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DragRacer68 · 05-28-2013, 09:20 AM

Noticed oil on my LF brakes yesterday.

Need to take it in to get fixed. Any rough ideas what it should cost? Seal should be cheap but I'm sure the brake linings are junk now and labor is probably high as usual on RV stuff. Hate having to take it in to someone since I have 25+ years of mechanic experience but I just don't have tools and experience for something this big. Thanks.

FIRE UP · 05-28-2013, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DragRacer68

Noticed oil on my LF brakes yesterday.

Need to take it in to get fixed. Any rough ideas what it should cost? Seal should be cheap but I'm sure the brake linings are junk now and labor is probably high as usual on RV stuff. Hate having to take it in to someone since I have 25+ years of mechanic experience but I just don't have tools and experience for something this big. Thanks.

Dragracer68,
First, don't count on the seal being cheap. I just did the replacement of the left rear axle/hub seal on our '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD with the 330 CAT. And, that seal, about 6 1/4" in diameter was $47.00

I've since acquired another one off ebay for $30.00 for the same exact seal. Anyway, are you sure you don't have access to any tools, a place to do the work etc.? It's really not very hard. The hardest part is the heavy weight of the tire and wheel and, then removing the drum. Once those are off, you pop off the cap for the hub, yeah, oil will spew out so, be ready to catch it. Then, remove all of what's holding on that hub and, simply remove the seal. It's easy, just bigger than your average car.

If you don't have the tools, equipment, area to do the work, yep, it's going to be up there in price a bit. Not sure what a service center would charge but, I suspect that it would be no less than a "rated" two hour job and at an average Freightliner hourly charge of $130.00 an hour, well, it's a minimum of $260.00 just for labor. When I did my seal, I caught it before it did any damage to the shoes. So, those were saved.

I'm sure you could do it, if you had all of what's needed to complete the job. Too bad I'm not near you, I'd give you a hand.
Scott

DragRacer68 · 05-28-2013, 10:55 AM

Thanks for the reply Scott. A $47 sounds high for a seal, you're right, but compared to the cost of labor its not bad. Freightliner said 2 hrs @ $125. I wish I could do it, doubt I have big enough tools to get the wheel off even. Don't have a jack big enough probably either.

TRAILERKING · 05-28-2013, 11:14 AM

Wow................$200,000+ motorhomes and worried about a $47.00 seal?
That's reasonable for a good quality wheel seal. There is a little more to it than front of your 70's GMC 1/2 ton.
If it's disc brake you would need to take the wheel/tire assembly off first. But yours being drum/shoes there is no need to remove the wheel from the hub. The axle hub cover comes off, position wheel dolly in place, remove the nut/washer/outer bearing........Then slide the whole assemble off the spindle.
Also don't plan on taking it to an "RV" Center......Take it to a Large Truck Center.

EngineerMike · 05-28-2013, 11:50 AM

Simple work but heavy stuff, here is a thread on how to. That guy has hydraulic brakes but the same process works for air brakes w/appropriate adjustments.

DragRacer68 · 05-28-2013, 01:14 PM

^^^ I'm an engineer so that thread is impressive. Homemade tools are cool.

TRAILERKING · 05-28-2013, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DragRacer68

^^^ I'm an engineer so that thread is impressive. Homemade tools are cool.

Yes I have seen that link before. He is quite innovative. I especially like the lug nut wrench steady/support. Even his wheel dolly made of wood and casters.

EngineerMike · 05-28-2013, 01:31 PM

The right tool for the job will make a genius out of an idiot. In some cases it will cut down the time to hack your way thru a job to 10% of what you'd spend with inadequate toolage. In Dave's case (OP of the linked thread in post #5), he spent some time putting the tools together. But I gather he's done that a number of times, sort of like somebody who crated stuff professionally for a time. You get a way of visualizing the end product and the project comes together pretty quick.

BTW, one tool that will make this heavy lifting lighter is a torque multiplier. I carry a SnapOn 4X multiplier (net 3.33x after friction) and a long handled 1/2" torque wrench to drive it. Got the t.m. on eBay used for ~$150. Had to use it on the road when the tire service chump showed up w/a ~250ft-lb 1/2" impact gun on an inadequate compressor. Also had to show him how to use it, where to get a tire mounted, etc. Good Sam failed us that day. Anyway, the t.m. is a handy gadget, I recommend carry one & know how it works, even if its only to show the hired help.

FIRE UP · 05-28-2013, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DragRacer68

Thanks for the reply Scott. A $47 sounds high for a seal, you're right, but compared to the cost of labor its not bad. Freightliner said 2 hrs @ $125. I wish I could do it, doubt I have big enough tools to get the wheel off even. Don't have a jack big enough probably either.

You're welcome Sir. Acquiring the tools for jobs like this is a matter of preference and, desire for the work/outcome. In other words, if one wants to or, likes to do their own work, then as many of you know, it takes tools. That's one thing. An area to work in is a whole 'nother world. Many folks can't even keep their coaches at their residence, much less work on them. This was a serious parameter for when we moved from one residence to another. I want my stuff near me, not stored miles away. It's a preference thing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRAILERKING

Wow................$200,000+ motorhomes and worried about a $47.00 seal?
That's reasonable for a good quality wheel seal. There is a little more to it than front of your 70's GMC 1/2 ton.
If it's disc brake you would need to take the wheel/tire assembly off first. But yours being drum/shoes there is no need to remove the wheel from the hub. The axle hub cover comes off, position wheel dolly in place, remove the nut/washer/outer bearing........Then slide the whole assemble off the spindle.
Also don't plan on taking it to an "RV" Center......Take it to a Large Truck Center.

