Class A / F53 Brake Fluid

[TulsaSteve]

So I'm browsing the 2007 F-53 motorhome chassis maintenance doc from Ford....

http://www.motorcraftservice.com/pub.../07frdmg1e.pdf

Well on page 47 it has two simple instructions for Class A motorhomes.

1) Change brake fluid every 2 years
2) Change trans fluid every 30,000 miles

Every 2 years seems pretty frequent.

Is everyone getting this done and I just missed brake fluid maintenance day at RV school?

[cfsoistman]

I haven't yet and it sure sounds like Ford is promoting service work to cover that 5yr/ 60,000 mile power train warranty. If the schedule isn't followed gives them an out otherwise. The tranny fluid is a ways off because I only have 9300 miles on the coach. I can't imagine brake fluid would be worn out. I could understand a mileage quota but years to me seems odd instead it should depend upon the mileage driven.

[TulsaSteve]

Originally Posted by cfsoistman

I haven't yet and it sure sounds like Ford is promoting service work to cover that 5yr/ 60,000 mile power train warranty. If the schedule isn't followed gives them an out otherwise. The tranny fluid is a ways off because I only have 9300 miles on the coach. I can't imagine brake fluid would be worn out. I could understand a mileage quota but years to me seems odd instead it should depend upon the mileage driven.

I did a little reading and learned a lot. Apparently the enemy of brake fluid is time. DOT 3 & 4 (we have DOT 4) absorbs water over time and this has two downsides

1) Lowers the boiling point of the fluid which can cause the fluid to vaporize just when you need it most

2) Causes corrosion or the parts that the fluid comes in contact with.

So the real question is how much water your brake fluid has in it. Apparently there are test strips available that tell you when to change, so I'm off to the auto parts store.

[TulsaSteve]

I did a little more research... The strips that I read about are usually used in auto service places to sell folks on changing their fluid. I can buy them online, but it's probably not worth it. Smarter to decide how often to change the fluid and then spend the money that way.

2 years seems awful frequent. I'm at 3 years now. Maybe I'll have it done next year and then go with every 4 years. The RV stops great. Came up to a light at about 35-40MPH the other day on dry pavement and the light turns yellow so I smashed the pedal down to see what would happen (No other traffic / Just me in the RV). Transmission brake kicked in, ABS came on and I came to a clean / straight stop without lockup.