Parking brake won't release on old bus RV

[wsc9tt]

I can't help you any, but I've got to chime in and let you know your RV is pretty awesome.

Thanks. We enjoy it.

Even with the size, I can maneuver into camping spots that the big RVs could never manage. That is a transit bus frame so it has the front tire back a ways and has a really tight turning radius. You just need to be careful about soft spots.

 

[seville009]

If the issue is that you could not physically access the rusted brakes to hit on them, if you could park on some ramps (two or three 10" wide by maybe 3' long boards for example), that may give you enough access room.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Yeah sorry.

In this case, these are old Rockwell Coach brakes. There isn't a dust cover and you can directly see the shoes from under the bus. Unfortunately, they are mostly blocked by this train-like frame that holds the rear differential and the 4 air shocks that hold the coach itself.

When I say we pounded on them with a 2ft rod and a sledgehammer that was directly on the shoes themselves and they didn't budge. With everything fully aired up and the brakes disengaged.

It took an air hammer on the side of the shoes directly to get them loose and then only one of them because we couldn't get a clear site of the other shoe.

To address another comment removing the tires is a major undertaking that I don't have to tools to do and doesn't actually provide much more access to the shoes. Just a nicer place to stand while working.




The issue is not snow, but starting that big cold diesel in the cold. It doesn't have glow plugs and starts by pure compression. I don't have a block heater installed. It originally had a Webasto heater that didn't work, I ended up removing that and selling it on ebay for a couple thousand $$. It also had a 4-cyl Kubota diesel pony engine that ran the old coach AC units that I sold and that covered a good fraction of my original purchase price and gave me space for a storage locker.

Okay then. Take a long enough piece of bar, rebar, whatever. Grind it down to a long sloping chisel point. Like if it's 3/4 rod go back 4" on your slope. Drive that between drum and shoe. You will have the power of the wedge then. If them brakes are off, pound the wedge in and wiggle it while hammering. You can bend the rod to give you a straight shot. I don't see how it can stand the wedge power. Safety glasses to keep junk out of your eyes. I wear ear plugs to keep crap out of my ears, and for noise. You can even put a little oil on that rod. One little spot of oil on the brake pads won't be that big of a deal. It's a trade off because your other option is that big of a deal.

I've got a few auxiliary transmissions out of them buses. Overdrive direct underdrive and low, four speed Browning-Lipe gearboxes. Brown lite, browney boxes some call them. One box says GM Bus and Coach.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Yeah sorry.

In this case, these are old Rockwell Coach brakes. There isn't a dust cover and you can directly see the shoes from under the bus. Unfortunately, they are mostly blocked by this train-like frame that holds the rear differential and the 4 air shocks that hold the coach itself.

When I say we pounded on them with a 2ft rod and a sledgehammer that was directly on the shoes themselves and they didn't budge. With everything fully aired up and the brakes disengaged.

It took an air hammer on the side of the shoes directly to get them loose and then only one of them because we couldn't get a clear site of the other shoe.

To address another comment removing the tires is a major undertaking that I don't have to tools to do and doesn't actually provide much more access to the shoes. Just a nicer place to stand while working.




The issue is not snow, but starting that big cold diesel in the cold. It doesn't have glow plugs and starts by pure compression. I don't have a block heater installed. It originally had a Webasto heater that didn't work, I ended up removing that and selling it on ebay for a couple thousand $$. It also had a 4-cyl Kubota diesel pony engine that ran the old coach AC units that I sold and that covered a good fraction of my original purchase price and gave me space for a storage locker.

I'd put a water heater in the lower radiator hose. You're always around electricity most times. Also a thermostart works good too. You could use a couple two or three of them and really help out on them Detroit cold starts. Or, if you tow a vehicle, you can fix them to share water. Let the small vehicle warm the water in the RV, then start it up. That's how a lot of loggers start log loader and skidders on cold mornings.

I remember we had a 600 CFM compressor with two V6 Detroit's coupled together. On a cold morning, if the plant needed it, we'd have to start it. He always brought 3 cans of starting fluid. I don't use that stuff, except when mounting tires. I look for other options.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

If the issue is that you could not physically access the rusted brakes to hit on them, if you could park on some ramps (two or three 10" wide by maybe 3' long boards for example), that may give you enough access room.

He can't move it.

 

[5030]

2 stroke Detroits and not adverse to either starting, in fact, many came with either pre start bottles on them. best bet is a block heater of the 1500 watt variety actually.

Far as brakes go, I spent many a day under my big trucks smacking the drums (not the shoes) with a 5 pound drilling hammer, jarring the shoes loose when they corroded to the drums. The trick to keeping them working (retracting) is tight (not worn) actuators and good retraction springs and regular greasing.

Older Detroit's tend to loose primary compression from cylinder wear and the lower compression don't help cold stars at all but they are super easy to rebuild.

 

[seville009]

He can't move it.

I mean when he parks it for the winter - park it elevated on something.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

I mean when he parks it for the winter - park it elevated on something.

Or make sure he parks on concrete or asphalt. He could probably go back and forth to break it loose. Maybe not with one set on gravel.

 

[confused8122]

One option for long term parking is to chock wheels, then cage brakes. It takes some time and planning, but way better than trying to figure out how to unstick rusted drum brakes.

 

[jaxs]

One option for long term parking is to chock wheels, then cage brakes. It takes some time and planning, but way better than trying to figure out how to unstick rusted drum brakes.

That's a good plan.
In case folks aren't aware,hydraulic brakes on cars and pickups also rust and lock.