No Brakes

[tropical36]

About a mile from home on a return trip and the brakes go to the floor. Dash warning light is also on.
Limped the rest of the way slowly with very limited stopping power. I can't find a particular reason for it from an initial inspection even though there's a spot out in the road from where I was backing in and also what appears to be a little fluid on the master cylinder body, the front brake hose and some spots on the inside of the left front tire. Thing is, the master cylinder isn't low, and there is no spraying or leaks that I can readily see, even when the brake pedal is depressed and the engine running. Booster pump reservoir is full also, but wouldn't think that would be a factor anyway.
My best guess so far is a bad master cylinder, by-passing with a little leakage, but again, just a guess.
Getting kinda old for this crawling around down under, so I'm thinking about a shop down the street that works on them, but would like to have more of an idea of what might be going on, before I blindly give them all my money.
Any ideas

[az bound]

Sure sounds like it's the master cylinder.

[Topflite51]

My first guess would be the MC.

Were you able to pump them up at all, and if so did the pedal then fade away?

[Sammie]

I would say that if you regained a good pedal and the brakes worked again after you let the coach sit for several hours then you probably have moisture in the brake fluid. You will need to flush the old brake fluid out of all the lines and master cylinder and refill with fresh fluid and bleed the system of air.

Sammie

[tropical36]

No growling from the booster pump and nothing on the concrete in my driveway where I've been running the engine and DW pumping the pedal while I crawled down under for something obvious.
I'm wishing now that I had immediately felt each caliper after arriving home, even though there was no indication of a brake grabbing. This is all level ground with traffic stops and we had recently stopped to visit about 15 miles from home. I did check the fluid level with my fingers within 45 minutes and it was warm at best.
This morning I have some brakes and no warning light, but nothing close to a normal pedal. Also spongy and will diminish with pressure, as in full of air and just like if I had boiled the brake fluid. Thing is would these symptoms be the same with a bad master cylinder as well?
I had a fluid change 1/12 years ago in Buffalo WY after coming down from powder river pass. Had some boiling with that descent, learned some lessons and just hope that the guy changed it all out properly. It has been fine every since and there wasn't any excuse for this cruising through Florida traffic for 15 miles from our last visit.

[Sammie]

A brake fluid change would be the cheapest place to start and then see where that leads you.

Sammie

[tropical36]

I also am suspecting that a rear brake might have locked up, overheating and boiling the fluid as some suggested, but as I said, the fluid was no more than warm, about 45 min. later. There is some fluid on the body and the caliper hose is directly under it. Don't know if it just spilled over from boiling which would also account for some spots on the tire or what.
I'm thinking now that a new cylinder considering it's age anyway and a wheel inspection along with caliper lube is in order. Sounds expensive and I haven't even had it looked at yet. We'll see with the hoses, but I know already that the fronts would be next to impossible to get as they no longer make the 97, 98 and 99 style as far as I know.
One thing is for sure, I've about given up on all this crawling around down under and pulling wheels is definitely out of the question at this age.

[FDchief]

Brake fluid change first, check to be sure all pads are good and not hanging, then replace MC.

[tropical36]

UPDATE....
Decided on CAMPING WORLD for a looksee and repairs. Ended up with:
New Master Cylinder
4 Calipers and disk pads
Front rotors
Flushed and changed fluid
Labor and Material about $2500.00, so whaddaya all think about the price?
I think it's a lot of money and know I could have gotten a small shop a lot cheaper, but did want a National Company to do this work for anything that might show up half way across country somewhere. I did get them to throw in a chassis lube job along with that price, so that'll save me some crawling around later.
They were going to change the front hoses also, just to rule out every possibility, but they couldn't be had or custom made locally. I'm now thinking of ordering a couple from a salvage yard somewhere, just to have a spare.
They?.... seem to have dropped the ball somewhere on the manufacture of these hoses for the 97, 98 and 99 model year.

[Full-Timers]

I say for all that, you got a good deal.

[tropical36]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Full-Timers I say for all that, you got a good deal.

Good and thats what I want to hear. I like doing things for myself, but some of it is getting old just like me and pulling the wheels off alone is just more than I would want to do out in the driveway.

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tropical36 Good and thats what I want to hear. I like doing things for myself, but some of it is getting old just like me and pulling the wheels off alone is just more than I would want to do out in the driveway.

You know something .... that was a $2500 grease job and a free brake job! Or at least that's the way I see it. Ya never seem to run out of grease fittings! I just couldn't believe it!

[tropical36]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DriVer You know something .... that was a $2500 grease job and a free brake job! Or at least that's the way I see it. Ya never seem to run out of grease fittings! I just couldn't believe it!

Ya got that right and I wonder if they got them all. I usually start from the rear on the driveshaft and work my way forward.