Forum Discussion

Jackie_Treehorn's avatar
Jun 29, 2015

Chevy Workhorse parking brake electrical system

Riding down the open road and the parking brake in my Winnebago Brave 33v engaged and stayed locked up. I was forced to remove the cable from the drum brake assembly behind the transmission in order to continue driving. The brake- when working- engages from either putting the transmission in Park or pulling a yellow switch on the dash. Of course at the moment it's engaged under all circumstances.

I've checked the motor to the pneumatics that disengage the brake and the motor works fine, but there is no power getting to the motor. I have read of others who had exactly the same symptoms and fixed it by replacing a fuse that is not part of the factory fusebox but instead they described it as some add-on box somewhere else under the dash. I've been unable to locate any other fusebox. If anyone has any suggestions about where I might want to be looking- I see nothing under the hood or following those parking brake lines from the dash out to under the hood?

Thanks for any insight-
  • Read this web site. It's the best place to find info on P32 chassis like yours. It has a whole section on your "autopark" brake problem.

    Richard
  • RLS7201 wrote:
    Read this web site. It's the best place to find info on P32 chassis like yours. It has a whole section on your "autopark" brake problem.

    Richard


    Thanks Richard-

    That's a great lead and I've read now about their "J71 Version III" brake system DX. I've made a reachout to see if there's more I can do or better yet if there's a specilist in this in the Los Angeles area who can get me back on the road WITH the parking brake!

    Thanks-
  • this sounds like the rotten -green-switch problem. Most any RV shop able to service trucks will be able to help you. If the RGS is really bad, you can order a replacement from Amazon & carry with you. Pretty easy to swap it out if you have a spare handy.
  • test post

    Added with edit - worked for the short test post, but not for a longer post?
  • I'll try shorter posts.

    (First part)
    I realize that this is a 6 month old topic, however, I was asked about my auto park brake conversion design on another site and a search on the Chevy/Workhorse P30 auto park brake failure problems brought me back here.
  • Gjac's avatar
    Gjac
    Explorer III
    There is a guy on here called "old used bear" that has helped me a number of times with mine. You can search under his name and get a lot of info, if that doesn't help you you can also email him. From your description it sounds like the green pressure switch, when they leak it does just what you are describing. Mine failed twice both times at low speeds. I now carry a spare of the green and gray switches. If you see any hydraulic fluid on the switch you know its bad. Unplug the wire harness from the end of the switch and look in there for fluid. The green pressure switch allows power to the pump to keep the brakes open when it fails the spring retracts and applies the brakes.
  • I realize that this is a 6 month old topic, however, I was asked about my auto park brake conversion design on another site and a search on the Chevy/Workhorse P30 auto park brake failure problems brought me back here.

    This is the fix I did in a redesign of the auto park brake actuator:
    I solved the Chevy P30 Auto Park Brake failure problem.
    (I think I also posted this here 2 years ago when I did the redesign conversion.)

    Others have done my conversion redesign on their auto park brake units and resolved their failure problems:
    Others who have used my solution and solved their Chevy Auto Park Brake failure problems. (start at post number 1)

    My redesigned auto park brake unit has been installed and working for 2 years now, it works just as the factory design works ... except it works better - no failures! (the failure mode has been removed) and it holds better on grades! (holds on the steepest grades I have tried so far ... a 10% grade).
  • I was very happy to get information from "The Bear" although I was not able to overcome the issue. I did end up using one of the Chevy Workhorse Authorized facilities in Sherman Oaks CA and they got me all set up. I'm on the road right now without any relapses or other problems!
  • That is why I think the F53 chassis is so much better, no electronics to operate a emergency brake that can fail any where at anytime. Ford keeps it simple and that's why its better, 2006 and newer that is..