front end alignment on an eagle

[David Anderson]

If I make a hard brake application I hear a clunk from what seems like originates from the right front wheel and it pulls the bus steering wheel to the left.  It will need some attention.   There is a big rig truck and tire in Stockdale TX which is about 30 miles from home. https://www.jptruckandtire.com/

I haven't called yet, but worry about parts availability.  It would be nice to know I could get parts if the shop needed them. 

I searched the archives and Clifford posted a response about wheel alignments for eagles requiring aligning all 3 axles.
https://www.busconversionmagazine.com/forum/index.php?topic=33648.msg384688#msg384688

With that in mind, if I need to align the bogies where would I get the shims if needed?
I just returned from Colorado and will be off the road until October.  I figured I need to get this problem diagnosed. 

David

[luvrbus]

David you should have a wedge shim that you rotate on bogie to align, the cost has gone up I heard now it close to a 1000 bucks for the 3 axle alignments .I know Dick at Kaiser Wheel and Brake in Eugene OR had parts made to align the Eagle  his son runs the shop now I don't know if he will sell parts or not without doing the work   

[DoubleEagle]

David, I would jack up the front and do some poking and prying to see what is loose before you go very far with it. It might be something visibly obvious, or a combination of several worn parts. Control arms, king pins, it would be best to have an idea of what is wrong before you turn it over to someone who charges for everything they think is wrong. Have you noticed any uneven tire wear? That would indicate alignment trouble.

[David Anderson]

Thank you Clifford for the contact.

I don't have uneven wear on the two front tires. They are three years old. They have around 10,000 miles on them. 

I need to refamiliarize myself with the eagle alignment procedure that is in the manual. I may be able to figure out the bogey axle alignment myself. I wish I could describe this clunking sound better. It has been doing it for a long time. It only does it once in a while, usually on a hard brake application.   My concern is that it pulls the steering wheel to the left when it happens, but it sounds like the thud noise comes from the right wheel.  It could be the brake shoe or drum. It may not be an alignment issue at all.

Like you said, I need to get under there and pry and bang to see if I can make something move.  The more I know before I go into a shop, the better off I will be.

David

[rusty]

David my 05 sometimes would make a clonking noise when braking. I could never find the cause. My guess is the inner tube would rotate a little and move in the mount. The alignment was fine.
Just a guess.
Wayne

[David Anderson]

David my 05 sometimes would make a clonking noise when braking. I could never find the cause. My guess is the inner tube would rotate a little and move in the mount. The alignment was fine.
Just a guess.
Wayne

Thanks for the info.

I took the brakes and wheel drums off and the brakes are worn and the rollers on the shoes are just beyond the specs for replacement, so I want to replace the brakes, drums and rollers. 
San Antonio Brake and Clutch has had a very difficult time finding the drums.  They found some, but $800 each plus $100 each for freight.  Last ones I bought were $149 off the shelf.  Now, it's a dinosaur.
Any ideas for a better price??

He's checking to find a shop to turn them in San Antonio.  I'm waiting for a reply.

David

[luvrbus]

No body wants to turn drums any more what is up with that,I used to have my drums on the off road trucks rebuilt they turn the drum than press a sleeve   (insert) into the drum and turn it  back to the original specs lol those drums were $2800.00 ea new in 1999 it was $1200.00 to rebuild one X 6,now they all integrated in the drive train no more drums 

[rusty]

It's  been a while but drive train industries  in Denver did some brake work for me  on my 05. Can't  remember but I think they relined my shoes and fit them to my drums. Drums could have been new.
Wayne

[freds]

The bus grease monkey Youtube channel show's wheel alignment in a number of videos. They also show checking joints with a pry bar under the wheel...

[luvrbus]

Even with new drums they turn those to make the shoes ride inside the drum,I question Dick Kaiser at Kaiser Wheel and Brake why he was turning my new drums,  he told new drums can be out of round and they turn the drum so the drum will always feed  the shoes to the inside not the outside of the drum   

[David Anderson]

They called me today. They found an old hub to mount them, so they can turn them in house.  New shoes and turned drums will be nice. 160k miles since last brake job. It's time.
I hope this will solve the clunk sounds. If not I'll keep looking.
David

[rusty]

Drive train could have turned the drums but I remember they had a machine that shaved the shoes to fit the drums
Wayne

[luvrbus]

You are right Wayne they do shave the shoes to match the drums Kaiser did on my 05 

[David Anderson]

I put new brake shoes and turned drums on the front.

[David Anderson]

I took it out for a test and could not get the clunking sound to happen. Maybe I solved my problem. The front brake engagement is noticeably improved and smoother.
San Antonio Brake and Clutch was very helpful in finding the parts for me. I know Belfort is having trouble finding his brake parts for his Dina. I took all of my parts to the counter. The guy said, "these are really old."  They did find drums if I needed them.  Fortunately I had enough steel left to turn mine.
David