Lost My Brakes !!!

[Trailer Trash 2]

Yeps!! I lost my brakes on the way out of Terrabile's RV Park on that long down grade I-160 going tward Las Vegas,
In 9 years I have never had a problem with my brakes, all in good shape, been all over the place, with no problems, up and down all kinds of grades, I did manage to get it stoped safely, but did I smoke them front brakes, wow. I let them cool down and it was as if nothing ever happened. I do have the TV in the shop and I am having ceramic pads (asbestos) installed, they don't seem to make them for the rears shoes yet. the mechanic said I was useing them a little to much and that caused the fade. I will be checking my 5ers next and do an adjustment. It's weard I know I have trailer brakes and I was using the lever on the Prodigy every now and then but not what I thought was excessive, but my TV & 5er did. as I get more info I'll send an update. realy weard I went down the Baker hill, Cahone, no problem.

[CRUZIN 2]

Trailer Trash 2

Where did you have prodigy set at, and what boost. I'm just trying to learn more on this type of brake controller. Thanks Larry & LaVonne

[DHenry]

Glad to hear that everything is OK. Let us know more when you find out the information.

[stiles watson]

Wow! Big time scary! Glad you got'er stopped safely. That is percisely why I am considering the exhaust brake. Don't know whether it would have helped in this case. Very glad you are safe. Look forward to your posting update.

[Glenn and Lorraine]

YIKES, Now there's an RVer's experience I never want to try. I always double check by rigs brakes prior to the down grade and I put the TV in tow/haul.
I experienced brake fade back in the 70's coming down Mt Washington in NH but that was in a car with no trailer. Don't ever want to go thru that again and especially when I got the Monty hooked on.

[Montana_2785]

quote:Originally posted by stiles watson

Wow! Big time scary! Glad you got'er stopped safely. That is percisely why I am considering the exhaust brake. Don't know whether it would have helped in this case. Very glad you are safe. Look forward to your posting update.

That is why I DO have an exaust brake.

On a really steep hill the exhaust brake will not be enough by itself, but it will take enough of the load to let your service brakes cool down enough to prevent the fade. Just remember to gear down so the EB can do its thing better.

There are several out there that will work. My hangup with most of them is that I don't like the idea of hanging an extra 6 to 12lbs of weight on the side of a HOT (as in glowing red hot almost see through!!) turbocharger housing. So I went with US Gear:

http://www.usgear.com/dcelerator.htm

Also, for the Fords, the turbo housing mounted units replace the OEM warmup valve, so in cold weather (thats the stuff we have up north for the snow birds ) the truck will not be able to keep itself warm by itself. The warm up valve looks very much like an exhaust brake and is closed when in park and at idle in cold weather. The truck will also raise its idle RPM's to about 1100. I would rather that the truck continue to do this by itself....

The nice thing about the US Gear unit is that it is a regulated valve so it is able to provide better engine braking at lower RPM than most of the others. There is one other unit that regulates the back pressure but I don't remember whos it is. But it did mount on the side of the turbocharger housing.

On the topic of electric brakes, even when they are adjusted correctly with a good brake controller I don't like the way they feel when they work. I would love to replace them with electric over hydraulic, but that takes some serious $cratch...

Eric

[Montana_2304]

disc brakes/exhaust brake, cheap add on when you,re towing $60,000-$80,000 worth of RV.
Charlie and Sue

[Trailer Trash 2]

quote:Originally posted by CRUZIN 2

Trailer Trash 2

Where did you have prodigy set at, and what boost. I'm just trying to learn more on this type of brake controller. Thanks Larry & LaVonne

I had the Prodigy set at the second to last most powerful voltage, I think it was 6, not real sure because the TV in the shop. what I dont understand is when I applied the trailer brakes with the lever I got NO REACTION from my trailer brakes, they were hooked up and working because I was useing them just prior to the problem. The only thing that I noticed was the engin sounded like it was off the Pyrometer was at about fifty degrees or zero, my truck seemed to shut off ( I couldn't hear it running ) when useing the engin to slow the truck & trailer, but if I push the accilerator down the rpm's are there. I realy cant remember if I was useing the prodigy when all heck broke loose, I might have had both hands on the steering wheel, it happened so quickly. I will be looking at my engin running when going down a hill again by checking the RPM's and power, if the engin does turn off there still should be power to all the plugs and trailer. STILL CHECKING.
TT2

[CRUZIN 2]

Trailer Trash 2

This sounds like use but without the RV, we were on I-70 Vail Colorado when our truck shutdown and we was coming off the mountains with no brakes and no power steering and about 70 mpr. That was also a bad trip,is their a problem here?

