Broke down in Amarillo

[Garland]

We are currently broke down in Amarillo. We made it in to the KOA and now are waiting until tomorrow to hopefully find someone to work on our motorhome. It is a 2001 workhorse p32 chassis. Everything seemed fine until I slowed down to get off of I40 to fuel up. When we started slowing down there was a bad grinding noise coming from the driver side front tire area. The slower we went the worse the sound. At about 30 mph the sound goes away. Luckily the KOA was not far away and we made it there. I can jack up the tire and when you spin it, it grinds and has a catch. That is the best I can explain it. you have to force it past the catch. It does not appear to have any back and forth play. I can grab either side of the tire and try to move it back and forth and there is no movement. Anyone have any suggestions? We are from NE Oklahoma and do not know the area.

[howdy35]

Great to hear you are going again. Have a safe trip.

[Heisenberg]

Great!!

[Garland]

Back on the road, 720 dollars later. But hey they got me right in and back on the road in 4 hours so I guess I should be glad we are mobile again and out of Texas. Currently camping in Tucumcari for the night.

[falconman]

My daughters car picked up a stone that had lodged itself in the caliper. Awful noise and wheel hard to turn by hand. Might take a look.

[tropical36]

gus33 wrote:
Workhorse had recalls on the front brakes years ago. I think calipers were the main problem. It could be related.

Gus

I believe that entailed the W chassis (not the P), with Bosch calipers and excluding the W24.
Also, the OP supposedly doesn't have a brake problem, as per say.
Now a locked up brake caliper for whatever reason, could surely melt down the grease and cause bearing failure, but you'd have some different symptoms prior to all that happening.

[tropical36]

Garland wrote:
So I am standing in the shop now. It was the outer bearing. It is toast. So I am having them change all the bearings and seals in both sides as well as changing the brake pads while they are already in there. Glad it is diagnosed and is on the mend. They just sent their parts guy to get all the items needed. Thanks for all the replies.

Good that you got to the problem.
I'd also be making note of the hose contact I gave you, for if and when it might have an internal collapse, thereby pretty much ruining your brake job, as far as the pads and rotor goes. In fact, if you're keeping the coach, it wouldn't be all that bad of an idea for replacing them while you're in the shop.
Just for the sake of things, you might ask them, what their source is for brake hoses.
Problem with these hoses and along with low availability, many times the part number produces a pre 97 product and it won't fit.
The newer have a much longer metal tube and I guess some would just send them out to a hyd. shop for rebuilding.
I had a brake job done at one time and they said that they couldn't get replacement hoses, so let it go. A year or two later and yep, failure. This time I did it all myself and had no trouble after that, until sold, last year.

[gus33]

Workhorse had recalls on the front brakes years ago. I think calipers were the main problem. It could be related.

Gus

[Garland]

So I am standing in the shop now. It was the outer bearing. It is toast. So I am having them change all the bearings and seals in both sides as well as changing the brake pads while they are already in there. Glad it is diagnosed and is on the mend. They just sent their parts guy to get all the items needed. Thanks for all the replies.

[tropical36]

midnightsadie wrote:
X2 for a mobil tech there fast and honest.

My vote as well and you'll be right there to see what's going on with it, yourself. Even helping out some when you can or going after parts, always helps and speeds things up.
Caliper's and pads should be readily available, most anywhere, as should be the wheel bearings. If you have a brake hose gone bad, they are hard to come by with a post 96 chassis and very expensive, as well.
However if one should be looking for quality brake hoses for a Workhorse or Chev P chassis, call
Buddy at Precision Sales.
451 64th. Place South
Birmingham, AL. 35212
Phone (205) 591-2266
Toll Free (877) 403-7827

[Community Alumni]

skipro3 wrote:
Sounds like your brake caliper picked up a rock. I've had exact same symptoms and it was just a rock. If it were me, I'd jack up and remove the tire, then spin the rotor and look, listen, feel for where the noise is coming from. might see a mark on the rotor where the rock is rubbing.

It could also be a broken brake pad that came loose and rubbing loose in there.

I do not suspect wheel bearing though. No wobble, no heating up, etc. A wheel bearing will generate a lot of heat usually.

I am going to go ditto on this also as the first thing to eliminate or fix.

JimR

[midnightsadie]

X2 for a mobil tech there fast and honest.

[rockhillmanor]

Garland wrote:
thanks for the replies. Wheel bearing is what I was thinking too. I did not bring enough tools to do that type of job unfortunately. We called one mobile techs emergency number last night when we rolled in, Derrels repair, but they have not called back. I did find a workhorse chassis service center in town so I will head that way in the morning and see if they can get someone to come to the KOA or I will have to have it towed.

Go to the KOA office and ask who they use for RV Mobile Repair first!

Most repair shops will insist you tow it in. RV Mobile Repair will come out to your site at the KOA AND.....will be a WHOLE LOT less expensive.

I have ALL my repairs and maintenance done by local RV Mobile Repair where ever I am parked.

Good Luck

[oldokie]

I searched craigslist for Amarillo for an rv tech and got a hit on a rv and motorhome repair center. They have phone number listed in their ad. You can look at it for yourself and get the info.

[Ski_Pro_3]

Sounds like your brake caliper picked up a rock. I've had exact same symptoms and it was just a rock. If it were me, I'd jack up and remove the tire, then spin the rotor and look, listen, feel for where the noise is coming from. might see a mark on the rotor where the rock is rubbing.

It could also be a broken brake pad that came loose and rubbing loose in there.

I do not suspect wheel bearing though. No wobble, no heating up, etc. A wheel bearing will generate a lot of heat usually.