Brake bleed

[clev-THOR]

Looking to flush, bleed brakes, and fill reservoir on my 2017. Does anyone have instructions/advice for this project?

 

[Goober-5TH]

I'm surprised you don't have a serious payload issue with an SRW truck and a 16K DRV trailer. If you haven't bled brakes before, you should seek on-site hands-on instruction to avoid introducing more air into the system than you remove. BTW, what makes you think you need to bleed the brakes in the first place? You might need brake pads. If the brake fluid has not been changed, you are around 4 years overdue for that maintenance as well.

 

[clev-THOR]

Thanks for the criticism, Goober. I criticize those that think they must have a dually for towing heavy loads. If you read my signature, you saw that my truck is performance built from front bumper to rear, and does not struggle under any condition. And at 4080 pounds each, the tires are not overloaded. I’ve always kept on top of maintenance and had a friend replace brake pads and bleed the system about 4 years ago. I, personally have not done it, but googled it, and asked here for friendly advice and information. It was a friendly request for advice about brake bleeding, that you failed to provide.

 

[Goober-5TH]

Not a criticism, buddy, but a warning. All of the modifications in the world do not change manufacturer-designated capacities, not even a coon tail or a pinwheel on the radio antenna. My hope for you is that you never have an at-fault accident if you are overloaded, because your insurance company will deny the claim, and you and everything you have worked for your entire life will be on your own. In fact, because of liability losses, insurance companies are known to review customers to see if there are mismatches between trailers and trucks insured on the same policy. When this is found, it is common to see the policy canceled. If a tort lawyer sees an overloaded truck in an accident, it is GAME ON!!. Don't take it from me. Do some checking on your own.

Bleeding the brakes is (usually) simple. Go from the caliper farthest from the pump to the one closest. Refill the brake pump after each bleed to avoid running it dry, and charge the system with air. Put a clear hose on the bleeder so you can see what is coming out of the caliper. Have someone apply brake and hold it until you tell them to release it. A cell phone helps when you are on the opposite side of the trailer. With the system FULLY pressurized (the pump will stop running), open the bleeder - just slightly. When bubbles stop coming from the caliper, close the bleed valve. Only then tell the person holding the brake to release it. Refill the brake pump reservoir, go to the next closest brake, and repeat until done. If the brake is released with a bleed valve open, air will be drawn into the system, and the whole job will have to be started over. Again, I'm wondering why you think you need this in the first place. If there is air in the system, bleeding it will not address the underlying issue of how the air got there in the first place. Good luck, and happy, safe trucking.

 

[clev-THOR]

Thank you, Goober, for the brake advice, but the rest is condescending, unappreciated crap. I saw your ‘coon tail’ comment on another post and started to comment, but did not want to get into it with you, but now you have chosen me. I am pushing 80 and have done my own work on cars, vans, trucks, motorcycles, RV’s, electricity, and plumbing for over 50 years. I went thru this GCWR and GVW crap with members on this forum about 10 years ago and was happy when it died down, but now you bring it again. People like you are so self righteous, and all you know is a few articles that you have read, or that someone told you, and you will be so hard headed that you will not listen to me here. I, along with a few others, including the previous one that you made the coon tail comment to, and contrary to your other comments, do have a brain. I have a Master’s in mathematics, with minor’s in physic's and science. I have towed my ‘18k’ trailer with my truck for 10 years over the highest mountains in WY and CO, with never an issue, and have passed other struggling duallys. In 10 years, my truck has never had any problems. Can I change gvwr and gvw printed on labels? NO! But that’s on paper and labels. Can I change it in actuality? You darn right I can. Front end work; engine work; transmission work; rear end work; suspension work. Sorry; I haven’t ranted this much since Pork Chop.

 

[clev-THOR]

Goober, please allow me to stop this before it goes further. Sorry for my rant. What you do works for you and what I do has worked for me all of my life. No use to discuss or argue about it.

 

[Goober-5TH]

I'm impressed at your credentials. I'm sure you would disregard my doctorate and extensive experience in third-party liability. I don't care. I know my truck is certified for the load it is carrying. I don't care about the rest, other than feeling a strong need to avoid obviously overloaded trucks by any means necessary. The only point I was trying to make is that if you intentionally choose to tow with a truck of any kind, including and up to a class-8 road tractor that is underrated for the job it is doing, and you find yourself in court, good luck. That is, if you live to get to court. And, as I said, don't take it from me. I never claimed to be an expert. Do your own research. Ask a tort defense lawyer or an insurance agent who actually knows what they are doing vs. taking legal advice from the geniuses that engage in flamboyantly ignorant activity and haunt these forums, dispensing categorically incorrect advice when so much is at stake. I wouldn't recommend that you ask your own insurance company because if you are over your truck's limits and you (innocently) bring it to their attention. . . .

