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Atlantic City air problem, brake stuck
I’m on 76 about 10 miles outside of Atlantic City. Anyone nearby or know a garage? I am sure it’s an air issue. But my driver side drive axle brake won’t release fully. Luckily, I dropped the band and was heading home before it happened. If anyone has any ideas, feel free to call. 661-809-2463
Thanks!
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34 Replies
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If you can safely get under the coach, and you can get at the brake chambers you can cage the emergency brake. If the brake is still dragging, you should then be able to back off the slack adjuster. Is the emergency brake the problem and is it due to a failed diaphragm? If so caging it is required, and then you have to plug the air line going to the emergency brake.
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We were gonna try that. Don’t have any way to get under it. We were gonna try to do that and then squeeze off the line with a vise grip. No go…
On my drum brakes, is the emergency brake separate from the road brake or the same unit?
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Isn’t busing always an adventure? Back on the road and only about 6 hours behind schedule. Lots of help from the great folks here. Folks called that lived local to where we were in NJ, and from as far away as Wyoming, to offer advice. I really appreciate all of you. Also got some great help from Rick at P.A.S.S. In the end, just ended up limping to a shop that found that a diaphragm had gone bad in a brake chamber. Oddly enough, it was the right brake chamber. Apparently, the brake lines cross so the chambers actually work for the opposite side. I never knew that. A couple of hours, $340, and back on the road! Thanks again for all who called and offered assistance.
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Like I said, always an adventure. Got halfway home last night and stopped for fuel. As I was leaving, stepped on the brake and heard air blowing from the drive axle area. Air pressure gauge dropped like a rock. Best part about driving at night is not much traffic. Made it home without having to use the brakes much. Today I get to try to find someone to see what went wrong. Hopefully just a hose blown off. Supposed to leave again Monday a.m.
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Dale, as much as you are using the coach you might want to give serious consideration to renewing hoses, brake chambers, relay valves, etc. With the cost of repairs you just encountered you would have bought at least 2/3 of your brake chambers. One more roadside repair and you will have paid enough for all the components that need to be replaced.
Unless of course you like the excitement.
Ditto with air bags, Norgren valves, shocks, maybe inverters, etc.
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Yeah, I couldn’t believe they charged me $175 for a brake chamber. But I didn’t have a lot of choice. To make matter worse, I got to a fuel stop in VA and as I pulled into the fuel lane my air warning came on. When I hit the brake pedal, it just started blowing air. It was 4am and traffic was light so I decided to drive on home. Got the bus parked and amazingly convinced the folks at the T/A to check it out. They normally say NO to anything with a bus. Got it over the pit and it turned out to be minor. The mechanic that installed the new chamber had the air line routed so it was up against something and it rubbed a hole in it. Quick fix and back on the road.
The problem I have with completely redoing the system is finding someone who had time to do it. Every shop around Nashville is overwhelmed. The shop I use barely gets the fixes done between trips as it is. If I call any other shop, they say they can look at the bus in two weeks. I have asked the shop that I use to completely go over the bus and fix stuff. They just don’t have time. I don’t have the place or the tools to do it myself. But you are right, it is expensive this way… and stressful!
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I don’t know what fertilizer they are feeding you, but in one day a competent shop can replace all your brake chambers, relay valves, run a check on your air system and have you back on the road.
One day for air bags. Another part of a day for Norgrens.
Taking a chance with a brake system is asking for trouble and no matter what the cost to have it done correctly, it will still be cheaper than a tow and a repair.
$175 for a combo brake chamber like a 30/36 is high but not so high I would consider it to be gouging.
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As an example.. Sunday before last, I filled out a work order for my bus. I had a list of things that needed to be checked/fixed. I told them I had to leave midday Friday. I went over there a couple of times during the week to do things on the bus and the bus hadn’t been touched. They started working on my bus Friday morning! They spent four hours to tell me that my aux alternator was bad. I went and got another one. Then they told me that the wire to the house bank must be bad because I still wasn’t getting power. The crazy part is that it was all working when I parked it Sunday. That was not one of the things to have worked on. They also checked the freon in the A/C. Then they told me they were out of time and wouldn’t be able to get to the rest of the things on my list, and I would have to run my generator for eight days since the aux alternator was now not working. No remorse. No apology. Just matter of fact. That’s about normal operating procedure. And sadly, the only game in town that I can even get to work on it in a timely manner. It’s not about money. They won’t even give an estimate of what something might cost. They say that if I don’t intend ot fix it, they won’t waste time finding out what it is.
Nashville is overrun with buses. The shops have the edge. There is no shortage of buses to be worked on. So we have to put up with this kind of stuff.
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Dale, call Jeff…not that far from Nashville. Geo.
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Jeff mostly works on conversion stuff. I do have some of that stuff that I will probably get his help with. This other stuff is mechanical, which is not his specialty. I’ve been to his shop quite a few times for things. Very handy to have so close.
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Jeff can and will change brake chambers, relay valves, etc. He is up on all of that stuff.
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Good to know. I’ve called him on other mechanical stuff before… but that was engine stuff. 🙂
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In case some of you haven’t figured it out yet…..Jeff might be the new Prevo Superman.
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Jon;
Earlier in this thread you said “you might want to give serious consideration to renewing hoses, brake chambers, relay valves, etc”. What hoses would you replace?
Michael
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Mike they will be the rubber hose that supply service brake air to your brakes there is one on each wheel
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