Forum Discussion

lj2654's avatar
lj2654
Explorer
Oct 25, 2017

Brake part issues!

Ok all,
I took the 2001 beaver Contessa in to the local shop for brakes. The service manager asked me to get the parts to save me some $$$. I thought I had found the parts ok. I had talked with a guy that had joined a new group on facebook. He has the exact or so I thought model Contessa that I have right down to the paint job!

He had brake work done in August due to a sticking caliper. Same issue I just had. Left front brake caliper was not releasing. I had an overheated left brake, it melted the abs sensor plastic, and also cracked the oil bath wheel hub leaking gear oil out.

I emailed the shop that did his work and they sent me the NAPA part numbers for the rotors, calipers, and pads that they had ordered for his coach. Ordered them all and took in to shop this am, now they called and are telling me that I got the wrong rotors. He told me there are two sizes, long and short, I ordered what they said and are long pads....

All NAPA parts:
SE 8609-CALIPERS
FT7654- BRAKE PADS
880140CR - ROTORS( wrong size)! Got the right rotors now.....

Why would mine be different than his coach?
I'd pull out my hair if I had some left!
Class A
  • mike_brez's avatar
    mike_brez
    Explorer
    Oct 26, 2017
    Hmmm learned something new. Didn't know Beavers used hydraulic brakes on DP.
    I know Alpines used them.
    As for the brake hose I have been changing them and flushing fluid for the past 20 years if changing calipers.
  • SidecarFlip's avatar
    SidecarFlip
    Explorer III
    Oct 26, 2017
    gutfelt wrote:
    Never said it was not possible just said its extremely uncommon
    also hard to beleive both hoses failed internally at the same time to the point you ruined the entire front brake system in 30 miles? would one not feel it as soon as you tryed to drive that there was a major problem>


    Passengers side only and on a diesel pickup and with all that torque, it didn't take long. I replace everything anyway. hoses both sides, new calipers and rotors and checked and repacked the front hub bearings too. Things got pretty warm.

    Rock Auto is my friend. So is Skyjacker. Skyjacker for braided stainless hoses and shocks too.
  • gutfelt's avatar
    gutfelt
    Explorer
    Oct 26, 2017
    Never said it was not possible just said its extremely uncommon
    also hard to beleive both hoses failed internally at the same time to the point you ruined the entire front brake system in 30 miles? would one not feel it as soon as you tryed to drive that there was a major problem>
  • SidecarFlip's avatar
    SidecarFlip
    Explorer III
    Oct 26, 2017
    gutfelt wrote:
    SidecarFlip wrote:
    Little hint on disc brakes that you might find helpful..

    Often times when a caliper is dragging, it's not the caliper but the brake hose.

    What happens is, over time, the interior of the hose degrades and the inside rubber flakes off and floats in the fluid. When you apply the brakes there is a lot of pressure pushing to clamp the pads to the rotor but when you release the brake pedal, the only back pressure (to retract the pads) is provided by the piston seals and it's not much. If the hoses are degrading, which they do over time, those rubbed flakes inside the hose can block the fluid from going back towards the master cylinder, hence, the pads drag, heat up and bad things happen.

    My rule of thumb is I replace the brake hoses every 2nd brake job or every 5 years, whichever comes first or you can go to aftermarket stainless steel brake hoses and eliminate that issue entirely.

    Don't be surprised that when you do get the brakes done, the pads still drag (if you don't replace the brake hoses as well.


    there a old saying never say never but in my 45 years of fixing brake systems I have never seen nor heard of such a happening so I don't think using the word "often" applies here 99% of brakes sticking on is seized caliper pistons and seized sliders


    I have you beat in years of driveway mechanicals by about 15 years....

    I didn't know it either until my good friend and hunting partner who happens to be the service manage at the local Ford dealership told me about it. I had the exact issue with my F350 and I replaced the rotors, calipers and pads and they still hung and I was picking his brain and he told me. New Hoses (I put on Skyjacker braided stainless hoses) and the issue vanished. I managed to eat the rotors and the pads and roast the piston seals in about 30 miles and yes, they stunk.

