BAC Forum
General Boards => Technical Support => Topic started by: Jeremy Parrett on November 02, 2015, 04:57:06 AM
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Ok, so I drove about half a mile before I realized the parking brake was still on !
Now; it will only hold the coach on a billiard table surface.....any slope at all and off she runs !!
I need to know how to locate the parking brake and adjust it if possible.
Can the brake pads be replaced and where would I buy them ?
2000 Marquis Amethyst.
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Jeremy, first you may simply need an adjustment on the brakes. Even though th coaches have slack adjusters they still need to be manually adjusted from time to time. If you are stopping when driving that means the front brakes are doing all the work. There are pads and parts available no issue with that.
If you are not comfortable with doing the adjustment, find a heavy duty truck dealer and they can perform the task as well replace pads if need be.
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Tom and Pam,
thank you for the info. This is an issue that must be dealt with here in Las Vegas asap. Jeremy
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There are quite a few YouTube videos on how to adjust the slack adjuster. All it takes is 3/8" wrench and a flat head screwdriver. My number is in the directory if you wish to discuss the process. It is quick and fairly self explanatory.
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Jeremy,
The slack adjusters are automatic as well as manual adjustment. Try and air up and keep the air above 90lbs reserve air in your tanks, turn off the parking brake and hold the brake pedal full on hard for a few seconds, do this several times. If they are working properly the slack adjusters should take up the slack. Then try your parking brake again and see if it is working normally. You should make this hard on brake adjustment part of a routine once a week when you are traveling and normally using the brakes.
You should still probably go in for a rear brake check to be sure that the rotors are not cracked beyond spec due to overheating issues and that there is sufficient brake pad left. If you want to check it yourself Meritor has the crack spec in the brake manual available online and a technique for measuring remaining pad by using an exposed metal shaft for measurement on the back of the caliper mount. A little 6 inch metal rule with a slide T on it is handy for measuring this arrangement. Be careful if you are going under the coach, if possible support the frame.
Later Ed
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Jeremy
If you can get up to Eugene, Kaiser brake and alignment did a great job on ours. We had them strip and inspect all six wheels and clean and relube the Meritor system. They found that the front pads looked great before disassembly but were so rotted they fell apart on service.
Once the system was fully serviced, the pads disengaged from the rotors smoothly and it made a real difference. I hadent even realized the brakes were draging.
Kaiser has all the parts for Meritor because they do them on busses and all the high end coaches. I believe there were eight coaches in the shop with ours.
Kaiser Brake and Alignment
Eugene, Or.
541-344-5887
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Ed and Keith,
great info. I will try the brake adjustment routine when we air up to leave the Park. I will get the brakes checked asap. It wont be Eugene Oregon though.....we are planning on being up there in the summer !!
Thanks, Jeremy
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At P&V Diesel in Indio.California for parking brake service.
The passenger side drive axle disc is toast....huge deep grooves. The tech is going to replace the passenger side disc and all the pad sets front ,rear and tag axle . These are all air disc brakes..
At the front we were going to upgrade the T20 actuators to T30's to match the rears .
The tech talked to the Meritor dealer here and explains this is not a good idea and here is why:
1. The T30 actuators are too large and will contact the wall.
2. The rear T30 actuators work both the drive axle and tag axle disc calipers so T30's on the front would upset the balance and cause the front brakes to overwork.
He is going to install "helper" springs on all the calipers.
Parts on order......I will update this when the work is done.
There are brakes on the tag axle......who knew !!! With only one rear drive axle brake working it was no wonder the parking brake didn't work !!
We are asking Meritor if it is possible to cause the Midland Parking brake to actuate all the brakes and not just the drive axle .
The tech mentioned that correct downforce on the tag axle is essential to ensure that the tag axle brakes work with the drive axle brakes to give even braking.
I had the tag set too light last year causing the tires to skid, ruining 2 tires.
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At P&V Diesel in Indio.California for parking brake service.
The passenger side drive axle disc is toast....huge deep grooves. The tech is going to replace the passenger side disc and all the pad sets front ,rear and tag axle . These are all air disc brakes..
At the front we were going to upgrade the T20 actuators to T30's to match the rears .
The tech talked to the Meritor dealer here and explains this is not a good idea and here is why:
1. The T30 actuators are too large and will contact the wall.
2. The rear T30 actuators work both the drive axle and tag axle disc calipers so T30's on the front would upset the balance and cause the front brakes to overwork.
He is going to install "helper" springs on all the calipers.
Parts on order......I will update this when the work is done.
There are brakes on the tag axle......who knew !!! With only one rear drive axle brake working it was no wonder the parking brake didn't work !!
We are asking Meritor if it is possible to cause the Midland Parking brake to actuate all the brakes and not just the drive axle .
The tech mentioned that correct downforce on the tag axle is essential to ensure that the tag axle brakes work with the drive axle brakes to give even braking.
I had the tag set too light last year causing the tires to skid, ruining 2 tires.
Jeremy, your post brings up a question in my inexperienced mind. Tag axle downforce. What is enough? Last year when I weighed my coach I discovered that my front axle was overweight. I backed off on the force in the tag to lower the rear end a little and am now under max on the front axle. I haven't had any problems with braking or parking brakes, so just wondering? Thoughts? Thanks in advance.
Jerry
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Jerry,
You must weigh the tag and front wheels to establish the correct load distribution adjusting the tag axle downforce accordingly.
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Jerry,
You must weigh the tag and front wheels to establish the correct load distribution adjusting the tag axle downforce accordingly.
