E450 Braking Improvement with Axle Upgrade
Earlier this year I replaced the OEM axle, brakes, and radius arms on our 2002 chassis with a new takeoff axle from a 2012 E450. The 4x4 conversion companies will sell these parts as a "kit."
We've taken a few RV trips since the upgrade. Braking has been smooth and easy. Oddly, the RV is also quieter. I can only figure that's because the radius arm mounts to the frame rails is different.
Anyhow, I drive the RV very conservatively. I try to maintain a long following distance and stop gently, probably like most of you. This week, a pickup pulled out ahead of me and came up to 55MPH. Then braked hard to pull off the shoulder. I made a semi-panic stop to get slowed down. Not enough to activate ABS but way harder than usual.
Our 31-ft scales in the high 13000's and it pulled down like a car! It was smooth, strong, and had me knowing I had more! Before the upgrade it would have been tense. More pedal pressure, less slowing, me relieved when it was over.
Those of you with a 2008 or newer E-Series should already be experiencing this kind of performance. But if you have an earlier year and sometimes it brakes like somebody stuck a block under the pedal, the improved brakes really are an improvement!
We've taken a few RV trips since the upgrade. Braking has been smooth and easy. Oddly, the RV is also quieter. I can only figure that's because the radius arm mounts to the frame rails is different.
Anyhow, I drive the RV very conservatively. I try to maintain a long following distance and stop gently, probably like most of you. This week, a pickup pulled out ahead of me and came up to 55MPH. Then braked hard to pull off the shoulder. I made a semi-panic stop to get slowed down. Not enough to activate ABS but way harder than usual.
Our 31-ft scales in the high 13000's and it pulled down like a car! It was smooth, strong, and had me knowing I had more! Before the upgrade it would have been tense. More pedal pressure, less slowing, me relieved when it was over.
Those of you with a 2008 or newer E-Series should already be experiencing this kind of performance. But if you have an earlier year and sometimes it brakes like somebody stuck a block under the pedal, the improved brakes really are an improvement!