TRAILERKING,
I wouldn't say I was "Worried" about a $47.00 seal, I just stated it cost that much. I've been used to purchasing C/R wheel seals for around $8.00-$15.00 for decades but, it just was bit of a sticker shock for me to see a $47.00 price tag for a single C/R seal. It is what it is. I later looked up the same exact seal on ebay and found it for $30.00 w/free shipping. So, I pounced on that one for when the other side goes bad, if ever. As I've done basically all my own work on this rig, it's just part of the game to pay higher prices for larger items/parts/equipment etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by EngineerMike

Simple work but heavy stuff, here is a thread on how to. That guy has hydraulic brakes but the same process works for air brakes w/appropriate adjustments.

EngineerMike,
Nice link. That's pretty ingenious to create things like that in order to accomplish the goal. The only tool I had to make in my replacement of that seal for mine was the seal driver itself. I had to bend some 1/8" x 1.5" band into a circumference that fit the seal exactly and then weld a bridge on it so I could hammer the new seal back into the back side of the hub.

As for the "heavy" work on those tires/wheels/hubs etc. I use a couple of readily available tools for that, that are not very expensive at all. The first one, to remove the lugs is called a "Torque Multiplier". It's not the same as some of you might think. It's a geared, rotating torque adapter tool. How about that for a name. This is the one I got off ebay, I can break those 450 lb. lug nuts sitting down, and one arm.

If you look that one up on ebay, you'll see a video of the guy using it. That's what sold me. The only difference in him using his and me using mine, he cranks to the right to loosen his lug nuts and I crank to the left to loosen mine. The reason, he's in AUSTRAILIA!

Anyway, that tool is phenomenal in removing those lug nuts. My left arm is weaker than my right arm and even the left arm breaks those loose without a sweat.

As for the removal of the tires/wheels, I purchased this tool at Quartzite in one of those cheap tool barns just on the north side of I-10 for $20.00, brand new. It works absolutely flawless in handling those 144 lb. aluminum wheel/tire combos and the 166 lb. steel wheel tire combos. After the lug nuts are off, you roll that under the wheel/tire and lift with about 10 lbs. lift and steady the top of the tire with your other hand and, it easily rolls that tire wheel right off the hub. You then "dolly" it out of the way and store it so you can retrieve the other one (if you're working on duals). It doesn't get any easier or simpler than that. When it comes time to re-install the tire/wheel combo, all is reversed and because of the rollers on the bottom of the tire, you can rotate the wheel/tire combo and line up the lug studs with the holes in the wheel and then, just easily roll the wheel right onto the studs.

Then, after the wheel(s) are off and, the drums are, as noted in that gent's link and home made tools, HEAVY too, I use this tool. It's a "motor cycle" jack. It's handy for multiple uses around the garage, including "motor cycles". But, in removing those 90-100 lb. drums, it works absolutely flawless. One thing about removing the brake drum, it must be kept EXACTLY horizontal to the brake shoes or it will bind. So, this does the job perfectly and, there's absolutely no strain on your back.

There's no doubt about it, that gents tools are outstanding. I might even have to copy the stand he made with all the alternate height holes for tightening my lug nuts. That's great. To the OP here, again, too bad you're not closer, we'd do it in an afternoon and be finished in time for dinner.
Scott

FleetMan · 05-28-2013, 07:15 PM

As TRAILERKING inferred, don't lock yourself into using a Freightliner shop exclusively. Any reputable heavy truck or trailer repair shop can handle that seal replacement, it is a very routine repair.

DragRacer68 · 05-29-2013, 08:06 AM

Guys, thanks very much. Had to suck it up this time and its at Freighliner getting fixed now. We have another race coming up soon and need my time to get everything else ready. I'm going to get some of the tools mentioned so I'm more prepared in the future. I also need to look up some other truck repair shops in the area, maybe their labor rate is lower than $125/hr. next time I need some help.

FIRE UP · 05-29-2013, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DragRacer68

Guys, thanks very much. Had to suck it up this time and its at Freighliner getting fixed now. We have another race coming up soon and need my time to get everything else ready. I'm going to get some of the tools mentioned so I'm more prepared in the future. I also need to look up some other truck repair shops in the area, maybe their labor rate is lower than $125/hr. next time I need some help.

Dragracer68,
Well Sir, you gotta do what you gotta do. At least you're getting it fixed so you can use the big beast. Being in the auto racing business, I'm sure you're well adapted to acquiring tools. But, just in case you've got any questions on what I used and where to get them etc. PM me and I'd be glad to help.
Scott

DragRacer68 · 05-29-2013, 04:50 PM

Thanks very much Scott. Yes, I have a garage full of tools, welders, etc. but this is a whole different ballgame. FL got it fixed up today....$770 later....seal fixed and air dryer filter changed. :( But we're back in business.

jlfbatonrg · 05-29-2013, 07:40 PM

DragRacer68,

Wish I had seen this thread earlier. We had a friend with the same problem The local Freightliner shop wanted $700.00 and 2 days to do the repair. We took it to a local diesel shop. they replaced the seal in about 1.5 hours, and most importantly they soaked the brake shoes in something that completely restored them to original condition. Total cost ~$200.00 I would suggest you ask Freightliner about soaking the brake shoes inlue of replacing them. that should be cheaper io wold think.