E Brake does not hold

Obi-Wan Kenobi · 05-14-2009, 07:07 AM

I applied my e-brake the other day while coach was on a moderate down slope. The e brake would not hold the coach stopped. It seems to me, I have done this in the past and the e brake would hold the weight of the coach. I tried with out the toad on and it again would not hold the coach. The brakes were all replaced last fall due to 4 cracked routers, but I am not sure if they replaced the brake fluid at the same time.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks

DriVer · 05-14-2009, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Obi-Wan Kenobi

I applied my e-brake the other day while coach was on a moderate down slope. The e brake would not hold the coach stopped. It seems to me, I have done this in the past and the e brake would hold the weight of the coach. I tried with out the toad on and it again would not hold the coach. The brakes were all replaced last fall due to 4 cracked routers, but I am not sure if they replaced the brake fluid at the same time.

OWK, The foot applied parking brake on your W22 series Workhorse chassis is a cable operated drum brake on the driveline. The amount of pressure you apply to the pedal on the park brake is directly proportional to the force that will be applied to the drum brake.

That said, we have read where the cable itself might be binding and making it more difficult to apply the brake. Whether or not the brake shoes are worn to the point where they are no longer holding may also be suspect and that should be looked at.

Perhaps all that is required is an adjustment however I would have it evaluated by a service center. Just so that you know, the parking pawl on your transmission is the device that is the boss and it will hold the entire weight of your vehicle. The parking brake is a secondary system however knowing how to use the parking brake to help relieve the tension on the parking pawl at times is useful.

I just wanted you to know that the parking brake is entirely mechanical and it has nothing to do with the hydraulic braking system on your vehicle.

If whom ever changed 4 rotors and calipers did not at least flush the fluid I would make sure that I got that done ...

dieselclacker · 05-14-2009, 07:43 AM

Obi-Wan, I believe the parking brake assembly on your coach is a drum unit that is on the rear of the transmission, and applies braking force to the driveshaft. It has no relation to the disk replacements you had done.
If it is foot applied, make sure you are applying sufficient force to the pedal to set the brake. There are adjustments that can be made to the linkages if necessary.

Dieselclacker

dieselclacker · 05-14-2009, 07:46 AM

DriVer, amazing how great minds think alike.

Dieselclacker

DriVer · 05-14-2009, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dieselclacker

DriVer, amazing how great minds think alike.

D,

DAN L · 05-15-2009, 03:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dieselclacker

Obi-Wan, I believe the parking brake assembly on your coach is a drum unit that is on the rear of the transmission, and applies braking force to the driveshaft. It has no relation to the disk replacements you had done.
If it is foot applied, make sure you are applying sufficient force to the pedal to set the brake. There are adjustments that can be made to the linkages if necessary.

Dieselclacker

i cannot find any adjustments on mine on the cable or on the drum itself.

CJBROWN · 05-17-2009, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DAN L

i cannot find any adjustments on mine on the cable or on the drum itself.

Had the same problem. Could not depress the foot pedal far enough to hold the coach, particularly disturbing while launching a 5K lb boat on a steep ramp.

The fork fitting that attaches to the arm of the brake atop the drum is threaded. Simply remvove the cotter key and pin and screw the fork in a half-dozen turns to take up the slack in the cable, then re-attach. Works good as new now.

DAN L · 05-19-2009, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJBROWN

Had the same problem. Could not depress the foot pedal far enough to hold the coach, particularly disturbing while launching a 5K lb boat on a steep ramp.

The fork fitting that attaches to the arm of the brake atop the drum is threaded. Simply remvove the cotter key and pin and screw the fork in a half-dozen turns to take up the slack in the cable, then re-attach. Works good as new now.

CJ THANK YOU

for the info on the parking brake adjustment. i adjusted the clevis about 8 each 1/2 turns, about 1/4 inch. it was difficult to get the clevis off of the brake arm due to limited clearance with the floor. the parking brake works ok now.

i still have to get a new cotter pin. i expected to find this info in the $97+ workhorse cd manual. it is not there.

someone on this forum previously said that there was a hole in the brake drum to adjust the brake starwheel. if there wasn't a hole, i would have to make one.

there is no such hole.
a workhorse shop tech said that he would take the drive shaft loose and remove the brake drum, adjust the brake and then reinstall it. he said that the 8 bolts that hold the brake drum to the drive shaft assembly have nuts on the inside that would come off inside the brake drum if the whole assembly was not removed.

big bucks.

THANK AGAIN FOR THIS INFO.

CJBROWN · 05-19-2009, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DAN L

>snip
Someone on this forum previously said that there was a hole in the brake drum to adjust the brake starwheel. if there wasn't a hole, i would have to make one.

there is no such hole.
a workhorse shop tech said that he would take the drive shaft loose and remove the brake drum, adjust the brake and then reinstall it. he said that the 8 bolts that hold the brake drum to the drive shaft assembly have nuts on the inside that would come off inside the brake drum if the whole assembly was not removed.

big bucks.

THANK AGAIN FOR THIS INFO.

You're welcome. That's the power of the internet.

Well, they are both wrong. There is no adjust hole, there is no star adjust for the shoes. And you don't have to take the drive shaft off to remove the drum. Just remove the 8 bolts and it comes right off. I took mine off so I could figure out how the darn thing works. I sanded off the shoes and the inside of the drum and put it back together. Found the clevis adjust and found there is no adjust at the pedal end. So there you have it.

I'm pretty sure the bolts were lock-tited, but what the hey, they're not coming off of there any time soon. I drove up the street and applied the brake to wear it in, got really hot, but works like a champ. Really holds now and what a relief. When I'm backed down that launch ramp the last thing I want is that coach rolling back into the lake! Here's a pic of our rig with the boat in tow. We also have a Scion xB (the new style) as a toad, so it's always towing something.

Sometime I should get a pic of it down in the water. At Lake Mead in NV, the lake was so low that the FRONT wheels of the coach were in the water before the trailer was deep enough to float the boat off.