New Brakes

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jpschwartz

Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2017
Posts
21
Hello, I recently purchased a 1998 Coachmen leprechaun with a E450 ford chassis.  It only has 54K miles on it but want to make sure the brakes are in good working order since I do not know if it is the original brakes or not or if thee is a shelf life for brakes. I am planning a big trip that included mountains etc and want to make sure I am good.

I called a shop and ask how much to "check" the brakes.  I was quoted over $300 and was told it would take about 2 1/2 hours. I think it should maybe take 30 minutes, 1 hour tops. So, I ask - how much to install new brake?  He said, "I don't know, $1,000 to $2,000 - it depends. Really?  I said this is just a standard FORD chassis.  How much for just the front brakes? He came back with a quote of more than $600 so I ran.

Can anyone tell me what I can expect to pay for brakes on a Class C RV?  I know parts are about $100-$150 (front and rear) and labor would be under 2 hours.  With 54K miles, I doubt that the rotors need turning.

Thoughts?  I am about to do them myself (at least the front).

John
 
Take it to a shop for an oil change. Most do an inspection of many items not related to the oil change.
 
Because it's DRW it's hard to see the pads and to get a good check you have to remove the wheels, it's not that hard to do so if you can change a tire you can check them yourself. The pads start out about 12 mm, anything with 2/3 wear I would replace ther pads, if the rotors look smooth just replace the pads. You can see both pads by looking bown on the top of the rotor.

Denny
 
kdbgoat said:
Take it to a shop for an oil change. Most do an inspection of many items not related to the oil change.

Yes, that is one option but I just changed my oil myself.  still cheaper than $300!
 
rvpuller said:
Because it's DRW it's hard to see the pads and to get a good check you have to remove the wheels, it's not that hard to do so if you can change a tire you can check them yourself. The pads start out about 12 mm, anything with 2/3 wear I would replace ther pads, if the rotors look smooth just replace the pads. You can see both pads by looking bown on the top of the rotor.

Denny

I am fairly comfortable replacing the front myself as I just did my 2010 Ford Expedition and have done others in the past.  I believe my rear are shoes and not disc and I have not done shoes before.  Also, since the rear is dually I am not sure how I would find the right brakes.  Did Ford E-Superduty come with dually as well?  Not sure if it is the same or if it was custom to the RV.

Still, I will take a look at the front and that should give me an idea.

Thank you

John
 
A real brake job automatically includes turning the drums and rotors or replacing. They will also replace the hardware and seals and with that age of vehicle the calipers too. You can backyard it for less but they have to do it right. If it's rear drums you can remove the adjusted rubber plug and look at how much of the adjuster screw is exposed. A lot of thread means the adjuster has traveled out a lot. Or pull it apart and see how much brake material is left. If they are ok clean, free up and lube the slide hardware as needed, run the pistons in and out a couple times. If they are difficult to push in replace them.  It's common to have a caliper hang up on vehicles that sit around a lot. You can gently pull the boot away enough to see if there is any corrosion behind the boot. You can get away with squeezing all the miles out of the fiction material but a sticking caliper will have smoke rolling off the pads and rotor at the most inopportune time and toasts the rotor.

You sound like you can basically handle this stuff so put together the needed stuff to change a rear tire and pulling them will be no big deal. If you have all the stuff on hand then you will never get a flat anyway. At least that's how it works for me. :)
 
I'm not familiar with Ford 450's, but if they are duals and like Chevy the rear axles have
to come out and that involves new seals  and  some fluid.  $300 is pretty close for for a
good inspection.

I just reread the original post and reply's and quite unlike me I realize I may not know
as much as I should.  If the rear's are disc and  not drum brakes ,  I'm probably wrong about having to pull the rear axles.
 
QZ said:
A real brake job automatically includes turning the drums and rotors or replacing. They will also replace the hardware and seals and with that age of vehicle the calipers too. You can backyard it for less but they have to do it right. If it's rear drums you can remove the adjusted rubber plug and look at how much of the adjuster screw is exposed. A lot of thread means the adjuster has traveled out a lot. Or pull it apart and see how much brake material is left. If they are ok clean, free up and lube the slide hardware as needed, run the pistons in and out a couple times. If they are difficult to push in replace them.  It's common to have a caliper hang up on vehicles that sit around a lot. You can gently pull the boot away enough to see if there is any corrosion behind the boot. You can get away with squeezing all the miles out of the fiction material but a sticking caliper will have smoke rolling off the pads and rotor at the most inopportune time and toasts the rotor.
I don't mind paying for a good job as long as I am not getting ripped off

I will take a peek at the front brakes and go from there.

