Your help/advise please,

I was due to take our Triton 430 for its first service last week only to find the brakes had seized?

On the advise of the dealer, I called out a recommended mobile mechanic to be told the brakes had been binding, intense heat generated through the hub, the brakes shoes had delaminated and, to cap it all, the heat generated may have caused damage to the axle. This is where I need the help/advise please. Can anyone give me an informative description of the potential damage to the axle? I need to decide what to do next either replace the whole axle or just the brakes shoes and drums. I understand this is not an uncommon problem?

Not a happy bunny

Can't offer advice as not a techie and never had the problem. I do take the brake off when parked in the drive for the winter layup.

go to you tube have a look at caravan brakes,you will see that the parts are made from steel. they don't melt. possibly the wheel bearings have seized, hasn't your dealer have a trailer.to take it to their workshop. caravan breakdown service insurance, mobile caravan fitter. pity your not near me i could sort this little problem out.

Thank you GANGES, I will search YouTube to see what there is. Because the axle is a sealed system, there is no way to examine potential damage. Having researched a little further, I am beginning to understand the concern may be over the three rubber suspension dampers, in the sealed unit, melting? I appreciate your sentiment on proximity; it would have been nice, bless you.

Thank you Aaron, yes, just had the van a year. I am in contact with the dealer but it is how to get it to them? My dilemma is, do I fork out for the cost of brake and hub replacement only to find the whole axle has to be subsequently replaced? My decision I know and, in truth, I am seeking information/knowledge to make that decision.

As an aside, the van is stored in my garage and I always leave the handbrake off to avoid binding.

Thanks again.

Hi Laurence,

If the van is under warranty then likely it's the dealer's responsibility to sort this out for you and I would expect (because this fault prevents you from towing the caravan) that it is up to the dealer to arrange a means of transport or fix it on site. Have you discussed this with them?

Steve.

Thank you for your response Steve and I concur with your comments. The response from the dealer so far has not been as responsive as I would have liked, although it is early days and I am weighing up my options, just in case?

When I had my Puck L new, in 2001, I had a brake binding problem - causing failure of the wheel bearing by the intense heat build up. Only damage to the bearing, I think it would be unlikely that other suspension problems could occur further in than the stub axel :(

The problem was all efficiently dealt with under warranty by the, now defunct, dealer in Letchlade.

It would appear that the problem was caused by a distorted 'brake cable' which prevented the shoes from releasing properly ! It was suggested that the cables were distorted at the factory where the axles/ brake drum assemblies were badly stored.

I realise that this does not help your situation, but may provide a diagnosis and possible claim under your warranty ! Good luck, I appreciate what a worry it is

Hi Ribski, very useful and informative, thank you. A real pity the dealer in Letchlade has closed down as it is not that far North of where I live. Hey ho, I'm sure it will be sorted eventually?

Next time you contact your dealer cc in Hymer, their email address is Kundendienst@hymer.com it may get you a more sympathetic response.

I had a similar problem with my 2012 Familia, the brake adjuster had failed making the brakes catch and over heat. There was no damage to the axle, as your van is just 1 year old your warranty is comprehensive and covers mechanical failure.

See my thread for the fault


Brake problems Familia

Laurence, I just want to add that I wish you well with this. Like the others above I would be surprised if there's any knock on damage to the suspension but at this stage I would say the ball is squarely in the dealer's court. I like the idea of CCing all correspondence to Hymer - nice one!
Also I guess you could check out if the dealer is part of any trade organisation who have a code of practice for their members. I realise that this is early stages but remember that you have recourse to trading standards if there's any big problems.

I don't know if it's appropriate to mention them here (personally don't see why not...) but I am very curious to know who and where the Dealers are!

Steve.

Steve, thank you for the advise and, at present, I am being told I will need to pay for the repairs and then the dealer will assist in the process of recompense from Hymer. As I have said in a previous response, it is early days and I am awaiting a call back from the dealer to further discuss the options. Personally, I would prefer not to name names until I have full details of their response.

Once again, thank you for your response, very grateful to you.

Laurence.

I confess to not having thought of cc'ing Hymer in to emails, thank you; I will do that in future correspondence. I have also followed your thread and picked up some useful tips so, once again, thank you.

Laurence