|
|
01-15-2018, 10:13 AM
|
#1
|
Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: SF Bay area
Posts: 51
|
Should I be able to lock my brakes?
OK, not that I would really want to, but as a new Class A driver, I feel uncomfortable, because I don’t think I could lock them up even if braking in an emergency situation. Rig is a 2004 Holiday Rambler Admiral 30PDD. Chassis is a 2004 Workhorse P32, 18,000 lb rating, with 8.1L engine, and ABS. Weight of the rig is 17,700lbs on a CAT scale. This engine/chassis uses hydroboost to supply the power brakes. Is the failure to get enough pressure to lock the brakes indicative of a failure in the hydroboost system? Or is the hydraulic system incapable of locking them up- inadequate in this application?
__________________
Gene & Rachel, central CA
2004 HR Admiral SE 30PDD P32/8.1L
2003 Honda Accord Toad
|
|
|
|
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
01-15-2018, 10:24 AM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Country Coach Owners Club Solo Rvers Club iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 37,725
|
You have the ABS that will not let the brakes lock up.
__________________
2009 45' Magna 630 w/Cummins ISX 650 HP/1950 Lbs Ft, HWH Active Air
Charter Good Sam Lifetime Member, FMCA,
RV'ing since 1957, NRA Benefactor Life, towing '21 Jeep JLU Rubicon Ecodiesel
|
|
|
01-15-2018, 10:25 AM
|
#3
|
Senior Member
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Northwestern Montana
Posts: 3,512
|
Check your owners manual,I think your motorhome is equipped with ASB, (anti-skid brakes), braking system. If so equipped and working properly, you will not be able to lock up the brakes.
One minute too to answer from Mr D.
__________________
Dieselclacker
|
|
|
01-15-2018, 10:27 AM
|
#4
|
Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Kamloops, BC, 60 miles from the Center of the Universe according to the Rinpoche, of the SF monks.
Posts: 7,321
|
ABS should never allow the brakes to lock up.
That being said, you should be able to make almost everything that's not tied down slide towards the front of your rig on a panic stop!
Your brakes will start to shudder rapidly, pulsing on and off when you reach the lock up stage.
Happy Glamping.
__________________
Happy Glamping, Norman & Elna. 2008 Winnebago Adventurer 38J, W24, dozens of small thirsty ponies. Retired after 40 years wrenching on trucks! 2010 Ford Ranger toad with bicycles or KLR 650 in the back. Easy to spot an RVer, they always walk around with a screwdriver or wrench in one hand!
|
|
|
01-15-2018, 01:54 PM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Clovis, CA, USA
Posts: 13,103
|
I have a 2004 Monaco LaPalma on a Workhorse W22 Chassis with the 8.1 gas engine and Allison 1000 transmission. I bought it brand new in 2004.
I have had three full on mash the brakes pedal to the floor panic stops. Every time the ABS came on, which causes you to feel a vibration on the brake pedal.
I never had any pulling to the right or the left and believe me the coach speed decelerated quickly. As mentioned previously you should have everything in your coach prepared for a sudden stop. I knew that and nothing hit me in the back of the head.
Two of those panic stops were at the same exit going through Sacremento where people decided it would be a good idea to take the exit from the middle lane, never mind that there is a big honking RV in the slow lane. After the second panic sstop at that exit I changed my route through Sacramento.
The third panic stop was for the same reason in Salinas. Someone decided to cut in front of me to take the exit.
If you ABS light is lit all the time then the ABS won't work but your brakes still work. i don't know if they would lock up or not.
Every vehicle I buy I go to a deserted portion of highway and do a panic stop just to know how the vehicle will react. Prefer to find that out in a controlled situation.
__________________
2004 Monaco La Palma 36DBD, W22, 8.1, 7.1 MPG
2000 LEXUS RX300 FWD 22MPG 4020 LBS
Criticism is easier than Craftsmanship
|
|
|
01-15-2018, 11:13 PM
|
#6
|
Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: SF Bay area
Posts: 51
|
Should I be able to lock up my brakes-engage the ABS?
