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Topic: Equipment falling off! (Retarder bracket failure) (Read 997 times) previous topic - next topic

Equipment falling off! (Retarder bracket failure)

I looked under my coach today and found this hanging from the hose & wires! Wow what a disaster it would have been had I not noticed it! I bottomed out the coach a couple of trips ago and it must have cracked the weld on the bracket. I was able to UN bolt both sides of the bracket and called a mobile welder I have used before and he was there 30 minutes later and it is all back together. I am not sure what this is but I am guessing it may be something to do with the retarder? I am glad it was just a near miss and we are leaving in the morning for a trip. I will add looking under the coach to my typical walk around before I pull out
1999 U320
Mount Dora Fl

Re: Equipment falling off! (Retarder bracket failure)

Reply #1 –
Quote from: philtravel –
I am not sure what this is but I am guessing it may be something to do with the retarder?

I'm not sure, either, but when I started reading your post I wondered if it was the retarder bracket that had a weld fail.  There was a Service Bulletin about it in, I think, 2007.  That's when ours was checked at FOT, according to our receipts:

Campaign # FC0102 Retarder Accumulator Mounting

Michelle
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Equipment falling off! (Retarder bracket failure)

Reply #2 –
That's what it is: the Retarder Accumulator. Don't ask me exactly what it does. Once of the "Dave's" or Brett W. will answer that.
Don Hay
'92 Grandvilla, U-280
The Hayfever Express
Build #4055
'97 GEO Tracker
Life is like licking honey off a thorn.

Re: Equipment falling off! (Retarder bracket failure)

Reply #3 –
The possible recall is interesting. I was blaming my bottoming to but I did not see any marks or scrapes on it. So it may have just failed. The weld did look kind of meager.
1999 U320
Mount Dora Fl

Re: Equipment falling off! (Retarder bracket failure)

Reply #4 –
I did a quick search of the archive for info on the retarder bracket issue.  Apparently it affected 1998-2007 coaches with 450-500HP M11 or ISM engines.

Michelle
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Equipment falling off! (Retarder bracket failure)

Reply #5 –
And some great info on Barry's site with photos

Retarder Accumulator Bracket Failure

(BTW - I edited the topic name now that we know what the problem was)
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Equipment falling off! (Retarder bracket failure)

Reply #6 –
Yep, you are on the money! My welder did place a bead on both sides but no gussets like the new part. I think it is much stronger than before but now I think I should buy the new bracket as it looks much stronger.

Thanks for the info. I hope it may save someone from having a much bigger problem!
1999 U320
Mount Dora Fl

Re: Equipment falling off! (Retarder bracket failure)

Reply #7 –
Will be checking mine in the morning!!!! Thank you for the post.

john
Lee & John McMorris
1997 36' U320
450 hp M11

Re: Equipment falling off! (Retarder bracket failure)

Reply #8 –
Phil, Glad you did not have a worse problem when the bracket failed.  That is the accumulator for the hydraulic retarder on the Allison Transmission.  It holds a supply of fluid that is used when you activate the retarder.
Gary B

Re: Equipment falling off! (Retarder bracket failure)

Reply #9 –
There is no recall, but FOT will always check it for free if asked when your coach is in for service.  I check mine whenever I'm under the coach.  In 115,000 miles it has been fine.
Regards,
Brett

'99 42' Foretravel Xtreme
'14 Brown Motorsports Stacker
'05 Chevy SSR
'02 BMW R1150R

Re: Equipment falling off! (Retarder bracket failure)

Reply #10 –
yup, I replaced mine with the gusset version with a double weld.
2025 Wanderbox Outpost 32 on F600 Expedition Motorhome
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version  for sale
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon

Re: Equipment falling off! (Retarder bracket failure)

Reply #11 –
I also replaced mine with the improved version from FOT several years ago when I first heard of the problem although original still looked good.
Felix and Gail Mathieu
99 U320
Jeep Liberty CRD
Build number 5522