Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: quickmagic on August 27, 2024, 06:27:31 am

Title: Dash warning lights?
Post by: quickmagic on August 27, 2024, 06:27:31 am
Question!  On a 1984 Foretravei, right in the center of the drivers dash, at the top part of the dash, there is a red light without any indication of what it is for and why it is lit. Does anyone know what the purpose of this "MYSTERY WARNING LIGHT" is? It must be really bad if they don't even want you to know what it is warning you about.
Title: Re: Dash warning lights?
Post by: Jeff & Sandy on August 27, 2024, 07:43:57 am
Picture?
Title: Re: Dash warning lights?
Post by: Elliott on August 27, 2024, 11:45:13 am
I have the same light on my 87. I've only ever seen it come on in low-air pressure conditions. IE at start up until air pressure is up or after a really really hard stop where I dumped a ton of air.... it flashed briefly as the system caught back up.
Title: Re: Dash warning lights?
Post by: Protech Racing on August 27, 2024, 12:24:38 pm
Probably low air pressure.  May be a combo light for air, oil or temp.  Id put money on air. 
 The High beam light is a tiny blue light .  ON my bus.
Title: Re: Dash warning lights?
Post by: Elliott on August 27, 2024, 01:15:38 pm
 
 The High beam light is a tiny blue light .  ON my bus.
Same here
Title: Re: Dash warning lights?
Post by: erniee on August 27, 2024, 01:25:40 pm
Just think- you could buy a Prevost and all they have are symbols~
Title: Re: Dash warning lights?
Post by: Chuck & Jeannie on August 27, 2024, 02:55:57 pm
Probably low air pressure.  May be a combo light for air, oil or temp.  Id put money on air.
Agree.  I think any vehicle with air brakes has to have a "visual" low air pressure warning of some sort.
Title: Re: Dash warning lights?
Post by: red tractor on August 27, 2024, 07:47:54 pm
That light is to let you know that you have low air pressure. Some of those are a combination light and buzzer.
Title: Re: Dash warning lights?
Post by: quickmagic on August 28, 2024, 11:26:18 am
That makes sense, low air pressure, brakes require a lot of force to stop. Thank you.
Title: Re: Dash warning lights?
Post by: Caflashbob on August 28, 2024, 02:10:56 pm
All Foretravel diesels with air brakes have spring safety chambers on their rear axles. Absence of air, springs engage the rear brakes
Title: Re: Dash warning lights?
Post by: steve on August 28, 2024, 07:23:34 pm
I believe the 84 model year had air assisted drum brakes. 
Title: Re: Dash warning lights?
Post by: red tractor on August 28, 2024, 07:34:05 pm
The 84 has wedge air brakes on the drums
Title: Re: Dash warning lights?
Post by: dsd on August 28, 2024, 08:18:11 pm
I'm not sure what type brakes would be found on the OP's 1984 model coach, but assuming they are disc brakes this means, if you don't have air pressure, you ain't moving the coach.

Unless, of course, you cage the (rear) brakes.  See below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVmRCPSVQrM
Spring brakes can be easily over come with engine horsepower. They produce only a portion of regular brakes and are only on the rear. If you were to loose your air pressure and need to move several hundred feet just use the skinny peddle and it will go. Every foot you go will increase brake temperature and further reduce there capability. Stuck in the mud or on the wet grass? Set the parking brake and drive away. Poor mans locker.
Title: Re: Dash warning lights?
Post by: Caflashbob on August 28, 2024, 10:40:18 pm
The 84 has wedge air brakes on the drums

Foretravel used the wedge drum brakes because they had full backing plates preventing rocks from being thrown up and into the s cam open backing plates otherwise. CM told me this was for use on rocky dirt roads
Title: Re: Dash warning lights?
Post by: red tractor on August 29, 2024, 07:14:11 pm
That is interesting Bob. I do know that the wedge brakes leave a lot to be desired.
Title: Re: Dash warning lights?
Post by: Caflashbob on August 29, 2024, 11:01:17 pm
That is interesting Bob. I do know that the wedge brakes leave a lot to be desired.

ORED 26V chassis 15x7 rear. 15x4 fronts, fronts do not work until past 60 psi from the foot pedal. If you ride them and stop and check you will find the rears hot and fronts cold. Better to get on them hard then coast as built......
Title: Re: Dash warning lights?
Post by: Elliott on August 30, 2024, 05:00:37 pm
I just confirmed that on my 87 that red light is also on when any of the jacks are down.
Title: Re: Dash warning lights?
Post by: Protech Racing on August 30, 2024, 06:26:38 pm
I have to adjust my wedge rear brakes every year or 10000. Work well when adjusted.
Fronts are cam style .