CALAMITY STRIKES!

[Jim Dick]

Gary,

Not sure about your coach but my headlights are definitely from Cadillac. I was surprised when I saw the emblem on the assembly. Also found out recently that the unit includes the turning lights to illuminate the side!

[clarkgriswold]

Hey Gary - do you know yet exactly what failed in the brakes?  Just curious.

[DonTom]

The front end fiberglass panels are destroyed. New ones will have to be made to order from the original molds. Fortunately when AMG bought Fleetwood out of bankruptcy, they also bought Gold Bond, the Fleetwood subsidiary that has the molds and does the fabrication of the molded fiberglass panels. The price for it will likely be staggering, though. Also have to get all new light assemblies, both headlight and fog/parking lamps. I've heard they are from some model of Cadillac, so hopefully will be available from GM.

I talked with the insurance claims people yesterday and the preliminary report is that damages will "easily exceed $50,000". Will be awhile before I get a final figure, though.

Unless it can be determined exactly what happened, and fixed so it can never happen again, I would be afraid to drive the thing ever again!

-Don-

[RV Roamer]

The problem was with the brake pedal, not the brakes themselves. I feel the brakes would have worked if I could have applied them.  Since the brake pedal assembly was damaged in the accident, I'll probably never know what actually went wrong.

[DonTom]

The problem was with the brake pedal, not the brakes themselves. I feel the brakes would have worked if I could have applied them.  Since the brake pedal assembly was damaged in the accident, I'll probably never know what actually went wrong.

Yeah, I saw the message where it seemed that was the only thing it could be. But doesn't that leave some doubt? And was it redesigned in such a way so that can never happen again? 

It really makes no difference if it is the "brakes themselves" or the "brake pedal" when it cannot be stopped!

Your experience makes me feel better about buying a cheap "entry level"  older used gas powered RV!  

Also, the fact that you had no other method to slow down .  .  . Seems dangerous. I once lost my rear brakes going down a steep hill (small tear in the rear brake line) in my old 1978 RV.  I was able to slow down and stop (with the help of "low" of tranny and parking brake) , but that was scary enough for me. And still a good thing nobody was right in front of me going slow!

Anyway, good luck!

-Don- SSF, CA

[RV Roamer]

I still had the emergency brake (which I used) and the transmission gearing, but things were happening too fast to do much.

[John From Detroit]

Unless it can be determined exactly what happened, and fixed so it can never happen again, I would be afraid to drive the thing ever again!

-Don-

Gary told us what happened.. bolts came loose and dumped the brake pedal to the floor.

What can I say.. Now I read all the time about the issues with Workhorse Brakes locking up and not releasing properly

Frankly..... I think I'd rather drive a workhorse   (But then I do)

That has got to be a "Time for clean underware" class incident.. Just glad that the the casualties were made of metal and plastic,  Not flesh.

[DonTom]

Gary told us what happened.. bolts came loose and dumped the brake pedal to the floor.

Yeah, I think "most likely" were the words used, which means some doubt.

But let's hope that's all it was. Something that's easy to check and fix with lock-tite.

Perhaps we all should check our brake pedal bolts now while we are thinking about it!

Especially anybody who has a rig similar to Gary's.

-Don- SSF, CA

[utahclaimjumper]

I've allready done it, but mine bolts to the floor.>>>D