Need advice for freezing air hoses on trailer

Any T/S should have "Brake line anti-freeze". Easy to use, Set your trailer brakes, unhook air lines, pour about half the bottle into each air line, and hook them back up. Press in the valves on the dash, charging the air system. Air from the truck pushes the anti-freeze into the trailer airlines. It may take more than 1 bottle to thaw out the ice, but doubtful. Hope this helps. Any T/S with a shop should have it on the shelves.

 

New lines (if they are leaking due to the cold they may have passed their life expectancy) and use air brake antifreeze. I just use methyl alcohol usually. Works like a charm, had no spring breaks on the end dump the other day .. air wouldn't dump out of the pots. Put a bit of that stuff in the supply line with the tanks half empty (the more air volume you get through right away the better). Press in the red button and go. It sometimes takes a while but I was hauling snow so I just kept pulling my trailer park every time I'd get back to the snow dump and after 4-5 times the pots empties and I had my brakes back.

Service brakes were still working fine though, that's why I kept running. Now if you're having service brake issues then put some alcohol in and apply the brakes repeatedly until your low air comes on. Wait for it to build up air again and repeat. Might need another shot of de-icer if the first attempts are unsuccessful but it usually works pretty good if all you have is a frozen dump valve.

 

After you get going you should address the cause of water getting through the air dryer, shouldn't happen.

 

I drove a 1985 Volvo that would freeze the supply line from the compressor at the primary tank. I could tell when the pressure gauge started dropping with each use of air. I took the supply hose loose from the compressor and poured air line antifreeze into the hose using a funnel rolled from a piece of paper. Another tip: whenever you have delivered to an inside dock, drain your air tanks after you pull out. The sludge may be warm by then.

 

Don't forget to drain the air tanks now and then with the purge valves at the bottom of the tank.

 

I'm not certain that's good advice.

 

No real difference. The blue or service just wont "flow" through like the supply red line. The service just goes to a dead hole and back out to the gladhand.

 

And what make you so sure it's not good advice? OP states supply hoses from tank to chambers freezing up 1 at a time. By placing anti freeze in both lines, you are eliminating all possibility of moisture in the trailer air system. once thawed, OP can get to a "warm" place and drain trailer air system, thus removing most of the moisture. Done it this way for a lot of years.

 

I suppose most tractors these days have air dryers. Try to listen for it purging. Slush can break the wires to the air dryer and without its own heat source, an air dryer can freeze. Some air dryers have their own alcohol tank for "snifting" by the incoming air. Good practice is to pour some air line antifreeze into each hose before coupling glad hands.