Well my fellow Rvers, the latest on my auto park problems. The shop found after two weeks of trouble shooting one of the pressure swithes shorted out causing the auto brakes to apply while in motion, thus over heating the brake shoes and related hardware in the auto park assembly. On the instrument cluster they found it shorted out. To make a long story short, my extended warranty will pay for the replacement of the instrument cluster but not the repair of the auto park system, except for the pressure switch, they pay to replace it.
My problem with the way the policy is written is, they would cover the root problem (switch) but not the resulting damages created by the mechanical failure. So I would be $1100 out of pocket.
kiloo9 wrote: Well my fellow Rvers, the latest on my auto park problems. The shop found after two weeks of trouble shooting one of the pressure swithes shorted out causing the auto brakes to apply while in motion, thus over heating the brake shoes and related hardware in the auto park assembly. On the instrument cluster they found it shorted out. To make a long story short, my extended warranty will pay for the replacement of the instrument cluster but not the repair of the auto park system, except for the pressure switch, they pay to replace it.
My problem with the way the policy is written is, they would cover the root problem (switch) but not the resulting damages created by the mechanical failure. So I would be $1100 out of pocket.
Yes, extended warranties always have a problem with the way they are written except for the company who wrote it, but thats for another discussion and these forums are full of them.
Sounds like the culprit is infamous RGS again and I shouldn't have to tell you to buy another one immediately so as to have a spare on board.
Just to recount here a little, this pressure switch seldom causes instant death. It usually shorts out (stays closed from it's normally closed position) and begins to leak a little oil. The warning light comes on assuming that your dash indicator is working, which is controlled by another pressure switch,..... and the pump keeps cycling because of it's built in thermo overload and due to the high pressure build up caused by the said switch not opening. Everything is still OK at this point, like the person going by the 10th floor after falling from a 20 story building.
Now eventually, some sooner and some later, the switch does a burst causing a rapid depletion of the fluid reservoir, thereby killing the pressure from the pump and applying the brake.
A very easy fix usually as soon as you see the light come on, assuming you have a spare.
I did my one and only so far in a KOA campground on a Sunday morning while DW was at the laundry, which took more time to remove the cover from the works and reinstall it than anything else. Those who choose to do their own work should do a dry run with this, familiarizing yourself with the parts and maybe drilling out the holes bigger in the access plate for easier removal and assembly.
"We are often so caught up in our destination that we forget to appreciate the journey."
1998 36ft. National Tropi-Cal Model 6350, with a tag axle and one slide, on a 1997 P32 Chevy chassis....7.4 Vortec Engine
What I am puzzel on this repair job is tha cost ($1100). I have no idea how many parts they claim got damaged, if this set up is something like the old cars drum brakes, there can't be that many parts. Would you have by any chance an scketch of the assembly?
kiloo9 wrote: What I am puzzel on this repair job is tha cost ($1100). I have no idea how many parts they claim got damaged, if this set up is something like the old cars drum brakes, there can't be that many parts. Would you have by any chance an scketch of the assembly?
If you still have the J71 version, which is what I'm guessing then it's nothing more than a drum brake ass'y mounted on the drive shaft behind the tranny and actuated by a heavy steel cable that is connected to the spring actuator. The later J72 is a disk brake mounted in the same fashion with a hydraulic feed in place of the steel cable.
I have some knowledge of the J71 version III which is what I have. All of it's guts are down under on the passenger side, whereas half of yours is mounted under the hood on the drivers side next to the radiator...if indeed you have the J71, which again, I think you do.
I have most everything for my version III, except for internal pictures of the drum ass'y, but then most every amateur knows what that looks like.
As far as the exorbitant costs for repairs, you must remember that it is very expensive when paying for trial and error, installing unneeded parts, and then the cost of job training. I mean you don't expect them to swallow all of this do you?
Have you ever noticed how it can take you all day long to a job for the very first time and then it only takes a half hour the next time?
PM me with your addy, if you desire anything specific on the system and I do have some AP selects that I can send you or anyone else thats interested.
If you really want to get in to it, contact our tireless AP guru....oldusedbear. Not only is he an international expert, but a great guy as well.
Tropical36 as you and everybody else suggested, I contacted guru..oldusedbear and he provide me with great information and you are right he is a great guy. I will going to the shop this morning to challenge the repair base on parts/labor if I am not satisfy, I will be bringing the coach home and work on it on my own, off course with guru..oldusedbear guidance. Have a great day
Well my friends, I finally got the coach back from repairs to the Auto park system and the instrument cluster failure. Taking the advice from some of you, I did contact "Oldusedbear" he provided me with all the info to repair the system including literature and drawings. The shop went though the diagnostics and came up with having to replace damaged brakeing parts at the brake drum, cable assembly, and the imfamose "green switch" whitch by the way shorted out causing the Auto parking pump to released the parking brake while in motion, for some reason the instrument cluster shorted out too. After some wheeling and dealing, my extende warranty with Good Sams,and Progressive Ins. the coach was repaired with only the deductables out of packet.
With all the concerns, info and adviced from all intrested, I sure learned a lot, I will be ready if this happens again.
Thanks to all.
A special "Big Thank You" to Roger, "Oldusedbear".
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11/27/09 10:52pm
