Intelligent Dumb Question:

[HB of CJ]

BEFORE I bought my 1974 Crown Supercoach 40' 3 axle 10 wheeler ex-schoolie, I conducted two emergency brake tests.  The first was popping the maxi at in indicated 65 mph.  The old girl just hunkered down and stopped very quickly indeed with no detectable brake fade or wheel lock up.

The second test was also done immediately afterward also at around 65 mph.  Maxed out in 9th gear.  I stood on the brakes very very very hard.  Crowns have huge brakes and they work just fine, let me tell you.  The seller was sitting behind me on the right side and he just smiled.  No problem.

The old Crown stopped faster than many front end heavy empty half ton pickup trucks.  Yep.  Superb binders indeed.  Absolutely no drift and no detectable wheel lock ups or tire smoke either.  As expected with a Crown.  About as big of brakes that will physically fit.  Some help here .... 8-10"x16.5" front?  12"x16.5" rear?  Not sure.  Too long ago.

People, with all respect, these are NOT destructive tests.  They are just a working function test of the primary safety system of the Bus Conversion....the brakes.  I did this test again AFTER I purchased the Crown BEFORE I drove it home from Apple Valley CA to Cave Junction OR.  Again, no problem.

Later my mechanic did a complete brake inspection.  He said I had huge brakes.  New front drums.  New brake shoes all around.  Two new cans and lots of new hoses and stuff.  New shocks. Are these tests  abusive?  Maybe.  Destructive?  No way.  Routine?  Yes.  Like a bleed down brake test.  Important?  You decide.  HB of CJ (old coot)

[Bryan]

Yes-it puts on the rear brakes in a way that you'd better be pulling over right now to stop.  I blew an air line on my big rig and had both buttons (tractor and trailer) pop at the same time.  Luckily I was in Wyoming on the interstate and quickly got onto the shoulder off the highway.

All of you should try popping your parking brake to see what it does.  But first try it at 20mph.  Then try it at 40mph-which I think is all you need to do to get the idea.

Any of you that still have the old driveline parking brake, PLEASE get rid of that and get maxi-brakes installed!!!  Those driveline brakes will have a hard time stopping you, let alone holding the bus still when stopped.  Besides, the maxi-brakes will hold the bus still, while the driveline brake will still allow the bus to rock several inches back and forth because of driveline slop clearances.  Good Luck, TomC

Could you tell me a little bit more about maxi brakes? And how do I know what I have? Thanks!

[RJ]

Bryan -

Look at the brake cans on the rear axle. 

If you have three air lines going to the cans, you have DD3 brakes.

If you have two air lines, you've got spring brakes.

Maxi brakes is a generic term for these brakes, similar to how Kleenex is now a generic term.

There is a ton of information about brakes on Bendix's website, well worth snooping around for awhile under the service & support tab.  Even have tutorials about your air compressor!  www.bendix.com

FWIW & HTH. . .

[Len Silva]

It was fun looking back to the beginning of this thread from 2006.  So many members who are no longer around or just inactive.  I miss you guys.