BrakeMaster Install

[wrightquest]

We have purchased a 36ft 2009 Limited SE and have installed the BrakeMaster equipment and now need to tie into the hydraulic brake system. My concern is in bleeding the brake system with a vacuum bleeder. The BrakeMaster instructions state that for ABS systems the hydraulic accumulator must be fully charged (if a pressurized bleeder system is not being used) and this can be done by starting the engine. Can anyone shed some light on the subject?
Les & Carole Wright

[tinytom]

Les & Carole

When you bleed the brake system make sure they bleed all the way to the brake cylinders which may require them to remove the tires.

[EngineerMike]

Les & Carole-
1) Welcome to iRV2 and the Alpine Forum!! Hope to see you around here and at some ACA & local area Alpine club rallies in near future.

2) to my knowledge we don't have an accumulator on the brake system. The "power" for the power brakes is the radiator fan motor & power steering hydraulic fluid system which on your coach is probably off a red trans PTO (mfgr = Chelsea) located on the PS just behind the battery box on the transmission (the crude device just forward of the red Chelsea PTO is the hydraulic pump). This has power when the engine is running and none when it isn't. There is an auxiliary 12V pump on the master cylinder that provides boost when the key is off; you hear the growl of that motor when you step on the brakes w/key off. Some rigs have an accumulator instead of the aux pump to meet DOT req'mts for a secondary boost source in case brakes need to be applied when engine isn't running. That may be what "BrakeMaster" is referencing. How htis affects your installation I couldn't say; I'm not familiar w/BrakeMaster.

3) since you have a late model Alpine and are messing w/the brakes, check this thread on rear brake line across the axle. Now might be a good time to deal w/that if you find you have an issue. IMO if you have no kinks, the only issue is whether you need additional support for a cantilevered end of the cunifer line; the issue is fairly well discussed in that thread (don't let the early part of the thread scare you, the problem & solutions are identified after several posts, but the original post lays out the possible down side if unattended and you have a weak cantilevered tube end).

[kraig]

I recently installed the Brakemaster 9060 on my 2007 Apex. I had an earlier Brakemaster version on my 2000 Alpine for 10 years and no problems. I agree with the previous posts. I installed the valve on the cross member. I hooked the hydraulic line into where the line tees to each rear wheel. As far as bleeding, you don't have start the engine and there is no accumlator. I used a vacuum bleeder starting RR wheel. I did not pull the rear wheels to get to the outside bleeders. The front wheels I was able to I was able to reach in the hole on the outside of the wheel. Everything bled fine and got solid pedal.

As far as Mike's post about the brake lines, I did inspect all my brake lines and there was one that I did replace that was probably Cunnifer (looks similar to copper). The problem was one end was flared and the other end they used a ferrule. This was the line that went over the rear end. The rest of the lines were steel and flexible looked ok.

Kraig
2007 Apex

[EngineerMike]

Then before too many miles accumulate on 04 to 09 Alpines, fix the steering.

[wrightquest]

Thanks to all for the great info. I have decided to do the job myself as soon as we get to a good place to do it. I did check the lines and they are steel. I installed the modulation valve on the cross member that is part of the drive shaft guard. Will be tying into the system where the flex line ties in to the line going to the RH caliper using a 16 in flex line and additional steel lines.
Mike I looked at the steering box and it does not look anything like the pictures shown in the steering thread. Did they change the design on last units built?
Again thanks for the info.