This relates to Mikes long running post re the "hydraulic steering pump" issue. It is definatly disconcerting to read about these failures that could potentially turn our coaches into expensive yard ornaments!
What would be interesting to know would be at what mileage these pumps have failed.
If you have had one of these steering pumps replaced could you please let us know at what milage it failed, If it's random we are all in immediate trouble, if it's at 200,000 miles that changes the equation and some of us have borrowed time.
The question is are we dealing with hundreds of failures or just a few since the coaches were built?
Let's try and get an idea of numbers involved.
David,
Just speculating, but in addition to miles and age, smoothness or loading/unloading likely has a significant impact of pump life.
As I have posted before, this Gates Crop short video does an excellent job of describing smooth vs loading/unloading. Applicable to any belt driven accessory!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hza9Ulhe4DQ
Brett, that's true! Our coach only had 65,000 and the tensioner had failed and was not putting a constant tension on the belt, replaced this morning.
A quick search of the Forum for hydraulic pump failed, ignoring the ones related to the Vickers models on older coaches, the new ones that only impact cooling fans, and the ones on slide systems, there are at least a couple dozen hits, several mentioning 41188.
The next question would be how many failures were direct drive and how many were belt driven?
Chris
Would also want to know what oil they used and how long was it since a change.
Ours , a 2001 had 87k at failure. Known to have had a very shaky tensioner on it when we bought it. Believe the Fluid tank to have never been serviced. I say this as when I did it, the rubber lid gasket was so firm it cracked when I removed it. BUT, the fluid I drained out looked as clean as the new I put in.