Thanks everyone.
You sound like you can basically handle this stuff so put together the needed stuff to change a rear tire and pulling them will be no big deal. If you have all the stuff on hand then you will never get a flat anyway. At least that's how it works for me. :)
 
Because it is almost 20 yrs old, even when it is low mileage, it depends as the dealer said.  The rotors might be warped, the calipers might be rusty, brake lines might be rusty, etc., etc., so there are many variables.  So, $1,000 might not be a lot if done by a dealer or a large shop.  If you can afford it, I suggest you get ready to pay some significant money.  If you can do the job, you can spend a few hundreds on parts alone.
 
Remember, this bugger is about 6 tons dry. It is much more important to stop than it is to go. Are you a flatlander?

This is where a service history is so valuable. When is the last time the bearings were repacked or the brake fluid replaced? Brake fluid is hygroscopic, meaning it will absorb water over time, reducing its effectiveness.

You can push in the caliper pistons, do a pad slap without cutting the rotors, and the brakes will function, until they fade.  Brake fade is the reduction in stopping power that can occur after repeated or sustained application of the brakes, especially in high load conditions, like rolling down a mountain.

With 54K miles, I doubt that the rotors need turning.

Sure you can get away without turning the rotors if they are not warped, but turning the rotors and drums will roughen the surface, allowing a proper bedding procedure for your pads, increasing braking power and life. At 54K your rotors are smooth as glass, and may glaze your new pads.

I was quoted over $300 and was told it would take about 2 1/2 hours.

Sounds reasonable. If you want a through inspection and then have the mechanic reassemble everything without actually repairing the brakes.

I know parts are about $100-$150 (front and rear) and labor would be under 2 hours.

Not reasonable. You can not even do a pad / shoe slap job in 2 hours and spend $150 in parts. Your RV is not a Toyota Corolla.
 
When I did my engine replacement at around 36000 miles including a couple of mountains we had to remove the front axle.. So I did the pads.. It was time.. but not yet "Urgently" time. only cost me 100 dollars (Well change back) for new front pads.. Took one of the old to NAPA and the next day they delivered new pads to the mechanic... No labor for the job since it was part of the engine job.

Rear I've yet to do but traditionally they outlast front anyway. Will do those later when I replace tires.
 
I just bought a 1992 33' Champion Ultrastar Class A diesel.  Before I got it home, the brakes went very spongy.  A mobile mechanic is pretty sure it's the calipers, but is having a hard time locating them.  Thing is, the guy I bought it from knew nothing about it since he was selling it for his father in law.  He thought it was a Dodge Cummings engine, but the ignition key says Chevy.  Does anyone have any idea where I can get the specs on the engine so I can get the right calipers?
 
jalex71 said:
I just bought a 1992 33' Champion Ultrastar Class A diesel.  Before I got it home, the brakes went very spongy.  A mobile mechanic is pretty sure it's the calipers, but is having a hard time locating them.  Thing is, the guy I bought it from knew nothing about it since he was selling it for his father in law.  He thought it was a Dodge Cummings engine, but the ignition key says Chevy.  Does anyone have any idea where I can get the specs on the engine so I can get the right calipers?

The engine would be a 5.9 Cummins. You need to find out the chassis manufacture. Then you can figure out the brakes.
Some diesel MHs do use a Chevy/GM ignition switch.
 
Engine has little to do with the calipers, the Chassis does.

Can you afford to park for a few days (3 at the most) Pull the wheels, Front and rear, ONe side.

Take the VIN and the old pads to NAPA... Come back tomorrow and pick up new pads.

I am envisioning the brakes as I type and I fail to see how bad pads can make 'em spongy or calipers unless they are leaking.

Now with DRUM brakes ... Well I figured that one out (Drums worn out of spec) but not with disc
 
GM [Detroit] diesels were used in a few rigs back then, so it could be one of them rather than a Cummins, but the Chevy key really only means that a CM ignition switch was used.

Oshkosh chassis, gas or diesel powered, were fairly common in motorhomes back then. Oshkosh was bought out by Freightliner and became the basis for Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation. Get the VIN number for the vehicle and contact FCCC at 1-800-FTL-HELP and see if they can identify it. They have the records for the Oshkosh chassis and still provide some sport for them. If its an Oshkosh, they can probably identify the axles used, which in turn should ID the brakes.
 
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