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Driving with parking brake on


westlynch

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Well, here's the update:
I got to the Chevy dealer early this morning and was told they could not help me. They were nice and several tried to find someone nearby who would but heard the same thing I heard. One young man called his uncle in Mt. Airy, another 30 minutes up the road from Winston-Salem. He works on big trucks and said he could help me do up the road I went.
He found that something was touching the drum (?) so he disengaged the parking brake and adjusted it. We tested it on an incline in his yard and it held!
Being as Mt. Airy is aka Mayberry, I had to go into town to check it out. I parked in the lot of a funeral home and set the brake. It held! Had it not held, it would have coasted backward into a grassy area.
When I got back to the coach and got back on the road, it felt funny. It felt like there was a governor on it or something like that. I found an incline and tested the Park function and sure enough, it rolled forward several feet until I stopped it with the regular brake.
So I called the shop back and they had me drive back in. I explained that it seemed fine until I set the parking brake so he looked again and determined that the parking brake wasn't releasing. So he got it to release and we decided that I won't use it until I can get it in to someone who will look at the whole issue. I'll be buying chocks as soon as I can get to a store and I'll be parking on level ground.
But, I just got back to my campground in Advance and it is not holding. So there goes $75. The people at the shop were very, very nice and he really tried hard to help, which was nice to find.

So, I think Dutch_12078 has stated the issue correctly and that there is something wrong with the hydraulic system bc it's not releasing the brake.

I'm going to be workkamping near Pueblo CO in early May. I would like to steer toward a shop anywhere between NC and CO that will actually fix this problem. Can anyone recommend such a place?

Maureen
1994 Fleetwood Southwind 31'
Chevy 454 Forward Control Chassis

"Enough is as good as a feast."~Mary Poppins

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I wish I could be of more help, Maureen, but I haven't seen an auto-park system in years, much less worked on one. At 73, my memories of the finer points about them are long gone.

Dutch
2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A
F-53 Chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS
2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump
ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/brake system

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Roger Haag, aka oldusedbear, started an AutoPark Library on another web site (RV.net). I had the same problem with the Autopark brake on a 1995 Bounder. Contacting him will be a great help to you. I have saved all my emails with him as PDF files and would like to share them, but I don't know how to on this forum. They even have pictures so that you know what you're looking at.

2002 NuWa HitchHiker II 31 FKTG, Onan Generator, HWH Levelling, RVFlexArmor roof

2005 Chevy Silverado 2500 Crew Cab, Long Bed, SRW, 8.1L

B&W Companion Fifth Wheel Hitch

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I've heard about him and sent an email but to a different address. I haven't heard back yet so I'll forward the whole thing again. Thank you.

Maureen
1994 Fleetwood Southwind 31'
Chevy 454 Forward Control Chassis

"Enough is as good as a feast."~Mary Poppins

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I believe that the Autopark brake system requires hydraulic fluid in order to release the brake. Often times, a little green switch is the problem. It is located in a metal box under the passenger side of the RV, just behind the front tire. A few screws will open this box. When the switch fails, it leaks like crazy. The reservoir should be in the box as well, or if older model, under the hood.

 

If you PM me, I'll email you my PDF's. They have pictures and step by step instructions. This could help whoever works on it to get it up and running.

2002 NuWa HitchHiker II 31 FKTG, Onan Generator, HWH Levelling, RVFlexArmor roof

2005 Chevy Silverado 2500 Crew Cab, Long Bed, SRW, 8.1L

B&W Companion Fifth Wheel Hitch

Me and Mama and the fur-kid:
Prince - chihuahua-pug mix

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Here's the latest.
I can drive this thing just fine and I'm still getting the same gas mileage and can use all the gears except Park so I continued my trip. I was headed to Wheaton IL and was routed through IN so I thought maybe someone in the Elkhart area might be up to the task. I also recalled a mechanic friend who lived near Indy and called him. He's an instructor in auto mechanics now but he did some legwork and set up an appointment for me with a Ford dealership that works on fleet trucks and cars. They put it up on the lift but decided that they were hesitant to do the work bc they'd have to figure it out, find parts, and couldn't even start it until Monday. They suggested I take it to an RV place and thought going to Elkhart was a good idea.
So, back to the phone. I didn't find a place in Elkhart but someone I spoke with suggested Kelley Chevrolet and RV in Ft. Wayne. I called and spoke to Ken who said he's seen and repaired this before and likely has all the parts! I have an appointment there on Monday morning. Fingers crossed I'll be on my way to CO by Tuesday morning!
I did hear back from Roger who said he wanted to talk to the person who will be doing the work. I've kept him updated as to who that might be but haven't heard any more from him.
rvrev2, I'll keep your offer in mind as well. Thank you so much.

