Well it happened

[darbyjudy]

Just a few day ago I told the forum that we were leaving on vacation for 8 weeks and I hoped that the brakes didn't give me trouble. For I had just had it in to Register Chev ( Workhorse Dealer) and had them repair the left front brake and the wet hub assy. At that time I told them the caliper was hanging up and causing unusual heat which melted the wet hub assy. Well when I picked it up all they had done was to lube the pins and replaced the wet hub assy.
Well this morning we left the house at 7am, we got about 25 miles up US19 a level and flat road before the brakes started heating up. At first I thought it was a tire for it was shaking the wheel. I pulled over and checked the tires and then i noticed a lot of heat coming from the left front wheel. I let it set and cool off and then tried again but in just a short ways it did the same thing. I called Register Chev and they said if I limped in they could look at it and make the repair. Well I got it to Register and they checked the problem, it had melted out both front wet hubs, melted out both front ABS sensors, oil was around the hubcaps where the wet hub plug had blown out. The pads had crystalized and transfed to the rotor. Blew out the brake fluid from the master cyl. Register made a list of what needed to be replaced and went and called Workhorse about 10am, It took Workhorse till after 12 to get back to them and then they wanted pictures before they could tell them to go ahead with the repair. I finally got tired of waiting at 3PM and went home ,it is now 4:22 PM and I stilll have not heard anything. Even if we get it back early in the morning we are going to miss one day at our campground in Alabama. Why in the hell they need pictures is beyond me, if the wet hub is melted and the abs sensor is melted they certainly know that it had really overheated. I think maybe the next thing they will want is for the mechanic to jump through a hoop and turn flip-flops.
It sure is making it hard to keep liking Workhorse when every time you go out you have brake problems. It is not that I live in the mountains, I live in flat Florida.
Wish us luck, we hope to get it early tomorrow so we can be on our way.

[DriVer]

Originally Posted by darbyjudy

Wish us luck, we hope to get it early tomorrow so we can be on our way.

darbyjudy, I hope you get back on the road real soon! One might also venture to say that if they had not touched anything there might have been a 50/50 chance you wouldn't have had any trouble. I believe once the caliper's pistons are pushed back in the bores it seems to me that they might get stuck while coming back out into a working position. This was my experience when I had new pads and rotors installed.

[RottenRalph]

Sorry to here of your problems. Sound simular to what happened to me a couple times. I had no problems on small weekend trips but when it came time to making big plans I was shut down within 50 miles of the house. This was AFTER having the brakes cleaned and lubed prior to departure. Knocking on wood, I haven't had any problems since I changed the hanging calipers and the brake fluid 2 yrs ago.

[DriVer]

Originally Posted by RottenRalph

I haven't had any problems since I changed the hanging calipers and the brake fluid 2 yrs ago.

RottenRalph, Were those Judge Roy Bean "hanging" calipers!

[darbyjudy]

I watched the mechanic tear it down and there was plenty of lube on those pins. I don't like thedesign of the one pin with the rubber on it, it fits way too tight in the bore, I beleive they need to change the design of that pin. It is the bottom one. The rotors were not cracked but they was some pad transfer on them. Yes the calipers has two pistons in each, and they are made of some type of material other than steel. When I noticed the problem I took the temp gun and checked to see what the temp of the front was and it was somewhat over 400 degrees. I guess this high of a temp was what melted the ABS sensors and the Wet hug assy.
Register was very good and they had the parts on hand the hang-up is getting approval from Workhorse. We waited from 9am until after 3pm at the dealership hoping Workhorse would call back. That is unacceptable I think, they could be more helpful to the customer. You never know someday I might buy another motor home.

[Oemtech]

Pin lube is an excuse....

[max49]

Originally Posted by oemtech

Pin lube is an excuse....

I agree, seems like fear mongering, making people want to spend money to 'feel good'. Now if WH would warranty the brake pads for 2 years for lubing the pins, maybe I'd do it.

I must be really bad, 60 yrs old and never changed brake fluid and never lubed pins except when I change the pads.

I'm expecting at least 60,000 miles before I need to change the pads on the motorhome, maybe 70,000.

