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Topic: Meritor Helper Springs - Do they help?  (Read 441 times) previous topic - next topic

Meritor Helper Springs - Do they help?

Lots of posts about helper springs so I'm starting a new topic.  Long story short in June Bernd in NAC did a complete rear brake job on the coach.  New rotors, pads, pins, bushings, wheel seals, and helper springs.  Many coach bucks and a week later one wheel seal was found to be leaking miles from NAC.  Not a real bad leak, but at one time I did see a drip of oil on the bottom of the rotor,  so when I got back to Austin he sent two employees to replace the wheel seal.  When the rear wheels were removed for the leaking seal replacement half of the stud nuts for the inner wheel were only finger tight.  I was told an employee was fired because of that. 

As the rear wheels now have the helper springs, I thought that maybe I should put the helper springs on the front brakes and clean the slide pins in the process.  Today I did that on the right front wheel.  The brake had almost no drag before I cleaned the pins (they really needed cleaning) and installed the helper springs, but after installation, it did.  It wasn't much but it was definitely dragging.  I could see that the outer pad was not touching the rotor, but the inner pad was.  I removed the helper springs and the drag disappeared.  I'm  99%  sure I installed the springs correctly according to pictures that have been posted on this subject.  I got overheated and tired so didn't do the left front.  Now I am wondering what is going on at the rear wheels,  When the leaking wheel seal was replaced the new rotor did have a blue streak on the wheel side in the middle of the rotor surface indicating that it had been hot, but I never noticed any high temps on the IR gun or a smell of overheated brakes, and I haven't done any hard or extended braking.    The  inside surface of the rotor looks normal, which is the side that should be getting drag from the helper springs. The other wheel rotor looks normal.  Puzzling!

Now I am wondering if the helper springs are really all that helpful?  I know many members think they should have them.  Anyone think otherwise?
Jerry Whiteaker former owner 96 U270  36' #4831 Austin,TX-Owner Mods LCD TV w/front cabinet rebuild - LCD TV bedroom - Dual Central AC, either can cool coach w 30 amp - Skylights at roof AC openings - Drop ceiling for ducting of AC - Shower skylight white gelcoat/wood/epoxy frame - Air Springs/Shocks replaced - 2014 CRV - 8K Home Solar - Chevy Volt
 

Re: Meritor Helper Springs - Do they help?

Reply #1 –
Jerry,

We just had our wheels off and also wonder about helper springs.  I see that the inner pad is being pushed against the inside of the rotor and the outer pad is loosely spaced away from the outer rotor surface.

There is some drag from the spring pushing the inner pad, and can see that springs will help the caliper fully open, but does it come at a drag cost?  I am aware that the design of disk brakes is to have pads light touch the rotor to keep it dry in wet weather when they are 'relaxed' in the brake-off position. 

Maybe springs help a tight system that needs adjustment, but are not needed if the brakes are well maintained?

We ran for years without springs and added them two years ago.  We do clean slide pins and lub brakes about every two years.