Jeremy, exactly what I did! Always studying and trying to learn this Baby!
Thank you.
Jerry
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Just wondering here, "What would be the proper load on the tag axle"? Is it written someplace? I unloaded weight from the front by dropping the tag air pressure, the tag had way to much load. Checked by reading the temps of all the tires after a couple of hundred miles in hot weather the tag tires were hotter than the drive axle, now I'm only running about 6K on the tag and about 27K on the drive, front end is still almost 14K. These coaches are way to front end heavy for my liking.
Saw a brand new Newall coach that had wide based singles on the front with a 24K axle, pretty soon they'll need a overweight permit to go down the road. I would hate to blow a front tire with that much weight.
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When I bought the coach and had it weighed for the first time the front axle was a little over 1K overweight. Supposed to be 12.8K front. Folks here on the forum advised me to let some air out of the tag to shift some of the weight back towards the rear. I set the pressure to about 24 and the next weight was about 400 Lbs under the limit. I couldn't get a 4 (6) corner weight so I was stuck with a weight of 23,140 on the rear. No idea how much the tag is picking up. That's where it sits now. Probably need to get another weight, we've added a bunch since then. So I guess as long as the front weight is within specs I'm happy.
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If your ever traveling down a interstate on the weekend see if you can find a DOT highway scale that is closed, usually they leave the scale on and the read out screen up so you can just pull in there and weigh to your hearts content.
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Good thought !! I will make a mental note Lee. Wonder if California allows this ?
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Jeremy,
In Cali I've seen some that were closed but the lanes were open, some that are gated at the entry. Its pot luck, rolled across a scale once when they were open just for giggles and they didn't say a word, don't know if they could actually find something to write up for that one, might pull me in and do a DOT inspection and then you know for sure you are going to get a yellow piece of paper.
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California does not leave their scales on when they are closed. Oregon is the best bet. I have not found any that could not be used up there when the scales are closed.
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Jeremy,
The practice of leaving DOT scales on and available to use when they are "closed" is a very common practice in Oregon. However, it is not done in most other states.
Gerald
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Gerald,
thanks for the info on scales in CA. P&V Diesel will service my brakes next Tuesday.
They will weigh my coach after the work is completed and set the tag axle downforce correctly with regard to steer axle loading.
Are you familiar with the system that measures air bag pressure at all wheels and transmits it to a dash mounted readout as a weight/load in pounds ?
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Jeremy,
I have never seen the system that you are referring to.
Gerald
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Bet you could adapt one of the hi end tire pressure monitor systems to actually read you air bag pressure and with that probably figure out your loading.
But the question I have is why? The HWH air ride systems regulate level and travel height as far as I know, you could put 20K on your front end and the leveling system would still set the coach level and at correct ride height.
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Gerald and Lee,
I found this system is used widely in the trucking industry. Definitely adaptable to my coach with tag axle.
http://www.air-weigh.com/loadmaxx-tractor/
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Gerald and Lee,
I found this system is used widely in the trucking industry. Definitely adaptable to my coach with tag axle.
http://www.air-weigh.com/loadmaxx-tractor/
Why would somebody install this on a coach? We are not in the business of hauling freight. Weigh the coach adjust the tag and front weight and drive it.
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Jeremy,
I will have to agree with Lee on this one. Since your coach's weight does not change on a daily basis like a freight truck, why would you want to spend the time and money to add this to your coach? Just weigh each wheel location, set the correct pressure in the tag and drive it. You can make a regular check of the air pressure gauge on the tag to make sure that the regulator is holding the right pressure, but that is all that you need to do.
Gerald
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Different strokes for different folks. Diversity is what makes the world go round. I remember in college (a long time ago) a sociology professor opined that an entrepreneur would need no more than 6% of the local population's support to make a startup business successful. That being said, I agree this dynamic weighing system is un-needed for our coaches. The weight of our coaches is not what I would define as dynamic. Our coaches' weights are relatively stable overall and from end-to-end. But, if you have an extra $5k to $10k burning a hole in your pocket, then go for it.
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Gerald, Lee and David,
I will take your advice and shelve idea.
See you at Quartzsite ! Jeremy
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P&V Diesel Indio installed new passenger side drive axle rotor/disc, pads and oil seal Tuesday. Departed Wednesday am . Arrived Vicksburg.MS Saturday after driving through some pretty awefull weather......35 deg F, high winds and very heavy rain. Cars and trucks littered the road side Yesterday our diesel mileage seemed to be lower....checked C12 air filter ...telltale right to the top......blocked air filter..........caused a bit of blue smoke I noticed as engine stumbled just once.
Possible causes.....Cochella Valley dust mixed with very heavy rain caused air filter to get wet and set like clay !! Will know when I replace it tomorrow . Stopped at Love's and noticed oil around passenger side drive axle and on chassis . Maybe hub oil seal was not installed absolutely true. Hope to get truck/trailer shop to install new seal tomorrow. If it rains it pours......
Maybe someone could comment on momentary engine stumble /rough running causing blue smoke for a few seconds........was my guess that the blocked air filter caused this correct or could it be something else ??? Silverleaf shows no faults.
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Stevens Truck Services in Vicksburg MS replaced the drive axle oil seal Monday in 2 hours. The bad seal was a substandard part !!
The issue with the C12 air filter has resolved itself . The filter got wet during the downpour we drove through all day Friday causing the telltale to hit the roof. It has since dried out.