[darbyjudy]

Being a mechanic for all of my working life and being certified in Brakes. I also have felt all along that the pin lube we have been hearing about for several years and also the flushing of the brake fluid were both excuses. Yes I know that brake fluid adsorbes water but when you have a system that you have to flush the brake fluid every year or less there is a design problem with that brake system. I have felt all along that the biggest problem we have is the dam pistons. I cannot understand why workhorse has not just rebuilt the calipers and put steel pistons in them, I still feel that is the fix. sure the fiber ones don't transfer the heat as much but the steel ones have worked for years with no problems. I know that is what we did for the chrysler products in the 70's and also for the Vetts that had that problem.
Wish me luck , I have the mh all packed with the food and the clothing for a two month trip and here I am setting at home waiting for workhorse to get off their ***. I am hoping that when I wake up in the morning I will get a phone call and be able to continue with our plans.
Thanks for listening to my problems and I do thank Workhorse for all they have done except I really belive they don't know how these things effect us when we have these kind of problems or they would be a little more concerned.

[DriVer]

Originally Posted by darbyjudy

Thanks for listening to my problems and I do thank Workhorse for all they have done except I really belive they don't know how these things effect us when we have these kind of problems or they would be a little more concerned.

When you are stuck on the road if that happens your case gets escalated. I know that for sure.

I was a mechanic for a long time as well but I got out of the trade ... too much like work.

[max49]

Let us know how it turns out Darbyjudy. I'll be impressed if they have all the parts in stock and get it fixed right and back on the road tomorrow.
What part of the US 19 parking lot were you driving on? I spent 25 years driving that road, mostly Pinellas & Pasco counties.

[darbyjudy]

The problem happened about 5 miles north of St Route 50.
It is now 10 am and I still haven't heard anything. I called workhorse number on the card they sent me and asked why it was talking so long to get back to the dealer, he had did all they asked of him. I have hopes of getting back on the road in time enough to get to middle Alabama today. The mechanic said he had all the parts needed but couldn't do anything until Workhorse called with an OK. Total bull****, they should know when the wheel gets hot enough to melt everything that there is certainly a problem. I had the same problem on the rear and they had to replace everything at that time. No more problems with the rear at this time.
Mike if you know anyone that you can call and help me out I certainly would appricate it.
Told wife if I had the money it would be gone. But with the economy I would lose my a** for sure. I am almost to the point of quiting the RV thing because of all the problems I have had since getting this Workhorse. Being 74 I don't need all this stress.
Maybe if we had a big accidnet and someone was hurt and a big law firm was involved things would be different.

[darbyjudy]

Well I called the service writer at Register and he still has not hear back from Workhorse,Time is 11:15 am. He sent the pictures at 3PM yesterday. He claims that they now do everything by e-mail, I asked don't you know someone to call so that this can be speeded up, he said no. I am stuck waiting to hear from some one at Workhorse. I am sure they are probably just an hourly employee who really don't care if I am stuck on the road. What a shame, a company like that who had pretty much dominated the Motor home business as far as frames go and they don't really care about existing customers. Would I recommend a friend to buy a MH on a workhorse. It looks like I am going to lose another day. The mechanic has his lift to where he cannot get another rig on it unless he puts all of mine back together, so he is losing time. Register is losing money because they cannot do anything until I am taken care of. I wouldn't blame Register if they said no more to Workhorse.
Workhorse Shame on you, you need to re-evaluate your business and if you really don't care get the heck out of it.
I know I sound nasty right now but beleive I feel that way also.

[JC2]

Originally Posted by darbyjudy

Well I called the service writer at Register and he still has not hear back from Workhorse,Time is 11:15 am. He sent the pictures at 3PM yesterday. He claims that they now do everything by e-mail, I asked don't you know someone to call so that this can be speeded up, he said no. I am stuck waiting to hear from some one at Workhorse. I am sure they are probably just an hourly employee who really don't care if I am stuck on the road. What a shame, a company like that who had pretty much dominated the Motor home business as far as frames go and they don't really care about existing customers. Would I recommend a friend to buy a MH on a workhorse. It looks like I am going to lose another day. The mechanic has his lift to where he cannot get another rig on it unless he puts all of mine back together, so he is losing time. Register is losing money because they cannot do anything until I am taken care of. I wouldn't blame Register if they said no more to Workhorse.
Workhorse Shame on you, you need to re-evaluate your business and if you really don't care get the heck out of it.
I know I sound nasty right now but beleive I feel that way also.

I have over the last year or so read many different threads by so many different people concerning the brake problems associated with certain WorkHorse chassis. I have now come to the the conclusion that in the end the real loser in this fiasco will be WorkHorse themselves. I have not been personally affected by this, and hopefully won't be, butit is extremely doubtful that I will ever buy another MH with a WH related chassis. I largely understand where WH is coming from in the business sense but cannot/will not condone their treatment/lackof their customers. In the future my wallet will do the talking.

[angelman]

Bravo JC2,

I couldn't have said it any better!