2004 Camelot. In storage (blocks) for several months. Motorhome Will Not Move. Idea’s?

[NAMVET77]

My 04 Camelot has been sitting in the garage for a couple months on blocks.  I had multiple air leaks everywhere.  So I rebuilt front and rear air valves on the 6 packs.  Fixed leaks on both front and rear air tanks. The air dryer had a leak on one of the lines and the bottom of the air dryer housing had a leak on a rubber/plastic gizmo.  Replaced the housing and air dryer filter.  Had a leak on the rear air drain valve.  Removed the blocks the coach had been sitting on.  Couldn't find any more leaks so I started the engine and let the system run up on air (130 psi).  Blead the air down several times but applying the brakes and letting off.  The pressure relief valve finally popped.  I put it in gear to get off the boards I had driven up on to get some height and I could feel the transmission engage but when I gave it some throttle it would not move.  I put it in reverse and tried that and still would not move.  Recycled the air brake several times and put it in forward and reverse and gave it some throttle and it still won't budge.  I have it in travel mode with a green light.  Is there some procedure I have to do after changing out the air dryer housing?  Air is good.  I can hear the air release when I depress the air brake (emergency brake) and air lock on when I pull the air brake handle up to activate the brakes.  Bewildered!!!

Don Genesse     

[MurrayD]

If the brake shoes were damp when you originally parked it they may have rusted to the drums. This is a very common occurrence. You should be able to insert a small pry bar to break the shoes loose. Make sure the wheels are chocked and checked all wheels. This happened to me a few years ago, upon applying extra throttle the rear end gave out, very expensive lesson learned.

[Dr4Film]

I agree, it sure sounds like the shoes have rusted to the drums.

You need to free them up first then try again.

[NAMVET77]

Murry/Richard,

Thanks for your input.  I'm on my way out there now to see what I can do..  I did notice the front rotors have rusted up some but did not notice the rears rusted.  I'll chock it up and crawl under to check it out.  Thanks again.

Don

Richard,

I'll be in NH from the 20th of may until the 27th of May.  What campground are you at?  I hope we have time to come and say hi.  We will be in Londonderry at my moms house.  If you want to take this offline email me at hikenbike77@gmail.com.

Don

[Tom Cherry]

2 minutes ago, NAMVET77 said:

Murry/Richard,

Thanks for your input.  I'm on my way out there now to see what I can do..  I did notice the front rotors have rusted up some but did not notice the rears rusted.  I'll chock it up and crawl under to check it out.  Thanks again.

Don

Fascinating…..never depend on Monaco and sales brochure.  We are all on the same page….rusted or frozen “brake shoes”.  I pulled your brochure. Says, unless i MISREAD…..YOU GOT DRUMS??  Bottom line, I’m putting my money on the same color and number as the rest..

Now about them front’s?  We pull manuals and brochures to help folks.  LOL

 

[klcdenver]

It will be the rear brakes stuck. You can hit them with a hammer and break them loose. I just recently ripped my rear end because I couldn’t find a hammer where I was parked. So I tried rocking it and boom it stripped gears in the rear end. Only about a 5,000 fix. So beat them loose.

[Gary Cole]

If you have drum brakes remember that they are designed to use forward motion to increase shoe application force. So using reverse would be your safest choice.

Edited April 13 by Gary Cole

[Benjamin]

Brakes sticking is common if sitting a while or run in the rain and too cold to dry off.  But you were messing with the brakes so there's a possibility something is still applied, only you know if you messed anything up.  Easy to do with the internals of some of the valves possibly?  

Nobody has stated it because it's assumed, but you have to release the parking brakes before prying on the shoes or pounding on the drums.  That's why it's critical to chock all the wheels.  If you can, have somebody in the seat to apply and release the brakes so you can observe movement of the linkage, it should be tight when applied and loose when the service brakes and parking brake are released.  If the linkage does not get release, then you still have air pressure to the chamber. 

