1990 Ford auto e-brakes

[atvbob]

This topic may have been addressed before but I couldn't find anything on it.

My new, to me, Gulf Stream has Fords auto E-Brake system.
There is no way to set E-Brake unless I put trany in park, not a good plan at speed if motor dies and loose power brakes.
also if engine stalls at very low speed and put in park to activate E-Brake, like in middle of road, E-Brake will not release unless motor will start.Had this happen with me.

THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE!


Am I missing something?

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Am I missing something?

Probably, cause I've never seen a vehicle without an emergency brake of some sort.  Do you have a 1990 Ford owner manual that might explain it? Even if not for your exact model (I'm guessing you have a motorhome on the F53 chassis)?

I'm not familiar with your 1990 model, but why do you say it can only be used in Park?  The earliest Ford F53  manual I can find (1996) describes a foot-operated pedal with a manual release handle. Yours is different than that?

Page 57 at http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/catalog/owner_guides/96motog1e.pdf

 

[atvbob]

The e-brake is actuated through electrical or mechanical or combination means only, as far as I can find by putting trany in park.
The e-brake works great, the other day engine died while moving very slowly and power brakes would not stop me so I put in park and back tires skidded on pavement. not good for trany though.

I've ask question and searched other RV forums, no one has ever seen this ford system. I'm wondering if Oshkosh, original MH manufacture, installed a GM system?

Bob C.
Update: A guy on irv2.com forum sent me a link to a 1989 manual that had a description of e-brake systems, not likely it's GM.

 

[chuckbear]

Our 1999 Bounder gas a "parking brake" and it is not an emergency brake. It is not designed to be used if the vehicle is moving. Chuck

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The auto brake on most big gas rigs is a transmission-shaft-mounted brake shoe rather than a parking pawl as on automobiles and light trucks.  The park pawl simply isn't strong enough for a vehicle that weighs upwards of 18k lbs and often as much as 26k. Applying it while in motion doesn't affect the transmission itself, but obviously puts a lot of instant wear & tear on the auto-brake mechanism. 

Ford says it is not designed to stop a moving vehicle by itself, but can be used to stop in an emergency.  The Chevrolet (and the subsequent Workhorse) P3x chassis used a similar mechanism.
This wording, or similar, appears in all Ford F53 motorhome chassis owner manuals that I have perused.  Dating back to model year 1996.

The parking brake is not recommended to stop a moving vehicle.
However, if the normal brakes fail, the parking brake can be used to stop
your vehicle in an emergency. Since the parking brake applies only the
transmission mounted parking brake assembly, the vehicle?s stopping
distance will increase greatly and the handling of your vehicle will be
adversely affected.

 

[atvbob]

Chuckbear, I never thought about it being only a parking brake, from that perspective it makes sense.
weird as that is gary rv wizard you say they don't install parking brake pawl in trany?
I'm to old for this new s**t! I have descent understanding of pre 1980 stuff.

Thanks guys.

Bob C.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

A pawl that had the mechanical strength to hold a 10 ton vehicle on a hill would be large, complex and expensive. No large vehicle has one.  For example, diesel pushers apply the rear drum brakes via a spring mechanism that works even of the air system fails.

 

[atvbob]

I never thought of that.
I had a 1978 Kings Highway, I really used the e-brake. Years ago was trying to get to a friends property that I had to go up a very steep hill. I put trany in park go out and was deciding how to get up the hill, there was a ping then several pings in rapid secession. M/H rolled down hill and jack knifed atv trailer into the side.
It was an after market trany, I thought the parking gog was chipped from ATI, from what your saying it was to much load on it.
Since then I now always use e-brake.
Thanks for the info! C.

Bob