BTW, the Ford place seemed to think I had two issues: the PB and the Transmission. He asked me if putting it in Park held before this issue cropped up. Welll....in years and years of driving a stick shift, I would automatically use the PB when stopped and I do the same thing with the rig when I'm on any kind of a slope. It sure seems to hold fine when I'm flat or if the rig is nose up. In other words, it only rolls forward, not backward. Anyway Ford thinks there is a pawl in the Transmission. But wouldn't it work for backward motion, too?

What an adventure! And, into the bargain, I get to drive all over these wonderful Indiana roads. They look like they've been hit with meteors.

Maureen
1994 Fleetwood Southwind 31'
Chevy 454 Forward Control Chassis

"Enough is as good as a feast."~Mary Poppins

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This is a phone number for Workhorse that may help.

877-246-7731

Last summer I had a brake problem on Workhorses chassis and that is where I found tech support.

They should be able to send you to a registered shop.

Or then can talk someone through the problem.

 

Safe Travels. Vern

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BTW, the Ford place seemed to think I had two issues: the PB and the Transmission. He asked me if putting it in Park held before this issue cropped up. Welll....in years and years of driving a stick shift, I would automatically use the PB when stopped and I do the same thing with the rig when I'm on any kind of a slope. It sure seems to hold fine when I'm flat or if the rig is nose up. In other words, it only rolls forward, not backward. Anyway Ford thinks there is a pawl in the Transmission. But wouldn't it work for backward motion, too?

 

 

 

I think that Ford dealer should stick to Ford's... :blink:

 

GM has a long history of automatic transmissions with no park pawl. Anyone remember the Corvair Powerglide? Some versions of the 50-60's Hydramatics? And no auto-park on those either... It was either set the e-brake, or if the cable was broken, stick a brick behind a wheel! :D

Dutch
2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A
F-53 Chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS
2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump
ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/brake system

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I think that Ford dealer should stick to Ford's... :blink:

 

GM has a long history of automatic transmissions with no park pawl. Anyone remember the Corvair Powerglide? Some versions of the 50-60's Hydramatics? And no auto-park on those either... It was either set the e-brake, or if the cable was broken, stick a brick behind a wheel! :D

 

I'm in the habit of chocking my wheels when I park (along with the parking brake).

 

I like the visual confirmation that nothings going to be going nowhere before I climb in back.

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I'm in the habit of chocking my wheels when I park (along with the parking brake).

 

I like the visual confirmation that nothings going to be going nowhere before I climb in back.

 

There's nothing wrong with a "belt and suspenders" approach... :D

Dutch
2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A
F-53 Chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS
2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump
ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/brake system

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  • 3 weeks later...

Sorry for the delay! I've been doing a lot of driving and now am at my workkamping job in Colorado so internet has been sketchy.
Bottom line is that I left North Carolina for Indiana. A mechanic friend hooked me up with a Ford dealership in Brownsburg IN and they put it up on the lift but decided that although they had the ability to fix it, they didn't have the time or the parts to do the repair quickly. After several calls to places in and near Elkhart, someone suggested I call Kelley Chevrolet and RV in Ft. Wayne, IN.
Bingo! I feel like I found a RV fairy godmother! They recognized the problem and knew how to fix it. I had an appt for the following Monday morning. Upon arrival, I was met and directed to a level place to stop. As soon as I disconnected the toad, they pulled it into a bay and put it up on a lift. I had a diagnosis in less than 45 minutes. They replaced the worn brakes pads and explained that I should use the parking brake as an emergency brake only bc putting the transmission in park was sufficient. While waiting for parts, they installed the genny filters that I bought in Quartszite, installed new windshield wiper blades and installed the new tow plug that I also bought in Quartszite. I was out the door by 2 that day and the total repair plus the extras was under $500.

Maureen
1994 Fleetwood Southwind 31'
Chevy 454 Forward Control Chassis

"Enough is as good as a feast."~Mary Poppins

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