Brake Ideas

[6wheeler]

Hi all. Planning on a brake upgrade for my 1988 Coachmen Leprechaun on a Ford E350 chassis. I have already changed suspension issues that I believe it really needed to make it perform much better as far as handling. Now, I want to upgrade the braking. The Motorhome has 16,000 act miles on it. Including now? It has never sat outside when it wasn't in use. So, no brake issues outside of the fact that the system is 36 years old. I flushed the fluid and had to replace one wheel cylinder. But now? I would like to do a complete brake job on it before next season. Has anyone done such an upgrade on a machine of this age? If so? What type brake pads and rotors did you use. It does have drums and shoes on the rear. I would like to upgrade them as well. Maybe different cylinders and drums that are better than stock. Any help is appreciated

[twinboat]

All I would do is replace the calipers, hoses ( front and rear ) and that last wheel cylinder. Shoes, drums and rotors should be fine with that low mileage. The master cylinder needs to be looked at too.

[Argosy]

About the only options then were metallic pads and shoes, they ran cooler and lasted a little longer. Rock Auto (online) will probably have the largest selection.

Is it stopping OK after you did the repairs?

[6wheeler]

It does stop well for a 1988. Obviously the braking is different than newer units. No ABS or anything like that. I agree. New rubber parts. The brake lines all are still shiny, no rust at all. The motorhome has never been driven in the snow/salt. I just thought modern pads and such would maybe help it stop better.

[Argosy]

I looked at Rock Auto and semi metallic was the only choice. They did have 3 and 3 1/2 inch width rear shoes. I'm not sure how big a changeover that would be. The drums would have go be wider. I wonder about the backing plate mounting location.


https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...brake+pad,1684

[Believer45]

Originally Posted by Argosy

I looked at Rock Auto and semi metallic was the only choice. They did have 3 and 3 1/2 inch width rear shoes. I'm not sure how big a changeover that would be. The drums would have go be wider. I wonder about the backing plate mounting location.

Brake shoes I have dealt with on everything from drum brake motorcycles from the early sixties to semi trucks, the web inside the radius of the brake shoe is centered on the shoe so the spacing from the edge of the shoe (rides on the backing plate) to the center of the web, and thus the center of the hydraulic brake cylinder, would be 1/4" different between the 3" and 3 1/2" shoe. Also, the inside face of the wider brake drum would have to be 3 1/2" away from the backing plate when mounted on the axle vs. 3" for the narrower shoes. Just a heads up it is probably not a simple "change brake shoes and drums" job.