FWIW, I recently changed the brakes on my 40KSSB4 after 3 YRS 10 months & 24,266 miles. The replacement pads cost almost $400! I think we both have 9KHD axles. BTW, was your trailer in the brake clip recall a few years back? Mine was the one that started the process that led to that recall. If your brake clips and hoses haven't been updated, I would absolutely get that done. You may as well go ahead and pack the bearings and replace the grease seals if they are over a year old while you're in there. Good luck.

 

[440scout]

I am also close to 80 but still do most of the maintenance and repairs to my truck and 5th wheel. It can be good stretching exercise! I bled the brakes on my 2012 Ram 3500 last year when I replaced the front calipers. I alway have a helper in the cab of the truck to "push" the brake pedal when I open the bleeder valve then "release" it after closing the valve when requested on each caliper. I always use DOT 4 brake fluid because it has a higher boiling point than DOT 3 fluid and it's only a few dollars more. Also, because the truck is a 4x4 it sits high enough so that I don't have to jack it up to do that work.

 

[clev-THOR]

Thank you for the reply 440.

 

[clev-THOR]

Duplicate

 

[clev-THOR]

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[clev-THOR]

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[clev-THOR]

440, although not having bled trailer brakes, I’ve done all of my vehicles for years. Now, I am in a wheelchair, and supervise my wife. She does all maintenance around our home and vehicles. One tip that I read about brake bleeding is to use the emergency pull pin on the brakes. When she is ready under the rv; I will pull the pin, activating all calipers, but allowing only the open valve to bleed. Replace the pin, while she tops off the booster, and repeat. I’ve never done that but hopefully it will work. Otherwise, I’move on to plan B.

 

[440scout]

Yes, thats how we bled the hydraulic disc brakes on our 5th wheel. That electric motor/pump is a little noisy after the pin is pulled but the procedure doesn't take very long. Fyi, the passenger side front leaf spring broke and damaged the brake hose which is why the system had to be bleed after the brake hose was replaced. I also replaced all 4 springs with new ones from Alcan Spring in Grand Junction Colorado. They cost more but they use steel produced in the USA and the springs are truly better designed than the original made in China ones. Alcan shipped the springs.

 

[clev-THOR]

Mine is the MorRyde IS system; no leaf springs. I ordered this RV and love everything about it, except I can’t find a disability lift to get me into it. I have to crawl up the steps.

 

[440scout]

That IS suspension is probably the best suspension available. I haven't seen a disability lift for a camper but if there's a demand for them, someone may know where to get one. I am also a member on the Grand Design, Jayco and Keystone forums because there is a lot of good information and stories to read. They are free to join and someone on one of those forums might know where to get one of those lifts. Also, we are members of the Escapees RV club and they may have information for you although you might have to pay to join. Here's their phone number. 936-327-8873. That Escapees RV club organizes lots of RV events all over the country and some in Mexico. They send you an email every week with new events and you can pick the ones you want to attend, they are all optional.

 

[Goober-5TH]

"I went thru this GCWR and GVW crap with members on this forum about 10 years ago and was happy when it died down, but now you bring it again. People like you are so self righteous, and all you know is a few articles that you have read, or that someone told you, and you will be so hard headed that you will not listen to me here."

It's not crap. It's data. Someone with your advanced education and self-proclaimed experience would know this. You cannot do anything to a vehicle and change its manufacturer specifications. PERIOD!! Not even deleting the Nancy Pelosi system or putting chips in the PCM. All that does is SEVERELY degrade the potential trade-in value of the vehicle or make it unsalable at any price. What impresses me is the morons who continue to perpetuate these fantasies and expect everyone to buy into the fact that they are smarter than their insurance company or tort lawyers. Good luck.

 

[clev-THOR]

Goober, I posted this a couple of days ago: "Goober, please allow me to stop this before it goes further". So why are you continueing to drag this out? It's over! I am not interested in anything that you want to post. I think you are full of crap and condescending, not just to me, but to others that you have responded to, so please, stop now. I have my beliefs based on 50 years of experience, that has worked for me, and I do not need you or anyone else to advise me. How is it your business how I, or others, conduct our business? You must be a liberal democrat and I think that you are blowing smoke about your education. That being said, post what you want; I have nothing else to say to you. You sir are an idiot that wants to push your beliefs on everyone else, and I am not interested. I am done with you and hope others are as well.

 

[Goober-5TH]

The first strategy of a moron who cannot win an argument on facts or logic is to personally attack the other side by demeaning, insulting, and criticizing them. I haven't done anything to inspire you to launch into a personal attack, and I expect that most intelligent people see it for what it is - mindless gyrations of a cretin who cannot make a logical argument or, more importantly, back it up with facts. The very fact that you stooped to this level says everything about who and what you really are. I have pity for you and wish you the best. And especially anyone who would mistakenly fall into your vortex of convoluted logic.

Meanwhile, I hope my advice was helpful, especially the parts about other critical brake system issues that you ignored.

 

[clev-THOR]

I attempted to stop this a few days ago and even apologized. My last post was my last, but like a child, you would not let it rest, you’re still tooting your toy plastic horn about nothing but crap. So not liking conversing with opinionated idiots, YOU ARE BLOCKED!!