OK first of all, I have a basic understanding of how the system works, but if there is a website that gives a detailed explanation of the inner workings that would be great…

I have a trailer than weighs 1400kg empty, 3000kg Max.

It has a hitch rated to 3500kg, so pretty heavy duty.

When I first got the trailer about 6 months ago, the hydra damper worked smoothly and the brakes were quite smooth as they came on. Also, trying to reverse without the manual reverse being engaged on the hitch was almost impossible.

Now, the trailer doesn't brake gently, the coupling sticks and then as I brake harder it lurches into the van and the brakes come on quite hard. The sticking coupling is probably just a lack of grease and can be sorted via the grease nipples. When the trailer is empty it locks up under firm braking, when loaded, it just makes for a not very smooth ride. Which can be a problem when the load is a couple of horses 😯 .

But my main concern is when reversing, I don't have to engage the manual reverse any more, the brakes just don't seem to work very well. Is this likely to be because the trailer had been standing for 12 months before we bought it so the brakes were rusted up and had a lot more friction, or is the braking mechanism likely to be at fault?

I don't mind the brakes not working in reverse as there is never a situation where you would want them to work in reverse, but seeing as the mechanism is designed to apply the brakes when the coupling compresses, I don't understand why they wouldn't?! Note it is not an auto-reverse hitch.

Is greasing the mechanism not the answer to your own question. I think in reverse I doubt you compress the mechanism that easily (if its stiff) unless you really lurched backwards

When reversing the mechanism compresses easily unless you are reversing downhill…in which case you have to press very hard on the brake to stop 3 tons of trailer pulling you downhill 🙂

Apparently the test to check the damper is working is just to push the hitch in by hand…it should move smoothly and slowly. If it just goes in with no resistance or not at all, its fubared.

The manual reverse is just a catch that locks the mechanism open. You have to apply the trailer handbrake and pull away from the trailer to extend the hitch before you can apply the catch and undo the handbrake. Thats in and out of the van three times just to reverse once. Everytime you pull forwards (or wheelspin on mud and slide forwards) the mechanism resets.

Why dont you do the test then?

If I was towing 3 tons of horse and trailer along I'd get the thing serviced annually by someone who knew exactly what they were doing, not ask IT support staff on a bike forum.

What I was really looking for was a website that just explains how the thing works, specifically the reversing mechanism.

The brakes work going forwards (though it needs a basic service…grease…the hitch is non-servicable) I just would like to know why they don't work going backwards.

here

If its a hydraulic system there's really only two things at fault here – 1 greasing of the hitch slider and 2 the brakes themselves. Now I suspect they're drum brakes, which usually last eons so it's probably contaminated or rusted to death.

Thanks Was, had found that site but was hoping for something a bit more detailed 🙂

Its a hydraulicly damped hitch to ensure the brakes come on smoothly, but I'm pretty sure the brakes are cable/rod actuated.

Its a 2004 trailer, according to its spec it should be autoreverse but the hitch has the manual reversing latch. I've done a bit more Googling and it appears the autoreverse mechanism would be in the brake drums themselves, not the hitch, so now I'm thinking it might actually be fitted with autoreverse brakes as per manufacturers specifications, but they were corroded when we bought the trailer which meant they seized on when reversing which is why using the manual latch enabled us to reverse it. Now the trailer is being used regularly the drums have cleaned up, the autoreverse is working and the manual latch is redundant.

Will probably just get it serviced and ask them to confirm what is exactly fitted.

If its rod/cable based you might find the cables/rods are corroded into the sheathing – we've just had to replace the 4 on our trailer as they were binding massively. Best take it down to someone to check out, as you say. Horses are a bit pricey to break bits of with harsh braking!