COMMON SEMITRAILER ISSUES Faulty Brake Lines & Pads. A damaged or missing gladhand connector is a common problem in hooking up your trailer. This can cause air to leak from the seal, which prevents air from moving down and reaching each wheel's piston. The brakes will engage if the gladhand is attached with a tight fitting seal. However, they may not apply the same force to each wheel. This could be due to insufficient air pressure in the reserve tank. Insufficient air pressure can cause the piston to push the brake pad against drum to stop moving. Condensation can also buildup in the reserve tanks or brake lines. Especially during winter months, there is a risk of brake line ice formation. This will cause serious issues by blocking the air from reaching your brake pad. The drum can also freeze due to low winter temperatures.
Checking your semi-trailer tires. Tire Failures. Truck breakdowns can be attributed to half of them being caused by tire failures. A tire blowout can result from poor trailer tire maintenance. Tire blowouts can be more likely if trailers have under-inflated tires, misaligned wheels, or tires with low tread. This is because of the possibility that tire air expands in summer heat and friction from hot pavement. The risk of poor traction is higher in winter. This is especially true if tire treads aren't maintained and tire pressures fall below desired pressures.