To Mike Leary: The Mico Levr-Lock is a manually controllable check valve that allows you to step on the brakes, shift a lever, and hold the brake pressure just as if you were still stepping on the brakes. This 310 had no parking brake (maybe it had a drive line brake before the Gear Vendors was added, but there isn't one now). I first used them in fire trucks that had Allison automatic transmissions (which have no Park).
I see that the Mico instructions say not to use these things for more than an hour. Maybe that's the problem, I used it at least overnight, maybe these hoses don't like to have pressure for that long. I think I have enough info to chase this all down now... arrgh.
To rchinny and overlander63, thanks for the troubleshooting points. Aside from this problem, the brakes work fine -- they are certainly more powerful than the Isuzu or 11,000 pounds empty going downhill. There is one steel line to the back, a cube-shaped tee and steel lines to the calipers, with short rubber sections. The mechanic who came out to look also mentioned this possibility that the rubber lines had deteriorated to the point where they would act like checkvalves ... we'll see.
Now I wonder why Bendix/GM disk brake calipers have metric bleeder screws !?
Wow, I wonder how many 310s that had Gear Vendors installed have the Lever-Lock?
I have a U.S. Gear od with the drum brake on the stern.
I don't know. Lever-Locks are popular on fire trucks, delivery vans, tow trucks, etc. The "mobile mechanic" who responded when we were locked up on the road was of the opinion that Lever-Locks were illegal in California. Looking this up a bit more, it seems to be not quite the case -- they are OK but we do need a parking brake that is entirely separate (except for drums, rotors, shoes, etc.) from the service brake system. So I guess we will be looking for a drive line brake system anyway.
arrr! bad MC from napa!
2 days of bleeding breaks and finally we now see brake fluid gushing from between the reservoir and cylinder.
...and a petal that wont return from the down position.
i'm walking in youz guys footsteps, your information is invaluable.
__________________
1984 310 Limited Motorhome
The moon of a bright silver, which dazzles by its shining, illumines a world which surely is no longer ours; for it resembles in nothing what may be seen in other lands.
-pierre loti
arrr! bad MC from napa!
2 days of bleeding breaks and finally we now see brake fluid gushing from between the reservoir and cylinder.
...and a petal that wont return from the down position.
i'm walking in youz guys footsteps, your information is invaluable.
Mary, I feel your pain . We went through something similar when we had our brake m/c and booster replaced. Took the shop a month to figure out they had the wrong parts/bad parts/miss matched parts. I posted a long thread on it a couple of years ago.
One thing to keep in mind, the shop doing our work couldn't get the brakes bleed until they bought a power bleeder. They still went through 3 or 4 gallons of fluid before they got it right. However a shop that had worked on our brakes previously (and did a great job) told me that the key to bleeding the brakes was slow steady down pressure on the pedal while the bleeder was open. He said fast pedal pushing during the bleeding cycle didn't help things, actually made it worse.
Good luck and let us know how it works out.
Brad
__________________ "Wherever you go... there you are." - Buckaroo Banzai
Air forums # 1674
1984 310 Limited Motorhome
1974 31' Excella 500 (future hauler for 2 Triumph race cars)
1974 20' Argosy Motorhome (future Excella 500 tow vehicle)
When they let us rebuild the MC with a kit, we never had this problem.
Had the Lever-Lock on a VW dune buggy, same results...locked up the brakes even though the knob popped up as if it had released.
If you can use the vacuum method, it is a one man job.
Just be sure to draw fluid from low to high.
__________________ Your opinion is valued, please not your opinion of someones else's opinion.
2nd MC installed...just about 4 or 5 gallons of break fluid later....and 4 qts of power steering fluid....and countless hours slowly bleeding the breaks
but now i have solid breaks
but guess what...now the power steering is acting up and making a grinding noise when i make right hand turns
...how 'bout a new belt and pump and possibly replace those lines too
__________________
1984 310 Limited Motorhome
The moon of a bright silver, which dazzles by its shining, illumines a world which surely is no longer ours; for it resembles in nothing what may be seen in other lands.
-pierre loti
Mary, seems to me I recall that air in the power steering system can cause the noise. If I'm not loosing my mind...(unlikely) you will get the best results by lifting the front end off the ground and cycling the steering from lock to lock a number of times to bleed the air out.
Without going into search mode, due to limited available time, I'm doing this from faulty memory.
Perhaps others will chime in on this subject too.
__________________
Glen Coombe AIR #8416
1984 28' Funeral Coach
Golf Professional Sales Rolling Showroom & PuttLab
"I'm not an expert. But I did sleep in an Airstream last night."
From what I remember I think you're right on the money about getting the front wheels off the ground and turning the steering wheel lock to lock to bleed the air from the system.
I would think if the power steering was working ok before the brake work then it should be ok after the brake work.
Just my $0.02
Brad
__________________ "Wherever you go... there you are." - Buckaroo Banzai
Air forums # 1674
1984 310 Limited Motorhome
1974 31' Excella 500 (future hauler for 2 Triumph race cars)
1974 20' Argosy Motorhome (future Excella 500 tow vehicle)
wow thank you guys sooo much
once again these threads saved us while on the road
everything is working tip top now.
Brad i am so glad you documented all your brake nightmare, i am following in your footsteps
and Mr Mike Leary, i think we just passed you in Flagstaff...!@#!
We are in Albuquerque, and headed north to Santa Fe
...time to look up all the threads about winterizing..lol
i'd love to meet up...where are you headed?
4000 mile trip and the only major repair was the MC and power steering issue..but i can blame that on Big Sur, Ca.
__________________
1984 310 Limited Motorhome
The moon of a bright silver, which dazzles by its shining, illumines a world which surely is no longer ours; for it resembles in nothing what may be seen in other lands.
-pierre loti
Mr Mike Leary, i think we just passed you in Flagstaff...!@#!
That indeed was us, sorry to miss you! Were you on 66? We're headed south, but hanging north until the weather cools; northern thick blood, you know. Send us a pm if you're in the area.
__________________
1983 310 Turbo Diesel Mo/Ho "Bess" 212,835 miles
Full timing since 1994
Quick Links
AIR #8416
Hybrid Mode
