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Brake pad change DIY?
I’m starting to hear a moaning noise when I step on the brakes fairly hard. Probably time for brake pads and possibly discs.
How easy is a brake pad change on the front disk brakes (’99 Marathon)? I looked in the service manual but did not find the section that dealt with the actual brakes (vs air system for brakes).
I’d need to buy a torque multiplier and a tire dolly.
Thanks, Gerald
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9 Replies
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Obviously the wheels need to come off, but once they are off the change is easy. You will have to back off the brakes to insert new pads. If the brakes are Rockwell Meritor you do that with the external slack adjuster. If it is the newest style used the Knorr Bremse brakes they have an internal adjuster and you should follow the manual. I think this is the correct one for the brakes used on our coaches.
https://secureus5.volvo.com/technicalpublications/pdf/RA-SB0002-EN.pdf
If your pads are worn down you should also check the discs. I believe the Prevost shop manual lists minumum allowable thickness. Check for cracks.
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shoild be a adapter(mine was in pad box) to put on screw to back off.
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Section 12 of the Prevost Maintenance manual (for my coach) covers brakes. Page 12-18 is about disc brakes. In the back of section 12 is a Rockwell maintenance manual(No.4M) for the Duramaster air disc brakes.
If you have more than 1/4″ of slide pin sticking out you probably don’t need pads. Its been my experience that the slide pins and/or their bushings often need replacing due to wear.
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I found the wear indicator to be a bad indicator and relied on visual examination of the brakes. On a previous coach for reasons I never figured out the wear indicator showed plenty of life left, but one pad was wearing excessively compared to the other. I did not have the coach long enough after changing pads to determine if the issue was isolated or there was something wrong. The calipers mover freely so I could see no other reason why the wear indicator was so wrong.
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Thank you everyone! Sounds like another fun project.
I do have small random cracks all over the disc/rotors. But according to the Knorr info Jon linked to this is ok.
Which torque multiplier do you guys recommend? I’m pretty sure the $40-50 versions on Amazon will not make it all the way through 2 wheels. How about the Cheater Wrench ($160)?
Thanks, Gerald
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Gerald if you need a big torque wrench for the wheels ,I have one I could have Trina ship it to you and you can use it and ship it back , I am on road now but call me if that would help. 1-307-331-5801 .
Its the same one we used at Jeff’s for wheel nuts -
I use an X-12 that I have had for years if I don’t have access to an impact wrench or to torque my wheels when replacing them. It is pricey but very effective.
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Nuther option for you Gerald is the Neiko Pro #03715B torque multiplier. Input side is half inch drive 365 ft lbs capacity, output side is three quarter inch drive 1100 foot pound capacity. Planetary gear set is 3:1. I use impacts on the bus, but needed this for the center locks (433 ft lbs) on the emergency (9-1-1) car. Got it on eBay for about one hundred dollars.
Oh, aluminum wheel spec on our bus I believe is 450 ft lbs.
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If you have brakes like those in the Volvo link that Jon posted great. But for those that are DIYers and have Meritor Duramaster brakes like whats on my coach here are some links.
This link is a photobucket library of pics I took while doing bearings and brakes on a coach I had. http://s916.photobucket.com/user/donjetman/library/MH%20Frt%20Wheel%20Bearings%20and%20Brakes
This link is for a good Meritor publication on Duramaster ADB http://graphicvillage.org/meritor/mm4m.pdf
And for many more Meritor technical publications use can use the search function at their “Literature on demand” http://www.meritor.com/customer/northamerica/lod/default.aspx
In my experience, they put the min. thickness and or part# on the edge of the rotor.
I hope this helps
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