Parking Brake not holding well

[Skip426]

Originally Posted by steveieray

It does not have air brakes

Thanks for getting back with that info .

Your park brake mechanism will be a drum on the drive shaft , with shoes that require manual adjustment . As noted in a previous post.

I'll see if there is a chassis specific method.

EDIT: I found a 97 Magnum chassis manual online but park brake adjustment isn't covered.
I will do another search.
Are you comfortable going under the coach to do this job ?

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by 96 Wideglide

Here's a mechanic adjusting them manually, and, pumping the brakes to show them automatically adjusting.

https://www.google.com/search?q=adju...40PEPgsqfyAg29

That's not the proper way to adjust them, although we all did it that way, before self adjusters. You don't tighten them and back off half a turn. Your supposed to measure rod movement and only after work has been performed.


He backs off the brakes to show them self adjusting.
That's proof that they work, so why adjust them.

Don't you step on the brake when you stop your RV ? Taking your foot off the pedal adjusts them.

Don't the spring brakes apply the rear brakes when you set them ? Releasing them adjusts them.

[twinboat]

Here is from Bendix Brake, not a UTuber.Tech_Tips_Dont_Fall_For_Brake_Maintenance_Myths_1217(1).pdf

[96 Wideglide]

Thanks for posting this info!

I actually got the 6 heavy applications here on this forum. The reason given was most RV drivers use too light braking applications to avoid emptying their cabinets.
I see now the ASA's are adjusting on release of the brakes now.

[steveieray]

Originally Posted by Skip426

Thanks for getting back with that info .

Your park brake mechanism will be a drum on the drive shaft , with shoes that require manual adjustment . As noted in a previous post.

I'll see if there is a chassis specific method.

EDIT: I found a 97 Magnum chassis manual online but park brake adjustment isn't covered.
I will do another search.
Are you comfortable going under the coach to do this job ?

Yes, I am comfortable going under the coach to do this.

[Jim_HiTek]

On my '94, the drive shaft brake had been purposely misadjusted by the PO to avoid that AutoParkBrake Rotten green switch issue. Which doesn't affect diesel chassis'. It was over 1" out of adjustment. After adjusting it, worked fine for a while.

I was able to have new pads made for that out of the ordinary brake shoe set down in Mexico so I know the shoes are repairable but I don't know if they are readily available in the US or if there are old fashioned brake shoe shops like in the old days. It is a Bendix system.

[Skip426]

Originally Posted by steveieray

Yes, I am comfortable going under the coach to do this.

I haven't been able to find detailed info on the adjustments , but I'll PM Jim_HiTek to see if he can supply detailed info on the adjustment .

[Jim_HiTek]

All I did to adjust the drive shaft brake was to tighten it so I could feel the brake pads against the drum using the adjustment screw. Then I took two business cards and backed off until they fit between the drum and the brake pads. That's all I did. Didn't find any formal instructions for adjustment.

Since this is a Parking Brake, not an emergency brake, I wasn't too worried about where I set it but I was happy to find my adjustment held the RV on a 5% grade. Since the system is designed to hold the brake shoes away from the drum UNLESS there's a problem with it, AND if it's in good condition, AND if there's no rock or other debris inside the brake drum, it's pretty easy to set it.

I always worried that my P-B would fail and I would be stranded somewhere so I always carried a set of chocks so I could just decouple the actuator arm and zip tie it so it couldn't activate. Crawled under there and figured out the system before that ever happened so I was ready when it did, and I was late one time so the brake pads burned out.

Anyway, here's my article about it. Not including brake adjustment though: Parking Brake

[Skip426]

To add to Jim's post ; coach on level ground wheels chocked ; jack stands under frame , ALL safety measures in place.