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Topic: Right Front Brake Pads Dragging (Read 4511 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Right Front Brake Pads Dragging

Reply #40 –
Would look for cracks on rotor and see how deep/bad they are,the only thing to cause the cracks would be excessive heat,this
causes metal to become brittle.

On the slack adjuster,never took one apart but I'm assuming yours just wore out.Unless you had a higher priced IR gun you
probably went past the range on your rotor.

Looks like with all the trouble posters have had with brakes lately my advice would be,road test and road test.

Re: Right Front Brake Pads Dragging

Reply #41 –
I try to remember to stomp on the brakes a couple times before we leave out. It seems to help keep the brakes "limbered up"
Len

Re: Right Front Brake Pads Dragging

Reply #42 –
Update.

Spent another morning at MOT, and I can finally report SUCCESS!  The steering is now restored to it's former glory, and I am a happy camper.

To continue my tale...we got to MOT at 07:45 and were immediately put into a service bay.  Techs pulled the RF wheel off (again).  Went through a exhaustive check of the rotor, including runout, concentricity and thickness.  Everything checked out OK.  Put the wheel back on, but rotated it 180 degrees from original position ( on the wheel studs).  Then I went for another test drive with Kieth Risch.  He could still feel the pulsation in the steering wheel.  Back to the shop, again removed the wheel.  Kieth said he wanted to get the tire and wheel checked, so he personally ran it over the Herman Power Tire.  They inspected the tire, then put it on their spin balance machine, and found it was unbalanced - so they corrected that.  Back at MOT, wheel was reinstalled, and we went for another test drive.  This time we had success.  The coach was perfectly smooth through the steering wheel at all speeds, and stops GREAT!

Nobody at Mot can really explain why the pulsation appeared in the steering, and how it was related to our "hot brake" incident.  Our wheels have always felt well-balanced to me, yet after the brake locked up, the wheel was not balanced.  We checked to see if some tape-weights had perhaps fallen off the back side of the wheel (from the heat), but that wheel did not have any balance weights attached before the incident.  It is a real head-scratcher, for sure.  Whatever the reason, balancing the wheel fixed it.

To summarize my impression about this whole sequence of events, the original problem was probably due to incomplete purging of the brake caliper.  The young tech apparently followed the proper purging procedure, but did not get the desired result.  When we left NAC headed for home, the RF brake caliper stuck after about an hour on the road.  The other 3 brakes were (and are) fine, so this was a freak occurrence which is not likely to be repeated.  I am sure the young tech will get some retraining on the purging routine.  MOT addressed the situation with a immediate positive response, putting me ahead of other customers, and doing their best to diagnose and correct the malfunction.  While the actual correction process took longer than expected, due in part to the mysterious steering wheel pulsation, in the end they were able to finish the job to my complete and total satisfaction.  They did not charge me anything for the (almost) one full day of extra shop time, and went out of their way to make Jeannie and Bella and I as comfortable as possible while we waited.

I bear no ill will against MOT, and will continue to recommend them to Forum members.  I personally consider this a valuable learning experience.  I now know a great deal more about the braking system on our coach, and that is a good thing.  I now understand the importance of monitoring braking performance and wheel temps, especially after a major brake service job.  If I had taken the simple step of stopping several times to check brake/rotor temps when we first hit the road, I could have probably detected the problem before it became a "emergency".  You can be sure I will be more proactive in this regard in the future.

Bottom line: STUFF HAPPENS.  MOT stepped up and did what was right.  Can't ask for more than that!  ^.^d

Re: Right Front Brake Pads Dragging

Reply #43 –
Nice outcome for both sides.
Regarding the balance of front tires, I had that done when put the new ones on and the rears too. Yes the stick on weights kinda look bad but I like the fact they are balanced more than the looks.
JohnH

Re: Right Front Brake Pads Dragging

Reply #44 –
Chuck,
How hot was your tire?
Don't know if these tires have it but sometimes a thin rubber weight patch is factory installed inside so the manufacture can ship a well balanced tire.
Some aircraft tires are balanced this way.
If a tire gets too warm those weight patches can come off and relocate and it will indeed change the balance. Only way to tell is demount the tire and look inside.
I wouldn't do that unless that tire mysteriously goes out of balance again later indicating that weight has moved again.

Re: Right Front Brake Pads Dragging

Reply #45 –
Quote from: John Duld –
How hot was your tire?
Don't know!  I wish I'd had the presence of mind to pull out my "temp gun" and check the wheel and tire...but I didn't.

