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Post by busaddict on Nov 16, 2014 16:44:32 GMT -8
I was moving my buses around this afternoon, at least one of them. The brakes on the bus that was in the carport seem to be frozen, I was smart enough not to force them. Given that today's temperatures have been below zero I shouldn't be too surprised. The other bus was fine. I will wait for a warmer day.
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Post by PICTUP on Nov 16, 2014 17:08:05 GMT -8
That is a bit frustrating Tom! Being that your Bus with the frozen brakes was in the carport, it seems strange that the temp would have anything to do with it. Was the emergency, or park, brake on? Could it be moisture-started rust? Do you know if it was the front or rear wheels?
I started and moved my Bus today first thing. It has been under a cover for about a month or so. The park brake was not set in that time. The front brakes were rusty(bad scraping sounds when applying them for the first few times) but the Bus moved very easily. The lifter noise was horrible though!!
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Post by Volktales on Nov 16, 2014 21:14:10 GMT -8
Bus calipers just LOVE to stick if sitting around for a while. One of mine seized up while sitting in a garage! If this is your problem, complete disassembly is the only long term answer. Might do a how too on this if interest is shown...
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Post by tony on Nov 16, 2014 21:17:46 GMT -8
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Post by busaddict on Nov 16, 2014 22:44:39 GMT -8
This is my '73 that I drove to Nanaimo last summer. I imagine I'll be opening up the brakes for a refit in the spring before it gets licensed. Don, I think it's the rear, but you never know. I believe the carport is actually colder as it doesn't get much sun. Same thing happened on my '74 with the rear brakes about a year and a half ago. They needed to be replaced which I did, taking my time to make them clean as a whistle.
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Post by busaddict on Nov 25, 2014 9:15:22 GMT -8
Bus calipers just LOVE to stick if sitting around for a while. One of mine seized up while sitting in a garage! If this is your problem, complete disassembly is the only long term answer. Might do a how too on this if interest is shown... When you say calipers you mean front disc brakes I imagine. The brakes are due for an assessment which I planned to do before driving in the spring. As a test, I'm going to raise the rear of the bus off the ground by a few inches and see if any of the rear wheels are stuck. I hope it's the rear ones as I have it tucked in the carport nose first. I'd be interested in a disc brake "how to." Did a set of drums a year and a half ago.
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Post by busaddict on Nov 25, 2014 9:40:18 GMT -8
That is a bit frustrating Tom! Being that your Bus with the frozen brakes was in the carport, it seems strange that the temp would have anything to do with it. Was the emergency, or park, brake on? Could it be moisture-started rust? Do you know if it was the front or rear wheels? I started and moved my Bus today first thing. It has been under a cover for about a month or so. The park brake was not set in that time. The front brakes were rusty(bad scraping sounds when applying them for the first few times) but the Bus moved very easily. The lifter noise was horrible though!! It's funny, on the one hand you can leave a bus sitting for YEARS and it will miraculously start, but sometimes after only a short time brakes will stick or lock. I think temperature has nothing to do with it as it's doing the same thing now that it's warmed up a bit. I always leave the parking brake off and chock the wheels when I store vehicles long term. Can't tell whether it's front or rear. This is my Dad's old bus that I literally saved out of a driveway a few years back. I recall when I had a mechanic get it road worthy he said the rear brake components looked alright, and given that the van sat for about 15 years that would make the parts quite old now (that was 4 years ago.) Now shopping for a deal on brake parts for the '73, but I suppose I should get it on jack stands and determine what I need first. Is it spring yet?
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Post by busaddict on Dec 3, 2014 13:26:23 GMT -8
I think I might need a set of wheel dollies for this job.
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Post by busaddict on Feb 8, 2015 23:52:29 GMT -8
OK, so I think I've narrowed it down to one of the rear drums that is sticking. What's the best way to free it? Can I back off the star adjusters and tap gently on the backside of the brake drum?
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Post by mitchy965 on Feb 9, 2015 8:34:23 GMT -8
gentle has no place here,you will have to whack it! truly it depends on what is seized (brake shoe to the drum)or the (wheel cylinder corroded internally ) back off the adjuster a few clicks on each one and give it a few whacks while trying to rotate the drum should free it up. you know you will have to go in to the brakes (service or replace) before next motoring season as sticking brakes are not to be trusted.
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Post by busaddict on Feb 9, 2015 10:43:12 GMT -8
Thanks for that, the reason I'm doing this is to be able to back the bus out into the driveway to replace the brakes. As you can see it's a bit of a catch 22
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Post by PICTUP on Feb 9, 2015 11:17:16 GMT -8
When I did the rears on my Uncle's Bus it was quite the ordeal. I am in agreement with Mitch, to use the old mechanic wannabe's adage, this time I truly did need to, "Bring a bigger hammer" . I didn't want to but Russ kept telling me to, "hit it harder!". I tell you, the whole process was cringeworthy! But I did get them free and the hubs off in the end. Those star adjusters can really seize up. I have had a couple where the teeth have been bent over or missing. Then to get the whole mess apart with the use of penetrating fluid and vice grips was another test of how well I could grit my teeth. I know you know all this Tom, but maybe someone reading this won't….be sure you put some never-seize on them when putting it back together, not a ton of the stuff, but an even "schmearing" . I like to take the rust off the backing plate bumps that the shoes ride on and put either brake grease or never-seize there too. Right before putting the hubs back on I like to spray the material on the shoes and the hub with brake clean, just to make sure I didn't contaminate anything while I was practicing my OCD behaviour with the grease and never-seize.
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Post by tony on Feb 9, 2015 11:42:22 GMT -8
When I have frozen brakes I just wait for them to thaw
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Post by CrazyBrit on Feb 9, 2015 12:52:35 GMT -8
Is that why we haven't seen your "Hawaii" bug out for a while?
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Post by tony on Feb 9, 2015 13:12:36 GMT -8
surf board's frozen to the roof....
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