Re: Older U320 Retarder Bracket Issue Reply #25 – August 02, 2020, 10:11:10 am Mine is mounted in the back side of the chassis battery box.....looks stable to me. Quote Selected 1 Likes
Re: Older U320 Retarder Bracket Issue Reply #26 – August 02, 2020, 10:45:30 am Quote from: Forewheelers – August 02, 2020, 10:11:10 amMine is mounted in the back side of the chassis battery box.....looks stable to me.Yours has the improved gussets on the side? If it does, yours was already updated. Quote Selected
Re: Older U320 Retarder Bracket Issue Reply #27 – August 02, 2020, 02:06:53 pm Installed the new bracket I purchased from Foretravel, should be good to go now. BEWARE: I had to modify the Foretravel hole pattern where it interfaces with the accumulator. If your bracket needs replacing or beefed up probably best to just repair the existing one to your liking. Quote Selected 1 Likes
Re: Older U320 Retarder Bracket Issue Reply #28 – August 02, 2020, 02:43:06 pm Quote from: Forewheelers – August 02, 2020, 10:11:10 amMine is mounted in the back side of the chassis battery box.....looks stable to me.I looked at mine this morning and it is the same....mounted on the backside of the chassis battery box. At least I think that is the retarder mounted behind the batteries. Quote Selected
Re: Older U320 Retarder Bracket Issue Reply #29 – August 02, 2020, 06:42:29 pm Pulled mine today and added gussets. If it had been welded both sides that probably been good enough or at least welded the up side. Back in ready to go. Quote Selected
Re: Older U320 Retarder Bracket Issue Reply #30 – August 03, 2020, 01:33:23 am Bill how proud was Foretravel for a new part? Trying to show my wife the welders are a good investment. LolScott Quote Selected
Re: Older U320 Retarder Bracket Issue Reply #31 – August 03, 2020, 10:40:45 pm I took mine out today. Bottom weld looked fine. I welded across the top and added a single gusset between the bolts on the opposite side of where Scott added his. There wasn't much room on the other side of mine between the plate and the frame. Easier to do than I expected. It took longer for the paint to dry than it did for the rest of it.My old stick welder is about 50 years old. Not as pretty as the newer ones but it does the job. Quote Selected 2 Likes
Re: Older U320 Retarder Bracket Issue Reply #32 – August 03, 2020, 11:07:51 pm Quote from: dsd – August 03, 2020, 01:33:23 amBill how proud was Foretravel for a new part? Trying to show my wife the welders are a good investment. LolScottWell for something I had to modify to install they were way to proud. Maybe I need to convince my DW that I need a welder! All you guys made short work of that project for pretty much nothing, if you have a welder you mostly like had scrap material laying around and something to cut it with. 67.00 plus shipping Quote Selected
Re: Older U320 Retarder Bracket Issue Reply #33 – August 04, 2020, 10:53:41 am Roger the top side verticals were more to install but help to transfer some load to the upper mount bolts. Closing the unwelded area should prevent any future failures. The lower gusset will help to reduce flex which induced the failure to a poor build. 100% better than it was. DW would melt down if we had a actual cost to repair the $85 dollar bracket you purchased. Bill Yours was much more affordable even thou it required rework. Fortunately the cost of my hobby shop is misplaced, lost, or accepted.Scott Quote Selected 1 Likes
Re: Older U320 Retarder Bracket Issue Reply #34 – August 20, 2020, 12:14:25 am Finally got ours pulled and fixed today. Also trimmed some excess material from it (fat) and rounded the corners to avoid more damage to my hands. Will install tomorrow, after the paint is fully dry. Quote Selected 3 Likes
Re: Older U320 Retarder Bracket Issue Reply #35 – October 08, 2020, 02:15:27 pm Finally got to mine. Weld looked good but plate was sagging and not at 90 deg. When I tried to true it up it just came apart. There was no penetration on one side of the weld. Used old school stick with my diesel welder that needed some exercise and repair is done and the valve is back on the coach. Quote Selected 2 Likes
Re: Older U320 Retarder Bracket Issue Reply #36 – October 08, 2020, 04:37:10 pm Quote from: craneman – October 08, 2020, 02:15:27 pm...repair is done and the valve is back on the coach.Excellent. Much better than making (expensive) sparks on the asphalt grindstone. Quote Selected
Re: Older U320 Retarder Bracket Issue Reply #37 – October 08, 2020, 10:20:46 pm Quote from: craneman – October 08, 2020, 02:15:27 pmUsed old school stick .Still the standard for structural welds. 7018 rod is hard to beat . Way better numbers than mig. No need to tig. It's a fine truck repair IMO Scott Quote Selected 3 Likes
Re: Older U320 Retarder Bracket Issue Reply #38 – October 08, 2020, 10:53:52 pm Quote from: dsd – October 08, 2020, 10:20:46 pmStill the standard for structural welds. 7018 rod is hard to beat . Way better numbers than mig. No need to tig. It's a fine truck repair IMO ScottI used 5/32" 7018 I don't know what I am going to do with all my heavy equipment welding supplies. I go up to 1/4" with the 7018 and will never have to weld on a loader again. Quote Selected
Re: Older U320 Retarder Bracket Issue Reply #39 – October 08, 2020, 11:06:56 pm Quote from: craneman – October 08, 2020, 10:53:52 pmI used 5/32" 7018 I don't know what I am going to do with all my heavy equipment welding supplies. I go up to 1/4" with the 7018 and will never have to weld on a loader again.I purchased a 500 amp welder for a project I have coming up for my brother 288 feet of 1/4 6061 aluminum.. Part of the purchase agreement was to give me store credit at 75% of purchase price to get that big monster out of my shop when I'm done. Will put towards a real nice heliarc When finished and sell off my HF250. Every than has changed and most of the new welders aren't smart enough to run the old proven equipment. Sell if you can . You can always use mine in BC. Till I sell!Scott Quote Selected
Re: Older U320 Retarder Bracket Issue Reply #40 – October 08, 2020, 11:51:39 pm We have a mig and a couple of years ago I bought a small DC stick welder which is all I use unless I'm welding aluminum. 1718 is my rod of choice. Quote Selected
Re: Older U320 Retarder Bracket Issue Reply #41 – March 12, 2022, 09:28:01 am Re: Broken Retarder Bracket - replying to this old post in order to reference "dsd" photos in reply 23 and "old guy" photo in reply 29 and for others to review the details of this problem.This might be a good time to remind those with "older" Foretravels to inspect the welds on your retarder bracket if you have not done so. I have a 2005 U320 and when inspecting everything underneath before our next trip, I found that the bracket (single weld) had broken loose and the accumulator was hanging. Fortunately it was not dragging on the ground and had to have happened during a short drive from my home to the storage unit.For only $30, my welder added gussets and restored my bracket exactly like the photos referenced above which I printed out for him. As many have said before me, if I had not done a routine inspection underneath, we would be having a major hiccup when bouncing our way down the road. Quote Selected 5 Likes
Topic: Older U320 Retarder Bracket Issue