Community Forums

djdobbins1 · 05-03-2013, 08:56 PM

My parking brake was working fine, but now is not holding on slight grades after I had some work done. Work accomplished: front wheel balance, lube job, front shocks replaced and brake fluid flushed and replaced. None of this work should have impacted the operation of the parking brake, but it is not holding now. Ideas?

Old Scout · 05-03-2013, 09:05 PM

Parking brake is a spring-actuated mechanism [independent from the service brakes [hydraulic disk]] that uses air pressure to release the shoes from a brake drum, on the drive-line, right behind the tranny. Some extra grease in the wrong place or a failed attempt to "adjust" the brake cable could be the cause. Do a "search" on this forum--lots of info about parking brakes.

Algoma · 05-03-2013, 09:09 PM

I agree that it sounds like grease got on the drum. Liberal use of brake cleaner fluid may help unless the shoes have absorbed a lot of grease.

EngineerMike · 05-06-2013, 11:35 PM

There was the case of the 2006-34feeter that had a bedroom slide hose break. The repair outfit drug the hose out, over the brake drum (coach was on the flat in a building) and oiled the parking drum w/HWH oil. Shop parked it on a slight incline, walked away. Coach rolled slowly into something solid, bollard I think. Shop had to replace the brake assembly & pay for the body work. Ouch.

Walter5555 · 05-07-2013, 12:14 AM

My wife and I were in a camp ground a couple of years ago and my wife was driving so when I had her back the M.H. into a camp sight it was on an small incline on a concrete slab and when I wave to her to stop she did and as usual she put it in park and put the parking break on and before she could leave the drivers seat the M.H. started to move forward I bang on the side of the M.H. and she stop it from moving.
I ask her did you put the breaks on which she replied yes.
I placed a few bricks in front of the back wheels.
When we left the park we went to a repair shop and they told us that the break shoes on the break drum Were worn completely out so we had them make the necessary repairs.
If you don't know what the problem is ask some one that knows.
Just a thought.

jcandmj · 05-14-2013, 07:46 PM

Aren't some parking brakes just transmission locks rather than wheel? My brakes work fine but parking brake (air/pneumatic) doesn't hold at all? I'm being quoted mucho to even look at the issue.

2000 3512 Georgie Boy Pursuit
GM 7.4. Work Force frame

Algoma · 05-14-2013, 08:49 PM

On some gas engines there is a pawl that locks the transmission. On diesel pushers like the Alpine the parking brake is a drum that wraps around the drive shaft. Since there is normally no movement once the brake is set there can be no wear of the brake shoes unlike a car when the rear wheel brake also acts as a parking brake.

Old Scout · 05-15-2013, 08:15 AM

John--good explanation--IMHO. Only exception to the issue of wear is if the air actuator is improperly adjusted or is malfunctioning such that the shoes continue to drag on the drum as you go down the hi-way. Assuming the repair facilities can be trusted, there are several accounts of worn shoes leading to failure--guess it could be so.