the front wheels in your case where there is that chance of the rear truck wheels lifting off the ground while loading your equipment, I have had that happen and it is a mite scary on a grade.



Link here. .

http://www.mico.com/sites/default/files/document-pdfs/80-950-152.pdf



Mike.

 

[GardnerM]

Actually the guy doing the inspection at a DOT approved site to give me the annual sticker is what my concerns are. Because the switch is on the dash, if they don`t allow it then he`s on ethe hook and I won`t expect anyone to "overlook " anything when they answer to the state. I have the low pressure warning too which can be visiual or go through horn. It is the one for for my truck and is only for rear brakes. I just touch it and if you put my Goerend Bro`s transmission in drive or reverse it doesn`t even so much as wiggle. I will carry wheel chocks when its an extreem grade because of ,of course liability. My loading ramps bottom out so lifting the assend is minimal ,they touch the ground so there`s still plenty on the rear axle. The unit is like $360 bucks . One other big huge reason I want to use the Mico is when my vendor loads my 9 ft steel flatbed with a 3000lb pallet of pavers ,he has to push the pallet on past the middle and I do NOT want that kind of force against my drivetrain and trans. Same with sod pallets they shove the **** out of those to get them against the headache rack, and I for one always sit in the cab and mash down my brakes as the parking brake will not hold. With all new hardware adjusted till the rotors get hot it still will not hold which is a crock.

 

[TCDiesel]

O Yeee on the Pallets, Same Problem with Shingles when loading by forklift pushing on the 1st pallet it would move the whole truck even with someone standing on the brakes in the cab if wet or sandy. Yep chock the wheels works but when You have AT that parking paw takes a beating BC of the movement.

 

[cerberusiam]

If set the parking brake the truck won't take off. If it does, fix the parking brakes.

A line lock won't stop the problem loading\unloading the backhoe off th erear of a trailer. Pulling the rear tires far enough off the ground will just roll the fronts or skid them on a hill.

Legs on the trailer or ramps to take the pry off the hitch is a much better solution then you don't have to worry about DOT or inspections.

 

[GardnerM]

So far I went through my federal DOT "glovebox handbook" and found nothing about the line lock. Yes I still have the original park brake and yes it will hold the truck empty in neutral. But it will not hold the truck ,even after installing new shoes, rotors . . with shoes dragging the rotor hub . My neighbor said thats why they put line locks on all company trucks because no matter what they did the (Ford,Dodge 450 500 350s service trucks) they still wouldn`t hold the vehicle. So it is possible the cables are stretched and such. hauling company owner told me on this subject, in the 12 years he has owned and operated "hotshot" loads with tandem goosneck and over deck trailers making nationwide deliveries of bulky but light loads, he has never once had a parking brake checked on a stop . He did say they are big on trailer brakes holding the truck when ripping out the breakaway cable, fire extiquisher, emergency triangles, medical card... I have never pulled ,or even came close to pulling the rear duallies off the ground enough to skid. If I cut off the downriggers from the ramps I can assure it will at least raise it up , but my machine is only 5000lbs. Loaded trailer is 10 K max,with 10K plates. I must be missing something because everywhere I have searched they say the same thing, stock parking brakes don`t seem to be enough so a simple switch boom and if it is steep enough ,wheel chocks ,because I will risk getting mud on the street and drive two blocks before I will risk a runaway truck/trailer.

 

[Teich]

Adding the line lock/Micro brake should be all right as long as the oem park brake still works correctly. Now if this Micro brake only is in the rear system brakes aren't much better than proper working park brake. You would need to lock all brakes front and rear, now better the best is park brake on and working correct maybe a Micro on the rear but as T C Diesel suggested lock the trailer brakes. When you set the park brake on Class 8 tractor trailer set up , rear wheels on truck set,and trailer set as well, then unit will stay there if there is traction. All said and done you need more brakes on. Laurie

 

[HBarlow]

Using electric trailer brakes for parking will burn out the brake magnets. The magnets are not designed for being applied for long periods of time such as during trailer loading and will fail.

 

[RVTRKN]

When I first bought my 04. 5, it would not hold the truck/boat on the launch ramp, I had to chalk the tires while I prepped the boat. I complained to Dodge and they told me to get a smaller boat, but I got the last laugh, it turned out to be a stripped parking brake adjusting screw and was a course thread screw that was replaced with a fine thread screw for both sides, I believe there was a TSB. You might want to consider inspecting your PB mechanism.

 

[GardnerM]

When I first bought my 04. 5, it would not hold the truck/boat on the launch ramp, I had to chalk the tires while I prepped the boat. I complained to Dodge and they told me to get a smaller boat, but I got the last laugh, it turned out to be a stripped parking brake adjusting screw and was a course thread screw that was replaced with a fine thread screw for both sides, I believe there was a TSB. You might want to consider inspecting your PB mechanism.

In these days of sue happy ,ambulance chasing trial lawyers , it amazes me a major auto maker would even have a questionable park brake design. Many operators have told me there`s will NOT hold truck ,on a grade ,loaded with stock park brake in nuetral.

 

[TCDiesel]

electric trailer brakes for parking will burn out the brake magnets. The magnets are not designed for being applied for long periods of time such as during trailer loading and will fail.

I agree, But I have 3 dumpers with this system once every 10 years we replace the Break hubs , I had all the Dumpers made by Sands manufacturing in Albany MN great company. the Mags won't wear out unless they are grabbing the face of the hub. Yep if you leave the switch on it will kill the batteries, I know.



All My post are acting wired Colors Etc What up with that TDR

 

[Teich]

I guess the question is what is a properly working park brake supposed to hold? I would guess the weight of the vehicle as stated on the door, that maybe 9000 lbs, not including the trailer. I would try the hot wire for the trailer brakes, use only when needed to unload/load to prevent an issue if the magnets do fail sooner that may be cheap accident prevention/peace of mind. After all you are trying to hold alot of weight and one axle won't do it. Laurie

 

[RVTRKN]

In these days of sue happy ,ambulance chasing trial lawyers , it amazes me a major auto maker would even have a questionable park brake design. Many operators have told me there`s will NOT hold truck ,on a grade ,loaded with stock park brake in nuetral.

I had to go to the dealer with the salesman present, compare the foot travel of a PB on a similar truck, the service manager scoffed at the idea of investigating the PB and mechanism. What triggered the tear down was the porter, he got out of the truck from retrieving it after a supposed PB adjustment, he got out of the truck and exclaimed "Your Parking Brake seems soft" with the service manager standing next to me, when I started laughing at him. Needless to say it was tore down and the problem was found.

 

[tempforce]

an option to consider. if possible. connect an air brake diaphragm to pull a parking brake cable. you may have to oversize the oem cable as the air brake will have more pull on the cable than anyone can apply by a foot brake. . an air brake system can be modified to work a parking brake on the trailer if you have a way to hook up the cables and brake levers to work along without interfering the electric brake operation. one dash mounted air control valve can operate all diaphrams on the same controlled line. a small 1-2 gallon air tank and electric compressor. would be enough to charge the system. and i can guaranty that you won't move the tires until air built up to release the brake(s). as far as the trailer lifting the rear of the truck. you need foldaway stands/pads mounted at the rear of your trailer. to prevent the back dropping while loading/unloading. .