Braking System

[Mike Lowery]

I have a '97 Beaver Monterey with the Air over Hydraulic  braking system - Front Suspension Air Bag is leaking - Is it safe to
drive to a repair shop 15 miles away?

[Larry and Heidi Lee]

Sorry to hear about your leak Mike. Without asking a hundred questions you might want to give the local CHP or sheriff's office a call and see if they will provide an escort for you and of course get their opinion. It could save you hours waiting for a tow truck and blocking traffic.

[Gerald Farris]

Mike,
That is a loaded question that only you can answer. If the leak is so severe that the coach will not maintain ride height or adequate air pressure in the air system, the answer is NO, it is not safe to drive. However, if the coach maintains ride height and proper air pressure, the engine air compressor is supplying air faster that the air bag is leaking, so it is safe to drive unless the leak gets worse as you drive. In that case you will notice that the air tank pressures start falling and you should find a safe place to park quickly.

The key factors are ride height and air tank pressures. As long as they are maintained, the coach should be safe to drive anywhere. So keep an eye on your air pressure if you drive the coach with a know air leak until it is repaired.  

Gerald

[Edward Buker]

Is the air pressure staying up and the compressor able to turn off and cycle back on? If so the brake side should be O.K. The other question is the coach staying up ride height wise with the leaking air bag/spring? If you measure from the ground to the top of the wheel opening on the driver and passenger side are they similar and giving normal clearances in the wheel well so you have turning clearance for the wheels. If so you could possibly consciously drive the 15 miles while keeping one eye on the air gauge to see that the compressor is keeping up, if at any point it looks like things are changing and it is not, then you must pull over and stop. The nature of the leak should be considered and if it looks like something that will hold or if it is something that is degrading. If in doubt consider a tow. This is my best judgment as to how I might look at this problem while on the road and by no means conclusive. Before doing anything give BCS a call or your local shop that you deal with and see what they have to say.

Just posted this and noticed after that Gerald had was quicker on the draw...in the old west I would be no my way to Boot Hill :-)


Later Ed

[Matthew Harger]

Mike-
Had the same problem and didn't realize it because I'm a newbie.  We drove ours a few thousand miles with the right front leaking due to a bad valve but the air compressor was able to keep up while driving and we didn't suffer any ill effects.  Once stopped, the coach lost air quickly and I was down flat after only a couple hours.  The local shop found a leaking valve in the front end and replaced it.

[Mike Lowery]

Thanks for all the replies-  everyone is right and I appreciate your expertise - unfortunately the air pump can not keep up with the leak and the right front end looses the
proper clearance - was going to have it towed but the tow company won't tow it because they are afraid the front end will be too low and be damaged - I called my repair
shop back and they are going to sent a tech out in the AM to fix it in my driveway - I am grateful to all......

[Gary Winzenburger]

Quick question for our experts regarding air brakes - Isn't there an "actuator" that will lock up the brakes if there's a loss of air? I thought most tractor/trailers have this type of air brake, and someone told me RV's had the same system. Am I dreaming this? What happens when you use the "parking" switch - doesn't that lock the brakes regardless of the amount of air in the tanks? Very interested in this.
Thanks,
Gary

[Gerald Farris]

A total loss of air will engage the parking brake only. It will not lock the entire braking system. The parking brake design varies with different braking systems. If you have straight air brakes, the parking brake normally applies the brakes on the drive axel. But if you have air over hydraulic brakes, the parking brake is normally on the drive shaft.

Parking brakes on air brake coaches are applied by spring pressure, and are released by air pressure that is used to compress the spring. Therefore a loss of air pressure will result in the spring applying the brake. When you apply the parking brake, you are just releasing the air that is preventing the spring from applying the parking brake.

Gerald  

[Karl Welhart]

If you have true air/drum type of brakes. Yes, they will lock up, if the system losses air pressure.  The parking brake is a little different.  If your parking brake is a separate drum around the drive shaft, then that is the only thing that hold when the parking brake is applied.  The parking brake is not design to be used for emergency braking situations.