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pameridan04 · 10-12-2020, 07:31 AM

Hi Guys: Had a strange thing happen leaving on our trip last Saturday. I hooked up the Jeep Wrangler Sahara 2017 at the top of our driveway like I always do. I have a very steep and curvy driveway about 225 yards long. I have a gas coach with a Blue Ox tow bar and a Play & Stay breaking system.

I started down the driveway and the Jeep front wheel went off the driveway into the grass and leaves, when it came back on the driveway the right front wheel locked up. My son in law was behind me and blew the horn to alert me. I unhooked on my steep incline. drove to bottom of hill on a straight away and re-hooked. No problem drove 800 miles.

I did have a problem with the connection plug from the Jeep to the motor home. It must of fell out last time I used it and dragged on the ground, I had to black electrical tape it to MH connection. But I don't think this would only cause one wheel to lock up?

What do guys think?

Jim P

BirchyBoy · 10-12-2020, 07:35 AM

That is weird. Do you have oversized tires that possibly were rubbing the fender or sway bar and stopped turning?

pameridan04 · 10-12-2020, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BirchyBoy

That is weird. Do you have oversized tires that possibly were rubbing the fender or sway bar and stopped turning?

No oversized tires, bone stock Jeep. My uneducated guess, I applied my breaks and auxiliary breaking system hard going down the twisty drive way. The left tire on pavement slowed Jeep the right tire on wet grass ans leaves just locked up because of no traction, and stayed locked and sliding when it got back on driveway?

????????

Ljwt330 · 10-12-2020, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pameridan04

No oversized tires, bone stock Jeep. My uneducated guess, I applied my breaks and auxiliary breaking system hard going down the twisty drive way. The left tire on pavement slowed Jeep the right tire on wet grass ans leaves just locked up because of no traction, and stayed locked and sliding when it got back on driveway?

????????

It makes sense that the right wheel might skid when off the pavement, but not that it would remain so when back on the hard surface unless the Stay & Play was still applying braking force. Sounds like what happened. Remember, your ABS system is OFF in the Jeep when it's under tow. If the same situation had happened while driving, the wheel would probably not have locked up in the first place, and would immediately begin to rotate once on hard pavement once again.

FIRE UP · 10-12-2020, 10:22 AM

Why in the world would "make sense" that, that right front wheel SKID while off the driveway? A rolling wheel, should remain a ROLLING WHEEL, no matter what surface it encounters while being towed. And, in reality, no matter what kind of auxiliary braking system one is using for a toad, if that braking system malfunctions enough to lock up ONE wheel, it's gonna lock up ALL FOUR WHEELS. Hard braking is hard braking. Neither the auxiliary braking system or the toads braking system should lock ONE WHEEL at any given time. Neither one have the ability to select a given wheel to lock up.

So, what caused the OP's right front to lock up, AFTER it returned to the concrete drive way, "It's the sign post up ahead, you're in the TWIGHLIGHT ZONE!!" . Just kidding. This, without a doubt, is a tough one to analyze. 225 yard driveway huh? Wow,, that's 2 1/4 foot ball fields! I'll bet that wasn't cheap to pour. Anyway, on a side note, you (the OP) say your son-in-law was notifying you by honking the horn? Well, not sure of your situation but, this might be a good time to think about going to some good quality 2 way radios if you don't already have them. Just a suggestion.
Scott

Rodg495 · 10-12-2020, 06:30 PM

My Stay-n-play system will not activate until minimum speed ( 10 mph ?) has been achieved . If you are going down hill the sensor in the jeep is tilted down as well, which could be making the "adjustment' for sensitivity to increase. If the right wheel went off the hard surface and the braking was activated I could see it locking up a wheel in the dirt or on turf. If the tire tread was filled with wet grass or turf it might still skid on the hard surface for a short time. Just a thought.

pameridan04 · 10-13-2020, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodg495

My Stay-n-play system will not activate until minimum speed ( 10 mph ?) has been achieved . If you are going down hill the sensor in the jeep is tilted down as well, which could be making the "adjustment' for sensitivity to increase. If the right wheel went off the hard surface and the braking was activated I could see it locking up a wheel in the dirt or on turf. If the tire tread was filled with wet grass or turf it might still skid on the hard surface for a short time. Just a thought.

I think this is what happened, the Stay & play was definitely activated, my red activation light was very visible on my Jeep rear view mirror.

Scott...... that drive way was all ready paved, black top almost to the top, 200 yards when I bought property, over 10 acres. When I built my Gun Shop up there I added another 6500 sq ft of blacktop for parking and finished paving existing driveway to meet it. Cost was OVER $50K. Just for driveway.

Regards Jim P.

FIRE UP · 10-13-2020, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pameridan04

I think this is what happened, the Stay & play was definitely activated, my red activation light was very visible on my Jeep rear view mirror.

Scott...... that drive way was all ready paved, black top almost to the top, 200 yards when I bought property, over 10 acres. When I built my Gun Shop up there I added another 6500 sq ft of blacktop for parking and finished paving existing driveway to meet it. Cost was OVER $50K. Just for driveway.

Regards Jim P.

Jim,
Roger that Sir, sounds like a well thought out plan. Nothing like a clean, solid drive way and parking lot at home. I hate dirt.
Scott