My 89sp, with CAT 3208and Allison retarder, quit working a few years ago. The
way it worked was with the 3 POS sw(ON/OFF/APPLY) in the ON position, I could
move the lever from the up position to slowly down and the more I moved it down
the more braking I got, was great for trafficand stop signs. In the apply
position I got immeadiate full braking with the lever in the up position.
After it quit working it would not react to the lever, but still worked in
apply position. If I understand correctly.. the apply pos. is electric and the
lever operarion would be air...correct?
Has anybody had this problem or know what to look for? Just got it out of the
shop...and the retarder still doesnt work with the lever only. The tech didnt
know how it was supposed to work. the lever is supposed to save brake use
correct?
any help would be appreciated
Ed Gardels 89SP
oven like Arlington, Texas
Ed,
On our 89 sp (sold last spring), there was a switch on the left panel (behind
the shift buttons) that controlled whether the retarder worked with the foot
brake pedal. If it was on, the first application of the foot brake would
activate the retarder. It would actuate the retarder before applying the air
brakes. As the foot pedal was pushed more, both the retarder and the air brakes
were applied. It was an electric switch that turned it on and off, but I think
the retarder was actuated by air pressure.
The lever under the dash applied the retarder directly with air pressure
completely seperately from the foot brake. On mine, it didn't matter which
position the electrical switch was in -- the retarder acted when the lever was
pushed.
By the way, the transmission in the SP is made by ZF not Allison. Information
on the ZF is available from their US headquarters in Chicago or service
facilities in PA, and FL. Check the internet for details and phone # (sorry, I
don,t have the info - it went with my coach)
Jim Brookshire
2004 M380
Saluda, NC
--- In
WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "wl89spman"
wrote:
>
> My 89sp, with CAT 3208and Allison retarder, quit working a few years ago. The
way it worked was with the 3 POS sw(ON/OFF/APPLY) in the ON position, I could
move the lever from the up position to slowly down and the more I moved it down
the more braking I got, was great for trafficand stop signs. In the apply
position I got immeadiate full braking with the lever in the up position.
> After it quit working it would not react to the lever, but still worked in
apply position. If I understand correctly.. the apply pos. is electric and the
lever operarion would be air...correct?
>
> Has anybody had this problem or know what to look for? Just got it out of
the shop...and the retarder still doesnt work with the lever only. The tech
didnt know how it was supposed to work. the lever is supposed to save brake use
correct?
>
> any help would be appreciated
> Ed Gardels 89SP
> oven like Arlington, Texas
>
Thanks for responding Jim...Thats the info I was looking for, I just wanted to
make sure that you could use the lever only without pressing the brake pedal, as
that is the best function...makes the brakes last longer.
Although the book says ZF its really an Allison mtb648 I think..thats what the
label on it says. The Allison tech that just worked on it says is a very heavy
duty tranny.. but he didnt fixt, tried to tell me that you had to use the brake
pedal to use the retarder..after an enormus bill, I was so disapointed..
thanks
Ed Gardels 89SP
Arlington TX
--- In
WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "agitator19"
wrote:
>
>
>
>
> Ed,
>
> On our 89 sp (sold last spring), there was a switch on the left panel (behind
the shift buttons) that controlled whether the retarder worked with the foot
brake pedal. If it was on, the first application of the foot brake would
activate the retarder. It would actuate the retarder before applying the air
brakes. As the foot pedal was pushed more, both the retarder and the air brakes
were applied. It was an electric switch that turned it on and off, but I think
the retarder was actuated by air pressure.
>
> The lever under the dash applied the retarder directly with air pressure
completely seperately from the foot brake. On mine, it didn't matter which
position the electrical switch was in -- the retarder acted when the lever was
pushed.
>
> By the way, the transmission in the SP is made by ZF not Allison. Information
on the ZF is available from their US headquarters in Chicago or service
facilities in PA, and FL. Check the internet for details and phone # (sorry, I
don,t have the info - it went with my coach)
>
> Jim Brookshire
> 2004 M380
> Saluda, NC
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "wl89spman" wrote:
> >
> > My 89sp, with CAT 3208and Allison retarder, quit working a few years ago.
The way it worked was with the 3 POS sw(ON/OFF/APPLY) in the ON position, I
could move the lever from the up position to slowly down and the more I moved it
down the more braking I got, was great for trafficand stop signs. In the apply
position I got immeadiate full braking with the lever in the up position.
> > After it quit working it would not react to the lever, but still worked in
apply position. If I understand correctly.. the apply pos. is electric and the
lever operarion would be air...correct?
> >
> > Has anybody had this problem or know what to look for? Just got it out of
the shop...and the retarder still doesnt work with the lever only. The tech
didnt know how it was supposed to work. the lever is supposed to save brake use
correct?
> >
> > any help would be appreciated
> > Ed Gardels 89SP
> > oven like Arlington, Texas
> >
>