brake chamber leaking from rear when brakes applied

Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by TowHaul, Oct 15, 2017.

  1. TowHaul

    TowHaul Medium Load Member

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    i just installed the new brake chambers on the single drive axle on my truck. I go to apply brakes and i notice air is leaking out of the driver side chamber rear of the pot. The slack adjuster is moving . The other brake chamber on the passanger side drive axle is not moving and no air is escaping. While applying brakes the air continues to expel out to the rear of the brake chamber until i lose all air pressure. The air brakes also do not appear to be holding the truck very strudy when in park (I can still roll forward or backwards with parking brake on). The parking brake issue was known before i installed t he new chambers... did i do a installation wrong (yes i'm a total newbie) or is there another problem with the air system or rear part of the chamber(s?)?
     
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  3. BoxCarKidd

    BoxCarKidd Road Train Member

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    A brake chamber should never leak air out of the service or parking brake system. You could have other problems but sounds like a bad new chamber to me.
     
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  4. TowHaul

    TowHaul Medium Load Member

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    the one that is leaking, is expelling air out of the REAR of the chamber (i only installed the front half brand new) the entire time i hold my foot on the brake. It also has the arm of the slack adjuster moving, the arm on the other brake chamber is not moving, nor is it leaking any air. What does this mean? The front halfs of the chambers are brand new on both sides. Did i install it wrong? is the rear part broken? Did I uncage incorrectly? somehow buy a faulty one?
     
  5. AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

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    If these are standard 3030 spring brake chambers the only way they're going to leak from the chamber itself is if its cracked or a diaphragm is torn inside. Sounds like you may have the lines crossed on one of the chambers too. The port closest to the pushrod end is service (controlled by the brake pedal) and only gets air when you step on the brakes. The port furthest from the pushrod end is for parking. When you push the park brake valve on the dash, you supply air to that end of the chamber, which collapses the spring and releases the park brake.

    It should be extremely difficult, if not impossible to drive through the park brake. I would start with checking the brake adjustment first.
     
  6. AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

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    I see you posted this just as I posted my original comment. You might have the service diaphragm installed incorrectly when you installed the park chamber on the back of the service chamber.
     
  7. TowHaul

    TowHaul Medium Load Member

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    what is my frist step? is the other chamber installed correctly? (the one not leaking) yes i can wtih little difficulty drive forward despite the parking brake on. That is why i put on the 2 new chambers.
     
  8. AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

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    Ok so the park chamber is old but the service chamber (the one with the pushrod) is new?
     
  9. TowHaul

    TowHaul Medium Load Member

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    sorry i just looked at a picture and can use better terms now. The air is leaking out of the "service chamber" of my driver side rear brake chamber. I believe i only installed the "park chamber" (front part of the brake chamber) on both passanger and driver side rear axle. Air is leaking out of the push rod area on the service chamber when brakes applied on just the one brake chamber. The push rod is moving on that brake chamber but NOT moving on the other chamber that is not leaking air.
     
  10. TowHaul

    TowHaul Medium Load Member

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    Sorry for my ignorance of terms, the service chamber is old, the park chamber is new.
     
  11. AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

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    Does it only leak when you step on the brake pedal and at no other time? Also, which way does the pushrod move? Outwards or inwards?
     
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