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jawhite50 · 09-22-2015, 01:35 PM

This past Sunday driving I-85 north of Atlanta at 65 MPH going down a hill, I pushed the brake to slow down but no brakes. The brake fail light came on. Lucky no one was in front of me. I tried down shifting but with no success. The coach got up to 75 miles an hour at the bottom of the hill but on the upgrade of the hill I was able to slow down and pull off the road. Our coach is on a Workhorse UFO chassis , Gas Pusher, 8.1 engine with a 6 speed Allison transmission, Hydraulic brake system. We had it towed in after 4 hours trying to find a tow service on Sunday. On Monday, after the RV repair shop opened the technician said the brake system was working but only after a 24 hour cool down. The mechanic's inspection reveled the system got so hot the calipers would not operate but he said something in the system must have caused the problem. The evaluation is still on going. The question is has anyone experienced this type of emergency situation?

twinboat · 09-22-2015, 01:58 PM

Had you been controlling your speed with the brakes ( as in "riding them" ) just before they disappeared ?

If so, you may have boiled the water that can build up in the brake fluid. You should be changing the fluid every few years, to help keeping the water from building up.

When the water boils it turns to steam, the steam pushes the fluid back into the master cylinder. The next time you press down on the pedal, you have air ( steam ) in the lines. Air don't make hyd. brakes work.
When it cools down, the steam turns back to water, which will work to apply brakes.

Have your shop flush the fluid. That gets the water out.

You also need to control your speed by down shifting your transmission, if your not.

Remember, go down a hill in the same gear you go up it.

I had it happen to me, but in a much lesser extent, because I was in a parking lot, after the stopping at the bottom of a long hill.

Since changing the fluid, all has been well.

lllkrob · 09-22-2015, 01:59 PM

Workhorse chassis has a history of brake problems that led to a major recall of the brake system. Has your coach had the brake recall performed??

vettenuts · 09-22-2015, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lllkrob

Workhorse chassis has a history of brake problems that led to a major recall of the brake system. Has your coach had the brake recall performed??

Not on this chassis to my knowledge.

I rarely use my brakes on hills, and when I do, in 5 second applications with cool down between. Rather, I use the Allison which does a commendable job of controlling things. As suggested, I would bleed and go from there.