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Topic: Suspension and Brake Work on 2004 26.5 MB (Read 567 times) previous topic - next topic
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Suspension and Brake Work on 2004 26.5 MB
Here is some work I performed on my LD.  It has completely changed the dynamics of ride, performance and safety. 
Shocks - Bilstien Comfort Series
Helwig Front and Rear Sway Bar
Roadmaster Steering Damper
New (not rebuilt) Rabestos Element 3 Calipers
Rabestos Element 3 Front Hub/Rotor
PFC Front Brake Pads
(New/Old Stock) hub/rotor Rears
Motorcraft Stock Pads on rear

Also installed new tires and wheels...
2004 Mid Bath
Re: Suspension and Brake Work on 2004 26.5 MB
Reply #1 –
That’s the cleanest undercarriage I’ve ever seen.

Nice job too 😊

- John
John & Cathy enjoying life with our 2021 Mid-Bath, 1996 Cherokee and “Bandit” the wonder dog 🐶
Re: Suspension and Brake Work on 2004 26.5 MB
Reply #2 –
Wow good for you! I’ve done lots of brake work in the past but have wondered if I’d be up to the task on my TK. And wow, that under carriage is immaculate!
Steve
2003TK
Re: Suspension and Brake Work on 2004 26.5 MB
Reply #3 –
I spent quite a bit of time under that coach, coming out looking like I had been playing in a tar pit or something.  While rebuilding or restoring old cars, I've certainly worked on many in far worse condition covered head to toe in grease.  As for doing the brakes, yeah, that was a challenge.  This year model has the rear brakes that work on slide pins, not standard caliper bolt pins.  There was a bit of a learning curve on that as there is very little information available on any forum or youtube.  That style was used on older large truck chassis when disc brakes first were introduced on the rear of the 550.  You cannot replace the rear rotors without taking out the rear axel and the hub...which has a very unique style nut and requires a bit of research and a unique tool on how to torque it down.  I documented all that and it will accompany the coach.  The new setup should last a "LONG" time without fear of locking up or pistons seizing.   The other challenge was just the sheer weight of the hubs/rotors as one unit and lining it up as I put them back one.  Those things weighed 5olbs+, even the calipers weighed 15-20 lbs each. Torque specs were huge on the rear two piece hub/rotor and also on the front caliper bracket....160ft. lbs..  I had my wife take a funny picture of me and how I had to use my whole body to get that kind of leverage up in the wheel well.    I am glad I have a heated/cooled garage and plenty of space.  I can tell you without the leveling jacks, I don't think I would have attempted this.  I certainly wouldn't do it now with what I know unless I had the jacks or special jacks made to lift it.    A true experience I lived to tell, which is the best part.
2004 Mid Bath
Re: Suspension and Brake Work on 2004 26.5 MB
Reply #4 –

Nice job, few here attempt working on the brakes or suspension. Check the torque on the sway bars, Joan Taylor had one of her front aftermarket sway bar's (IPD?) mounting bolts snap off, discovered at an LD Caravan years ago, I was surprised to find the bolt was grade-5, instead of grade-8. We fixed it.
For those who want to upgrade their stock sway bars, firmer polyurethane bushings are available. The stock front and rear sway bar bushings wear out quickly. The polyurethane bushings have lasted many miles.
Sway bar bushings- E450 2003 LD | Flickr
Low buck suspension improvements for higher mileage LDs

The E450 brakes are not much different than car brakes other than the weight and cost, everything is very heavy and the parts are more expensive. Just finding someone who will work on the brake is a challenge.
I have replaced our 2003 LD's front brakes three times in 126,000 miles, twice with a warped front rotor and once with a seized caliper. Towing a Jeep is hard on the front brakes. The rear calipers and pads have been changed twice, still on the original rotors. Agreed, the rear caliper pins are a PIA to deal with.
The hardest parts of a brake job are the lifting process and dealing with the weight and bulk of the front rotors.
A 12-ton air-powered hydraulic jack takes the grunt out of the lifting, four 6-ton jack-stands support the rig.
I clamp the front rotor/hub on a rolling hydraulic transmission jack to support it when installing, darn! the things are heavy.
For breaking loose the lug nuts, a long breaker bar, along with 5' cheater gets used, they are too tight for my old 1/2" pneumatic impact to loosen. An air compressor is almost a necessity.
A power brake flusher is a nice tool, it simplifies the job, eliminating the need for a helper. Adaptor caps are available for most cars master cylinders. All our vehicles have the brake fluid flushed every three years.
Amazon.com: Motive Products - 0107 Power Pressure Brake Bleeder for Ford and...

