2001 Patroit Thunder Brakes

[Tom and Pat Walker]

From Tom Walker, I have 2001 Patroit Thunder,40 foot,with a 425 cat, I was heading out for a weekend trip  and noticed at the first red lite that my breaks were not working properly, I had good air pressure on my gauge (110) the pedel felt good, but I had to stand on the pedel and the coach rolled to a stop, it would not lock up!! I all most hit the car in front of me, I pulled off the road and unhooked the toad, and tried a couple of breaking excerises, again I had to stand on the break pedel and it slowly rolled to a stop. It still would not stop!! I bleed the air lines at the rear of the coach maintance panel, shut down the engine and did a air dump and restarted the engine and let the air pressure come back up(110) and the pedel felt good, I started to head for my repair center and the coach at 45 mph when I applied the brakes hard would only slightly slow down, to come to a stop it would take about 100 yards or so, any ideas?? Also I have experienced that my ABS lite comes on and goes off, I had it serviced 2 times and the right rear cable replaced only to have the lite keep comming on and off ??

[Joel Ashley]

Sounds like a serious issue, Tom.  Perhaps you should have the coach towed to a service facility rather than keep driving it - it's too dangerous for you and others on the road.  I dunno, but 110 psi seems a bit low;  ours goes to 120-130 psi when the air drier valve lets go.  I'd think 110 to be adequate to operate the brakes, though, so the issue may not be due to air pressure.  If you have Coach-Net, like we do, I'd call them and get their technician's input, as well as to schedule a tow.  :-/

-Joel

[Bill Sprague]

We all get used to thinking that the yellow knob is a parking brake.  It is actually an emergency brake that can also be used for parking.  Activating it releases all the air in the brake lines.  In other words, it disables the normal air system!  It is like creating a complete loss of brake air pressure.  That allows big, mechanical, heavy duty metal springs on the drive axle to fully apply the brakes RAPIDLY.  You will most likely stop in a big enough hurry that things on the galley counter will slide off but you won't rear end the car in front of you.  

You can test the yellow knob.  Use it to release the brakes, turn the engine off, park on very level ground and chock the wheels.  Press on the brake pedal several times to use up the air in the brake system.  You can watch the pressure needles fall off.  When the needles and pressure get real low, like they would be in a major failure, the yellow know will pop into the "parked/emergency" position and the "spring brakes" will apply.

This test is supposed to be part of a regular safety routine that we would all know about if we were required to have a CDL!

[Ron Johnson]

Tom my Thunder has an 'air over hydraulic' system so maybe yours does as well. The symptoms sound like a bit like low brake fluid or air in the brake lines. In addition these Coaches had a recall years ago for overheating issues in the brake caliper\rotor assembly causing among other things, ABS sensor faults.

[James Murphy]

I have a 2000 beaver patriot 33'. I had my claiper lock up on left front. ABS light came on. Since, I have replaced caliper/rotor/bearings. ABS light still on. On the way home the right one went out. Had the mech come to house and replace right caliper. ABS light remains to be on. I just read that it resets itself. I guess it needs to be replaced. Any, insight???