In my defense, I seriously thought something was on fire in the wheel well, and that kinda distracted me.  :o

Re: Right Front Brake Pads Dragging

Reply #46 –
Chuck,
Hopefully  all is well but I think I would look the tire over at the end of the next few travel days just looking for any sign of a side wall separation. A tread seperation I think you would hear and feel as you drive.

Re: Right Front Brake Pads Dragging

Reply #47 –
And as the sun sets on Coach Buck City another happy camper hits the trail for home.

Glad to hear it worked out for you guys!
Merry Christmas

Re: Right Front Brake Pads Dragging

Reply #48 –
We always use the retarder and seeing temps for a short time over 250-300 degrees is acceptable to us and our Transynd fluid.  We would never rely on brakes only as they are our emergency backup in case retarder does not do it for us.  And now Bob & Susan have found another reason to use the retarder.

Re: Right Front Brake Pads Dragging

Reply #49 –
I use the retarder quite a bit.  Especially in traffic as the brakes cool off after a bit if warmed up.

Had a panic stop last trip.  Brakes fairly cold.  Retarder on. 

Stopped well.  Stops very well if the brakes are warmed up and deglazed without the retarder.

Like a race car with warmed up brakes and the retarder as most here know very well.

Two different owners of 97 m11 cummins have reported different thermostat setup's.

One with and one without a restrictor plate to ensure more coolant to the trans cooler.

Love to see what, if any, the trans temp differences might be with or without the restrictor.

Shop is redoing my warped front rotors and had one wheel seal leaking so it's being done.




Re: Right Front Brake Pads Dragging

Reply #50 –
Last Update for this thread.

We drove 250 miles today, and the coach steered and braked perfectly.  The wheels all stayed nice and cool - I made several stops to check wheel, tire and rotor temps.  No problems whatsoever.  It took a while to reach the objective, but in the end MOT did a great job.

I want to especially single out Kieth Risch for a big THUMBS UP!  He was the one who would not give up on curing the pulsation in our steering wheel.  If he had not suggested taking the wheel/tire to Herman Power, the final outcome might have been much less satisfactory.

On a separate note, I want to say we are also very happy with our much improved ride.  The new KONI FSD shocks made a noticeable difference, especially on the crappy sections of I-20 going around Dallas.  They seem to be both softer over small sharp impacts, and much more controlled over big bumps.  They're not inexpensive, but they do the job!

Re: Right Front Brake Pads Dragging

Reply #51 –
Quote from: lenspeiser –
I try to remember to stomp on the brakes a couple times before we leave out. It seems to help keep the brakes "limbered up"
Len
Here's some excellent tutorials on how to calibrate your slack adjusters and to check to see if your air brakes are in adjustment.

Good overall air brake system procedures to implement before you head out as part of your start up routine, especially if your coach has been sitting awhile. 

Remember,

Safety First!

Jerry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDCaDGZKdTQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilo4dNE5ELw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMZwffPGAiQ

Re: Right Front Brake Pads Dragging

Reply #52 –
Zombie thread alert.

Re: Right Front Brake Pads Dragging

Reply #53 –
We just got home from AZ and we experienced some ruff roads going through the reservation on 191, so with all the talk about shocks I found an old thread that Berry did on adjusting his. So under the bus I went yesterday and did the adjustment . Will see how they work. And while I was down there I checked the slack adjuster , I first built air to 120 and did three hard brakes then built air back to 120 and did three more.
With my lovely dw assisting I check the free play on the cans and they all came in within spect.

Re: Right Front Brake Pads Dragging

Reply #54 –
Sorry Chuck,totally lost,Andy if those are the original shocks on a 92 you can adjust them til the cows come home and they will
not be as good as new FSD Konis,they may seem different but are still worn.

Re: Right Front Brake Pads Dragging

Reply #55 –
That's true John, but they sure don't look like originals the bolts and rubber looked great and none of them showed any signs of leak's. Besides we are not flush with 1200 dollars just not in the budget :))
 

Re: Right Front Brake Pads Dragging

Reply #56 –
Quote from: Andy 2 –
That's true John, but they sure don't look like originals the bolts and rubber looked great and none of them showed any signs of leak's. Besides we are not flush with 1200 dollars just not in the budget :))
Aw come on Andy ain't nothing but money😎😎