Some 2003 E450 brake photos.
Brakes | Flickr

Larry

As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: Suspension and Brake Work on 2004 26.5 MB
Reply #5 –
The attention to detail is excellent! Took time to clean and paint undercarriage....use superior parts....you can always tell a great detailed person.....look in background how clean and neat the shop is....sweet....
2017 Casita Spirit Deluxe
2016 Twin King 24ft
2017 Casita Independence Dlx
2004 Midbath 26.5
Re: Suspension and Brake Work on 2004 26.5 MB
Reply #6 –
"Joan Taylor had one of her front aftermarket sway bar's (IPD?) mounting bolts snap off, discovered at an LD Caravan years ago, I was surprised to find the bolt was grade-5, instead of grade-8. We fixed it."
----
Ominous "clunk" noise and a strange feel to the front end just as I pulled into the camp area. Larry pirated a grade 8 bolt from his Jeep, knocked out the remainder of the sheared-off bolt and put the anti-sway bar back together. (My jobs were to watch, maybe hand him a couple tools, but mainly to stay out of the way!  ;) ) That repair still holds! All the mounting bushings of the bar and everything else that needed bushings were replaced by polyurethane as soon after the "fail" as I could get to the shop.

Thanks again, Larry!

2003 TK has a new home
Re: Suspension and Brake Work on 2004 26.5 MB
Reply #7 –
Thanks for the insight and good tips for everyone.  I've rebuilt or restored at least 15 old muscle cars.  In almost all of them I've upgraded the sway bars/suspension and converted over to polyurethane bushings,  I've also built race cars, one pretty much from the ground up, every component including installing/programming the computer systems , every electrical wire, fuel line, and manually made every brake line.  I can't even begin to go into all the details of that adventure.  I even went to school up at Holley in Bowling Green to learn how to program and wire the computer systems.  I do have a "phone a friend" or two, one who owns a professional shop and also a friend who is a fabricator and can fabricate anything imaginable.  He is lead engineer of the new Aries Rocket.  The guy is a magician. 

I've taken three trips with the suspension setup, accumulating about 3,000 miles.  At each juncture or way point, I crawled back under to check the bolts.  I would agree aftermarket installations require a bit more attention and could be suspect.  The heavier sway bars place more torque on the connecting points than stock, yet you still have to use stock connecting points and some of the bolt connecting points are not as strong as I would build, but trying to place a larger bolt "through frame" with no way to reach the back side to weld a larger nut is just not going to happen. 

I wouldn't suggest others to try to do this alone, laying on the floor bench pressing that ~100lb rear sway bar with one hand while trying to start the bolt with the other or line up and hold that front hub/rotor while pushing it on to not hurt the rear seal...  yeah...it was all a challenge, but no more leaning and rocking all over the place or getting pushed around by semi's... if I slam on the brakes anyone unbuckled is going flying.  :)   Here are some fun pics...  I can delete them if it offend anyone.
2004 Mid Bath
Re: Suspension and Brake Work on 2004 26.5 MB
Reply #8 –
Nice!
Greg & Victoria
2017 Mid-Bath  “Nocona” towing a manual 2015 Forester
Previously a 1985 TK
SKP #61264
Re: Suspension and Brake Work on 2004 26.5 MB
Reply #9 –
Quote from: cosmosrobby  - 
.  I've taken three trips with the suspension setup, accumulating about 3,000 miles.  At each juncture or way point, I crawled back under to check the bolts.  I would agree aftermarket installations require a bit more attention and could be suspect.  The heavier sway bars place more torque on the connecting points than stock, yet you still have to use stock connecting points and some of the bolt connecting points are not as strong as I would build, but trying to place a larger bolt "through frame" with no way to reach the backside to weld a larger nut is just not going to happen. 


Looking at our 2003 E40, the swaybar's frame mounts can have the welded-in threaded inserts drilled out to a larger size and then fish-wire a DIY flag-bolt in from the top, adding the nut and washer from below. My Cherokee has several of these, used to add cross-members and skid plates.
https://www.etrailer.com/s.aspx?qry=Fishwire_Tool
https://www.etrailer.com/question-54490.html

What a flag-bolt looks like. The 'flag' is welded to the bolt's head and prevents the bolt from spinning while tightening.
http://www.yuccaman.com/jeep/pics/flagbolt.jpg

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
 
Re: Suspension and Brake Work on 2004 26.5 MB
Reply #10 –
Larry,
Great feedback.  I've used something very similar for mounting trailer hitches through frame and I actually looked for something very similar to use, but in the opposite configuration where a nut plate with a flag on both sides would keep it from turning.  The frame is about ~5 inches with some slots on the side and it would be possible.  Until you just showed the picture of the bolt with a flag, I really didn't even consider it as I've not seen one of any large size and didn't know it was available to purchase.  I'm going to go search my McMaster-Carr catalog.   If you know where these can be purchased, let me know. 
Below is a picture of what I was looking for but could not find it exactly the way I wanted it.  But I like the bolt design.  In either case the flag length to center would need to be close to 3 inches (guessing).

The only fame bolts I've consistently had problems with were on the older GM steering boxes (Firebirds/Camaros) where they were mounted on the side of the "Psuedo" frame rail.  Some would basically strip out because of rust and corrosion...

Thanks for the feedback...what a wealth of knowledge here...we just all live too far apart

Robby

2004 Mid Bath