brake fluid leak

[bijou22]

one of the pipes on my ez loader trailer is leaking brake fluid. will it still be ok to tow my boat on the weekend and get it repaired at a later date?

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: brake fluid leak

No. <br /><br />No fluid = no brakes. No brakes = decreased stopping ability, especially in an emergency.

 

[imported_Curmudgeon]

Re: brake fluid leak

Would you ask the same question if it were your car with your kids along?

 

[rwidman]

Re: brake fluid leak

Is it a slow leak and you can top off the master cylinder every few weeks to maintain braking or does it spray out when you apply the brakes? If it's just a slow leak and the brakes still work, you will probbably be OK. If it's visably leaking (dripping or spraying), don't tow it anywhere but to a repair shop and do this very carefully, realizing that there are no trailer brakes.<br /><br />If it's leaking at a fitting you may be able to tighten the fitting with a wrench and fix it yourself.

 

[jeff_nicholas]

Re: brake fluid leak

What size boat? What size tow vehicle? How far do you want to tow it? How fast will you go? What kind of traffic?

 

[Bondo]

Re: brake fluid leak

Is it a slow leak and you can top off the master cylinder every few weeks to maintain braking or does it spray out when you apply the brakes? If it's just a slow leak and the brakes still work, you will probbably be OK.

You're Kidding,..... Right,..??...<br /><br />'Cause,.. If it's Leaking Fluid Out,.....<br />It's Also Leaking Air,+ Water IN.........<br /><br />That trailer Already Doesn't have Brakes on atleast 1 Wheel Now..............<br /><br />Get It Fixed...........

 

[bijou22]

Re: brake fluid leak

thanks for all the advice. I did tow the boat and it was fine. The brake pipe had completely snapped and there was no fluid in the system. Now its time to get it fixed.

 

[SwampNut]

Re: brake fluid leak

It's a done deal now, but for others thinking this is a reasonable thing to do... It worked out because you had no emergencies. If you had to slam on the brakes, the full force of the trailer would have made an emergency stop much more dangerous, and greatly increases stopping distance or worse.<br /><br />I had the line explode on my trailer once (faulty installation by the manufacturer). There was a huge difference in stopping ability.

 

[MRS]

Re: brake fluid leak

Friend of mine had and old willeys jeepster re did it nice to original including drum brakes. Had a 21ft. center console surge brake leaked he said no big deal it wasnt till loaded boat at end of day left marina it is down hill to hwy. with a stop sign. Go to stop at stop brakes wet he was wet and C***88 pants did not stop but made to hwy. luck nobody else was crossing. Next day got disk brakes put on front end took trailer in and had surge brake fixed checks brake system constanly now.

 

[SwampNut]

Re: brake fluid leak

Did he have to get his seat re-upholstered to cover the hole? (From his sphincter bunching it all up?)

 

[rwidman]

Re: brake fluid leak

Originally posted by Bondo:<br />

Is it a slow leak and you can top off the master cylinder every few weeks to maintain braking or does it spray out when you apply the brakes? If it's just a slow leak and the brakes still work, you will probbably be OK.

You're Kidding,..... Right,..??...<br /><br />'Cause,.. If it's Leaking Fluid Out,.....<br />It's Also Leaking Air,+ Water IN.........<br /><br />...........

Not kidding. <br /><br />It depends on where the leak is. I had a very slow leak because of a (very slightly) loose connection at the "T" just behind the master cylinder where the system splits to go to each side of the trailer (not all trailers are set up this way). The brakes still worked fine, just a few drops of fluid leaked out each trip. Once I discovered where the leak was, I corrected it, bled the brakes, and everyting was fine. Not much chance of water or air getting into the system in this case.

 

[MRS]

Re: brake fluid leak

Swampnut Pucker Power was why off the scale that happened years ago but I think he is still picking material out of his teeth.

 

[woosterken]

Re: brake fluid leak

Ithink this should be moved to STUPID human tricks.<br />KEN