Leave the emergency(parking) brake off?

[rbrand]

I had a brake caliper seize heading up Vancouver Island. I had it replaced at OK tire in Duncan. Excellent service had me out in an hour.
The fellow that I was dealing with said that if an Motorhome is left sitting for a extended period of time. It should be left with the parking brake off. This will help prevent the brake caliper from seizing up.

I've never heard of this.

What are your opinions?

[garyemunson]

As for the 'rolling the dice' comment, it's much more likely for them to stick in the on position as releasing is just the removing of the engagement pressure as opposed to the pretty strong force you can apply with your foot to engage them. If their condition has deteriorated to the point of seizing up, they will do so the first time you normally step on the brake. All that retracts disk pads is what little axial runout exists in the rotor. Not like old drum brakes with strong retraction springs. The best thing of course is to just get out RVing on a regular basis. That's what you bought the thing for! I always set mine as I know I'll be heading out in a week or two even if just for an overnight camp in my 'portable fort'! I've also been a mechanic all my life and have always thought changing brake fluid every 5 years or so was a good idea. Ford's 2 year interval seems a little overkill but, hey, they have the engineers. If I changed the fluid in my 2 year old Winne, I suspect it would still look like new. I lived in Florida most of my life and was always concerned about moisture getting absorbed into the fluid. Standard brake fluid was designed to absorb water so it would be distributed throughout the system to prevent it from concentrating in one spot to attack the metal parts. Each time I would change the fluid (pretty easy to do and if done right, far simpler than actually bleeding air out), what came out was dark and nasty looking. I'd continue to run the fluid through until it was coming out new looking. Once I got in that habit, I found I rarely had to change wheel cylinders or calipers anymore.

[j-d]

If, for example, chassis e E450 2000-2007 (or E-Super Duty 1997-99) and no doubt at lot of Class A, the parking brake is a drum at the back of the transmission. If it sticks the driveshaft won't turn, but no effect on the rear calipers.

[ScottG]

Fulltimers wrote:
Use your parking brake, that's what it is intended for.
Forget changing brake fluid, it's such a pain it the...you know what.
My car has over 160,000 miles on it and still has the original brake fluid.
What's the problem?

Kinda like playing Rusian rullete and never catching the bullet.
The "problem" has been explained.
Whether you want to heed the warning and save yourself some money is entirely up to you.

[Fulltimers]

Use your parking brake, that's what it is intended for.
Forget changing brake fluid, it's such a pain it the...you know what.
My car has over 160,000 miles on it and still has the original brake fluid.
What's the problem?

[time2roll]

rhagfo wrote:
While not 100% familiar with your MH, parking brakes seldom use the caliper and pads. Typicality it is a drum assembly inside the rotor.

This is why I don't buy it. OP needs to confirm what is what here.

[Jayco-noslide]

On my Itasca the slides won't go out unless the emergency brake is on.

[ScottG]

gbopp wrote:

klutchdust wrote:
Recently a friend told me the quick lube stores are recommending it to customers.

Those places recommend you change everything.. I avoid them.

I've noticed they especially like to tell you to change tail lights - that work perfeclty fine.

[Sam_Spade]

ScottG wrote:

It has also been a good idea to change it regularly because moisture builds up in it

Old wives tale. Sorry but it IS.

If the sealed system is compromised to the point that water (even moist air) can get IN....then the brake fluid will also leak OUT.
No leaks, no moisture infiltration.

The reason that shops "recommend" it is that it increases their margin.....especially if they can sell you other parts in the process......like new rotors to replace ones that are not bad.

[rhagfo]

rbrand wrote:
I had a brake caliper seize heading up Vancouver Island. I had it replaced at OK tire in Duncan. Excellent service had me out in an hour.
The fellow that I was dealing with said that if an Motorhome is left sitting for a extended period of time. It should be left with the parking brake off. This will help prevent the brake caliper from seizing up.

I've never heard of this.

What are your opinions?

I would say it froze up due to lack of use!
While not 100% familiar with your MH, parking brakes seldom use the caliper and pads. Typicality it is a drum assembly inside the rotor.
Depending on the parking pral in the transmission is a bad idea as many have died or been seriously injured when it doesn't completely lock.

[gbopp]

klutchdust wrote:
Recently a friend told me the quick lube stores are recommending it to customers.

Those places recommend you change everything.. I avoid them.

[maddog348]

Dusty X 2 !!!!!!!!!!!!! jm2¢ YMMV

[time2roll]

Keep in mind we are talking about a vehicle that is prone to have calipers etc stick as the topic of the thread. For cars that have no issues fine but a little extra maintenance can go a long way here. I believe Ford MH chassis has recommended two year fluid change for a long time now. Not going to hurt one bit to remove, inspect and lube that caliper front and rear while servicing the fluid.

[Dusty_R]

In the past I seldom used the parking/emergence brake. We now have a mh with a slide, and the parking brake must to be set in order to extend the slide.

Dusty

[ScottG]

klutchdust wrote:

ScottG wrote:

klutchdust wrote:

time2roll wrote:
I don't buy it. Caliper can seize up either way from non-use.
Does the parking brake really actuate the disk or a drum brake?

If you don't use it much I recommend lubing the slide areas when you change brake fluid every two years.

My test is to put transmission in neutral. If it starts to roll set the parking brake. After you verify the parking brake is holding the vehicle then put transmission into park.

I have wrenched my entire life. I have changed brake fluid only when the repair called for it, be it a broken line or whatever. My question is this,what has changed in the brake fluid industry that some feel the need to replace their fluid. One of my vehicles i owned for over 25 years, it stopped just fine and had no indication of fluid losing it's ability to work properly.
Recently a friend told me the quick lube stores are recommending it to customers.

It has also been a good idea to change it regularly because moisture builds up in it and makes it less effective and rots things like wheel cylinders and all the other iron components. That same moisture also kills anti-lock components. Changing fluid is cheap insurance against expensive repairs.
Personally, I can feel a difference in the initial bite of brakes and stronger pedal after really ancient fluid has been changed.

Thats good information. i didn't take into account the new components in these systems.

Some of them you even have to hook up a scan tool and actuate the anti-lock servo's in order to bleed them. :R

[klutchdust]

ScottG wrote:

klutchdust wrote:

time2roll wrote:
I don't buy it. Caliper can seize up either way from non-use.
Does the parking brake really actuate the disk or a drum brake?

If you don't use it much I recommend lubing the slide areas when you change brake fluid every two years.

My test is to put transmission in neutral. If it starts to roll set the parking brake. After you verify the parking brake is holding the vehicle then put transmission into park.

I have wrenched my entire life. I have changed brake fluid only when the repair called for it, be it a broken line or whatever. My question is this,what has changed in the brake fluid industry that some feel the need to replace their fluid. One of my vehicles i owned for over 25 years, it stopped just fine and had no indication of fluid losing it's ability to work properly.
Recently a friend told me the quick lube stores are recommending it to customers.

It has also been a good idea to change it regularly because moisture builds up in it and makes it less effective and rots things like wheel cylinders and all the other iron components. That same moisture also kills anti-lock components. Changing fluid is cheap insurance against expensive repairs.
Personally, I can feel a difference in the initial bite of brakes and stronger pedal after really ancient fluid has been changed.

Thats good information. i didn't take into account the new components in these systems.