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Help! M y brakes!

K

Kimberley_5082260

I've just fitted new oil seals and brake shoes to my 1984 Ace Marauder 360CT. I now have a problem. Forward, the brakes are fine but I am able to push the van backwards whilst the handbrake is on.

Any suggestions?
 
I seem to have herd that the brakes on a caravan work differently to a car brakes.

I ham not quite shore how they work. But it was sed you have to go forward a bit before you put the brake on. Has the brake move when you go backwards. So when you go forward that litte bit it movers it back so it works rith.

I hope this help you.

Mark
 
I seem to have herd that the brakes on a caravan work differently to a car brakes.

I ham not quite shore how they work. But it was sed you have to go forward a bit before you put the brake on. Has the brake move when you go backwards. So when you go forward that litte bit it movers it back so it works rith.

I hope this help you.

Mark
Click to expand...
Hi, Have you got the brake lever pulled into a vertical position? the brake should engage with 3 clicks on the hand brake, this will stop the wheel moving forward but not back because of the reversing mechanism, pull the handbrake up into a vertical position then give it a try backward, the wheel should move about an eigth of a turn then stop if the brakes are adjusted correctly,always adjust the brakes from the hub to the front of the van, not front to back.
 
Your problem is due to the breaking mechanism on your caravan and is not unusual. I am sure you will be given some good advice before too long.
 
You say you've fitted new brake shoes, but have not said that the brakes have been properly adjusted.

Most mechanisms need to be adjusted at the drums first and the handbrake lever last, but if you are not sure what you are doing then get a caravan engineer to do it. Don't risk the set-up being wrong in any way.
 
Just an idea - you might like to buy a copy of the Haynes manual on Caravan servicing - it covers braking systems and other simple or advanced DIY jobs.

Robert
 
Now then a 1984 caravan, does it have the auto reverse that everyone is assuming it has.

My 1987 esterel certainly hasn't, if the handbrake is on its going nowhere, forwards or backwards.

didnt auto reverse come in much later than 84 ?????
 
Hi Keith, I,m pretty sure it was around 1982 when alko took over BB and phased in the auto reverse,could be wrong though!!!
 
thanks metz, i have no idea when they came in thats why i commented.

If the brakes arnt adjusted properly u will certainly have probs with an auto reverse system.

At 3 clicks it should lock forwards but not backwards, at much more, i.e 6 clicks to maximum ark it should lock altogether.
 
My '81 Osprey has auto-reverse brakes.

The system works by dislocating the shoes when the drum turns backwards. Correct adjustment is imperative as already stated. I can scan the various instructions I have on brake adjustment if you feel it would help. That caravan manual makes a good read too.
 
Come on Metzs you should know mines got Knott auto reverse and that's 1980!! and I think it was out a few years before that.

My handbook states that if the van has been pushed backward before unhitching then chock the wheels if on a slope because the handbrake will not work.

In practice this is not true as long as they are correctly adjusted, which means normally the handbrake is full on with three notches but in reverse it's almost all the way up as it takes up the slack created by the reverse mechanism.

I don't know which design this one is but mine uses a 'slipper' shoe which collapses into itself when reversing. In this case you must make sure the shoe is up in the forward position while making the adjustments and whatever you do never spin the wheel backward until you have finished.

There are lots of other bits and bobs to think about which makes these systems work just right such as cables and other moving parts being free to move. Plus the amount of free movement in the hitch head before it puts the brakes on...something else my manual was wrong about but then it said they were Lockheed brakes and there Knott!!!
 
Come on Metzs you should know mines got Knott auto reverse and that's 1980!! and I think it was out a few years before that.

My handbook states that if the van has been pushed backward before unhitching then chock the wheels if on a slope because the handbrake will not work.

In practice this is not true as long as they are correctly adjusted, which means normally the handbrake is full on with three notches but in reverse it's almost all the way up as it takes up the slack created by the reverse mechanism.

I don't know which design this one is but mine uses a 'slipper' shoe which collapses into itself when reversing. In this case you must make sure the shoe is up in the forward position while making the adjustments and whatever you do never spin the wheel backward until you have finished.

There are lots of other bits and bobs to think about which makes these systems work just right such as cables and other moving parts being free to move. Plus the amount of free movement in the hitch head before it puts the brakes on...something else my manual was wrong about but then it said they were Lockheed brakes and there Knott!!!
Click to expand...
Hey Gary, Read my earlier comments!!!!!!
 
All 1984 ABI caravans, including the Marauder, were built on Al-Ko chassis with auto reverse brakes.

Adjusting the brakes has to be done in the correct sequence.

Adjust brake drums first, then adjust the equaliser linkage, finally the over-run linkage.

When adjusted properly, the handbrake should hold - on the level - on it's 2nd click. However to park, it should always be fully operated, ie vertical, to ensure sufficient pre-load to prevent the caravan slipping backwards.
 
Don't know how true this is but I was once manually manovering my previous ABI 1997 vintage van near a lake in France. An old english guy who was already on site came up to me and said " I would be carefull near that water if I were you, you do realise that caravan brakes do not work in reverse" here endeth the quote. I have never thought to check this out to see if he was telling the truth or if it was just his misguided belief.
 
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