Stuck Brakes

mcfarlak · 06-25-2011, 10:29 PM

Our 07 Elite Suite will not budge. The brakes are stuck and will not release. I have late this afternoon disconnected all the battery wires to no avail. We love our Suite but it is always always something with ole #3633. Getting so very tired of all this drama. We have been on the road 7 months and now ready to be home for a while. Any suggestions.... Please and thank you for the help.

JOHN EVANS · 06-25-2011, 10:55 PM

check your break away switch this can cause breaks to lock up

golf_bears · 06-26-2011, 08:02 AM

Do you have an electric or hydraulic brake system?

mcfarlak · 06-26-2011, 08:10 AM

Electric and hydraulic I think.

golf_bears · 06-26-2011, 08:25 AM

OK, let's try this question; do you have drum or disc brakes?

mcfarlak · 06-26-2011, 08:28 AM

Disc brakes.

golf_bears · 06-26-2011, 08:42 AM

A few more questions.

Are you hooked up to your truck with the seven pin cable pluged in?

Are you hooked up to shore power?

Have you checked the to make sure the break away cable is not pulled out?

mcfarlak · 06-26-2011, 08:58 AM

We have checked everything. Breakaway Switch, Rig was parked with trailer hooked up and ready to go, all wiring pluged in (7 way plug). All slides in and ready to travel. Got in to pull away and truck would not move camper. Pulled breakaway switch and re installed but would not move. I just wish I could get them released to be able to move camper to RV repair a short distance away, as he will not come to me.

golf_bears · 06-26-2011, 09:04 AM

I just sent you a PM with my phone number, did you get it? If so, call me and we'll see if we can get you moving.

golf_bears · 06-27-2011, 08:36 AM

Didn't hear back from you yesterday so you must have gotten the brakes functioning again?

What was the problem? Always nice to know in case it happens to me or anyone else.

Thanks in advance for sharing.

mcfarlak · 06-27-2011, 09:13 AM

No they are still stuck..... We had severe thunderstorms Sunday for most of the day, so will try today to free them up. Will let everyone know if we are successful.

GlennWest · 06-27-2011, 06:48 PM

Do they have bleeders on them. If so, loosen and re tighten. That would release hydraulic pressure.

golf_bears · 06-27-2011, 08:43 PM

GlennWest,

I was just on the phone with Ken earlier this evening. He has disconnected all electrical power (12v RV batteries, truck cord and shore power), still stuck.

He has bled the brake fluid from the break lines, still stuck.

He will now jack each wheel off the ground and see if the wheels turn. Could be a few frozen calipers or frozen wheel bearings.

His truck is still hooked up to the RV so he hasn’t driven away from the RV yet, hope it's not the truck transmission. Maybe the parking break is on, forgot to ask him that.

mcfarlak · 06-27-2011, 10:32 PM

It is now 10:14 P.M. eastern Monday and just about 45 minutes ago we freed up the Elite Suite. Between thunder storms my son, and I, and a very nice gentleman who just happened to be a big truck mechanic got the stuck brake caliper freed up. It was the 3rd wheel we checked. and the caliper actually wasted the disc brake.The disc part of the brake was a deep burnt red... must have been super hot to cause that. All wheels turned freely after removing the calipers and we will re-pack bearings when we get back to the coast. Hard to believe that one stuck caliper prevented a 454 Chevy from moving the Suite, but it did. We bled out all the calipers, there are two bleeders for each of the 4 calipers. Must go back in the morning and re-install the last wheel as very severe lightening drove us from finishing.Thanks to everyone and especially the two gentlemen who went out of their way to give me their private number in order to help me get the Suite back on the road. Your ideas and thoughts were invalueable in getting this fix done. I'am grateful to you all. Thank you again and God Bless.

golf_bears · 06-28-2011, 08:40 AM

Great to hear you found the problem. Finish up the fixes and you can hit the road again. Don't forget to replenish the brake fluid in the brake actuator reservoir and to bleed each brake line.

Drive safe and enjoy the ride!!!

chevman · 06-28-2011, 01:38 PM

If your truck is the 2001 the engine is the 8.1 liter engine. Yes even if it is a drum style brake on the fifth it gets very difficult to pull if it has a one wheel locked.
chevman

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcfarlak

It is now 10:14 P.M. eastern Monday and just about 45 minutes ago we freed up the Elite Suite. Between thunder storms my son, and I, and a very nice gentleman who just happened to be a big truck mechanic got the stuck brake caliper freed up. It was the 3rd wheel we checked. and the caliper actually wasted the disc brake.The disc part of the brake was a deep burnt red... must have been super hot to cause that. All wheels turned freely after removing the calipers and we will re-pack bearings when we get back to the coast. Hard to believe that one stuck caliper prevented a 454 Chevy from moving the Suite, but it did. We bled out all the calipers, there are two bleeders for each of the 4 calipers. Must go back in the morning and re-install the last wheel as very severe lightening drove us from finishing.Thanks to everyone and especially the two gentlemen who went out of their way to give me their private number in order to help me get the Suite back on the road. Your ideas and thoughts were invalueable in getting this fix done. I'am grateful to you all. Thank you again and God Bless.

47hook · 06-30-2011, 10:21 PM

Give http://www.kodiaktrailer.com/ a call. Might still be under warranty or they can at least help you with permanent fix. Also do a search hear on brakes, there have been several, including mine that may lead you to what caused the failure and repairs. In short, the outer brake pads have a metal spring type "ear" that locates the pad on the caliper and they are notorious for falling off and letting the pad shift and jam up causing lots of problems. Would be a good idea to check the other outer pads for missing ears...

bstark · 07-16-2011, 02:37 PM

My 05 had the Dexter system with the crossover tubing for the other side of the caliper. They are a non-floating design with caliper fixed in relation to disc and the pucks simply perform whatever alignment is required.
They worked flawlessly in over 6 years of ownership and many, many miles of travel to and fro.
Hope this is an anomoly for you.