Edited April 13 by Benjamin

[NAMVET77]

Thanks everyone for the advice.  I do have disc’s brakes in the front and obviously drums in the rear. I will definitely chock it up and pry or lightly hammer the rear brakes to get them to release.  Tomorrow will be a great day. 
Don

[NAMVET77]

Well, today I learned how to cage the rear brakes.  Once caged, I drove off the ramps I was on.  No problem moving because the rear brakes were bypassed (caged).  I had front brakes so I could still stop.  I went up and down my drive way  (200 feet) several times (slowly).  Backed back in the garage and uncaged the rear brakes.  Started it up again and it would not move!!!🤒  Replacing the air dryer body should not have anything with the brakes other than drying the air (at least that is what I can figure out).   After some deep thinking on what I did with all the air leaks I had, I remembered I replaced the parking brake body you pull to engage the parking brake because it would leak air every time I applied the parking brake.  So, tomorrow's project is to open the side panel and double check everything I did there.  Took pics and put it back like it came apart.  It's pretty straight forward to replace.  But I'm thinking the issue is in the parking brake somewhere.  Any thoughts??

Don

[96 EVO]

13 minutes ago, NAMVET77 said:

   But I'm thinking the issue is in the parking brake somewhere.  Any thoughts??

Don

Possible.

If you had no issues moving your coach with the drive axle brakes caged, the shoes aren't stuck to the drums!

You also eliminated the possibility of your front pads stuck to the rotors.

Edited April 15 by 96 EVO

[Tom Cherry]

12 minutes ago, NAMVET77 said:

Well, today I learned how to cage the rear brakes.  Once caged, I drove off the ramps I was on.  No problem moving because the rear brakes were bypassed (caged).  I had front brakes so I could still stop.  I went up and down my drive way  (200 feet) several times (slowly).  Backed back in the garage and uncaged the rear brakes.  Started it up again and it would not move!!!🤒  Replacing the air dryer body should not have anything with the brakes other than drying the air (at least that is what I can figure out).   After some deep thinking on what I did with all the air leaks I had, I remembered I replaced the parking brake body you pull to engage the parking brake because it would leak air every time I applied the parking brake.  So, tomorrow's project is to open the side panel and double check everything I did there.  Took pics and put it back like it came apart.  It's pretty straight forward to replace.  But I'm thinking the issue is in the parking brake somewhere.  Any thoughts??

Don

BINGO.  If you caged and drove it….and then went back to “auto” and the brake switch ain’t releasing….time to do some exploratory surgery and see what ails the patient….

A NEW Nassan (spelling) switch might be a good investment….especially for your mental health and well being….

[NAMVET77]

Update on the parking brake not releasing.  During my search for air leaks (found a whole bunch) I replaced a dozen or so brass fittings that were leaking.  On the front tank there is a 3 way check valve and it was leaking at the tank,  There are 3 air lines that attach to the 3 way check valve (silver, red and green).  I took a picture of the set up, removed the lines and fittings and replaced the fittings.  Reinstalled the air lines as per the picture (or as I thought I did).  Checked for leaks and there were none.  Moved on to other leaks.  Anyway, after a lot of double and triple checking the green and red lines at the 3 way check valve were reversed.  Switched the air lines and now the parking brake releases!!!🤪  Now we are getting ready to go to the MS rally.  Thanks for the input even though the problem was self inflected.

Don

[Tom Cherry]

9 hours ago, NAMVET77 said:

Update on the parking brake not releasing.  During my search for air leaks (found a whole bunch) I replaced a dozen or so brass fittings that were leaking.  On the front tank there is a 3 way check valve and it was leaking at the tank,  There are 3 air lines that attach to the 3 way check valve (silver, red and green).  I took a picture of the set up, removed the lines and fittings and replaced the fittings.  Reinstalled the air lines as per the picture (or as I thought I did).  Checked for leaks and there were none.  Moved on to other leaks.  Anyway, after a lot of double and triple checking the green and red lines at the 3 way check valve were reversed.  Switched the air lines and now the parking brake releases!!!🤪  Now we are getting ready to go to the MS rally.  Thanks for the input even though the problem was self inflected.

Don

Great….one word of caution.  There are “plumbing” brass fittings and DOT Approved Air Systems brass fittings.  Most folks buy the fittings at a Truck Supply house and they are higher pressure DOT approved.  You can, from time to time, find air and plumbing fittings at Lowes or a hardware store.  Just be aware that the MH came with all High Pressure DOT approved fittings….  Temporary in the field….use them,  long range….put back in the DOT approved ones….