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Hi,guys.

Yesterday while stripping a '48 four door in 103 Wittmann Arizona heat,I took this off its steering column. What exactly is a "Sure Stop"? It has three wires coming out of it and does seem to be period correct.

Thanks,Palani.

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I believe that is a voltage control for a trailer's electric brakes. There should be a rheostat or circuit that is controlled by the knob and when brakes are applied, the trailer gets the selected amount of braking action. Do the wires go directly to a trailer plug or to a second module?

HH56,

I could not trace it due to the height of the vehicle,but I do remember an unusual looking trailer hitch (it looked like an anvil) on the rear bumper with some attachment on it. I only had a few hours to strip what I could from it,so I concentrated on the things I could get off...I was surprised at how easy the trim popped off,and thank God for PB Blaster.That sun visor would have never come off had it not been for its effectiveness.This was meant to be a donor car at one time and its engine really appeared to be in very good shape (California car fwiw). I wish I could have yank it out.

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Howard, 100 points!
The rheostat is integrated in the shown box, actuated by the handcrank. Electric trailer brakes were issued in the Popular Mechanics April 1957 (picture attached).
I hope the system had been watertight.


sources

pic #1: Popular Mechanics 4-1957
pic #2: www.boote-forum.de
pic #3: www.autopia.org

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I know the title of the thread is What is this thing? but I'd like to know how I got dragged into it?

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"...A ship must be registered if the owner intends to use it for travel from Australia to places outside Australia..."


source: Shipping Registration Act 1981, puplished on Australien Register of Ships

Gerd,

Although my eldest son and his wife are currently cruising back to Australia from Hawaii I'm unlikely to set foot on board a ship. While my youngest son and his wife do have a "tinny", as you've depicted, I'm also unlikely to set foot on that!

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Mal, everything is already prepared - the pic shows you without feet and nobody dragged you into the thread, even the depicted van is pushing. Therefore chin up, when the water's up to your neck.



Palani, sorry, the boat has drifted off. Ignore us, we just enjoy ourself. The stream will take you to the mentioned article from Popular Mechanics.

That second module is probably the secret sauce on the sure stop & why I asked if wires went to one. As I recall, the resistor is a pretty hefty size because of the current draw in the brake coils. The box on steering column doesn't look large enough to hold the wire wound ones I remember--unless maybe on that one, the knob squeezes a stack of carbon plates with varying pressure to change the resistance.

"Trailer brakes first! Trailer brakes first!"

See Desi Arnaz learning to use the trailer brakes in The Long Long Trailer (1953)

youtube.com/watch?v=JgAysTek538&feature=related

Later trailer brakes were integrated into the car's braking system. It appears the Sure Stop is this kind. Brakes are actuated by the stop light switch, the hand rheostat controls the strength of the braking action and over rides the automatic for manual control when desired.