Overheating Brakes

[Audioa_fan]

We just took our first trip in our new 2001 HR Ambassador. Things were already off to a bad start due to a flat rear tire that I posted about separately. We made it fine up to near our exit. 5 Miles from the I-40 Pigeon Forge Tennessee exit the interstate shutdown. We moved a few hundred feet over the next hour or more. Inching forward like that didn't seem to me to be a problem with the brakes. But then the problem was cleared up and I made it to my exit and hit the always terrible traffic going toward Pigeon Forge. I think I hit every red light. Then I started smelling something. I thought it was the heat at first. But I turned it off and it continued. Then I found out that it pulled hard to the left every time I hit the brakes.

When we got to the RV park I walked around and felt of all the wheel hubs. They were all ice cold except for the right front that was pretty hot. I was very concerned about permanent damage to that brake. But when we departed 4 days later the brakes worked perfectly.

Another lesson learned. An enormous amount of kinetic energy is dissipated as heat when you try to bring 26,000 pounds from 45 MPH to 0 MPH, over and over. I thought I was planning ahead and being gentle on the brakes, but clearly I need to do a far better job of that. I also do not understand why only the front right wheel overheated.

[koda55]

I had taken my dp to the freight liner dealer for and alignment,height adjustment and exhaust leak. While pulling it into the garage the mechanic noticed the front right brake was dragging. They pulled the tire and came and got me. They had pulled the right front tire off and the caliper had frozen. I was wondering why my MPG had dropped from 7.2 to 6.1 driving 60 miles.

[Roy_Lynne]

We have a class C and the first owner told me he had problems with the breaks overheating. I had them checked and they were fine. Then when coming over the Cascades, they heated up on me, had them checked again and they were fine. That was a couple years ago, I"ve learned to use the engine and downshifting going on long downhills and haven't had any further trouble.

[Audioa_fan]

Thanks for the positive replies. JimM68, your information was most helpful. I will absolutely be making full brake inspection part of my spring service.

[JimM68]

uh...

OP, your ambassador is a diesel pusher, on a Monaco RR4 chassis.
It has drum air brakes on all 4 corners.

I would be EXTREMELY concerned that only one brake got hot. For sure have that checked. Possible to probable that you have problems with the automatic slack adjusters, they are supposed to keep the drum brake adjusted.

"POSSIBLE" as well that your rig only has effective brakes on that one wheel!!

Are you using your "engine brake"? There should be a red rocker type switch, probably on the drivers left. Use it whenever you are in traffic or going downhill. turn it off when you are cruising. It will help a lot.

Also, (and my memory isn't perfect on exactly what year Knight/Ambassador changed to the rr8r chassis from the rr4.) rr4's have a known problem with the trailing arms on the rear suspension cracking. This is serious if it wasn't repaired. It is something you should check.
If you look directly in fron of and behind a front tire and see air bags, you have an rr8r and nothing to worry about.

[Argosy24]

2001, 26,000 lbs, is this a diesel with 4 wheel drum air brakes?

[wa8yxm]

To OP.. If your RV is on a Workhorse Chassis... Workhorse has a Brake Recall, calipers stick causing exactly what you describe.. NOTE: this same braking system has been used in many vehicles but the sticktion problem seems to affect mostly RV's.. I think it is because they sit so much.

TO Larry of the Jeep storey.. "The light on the dash".. Which dash?

Some braking systems have a light on the motor home dash.

Then there is the brake system fault light on the jeep.. Under the failure described I'd not expect it to show a fault.

[JamesBr]

Sounds like a caliper sticking, I would have it checked out if your not able to do it yourself. For me it was just gunked up slide pins which I took care of myself on my 2001 Knight. I found that in heavy traffic I just did not try to keep up with the flow and coasted a lot of times a few mph lower then everyone else. Yeah it lead to more people pulling in front of me, but everyone seemed to be aware that I take more space to stop. That and random use of exhaust brake on downhill grades (limited use but helpful.) reduced my overall braking needs.

[larry_barnhart]

stripit wrote:

RedRollingRoadblock wrote:
You have either a stuck caliper or a collapsed flex brake hose.

Don't let this issue go, have it checked before your next trip, you could end up with a very expensive stuck on the side of the road problem. Excessive heat can cause a fire.

This is what happened to our neighbor coming to Az from Nebraska.

unhooked the jeep at the resort and no brakes. tow truck arrived and as it was being pulled up onto the flat bed the tow man said no brake pads on either front brakes. the light on the dash showed all was ok but this problem also happened once last summer but nothing was looked into for a problem. Every brake part on the jeep was replaced including the master cylinder and braking brake. As Stacy said a fire could have been the bigger problem or maybe a wreck.

chevman

[stripit]

RedRollingRoadblock wrote:
You have either a stuck caliper or a collapsed flex brake hose.

Don't let this issue go, have it checked before your next trip, you could end up with a very expensive stuck on the side of the road problem. Excessive heat can cause a fire.

[beemerphile1]

RedRollingRoadblock wrote:
You have either a stuck caliper or a collapsed flex brake hose.

Sounds like good possibilities.

[Big_Katuna]

One caliper getting hot means it was sticking; either dirty slides, bad hose or sticky cylinder in the caliper. At the age your coach is, you should consider rebuilding or replacing slides, hoses and calipers. You should bleed the system and use high quality high temp fluid.
Then retrain yourself how to drive. Leave long gaps, do not tailgate, do not tap the brakes, use lower gears often. Basically drive like you don't have brakes.

[RedRollingRoadb]

You have either a stuck caliper or a collapsed flex brake hose.