Knowledge Base

Article Number: 19 | VC6 | VC5 | VC4 | VC3 | Post Date: September 30, 2016 | Last Updated: April 29, 2017


Is it possible to independently apply braking to a trailer? 

Yes, in Virtual CRASH, braking can be applied separately between the tow-vehicle and its trailer. In this video, the trailer's wheels are fully locked independent of the tractor's:

First, select your trailer. Then, go to the trailer menu in the left side control panel. Disable the option "use tow car sequences." Note, this option is enabled by default. 

Now that this option is disabled, the tractor can have its own set of inputs in the sequences menu. This also means the tractor will have its own fast control icons.

Click on the appropriate interposition, and apply the desired level of braking. Note, when "use tow car sequences" is disabled, the "acceleration" slider value in the sequences menu is not meaningful for either tow-vehicles or trailers. This is evident by the fact that by default, one can slide the acceleration sliders up to their maximum theoretical value given by all wheels locked braking, independent of the braking input for the attached vehicle. Rather than using the acceleration slider as an input, use the "pedal position" slider, which will indicate the percentage of maximum longitudinal tire force that will be used for the acceleration input. 

Finally, you can monitor the resulting effective braking rate by using either the data graph (Diagram tool) or report for your tow-vehicle and trailer. 


Related content:

User's Guide | Vehicle Controls (VC5 | VC4 | VC3)

Knowledge Base | Article 9


Tags: Trailer braking, independant trailer brake, braking trailer, trailer lock-up, separate trailer drag factor. 


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