Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 04-15-2018, 09:47 AM   #1
New Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Jefferson, Georgia
Posts: 4
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: international
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 65
Hydraulic brake issue

I have a 1995 blue bird international t444e 3800.

I have brake fluid leaking out between the master cylinder and the electric booster pump.

Booster pump is perpendicular to master cylinder, type 4 I believe.

Is this a common problem with an easy fix? or do i need to replace the entire assembly.

My initial research has only revealed the master cylinder and booster pump are rather expensive.

Any info will be appreciated.

Borday is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-15-2018, 12:25 PM   #2
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Owasso, OK
Posts: 2,627
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner MVP ER
Engine: Cummins 6CTA8.3 Mechanical MD3060
Rated Cap: 46 Coach Seats, 40 foot
One of the reasons that hydraulic brakes are less popular, is that if they fail you are in trouble, and when they corrode they could fail.

Your brakes, if original (and they very well could be) are 23 years old. That's 23 years of the fluid absorbing moisture, and even with regular fluid changes that moisture has bee attacking the brake lines and cylinders.

I would not be happy until all the steel brake-lines had been replaced, likewise all the cylinders. This part of the job shouldn't be horribly expensive. Steel brake-line and a flare tool are pretty cheap, and you have all the OE lines to use as patterns.

As for the master cylinder and pump ... Look around, often you can get rebuild kits that are much cheaper than the full part, and they restore the working bits to "as new".

Hydraulic brakes are simple, reliable and in some ways they are better for driving than air-brakes, but they require rigorous maintenance and if you have an AT545 transmission, they require that you develop a routine for long downgrades that won't overheat them.
__________________
Steve Bracken

Build Thread
Twigg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-15-2018, 12:49 PM   #3
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Georgia
Posts: 2,264
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: IH
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 14
You live not far from me (I'm close to Braselton GA).
Brad_SwiftFur is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-15-2018, 02:02 PM   #4
Bus Geek
 
o1marc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brad_SwiftFur View Post
You live not far from me (I'm close to Braselton GA).
I'm about 30-35 miles from you both. I was at Road Atlanta yesterday for the motorcycle races. I raced at Lanier Speedway, across the street, for 18 years.
o1marc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-16-2018, 09:53 AM   #5
New Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Jefferson, Georgia
Posts: 4
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: international
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 65
Thanks for the responses.
Bus and I are currently in sequoia national foreest for the summer so I have time to rebuild the brakes before the down hill trip. guess I'll get a p.o. box and start ordering parts.
Borday is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:19 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.