Air Brake Accuators

[D]

Hey Gang!!


Getting ready to hit the road and worried about those rubber parts and hoses on
the air brake system. Has anyone here had the privilege to replace the actuators
on an 80's FC? I'm looking for the actual size for the front and rear. I think I
have it as a 24 on the front and 30/30 on the rear. Just bouncing it off those
who might no best and they are best found here, as always.

Thanks,

Dru and Debora
Corpus Christi, TX
83FC35RB

[birdshill123]

I had all of our brake pots and hoses replaced. On Our 87 the standard pot
would not work. The actuating rods are too long. Had to disassemble the whole
unit and install the old threaded rod. Not sure if that is required on yours.
You can just buy the diaphragm and use the old pot but I figured why fool around
with something over 20 years old. Your #'s sound correct. BTW: This is one dirty
job that I would never undertake myself. The fronts were not too hard but the
rears are murder. You really need a pit.


Bruce
1988Fc35

[timvasqz]

Bruce they sell them long. I just thread a nut on then cut of the length with a
portable band saw. file the first thread down and remove the nut.

Greg of Tim&Greg



--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "birdshill123"
wrote:
>
> I had all of our brake pots and hoses replaced. On Our 87 the standard pot
would not work. The actuating rods are too long. Had to disassemble the whole
unit and install the old threaded rod. Not sure if that is required on yours.
You can just buy the diaphragm and use the old pot but I figured why fool around
with something over 20 years old. Your #'s sound correct. BTW: This is one dirty
job that I would never undertake myself. The fronts were not too hard but the
rears are murder. You really need a pit.
>
>
> Bruce
> 1988Fc35
>

[dru penland]

Hey Guys!

As I'm reading this post the installation of the right rear, Ican certainly vouch for the"dirty"part of this job. I got started before I got any response from my inquiry. Anyway, it brings back memories of changing the rearairsuspension bags two summers ago.It's all experience, I guess. Feels good to have three done. Left rear, tonight. They allhave 1981 and 1982 tags on them, soI feel better that they are new. Now I want to know what to do with theold rear's. Sure don't want to throw them away and get someone hurt trying to recycle them. Maybe the truckcenter takes them back.

I appreciate the comments on my post and please don't ask me to volunteer to do this job. Sheesh!Going to give them a haul to Florida starting Friday. Thanks, again!

Dru and Debora
Corpus Christi, TX
1983 FC 35 RB
Steady Gittin' It!

---

From: timvasqz To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2009 1:11:50 AM
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Air Brake Accuators

Bruce they sell them long. I just thread a nut on then cut of the length with a portable band saw. file the first thread down and remove the nut.

Greg of Tim&Greg

--- In "WanderlodgeForum%40yahoogroups.com", "birdshill123" wrote:
>
> I had all of our brake pots and hoses replaced. On Our 87 the standard pot would not work. The actuating rods are too long. Had to disassemble the whole unit and install the old threaded rod. Not sure if that is required on yours. You can just buy the diaphragm and use the old pot but I figured why fool around with something over 20 years old. Your #'s sound correct. BTW: This is one dirty job that I would never undertake myself. The fronts were not too hard but the rears are murder. You really need a pit.
>
>
>
Bruce
> 1988Fc35
>

[birdshill123]

Tim:

I could not just cut the new rod as the entire rod was not threaded. Strange!!

Bruce
1988 FC35

[timvasqz]

then you did the next best I just hate chucking tho old rod. usuly hang on to
that stuff untill cleanig day 3 years on. the spring brake can is loaded with
energy and removing the wrong band could cause danger.
Greg ofTim&Greg

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "birdshill123"
wrote:
>
> Tim:
>
> I could not just cut the new rod as the entire rod was not threaded. Strange!!
>
> Bruce
> 1988 FC35
>

[birdshill123]

Hi Tim: I took the old and new brake pots to a brake specialist in Mexico.
Probably the dirtiets shop I have ever seen. The service is outside. A few pits
and one big steel ramp that you can drive up onto. Inside it was cleaner. He
sold clutches and reriveted blocks. He also resurfaced flwheels. Even had a nice
Czech lathe ( they are the best). He had these steel tables made from huge
flwheels. Must have been from mining equipemnt. They had built jigs to hold the
brake pots and had air cylinders that held them together while you undid the
bands. Very ingenious.For a few dollars they did it all and I was safe!


