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08-08-2015, 05:58 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Thor Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Anderson Island,WA
Posts: 106
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ACE and Front Brake Line Corrosion Failure
My ACE is four years and 6500 miles and I live 3 miles from the ocean and own several vehicles - none of my other vehicles have this problem. I had a brake live failure due to corrosion on the front driver side hard-line at both sides of the wheel well wall. The line broke at the wall feed through fitting due to heavy corrosion. The passenger side had also expected corrosion nearing failure. Ford on-line support towed my ACE 60 miles to a Ford dealer. The failure was not caused by a high pressure break but heavy corrosion and the break line pressure. All fluid drained within a few minutes giving me rear brakes only and no driving capabilities in hills or roads with many curves.
Ford did not cover replacement costs. The Ford Dealer stated that the suspected corrosion probably came during the manufacturing process from Ford or Thor due to an agent not properly cleaned from a spill on the chassis. All parts, lines and feed-through nipple, needed to be ordered from Detroit.
Check your chassis, this was a complete surprise and could have resulted in a bad mishap!
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08-08-2015, 12:28 PM
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#2
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Moderator Emeritus
Damon Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Lone Star State
Posts: 19,203
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THANKS for sharing this safety warning!
As a side-bar...any idea what the RV builder could have spilled on BOTH breaklines to cause this corrosion? The metal in brakelines will rust...but this specifically says corrosion
Best luck
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08-08-2015, 07:36 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Thor Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Anderson Island,WA
Posts: 106
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It was stated as rust by the tech at the Ford repair center and where it was first discovered. I saw a photo before the work was done by a tech that did not do the work but discovered it at an RV repair center that does not work on engine or chassis components. It was towed from that location. If it would have been caused by the brake fluid, it would have been stated by them. Much of the areas had rust and a lead tech said that he had never seen rust like that on RVs less than 20 years old. Techs at the first location had 30 and 10 years experience with RVs.
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08-12-2015, 09:27 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Thor Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Anderson Island,WA
Posts: 106
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scarab0088
THANKS for sharing this safety warning!
As a side-bar...any idea what the RV builder could have spilled on BOTH breaklines to cause this corrosion? The metal in brakelines will rust...but this specifically says corrosion
Best luck
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It is repaired and I'll get my ACE home tomorrow. The picture I saw showed breakage from the connecting flange on the wheel well wall inside the RV. The feed through flange had similar damage on the wheel side. The opposite front wheel had the technician worried and suggested a replacement before similar breakage.
I did not "feel" or "see" the corrosion. I helped write a book (technical manual) in the late 70's still used as a standard by the USAF and USN for corrosion repair and control. I believe rust is still a generic description of corrosion. I've written instructions for major aircraft systems in the areas of repair and corrosion for over 35 years for a major aircraft manufacturer.
I wrote this message to encourage others to look closely at their hydraulic brake lines to advert the problems I have had.
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08-23-2015, 07:18 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Thor Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Anderson Island,WA
Posts: 106
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I think I discovered what happened. I purchased my motorhome from an early spring delivery in Florida. The motorhome was driven from the frigid north snowy roads. Those roads were treated with salt. Salt spray, left untreated, caused the corrosion. It just took a few years to eat through the lines. Whoever thinks of washing the under carriage down when you live in a climate that does not use salt?
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08-23-2015, 12:39 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: OHIO
Posts: 312
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ShadowT
I think I discovered what happened. I purchased my motorhome from an early spring delivery in Florida. The motorhome was driven from the frigid north snowy roads. Those roads were treated with salt. Salt spray, left untreated, caused the corrosion. It just took a few years to eat through the lines. Whoever thinks of washing the under carriage down when you live in a climate that does not use salt?
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I live in northern Ohio, we have salt on the roads 4-5 months a year. NONE of my vehicles have had anything like this, I have a car with 240,000 miles and has been through 9 Ohio winters, no brake line corossion anywhere.
__________________
2013 THOR ACE 29.2 2007 HUMMER H3
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08-26-2015, 03:34 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Thor Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Traverse City MI
Posts: 224
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ShadowT,
you've scared a snot out of me. I have a 2013 ACE that's been through hundreds of miles of salt covered roads to and from the south in the winter from northern MI. The undercarriage shows enough rust that I'm cleaning, spraying it with zinc paint and then spraying with undercoating. Now, the brake lines! Jeez
__________________
Maisie: 2023 Newmar Bay Star 3225, Sparky: 2017 Chevy Spark w/Blue Ox tow bar. 2019 Newmar Bay Star Sport 3014, 2013 Thor ACE 29.2
It is a mistake to allow any mechanical object to realize that you are in a hurry.
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08-26-2015, 04:04 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Crystal Beach, Texas
Posts: 190
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I just replaced all the brake lines on my Itasca due to rust from the inside out.Worse lines were the ones that crosses over from one side to the other.Both front and rear. These lines didn't show much rust on the outside but had pin holes.
I was writing Tech orders and repair manuals for the C-5a in the 70's
__________________
2001 Itasca Suncruiser 37'
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08-26-2015, 04:15 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 8,055
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I'd be a lot more inclined to think the corrosion was from driving in sandy areas blasting the coating off the tubing and the salty air around the ocean. The worst case of salt corrosion I ever saw was a MH that spend 6 mo/yr at ocean beaches in FL.
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08-29-2015, 01:54 AM
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#10
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Member
Tiffin Owners Club Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 54
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I too am having all my steel brakelines replaced because of rust. It is a 2010 Tiffin. Last year I had the 2 front lines replaced and just this week the line going to the rear was leaking... 1200 dollars to have them all replaced. Good motorhome but the quality of the brake lines just plain suck... I grew up in northern michigan and can never remember anyone having to replace brakelines on there vehicles...
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08-30-2015, 07:14 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 8,055
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I can remember doing it in upstate NY. The last time was a 10 year old van about 10 years ago.
The real question is why blame Tiffin, or any MH manufacturer, for a Ford supplied part. The only place they should be messing with brake lines is where they change the wheel base. Otherwise it sounds to me like another case of breaking in a new, probably Chinese, supplier of a standard part we figured out years ago.
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08-30-2015, 07:19 AM
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#12
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Member
Tiffin Owners Club Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 54
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Totally agree. Not tiffin problem its ford issue
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