    Red glowing rotors might work on a LeMans car but they don't work on a pickup truck.

    First time for me too but my buddy says it's common on older vehicles. Maybe it's the 'Made in China' brake hoses.....:R
  • MountainAirMan's avatar
    MountainAirMan
    Explorer
    Oct 26, 2017
    Easy way to tell. If you can readily replicate the concern, then jack up the offending corner / wheel and attempt to spin wheel. If it's stuck, try opening the bleeder valve. If wheel frees up at this point, the problem is a hose. If brakes continue to hold tight to rotor then you have a bad caliper.
  • gutfelt's avatar
    gutfelt
    Explorer
    Oct 25, 2017
    SidecarFlip wrote:
    Little hint on disc brakes that you might find helpful..

    Often times when a caliper is dragging, it's not the caliper but the brake hose.

    What happens is, over time, the interior of the hose degrades and the inside rubber flakes off and floats in the fluid. When you apply the brakes there is a lot of pressure pushing to clamp the pads to the rotor but when you release the brake pedal, the only back pressure (to retract the pads) is provided by the piston seals and it's not much. If the hoses are degrading, which they do over time, those rubbed flakes inside the hose can block the fluid from going back towards the master cylinder, hence, the pads drag, heat up and bad things happen.

    My rule of thumb is I replace the brake hoses every 2nd brake job or every 5 years, whichever comes first or you can go to aftermarket stainless steel brake hoses and eliminate that issue entirely.

    Don't be surprised that when you do get the brakes done, the pads still drag (if you don't replace the brake hoses as well.


    there a old saying never say never but in my 45 years of fixing brake systems I have never seen nor heard of such a happening so I don't think using the word "often" applies here 99% of brakes sticking on is seized caliper pistons and seized sliders
  • gutfelt's avatar
    gutfelt
    Explorer
    Oct 25, 2017
    rgatijnet1 wrote:
    If you crawl under your RV, you MAY be able to see raised "casting numbers" on the caliper which are used whenever you order any parts.
    Your coach may have been built on a 2000 chassis or a 2001 chassis and there may have been changes done between those two years.


    OP said "" I got the wrong rotors"" not the wrong calipers
  • rgatijnet1's avatar
    rgatijnet1
    Explorer III
    Oct 25, 2017
    If you crawl under your RV, you MAY be able to see raised "casting numbers" on the caliper which are used whenever you order any parts.
    Your coach may have been built on a 2000 chassis or a 2001 chassis and there may have been changes done between those two years.
  • lj2654's avatar
    lj2654
    Explorer
    Oct 25, 2017
    Thank you for the info.

    The mechanic is going to flush the system and bleed the brakes prior to trying the brakes. They are going to see if they are releasing properly and change the brake hoses as needed at that point.
  • SidecarFlip's avatar
    SidecarFlip
    Explorer III
    Oct 25, 2017
    Little hint on disc brakes that you might find helpful..

    Often times when a caliper is dragging, it's not the caliper but the brake hose.

    What happens is, over time, the interior of the hose degrades and the inside rubber flakes off and floats in the fluid. When you apply the brakes there is a lot of pressure pushing to clamp the pads to the rotor but when you release the brake pedal, the only back pressure (to retract the pads) is provided by the piston seals and it's not much. If the hoses are degrading, which they do over time, those rubbed flakes inside the hose can block the fluid from going back towards the master cylinder, hence, the pads drag, heat up and bad things happen.

    My rule of thumb is I replace the brake hoses every 2nd brake job or every 5 years, whichever comes first or you can go to aftermarket stainless steel brake hoses and eliminate that issue entirely.

    Don't be surprised that when you do get the brakes done, the pads still drag (if you don't replace the brake hoses as well.

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