OK, I was imprecise in my original question. I know this coach has ABS. I am familiar with the feel of ABS engaging (a thump/thump/thump feel in the brake pedal) from other vehicles. I’m not even getting close to that on this rig. I did replace front rotors and pads, and rear pads, last summer after I bought the rig, in case the pads had overheated and glazed the rotors. I’m suspecting the hydroboost needs replacing, but this is the only Class A I’ve ever driven. So I guess the right question is should I be able to activate the ABS under hard braking?
__________________
Gene & Rachel, central CA
2004 HR Admiral SE 30PDD P32/8.1L
2003 Honda Accord Toad
|
|
|
01-16-2018, 03:06 AM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,349
|
It should come close to lockup on dry roads.
Do you recall how well the brakes stopped before you replaced them ?
Some " long life " brake pads last a long time because they don't grab as well.
|
|
|
01-16-2018, 04:04 AM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Orlando, Florida
Posts: 5,819
|
I'm not sure about your coach - but "generally" ABS systems stop functioning below about 15 mph, so you could lock the brakes at slow speed.
|
|
|
01-16-2018, 06:52 PM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 698
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by gozierdt
OK, I was imprecise in my original question. I know this coach has ABS. I am familiar with the feel of ABS engaging (a thump/thump/thump feel in the brake pedal) from other vehicles. I’m not even getting close to that on this rig. I did replace front rotors and pads, and rear pads, last summer after I bought the rig, in case the pads had overheated and glazed the rotors. I’m suspecting the hydroboost needs replacing, but this is the only Class A I’ve ever driven. So I guess the right question is should I be able to activate the ABS under hard braking?
|
It will pretty hard to activate the ABS on your rig on a dry road way. What makes you think you're hydroboost needs replacing ? Your ABS won't pulse if the controller doesn't detect wheel slippage. Be very careful trying to get the pedal to pulse like an automobile does. I had a panic stop with my coach last year running about 50 mph, and I don't think the pedal ever did pulse, but my coach stopped much faster then I ever dreamed it would. You may have to test it on wet or gravel roads to really see if the pedal will pulse.
__________________
1996 Challenger 313
2003 Dolphin 5320 sold
|
|
|
01-16-2018, 07:10 PM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Official iRV2 Sponsor
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Centralia, WA
Posts: 1,216
|
P32’s have notoriously weak brakes, I doubt if you could improve much upon what you currently have. Make sure the system is completely, thoroughly bled and that’s about the best it’s going to get. I seriously doubt even with the ABS offline that you could even get close to a lockup. On a W series I could see it being possible though.
|
|
|
01-16-2018, 09:03 PM
|
#11
|
Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: SF Bay area
Posts: 51
|
Jon,
Thanks for the reply. When I bought the coach, the brakes were abysmal. I replaced what I did because I thought the original owner might have glazed the front disks. This did improve the braking significantly, but certainly they are “weak” by any definition. I thought this might be a generic problem with the P32 chassis. I love the coach and the engine, but if we stay with a class A, I’ll be looking seriously at a W chassis. I’d also get the Allison tranny as a bonus!
__________________
Gene & Rachel, central CA
2004 HR Admiral SE 30PDD P32/8.1L
2003 Honda Accord Toad
|
|
|
01-16-2018, 10:15 PM
|
#12
|
Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Kamloops, BC, 60 miles from the Center of the Universe according to the Rinpoche, of the SF monks.
Posts: 7,321
|
I can 2nd the weak brakes on the P32 chassis. Last rig was terrible sad at stopping (P32), now it's like a sports car in comparison with our W24 chassis.
Happy Glamping.
__________________
Happy Glamping, Norman & Elna. 2008 Winnebago Adventurer 38J, W24, dozens of small thirsty ponies. Retired after 40 years wrenching on trucks! 2010 Ford Ranger toad with bicycles or KLR 650 in the back. Easy to spot an RVer, they always walk around with a screwdriver or wrench in one hand!
|
|
|
01-16-2018, 10:21 PM
|
#13
|
Senior Member
Official iRV2 Sponsor
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Centralia, WA
Posts: 1,216
|
Every time I test drive a P32 coach at the shop, I have to remind myself to initiate braking much sooner than normal and if I forget...well, let’s just say I’ve had a couple butt pucker events!!!
|
|
|
01-23-2018, 02:30 PM
|
#14
|
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 186
|
Put Performance Friction pads on my W24 stops like a sports car. Big improvement!
__________________
Dirt is for racing asphalt is for getting there!
|
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|