Thor Forums

[Porthole]

Originally Posted by Cummins12V98

What are the brake issues you speak of?

Brakes - specific to 9K MORryde IS suspension. And although it is on a DRV, it is not a DRV caused problem.

The 9K brakes are actually 10K parts from Kodiak.
We have had problems since new with the brakes dragging, evident by very dark wheels after every trip from the brake dust.

Initially I used a digital fish scale and a strap around the tires to gauge drag. 35-40 pounds of drag on each wheel.

Between DRV and Dexter (parent company of Kodiak now) Dexter, working at the DRV facility changed out at our first visit to Howe on each wheel location:
Rotors
Calipers
Caliper brackets
Pads

That partially fixed the drag for a few months I think.

After the national rally last June at the MOR/ryde facility, Dexter authorized a change out on one wheel rotor, caliper, bracket and pads and all 4 flex hoses. I also picked up a couple of brake hoses as I knew there was some issues with the flare snapping off.

After the next visit to Howe in August I went back to the Dexter facility with one wheel still dragging. By this time, working with our trailer Dexter determined that the caliper retaining clips were made incorrectly and had new clips made.

The spring clips were holding too much pressure on the caliper and not allowing it to release, causing the brake drag.

At this visit it was instantly recognized that as soon as the bolt was loosened the rotor spun freely. Dexter changed out all 8 clips, supplied me with a new set of pads and one rotor which had approximately 900 miles of brake drag.

We left Dexter, 900 miles later I lost brakes north of Boston on the interstate. Turns out one of the flex hoses snapped at the flare. Doesn't take long for the Carlisle pump to dump it's load.

Piece of cake I thought, I had a spare hose and brake fluid.
When I pulled the wheel I found one of the clips bent upwards at the outer edges. Very odd, would indicate the caliper was trying to ride out of the bracket.

I replaced the brakes lines and when I went to bleed the brakes the bleeder screw popped off the fixed bushing. Turns out the the fixed part had a hairline crack, evident by discoloration of the brass. No bleeder screws available in the hills of New Hampshire, so I made up a bleeder with a JIC fitting and cap, crude but works.

That was all last year. This year between the virus and civil unrest we have only made two trips, about 1300 miles total.
When we got back this week I decide to wash the wheels as they were a bit dirty, but one was noticeably darker.

Raise the trailer to check and it would barely spin and is grinding. Even with a brake drag I didn't think pads would be trashed in 1300 miles.

Pull the wheel and much to my surprise the caliper has bent the bracket again and the rear portion (9K brakes have a top mounted caliper) was up above the slide area. The grinding noise was the caliper grinding on the inside of the wheel. Cleaned it up, bent the spring clip back and put it back together. Waiting to hear from Dexter again.