Freezing Parking Brake

[gslader]

Truck is a 2003 M1078A1, So we’ve had temps in the teens to twenties (F) along with some flooding over the last few days and after driving my truck through some of the standing water (foot and an half or so) then parking over night I’ve had real problems with my rear parking brake releasing (even bumping it a bit in gear won’t get it to release). I’ve had to resort to using a heat gun on it to thaw out the air cans. A couple of points to note:
1). I did a full rebuild of the air dryer with new desiccant in May of 2022 so I don’t think there is water in the air lines
2) In thawing out the air cans (there are two on each rear wheel) I saw that the Anchorlok caging plugs are missing on both of the rearward cans on my two rear wheels so I am surmising that I’m getting water ingress there and that is then freezing and keeping the brakes from releasing when the emergency brake is released.

Does that sound right? Any other suggestions of where to look? This seems like it shouldn’t happen. Any input appreciated.

https://youtube.com/shorts/eNbM5CYygCs?feature=share

 

[spankybear]

On my truck the shoes will rust to the drum. We don't get that many cold days. I don't think your issue is ice but rust since you said you drove though water. I rock my truck back and forth to release the rust. You will know when you hear the loud BAM! Or youtube and a BFH!

 

[gslader]

On my truck the shoes will rust to the drum. We don't get that many cold days. I don't think your issue is ice but rust since you said you drove though water. I rock my truck back and forth to release the rust. You will know when you hear the loud BAM! Or youtube and a BFH!

It was less than 12 hours between driving it so I don’t think it was rust. I did have it lock up on me last spring once after sitting for a few weeks and that I do think was rust, but this time I don’t think there is enough time for rust to form (and also the chemical oxidation of iron is significantly slowed by cold/freezing weather making this even less likely - I think). I appreciate the comment though it is food for thought.

 

[spankybear]

and chocks and bfh

 

[spankybear]

It was less than 12 hours between driving it so I don’t think it was rust. I did have it lock up on me last spring once after sitting for a few weeks and that I do think was rust, but this time I don’t think there is enough time for rust to form (and also the chemical oxidation of iron is significantly slowed by cold/freezing weather making this even less likely - I think). I appreciate the comment though it is food for thought.

Frozen is frozen rust or ice... BFH unless you never drain your air tanks....

 

[gslader]

and chocks and bfh

Thanks. Helpful video.

 

[Ronmar]

Don't put them away wet… after immersion, ride them enough to get them warm enough to dry out. If it is below,freezing, they will freeze, if they set for any length of time, they will rust/fuse…

 

[gslader]

Don't put them away wet… after immersion, ride them enough to get them warm enough to dry out. If it is below,freezing, they will freeze, if they set for any length of time, they will rust/fuse…

There is probably 200lbs of ice on the undercarriage/superstructure of my truck. I’ve parked it in the garage which is marginally above freezing so it will melt off over the coming several days but I’m heading home so will just have to deal with it next time I come up - I expect that the brake shoes will be rusted to the drums at that point. Has anyone used any kind of water displacement fluid (boeshield or similar) to help alleviate rusting during medium term storage - without degrading braking ability?

 

[Keith Knight]

What I’ve started doing is if there is any chance of wet brakes when parking I do NOT set the parking brake and just use wheel chocks.

 

[chucky]

In the winter time just pull up against tree /rock/chock what ever till every thing cools down then you can set the parking break ! If you set it while still hot it will sweat then freeze the shoes to the drum just keep some split firewood with you to use for wheel chocks

 

[gslader]

What I’ve started doing is if there is any chance of wet brakes when parking I do NOT set the parking brake and just use wheel chocks.

Good suggestion.

 

[gslader]

Confirmation question. All of the cage bolt openings should have dust covers on them correct?

 

[Keith Knight]

Absolutely keeps everything out as much as possible.

 

[gslader]

Absolutely keeps everything out as much as possible.

Thank you!

 

[Ronmar]

yep, dust plugs in the caging holes… What Keith said is a good idea, except in order to do this long term, you either need to provide supplemental air, or cage the brake springs… They will stay disengaged as long as the air lasts, but when it leaks away they will re-engage(and the park handle will pop out). Depending on how tight your system is, this could give you a fair bit of time in which they could dry, but given the lack of airflow into that .020” gap, they probably wont dry much before the air leaks off. Depending on how leaky your system is, hooking it to external air long term could also introduce a lot of moisture unless you have a dryer on that airsource…

water boils at 212F. A little brake drag heat goes a long way…

 

[gslader]

I have some air leaks that I need to chase in the spring. I added an external air port (https://www.steelsoldiers.com/threads/beginning-the-journey.208604/post-2462875) and I have been using this external air to charge the air system so I don’t have to deal with air alarm. Perhaps this is introducing water into the airlines. I thought that by running it into the wet tank the air would then go through the dryer before going into tanks 1 and 2 but perhaps I got that wrong?

 

[Ronmar]

I have some air leaks that I need to chase in the spring. I added an external air port (https://www.steelsoldiers.com/threads/beginning-the-journey.208604/post-2462875) and I have been using this external air to charge the air system so I don’t have to deal with air alarm. Perhaps this is introducing water into the airlines. I thought that by running it into the wet tank the air would then go through the dryer before going into tanks 1 and 2 but perhaps I got that wrong?

No the air goes thru the dryer on its way from the compressor to the wet tank. It then uses the stored pressure from the compressor process to purge the separated moisture when the compressor unloads.

 

[Wingnut13]

When I got my truck those plugs were missing on the brake cans. I got them on eBay for pretty short money as I recall. It just seems wrong to leave them open to dirt and debris, I hadn’t thought of water ingress….. but that can’t help operations when in freezing conditions.

 

[gslader]

No the air goes thru the dryer on its way from the compressor to the wet tank. It then uses the stored pressure from the compressor process to purge the separated moisture when the compressor unloads.

I think I did a bad job explaining this. I added an air quick connect to my wet tank (see below). I often use my shop air (which does not go through an air dryer) to charge my air tanks before I start my truck to avoid the annoying beep of the low air alarm. I now think this is introducing moisture into the brake lines.

 

[Mullaney]

I think I did a bad job explaining this. I added an air quick connect to my wet tank (see below). I often use my shop air (which does not go through an air dryer) to charge my air tanks before I start my truck to avoid the annoying beep of the low air alarm. I now think this is introducing moisture into the brake lines.

View attachment 887795

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Not everybody does it, but I have air driers on my "house air" and also have water traps in that system. I don't want water in my air tools - so I would assume the same clean, dry air should be used to connect my truck to the shop air.