Braking Conundrum

Tom/Barb wrote:

Gib3633 wrote:
Just to keep things lively . What do you know about the Wedge Brake System and the DD3 used on Prevost.
It sort of reminds me of the people practicing herbal medicine because they know more than Medical Doctors. If it's cheap it has to be better.

I know it must work when I de-press the pedal, that is why I had a professional mechanic that does this type of maintenance, maintain it.

Sounds like you got it covered! Like I said before happy travels.

Our first DP (1993 Foretravel U240) had air wedge drum brakes. No problems in over 150,000 miles. They were very popular in European medium duty vehicles (and still may be-- I have no idea if they are still used).

Gib3633 wrote:
Just to keep things lively . What do you know about the Wedge Brake System and the DD3 used on Prevost.
It sort of reminds me of the people practicing herbal medicine because they know more than Medical Doctors. If it's cheap it has to be better.

I know it must work when I de-press the pedal, that is why I had a professional mechanic that does this type of maintenance, maintain it.

I get all of that wa8yxm. If we were still anywhere near the OP's question that would not make any difference at all.

The problem is: I have never operated an air brake, and I have no idea at all about how it works. I don't wish to buy, then learn, and that would make us lean toward a gas coach.

He does not need to shy away from a DP just because it has air brakes.

Bill.Satellite wrote:
Why would I care how to adjust them. That's why I have my coach serviced by professionals.

As I do my car (And coach) however let me tell you two stories, both true.

Car (Brakes) had excessive pedal travel, Dealer no less, Factory trained, looked at it 3 times could not figure out the cause. Finally I put my mind to the job.. Now understand I was not under the car, I was a good hundred yards away at a desk.. I visualized the barking system (Which I know well) and suddenly a great light dawned.. Next morning I pulled in to the tire/brakes/muffler/oil change shop and when I pulled out they were like new.. I had diagnosed and solved the problem.


Small engine repair, professionals, worked on a piece of gear we used in my ladder monkey days... Only now it was very hard to start...

Turns out they forgot to tighten a couple of bolts.. I properly positioned the magneto, and tightened the mounting bolts, and .. Well a short time later I'm watching a kid pull pull pull for liek 30 minutes on that lawn mower rope trying to start it.. I reached down, flipped the shorting bar off the spark plug, Took just two fingers and pulled the cord.. Sent the box of nails up to my boss on the roof, shut down and climbed back up and commenced to nailing shingles.


So the moral: If you know how to do the job yourself. THEN you know if the professional did it right.... or not. And many have not.

This includes the folks who replaced the brakes on my Brother's SEMI trailer once.. Like me Brother knows how to do the job. but he did not supervise so it was done wrong.

Just to keep things lively . What do you know about the Wedge Brake System and the DD3 used on Prevost.
It sort of reminds me of the people practicing herbal medicine because they know more than Medical Doctors. If it's cheap it has to be better.

Bill.Satellite wrote:
Not that it makes any difference but I have drums all around. I know how they both work. You push the pedal and the bus stops. I even understand the difference in the design of the 2 systems but knowing that doesn't help me stop either. It's still all about the pressure on the brake pedal that makes me stop.
I know much more about my coach than I need to explain here as the OP was scared to drive a coach with air brakes and my response was accurate and welcoming. Get in the coach and go drive. That's all he needs to know about driving that kind of coach for the first time. With time, he will learn more just like the rest of us.

Exactly!

slickest1 wrote:
I could tell you how but you don't seem to know the difference between drum and disc. brakes. I can turn things you say the same way you turn mine.

I answered the OP with some fairly sound advice in my first post and you and a couple others seem threatened by that. I really don't see how your posts are helpful.
There are some very helpful people on this forum and the there are others.

my posts point out the Airbrakes are not some kind of black magic that requires a lot of training to operate. When you have the system serviced regularly by professionals you are good to stop.

Not that it makes any difference but I have drums all around. I know how they both work. You push the pedal and the bus stops. I even understand the difference in the design of the 2 systems but knowing that doesn't help me stop either. It's still all about the pressure on the brake pedal that makes me stop.
I know much more about my coach than I need to explain here as the OP was scared to drive a coach with air brakes and my response was accurate and welcoming. Get in the coach and go drive. That's all he needs to know about driving that kind of coach for the first time. With time, he will learn more just like the rest of us.

I could tell you how but you don't seem to know the difference between drum and disc. brakes. I can turn things you say the same way you turn mine.

I answered the OP with some fairly sound advice in my first post and you and a couple others seem threatened by that. I really don't see how your posts are helpful.
There are some very helpful people on this forum and the there are others.