Bruce 1988 FC35

[timvasqz]

if you open up the pot all you need to do is replace the diaphram. Here is a
good diagram of how the two work.

http://www.zafr.com/trucktcom/b_chmbrs.htm

the double pumkin one which has the spring brake is the dangerous one. the
single pumkin one has a return spring only. you can be shure by pulling on the
lever if it wont move it is high pressure the other one is easy to move.
Greg ofTim&Greg
94ptca

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "birdshill123"
wrote:
>
> Hi Tim: I took the old and new brake pots to a brake specialist in Mexico.
Probably the dirtiets shop I have ever seen. The service is outside. A few pits
and one big steel ramp that you can drive up onto. Inside it was cleaner. He
sold clutches and reriveted blocks. He also resurfaced flwheels. Even had a nice
Czech lathe ( they are the best). He had these steel tables made from huge
flwheels. Must have been from mining equipemnt. They had built jigs to hold the
brake pots and had air cylinders that held them together while you undid the
bands. Very ingenious.For a few dollars they did it all and I was safe!
>
>
> Bruce 1988 FC35
>

[D]

Thank you all for the comments. I have them all in now and everything works
well! I bought new chambers all the way around. Fleetpride had them on sale. $35
each for rears and $34 for the fronts. A dollar more for the spring brake, I
guess. I suspected they were imports, but they tout the USA flag on the side! I
think I all good! Thanks again! On our way to Orlando!

Bye, for now

Dru and Debora Penland
83FC35RB
Steady Gittin' It! is her name
--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "timvasqz" wrote:
>
> if you open up the pot all you need to do is replace the diaphram. Here is a
good diagram of how the two work.
>
> http://www.zafr.com/trucktcom/b_chmbrs.htm
>
> the double pumkin one which has the spring brake is the dangerous one. the
single pumkin one has a return spring only. you can be shure by pulling on the
lever if it wont move it is high pressure the other one is easy to move.
> Greg ofTim&Greg
> 94ptca
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "birdshill123" wrote:
> >
> > Hi Tim: I took the old and new brake pots to a brake specialist in Mexico.
Probably the dirtiets shop I have ever seen. The service is outside. A few pits
and one big steel ramp that you can drive up onto. Inside it was cleaner. He
sold clutches and reriveted blocks. He also resurfaced flwheels. Even had a nice
Czech lathe ( they are the best). He had these steel tables made from huge
flwheels. Must have been from mining equipemnt. They had built jigs to hold the
brake pots and had air cylinders that held them together while you undid the
bands. Very ingenious.For a few dollars they did it all and I was safe!
> >
> >
> > Bruce 1988 FC35
> >
>

[timvasqz]

the units are cheap and durable. You can imagine with the price how flimsy the
diaphragm is. (you can see them used as lock actuators on dumptruck tailgates.
My mobile tech charges $20per unit install.)

The spring brake diaphragm is the one to watch because no one ever hears it
leaking. that is why it is a good idea to chock the tires, build airpressure,
turn the parkbrake off then shutdown the engine and listen. If the air leaks
down quicker in this instance than it does with the bus parked-parkbrake-on, the
spring diaphram is leaking. once it tears you could be doing 70 mph and it will
put the brake on. driving along it will not stop you but it will put a strain on
the forward motion and build up heat at the drum real quick.

leaking diaphrams dont show up with a low pressure warning at the dash if the
compressor is able to keep up with the demand cfm.

Greg ofTim&Greg
94ptca


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "D" wrote:
>
> Thank you all for the comments. I have them all in now and everything works
well! I bought new chambers all the way around. Fleetpride had them on sale. $35
each for rears and $34 for the fronts. A dollar more for the spring brake, I
guess. I suspected they were imports, but they tout the USA flag on the side! I
think I all good! Thanks again! On our way to Orlando!
>
> Bye, for now
>
> Dru and Debora Penland
> 83FC35RB
> Steady Gittin' It! is her name
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "timvasqz" wrote:
> >
> > if you open up the pot all you need to do is replace the diaphram. Here is
a good diagram of how the two work.
> >
> > http://www.zafr.com/trucktcom/b_chmbrs.htm
> >
> > the double pumkin one which has the spring brake is the dangerous one. the
single pumkin one has a return spring only. you can be shure by pulling on the
lever if it wont move it is high pressure the other one is easy to move.
> > Greg ofTim&Greg
> > 94ptca
> >
> > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "birdshill123"
wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi Tim: I took the old and new brake pots to a brake specialist in
Mexico. Probably the dirtiets shop I have ever seen. The service is outside. A
few pits and one big steel ramp that you can drive up onto. Inside it was
cleaner. He sold clutches and reriveted blocks. He also resurfaced flwheels.
Even had a nice Czech lathe ( they are the best). He had these steel tables made
from huge flwheels. Must have been from mining equipemnt. They had built jigs to
hold the brake pots and had air cylinders that held them together while you
undid the bands. Very ingenious.For a few dollars they did it all and I was
safe!
> > >
> > >
> > > Bruce 1988 FC35
> > >
> >
>