Price for brake converter for air over hydraulic - 1996 Beaver Patriot

[Jeffrey Antonelli]

Hello everyone,

I am new to Beavers and recently purchased a 1996 Patriot Yorktown. I have it at a diesel shop for some of the expected deferred maintenance my RV inspector found as a pre purchase inspection.

However, they also found that there was leaking brake fluid at the front driver wheel. Mechanic says a diaphragm is toast. He called it a "master cylinder" at the wheel - confusing to me as a car guy but what do I know. He was having trouble finding the replacement part so I called a well known place and they say it is a "brake converter" and the price is $1,500 for the part. Yeowsie! Is that reasonable for what it is? I tried online research but I cannot find anything called a "brake converter"...

Also, price from the same place for suspension air bags is $295 each. I was expecting around $75 each from my research.

Your candid advice will be greatly appreciated by me, and thank you in advance for your help!

Jeff Antonelli

[Carl Boger]

I can not advise on the brake converter as I have not run into that yet, and I am not sure what the part is.  As for the airbags, I paid about $150.00 for mine which I believe would be the same as yours, so the place you are checking parts at does seem a little high.

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Jeff.
I bought 2 air bags for our 00 Marquis from NW RV for $250 total in 2015. Since then I've noted prices have increased significantly at some suppliers. Luckily bags are pretty robust and seldom need changing unless damaged by tire blow out, etc. Not something I'd store for a rainy day though. Consider checking the salvage lots as a used one in good shape should perform similar to a new one. Sounds like Carl has a good source too. Consider PMing and emailing him.
Steve

[Eric Maclean]

Jeff
The brake converter is a fancy name for your master cylinder in your case the master cylinder is operated by an air chamber which is controlled by the foot treadle valve (brake peddle) at the driver's station.
This is where your air over hydraulic brake system changes from air to hydraulic.
On your chassis there are two of these converter units mounted ahead of the driver side front wheel just under the floor and ahead of the inner fender and air bag .
The two converters each having its own single line master cylinder . One operates the two front brake calipers and the other operates the two rear calipers.
These converters consist of a regular air brake chamber with a hydraulic master cylinder bolted to it.

As for the air bags your coach has eight air bags all the same, the originals where goodyear 1R11-039 which are exactly the same as goodyear 1R11-121 with the exception that the latter has a plastic pedistal where as the 039 has an aluminum pedistal both numbers are good and either one can be used as a replacement just shop the internet for best price they can run anywhere from $100 to $300+ depending on vendor.
As for the converters I have yet to have to replace one and don't have a part number yet but I'll see what I can find for you.
Hope this helps
Eric

[Eric Maclean]

Jeff
The air over hydraulic brake converter looked to be a halides or midland N37216C you should be able to shop that number on the internet to locate one but they ain't cheap. On a side note it would be interesting to known if you could by the master cylinder on its own without the brake chamber.

[Mike Shumack]

This maybe the part your looking for. Does your Coach have two brake booster assemblies (one each for front and rear brakes) mounted side by side, or a single booster with a dual chamber master cylinder mounted to it?

The unit in the photo (which may just be a stock photo) shows a "single chamber" master cylinder - but all cars/trucks since the 60's have dual chambers in case a brake fluid leak occurs in either the front or rear brake circuit system, the other circuit will still be functional to stop the vehicle.

[Jeffrey Antonelli]

That's a good question. I do not know. My mechanic told me I needed this, and I have not been back to the shop to have him show it to me.

[Eric Maclean]

Jeff
Your 1996 patriot Yorktown  will be exactly the same as my 1997 Patriot Yorktown.
There will be two converters mounted side by side under the driver's floor behind the electrical bay they are accessed from below
Each converter has a single line master cylinder attached one feeds the front brakes the other the rears.
From the each master cylinder there is a rubber flex line which leads to the driver's side frame rail where they connect to steel
brake lines headed to their prospective brake set.
If you need part numbers for any of the other brake parts let me know.
Good luck
Eric

[William Gallagher]

Eric Maclean, I have a 98 Beaver Patriot with Magnum chassis with an air over hydraulics problem leading to no brakes. I followed the thread that recommends replacement with a Haldex  Pressure Converter Assembly Haldex p/n N37216C at approximate cost of
$852.82.  The illustration/photo shows the unit with a brake fluid container. My current defective assembly does not show the container nor does there seem to be room up under there for one. I have been quoted a price of $1656.65 from a known dealer in Bend Oregon for the same unit.  Is there fluid container essential to the unit?
Thanks Bill of Robinsbill@aol.com

[Eric Maclean]

Bill
The converters are remote mounted under the coach  behind the electrical bay up behind the steering box the reservoirs mounted up on the fire wall have red plastic lines which run down to each of the two converter units.

It's a hard thing to get a picture of but I sent a couple of pics and a video to your email address I hope they got there as I'm on a spotty internet sitting in a camp ground near Wawa Ontario Canada.

Hope this helps Eric

[Eric Maclean]

Bill
The cap on the master cylinder is a special cap which facilitates the plastic line connection which goes to the remote reservoir
They can be moved from the old master cylinders to the new ones.

You say you have no brakes this seems strange as the system is split front and rear to avoid loosing all the brakes at once.

Eric