quote:Originally posted by Trailer Trash 2

I had the Prodigy set at the second to last most powerful voltage, I think it was 6, not real sure because the TV in the shop. what I dont understand is when I applied the trailer brakes with the lever I got NO REACTION from my trailer brakes, they were hooked up and working because I was useing them just prior to the problem. The only thing that I noticed was the engin sounded like it was off the Pyrometer was at about fifty degrees or zero, my truck seemed to shut off ( I couldn't hear it running ) when useing the engin to slow the truck & trailer, but if I push the accilerator down the rpm's are there. I realy cant remember if I was useing the prodigy when all heck broke loose, I might have had both hands on the steering wheel, it happened so quickly. I will be looking at my engin running when going down a hill again by checking the RPM's and power, if the engin does turn off there still should be power to all the plugs and trailer. STILL CHECKING.
TT2

[cargary]

Glad to hear that your ordeal ended well. What you have experienced has and is my biggest fear of driving in the Mountains - Brake failure. I don't know what I would do if that happened to me. Probably look for an embankment to go off into if one was availible. Some highways have run away ramps made of sand or loose stone to slow a out of control vehicle down. Nice to know, but I'd rather not have this happen to me or anyone else. Good luck with looking for the problem.
Gary & Carole

[tbhd]

Glad to hear everyone is okay but what a scary time. We've been talking about getting an exhaust brake before we go out to Glacier in June. I think you just made the decision for us. Thank you.

[Trailer Trash 2]

Latest up date. one new roter $250, a new calipers $250, melted all the rubber, they dont make ceramic pads for this model truck, just heavy duty which I gave the, "go do it" new shoes for the rear drums, also had new seals for the rear axel because the diferantal oil lubs that rear barrings. flush the entire brake hydrolic system. So when all the damage was added up it came to $1200.00 for all parts and labor. Sure glad I got my state refund today that will pay for that, Thanks Arnold. Now I got to do the trailer
Thanks for all the good wishes

[Montana_883]

Wow, glad your all ok! With the new braking systems and control, I've seen folks forget the dangers of pulling a rig that weighs as much as a TV and Camper. Its great to be able to run up and down the montains with all this new equipment but when it fails, and it will, you have got to keep a good safety margen by slowing down on steep grades. Put that truck in a lower gear. Go down slower that you go up.

[Trailer Trash 2]

Well I went over and adjusted the trailer brakes today, the amount of adjustment I had to give to make the wheel not moveable was almost 1 complete revolution then I backed it off 2 clicks the wheel turnes when turned almost 1 revolution and stops. I think it's all zerroed in now. I also have put the "Probigy Trailer Emulator" on and it is set to what they recomend for the trailer weight, the boost I will have to fine tune that when the trailer is hooked up.
Well we should be ready to rock and roll now, and I'll be watching the what seemed to be the moter not running, but I have to be going down a grade to do that.

[sreigle]

Don, how many miles were on those truck brakes? Yours is the 7.3 diesel, right? I know with the new torqshift with the 6.0 I hardly ever have to touch the brakes down some very serious grades but the 7.3 would be a different story. Still, I'm curious how many miles those brakes had on them. Mine has disc all around but I'd still like to know if you don't mind. Thanks.

[jackw87]

Did you pull the hubs on the RV and check the pads if your truck brakes got that hot you may have crystalized the brake shoes on the trailer and caused them to crack and brake up

[Trailer Trash 2]

I had them checked last year before our vacation and got a seal of aproval from the mechanic, the fronts had new pads and turned the roters in 2001 the rears were OK. I have 79,000 + miles on the truck 1996 f-350, and keep it maintained very well. or at least I thought I did.
I did notice that the Prodigy Boost knob was almost at the minium, but I can't say for sure that it was there on the way down the hill, I know I was useing it manually and it was working. I was out of OD but in 3rd gear next time I'll be in 2nd and more observant on my downhill speed, I'v been pulling for a long time from the early 70's, so I'm not what some would call a new puller, Maybe I just wasn't paying much attention to what I was doing. but it wont happen again.

[Trailer Trash 2]

quote:Originally posted by jackw87

Did you pull the hubs on the RV and check the pads if your truck brakes got that hot you may have crystalized the brake shoes on the trailer and caused them to crack and brake up

I don think I was using them at the time of this happining. as far as pulling the wheel off, no I havent, I did adjust but its worth a look and see, if what you sugested may have happened, I do believe the truck stopped the whole thing.

[jackw87]

Don
you may not have hurt the trailer brakes but if I did that much damage to the TV I would at least pull the hubs and check the shoes it can't hurt to check before you need them in a hurry

[Trailer Trash 2]

Going to do just that Thanks Jack87