Brake issues on Columbus'

[BarryD0706]

Wow! So putting grease on my brakes will stop them from overheating?!? I'll have to try that.

[iceblaze580]

I was going down a steep part of 101 near pismo beach when it happend

[iceblaze580]

I went to the dealer to see how bad my brakes were for my self it dose not look good

[Ford Idaho]

Oh DANG!!!!

That's a heck of a mess there.
Was/is the other side the same?

What brand/type hubs?

[SargeW]

Man, this thing is getting out of hand. There is definitely some sort of brake assembly problem going on, or a huge parts failure. Either way this is unsatisfactory.

[iceblaze580]

It's the lippert assembly that came with it 3 out of 4 looked like that

[tofun4me]

I am suppose to pick-up my new 340RK next Wednesday. After reading this thread I stopped by the dealer to tell them that I wanted all 4 tires pulled and the seals and brakes checked. My salesman said they were already starting to get it ready and that I could go back and chat with the guys going through it. When I got back to the service area they had both wheels pulled and the the brake assemblies apart. When I questioned him about it he said "I don't let one of these Columbus's go out of here without checking this." He stated that most times there is a issue. 3 out of the 4 of mine were messed up and they were replacing all 4 with a completely new system and he assured me that we would have no problem. I liked his approach on this!

I went in the trailer and started to ask him questions about a few things others had seen issues with upon delivery. He answered my questions and then said, "Don't worry, I will be spending 7-8 hours getting intimate with this trailer over the next few days and I will make sure everything is in perfect working order when I take you through your walk through."

Here's hoping they live up to the image they have created for themselves.

Rick & Jeana
2014 Columbus 340RK
1999 F250 Super Duty 7.3L

[SargeW]

That's amazing Rick! It sounds like you have found yourself a gem of a dealer! I wish more dealers had that kind of attention to detail.

[SargeW]

Here is an update to the Columbus brake issue:

The Lippert brake drama continues... unfortunately. For those that have been following the greasy brake saga, I wrote another chapter today. About a week ago now, I had brand new brakes and drums put on all 4 wheels. The whole package, backing plates, brake shoes, and even new drums. I figured all was now perfect.

Not so much. I watched the tech install the new brakes. Everything was clean and pristine. Yesterday we left Spring Texas, heading for Kerrville, where we are today. On the way in yesterday, I noted on my TPMS sensor display that I had one wheel, the left front that was running hot. This was indicated by the TPMS sensor, so it was only about 20 degrees hotter than the L/R. And the pressure was about about 5# higher in the the front tire also. Not crazy, just notable.

At the next rest stop while Diane used the facilities I checked the drums and tires with a IR thermometer I carry in the truck. The other three tires were all pretty close in temps, but the left front "smelled hotter, and the IR thermometer showed it up about 50 degrees hotter than the LR. I decided to watch it. We got back on the road and after a about another hour or so, the temps on that wheel were still climbing.

I stopped at another rest area and checked the temps again. The rear drum was 113 degrees, the front was 190 degrees. I decided to get out the brake tool and back off the brake shoes in the LF in case one was dragging. It took a minute and we were back on the road. When we got to the campground I checked the temps again with the IR. The LR was 115 degrees, and the LF was 246 degrees. Yep, we got a problem.

I pulled the LF front wheel this morning at the RV park. I noted a light film of grease on the outside front of the brake drum. I pulled the drum, and the inside of the drum and the brake magnet had a coating of grease. THESE SEALS ARE ONE WEEK OLD.

The grease had squeezed past the rear seal into the drum and gunked up the magnet. That caused the magnet to stick to the drum, putting on the brakes. Probably not enough to burn them up, just enough to drag and cause lots of heat.

I wiped down the drums, cleaned off the magnet and moving parts, and put it all back together. It is now painfully obvious that the grease seals Lippert is using are worthless. Grease is leaking out on both ends, and making a mess.

So even with brand new brakes, the issue continues.

[iceblaze580]

Lippert needs step up and find a permanent fix for this issue. Is the columbus brand the only one using this break assembly

[rlreed]

I just picked up my Columbus Toyhauler. I told them I wanted the hubs examined which they said they did. Apparantly Lippert is telling the dealers that's its the drivers riding the brakes causing them to overheat and blowing the seals. They're just like Toyota with the sticking accelerator issue, following their lawyers advice, deny to the end....

[iceblaze580]

My 325 has less than 300 towed miles on it my brakes have been like this since day one so lippert needs to pull there heads out of there ....es

[wmtire]

I want to personally thank everyone in this forum thread for sharing their experiences and advice about this situation with Lippert. It is definitely something that everyone needs to be aware of.

[iceblaze580]

These brake issues make me feel real uneasy about pulling my 325 even after having the brakes fixed

[VenturaBill]

I first noticed the brakes failing on our Columbus 295RL in July as our rig turned 5 months old. I made an appointment with Barber RV in Ventura to have them checked.
Thanks to the posts that I have read on this forum as well as posts on the Facebook group, I was aware of the issues with the seals leaking and requested the shop to check all four brakes for grease, as a result they found grease on both of the brakes on the forward axle.
They re-packed all four bearings and replaced the seals with Tekonsha seals and cleaned and repaired the brakes. The repair bill came to $775.
When we picked our trailer up we were told that Forest River denied the warranty work on our 5-month old trailer and we had to pay the $775 out of pocket. We have since been in contact with Cel Lopez at Columbus and he said that Forest River will be reimbursing us, however it is 2-months now and we have not received a check.
I am glad that Iknew about this problem and was able to have it repaired under warranty, however I am dis-heartened by Forest Rivers refusal to cover it at first and that we had to battle to finally get reimbursed, even though we don't have the check yet.
If you have a Columbus I advise checking your brakes on each outing and getting it in if you start noticing a difference...

[SargeW]

Bill is right on. Also be aware that after inspecting the grease seal that Lippert is using and Google the part number, it was no big surprise that the seal is Chinese made and retails for 50 cents each.

I would press for a different grease seal, even if it meant paying for it out of pocket.

[iceblaze580]

Trilogy owners are now reporting that there having the same problems with there brakes

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by iceblaze580

Trilogy owners are now reporting that there having the same problems with there brakes

We had a trilogy owner here, whose grease leaked out and it burned his bearings up. They are currently stranded (but put up at a hotel) and will have to leave the trailer.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...tml#post482322

[Travler]

Just got back fro a trip through NC. & TN. with lots of hills. The brakes did not do well. I am taking mine in on Monday for an inspection. The most resistance I could get even with the brake controller moved manualy was a very slight tug. It was pushing the TV way to much. This would be the only complaint that I have had so far with our Columbus 320RS.

[SargeW]

Yep, odds are you are the latest victim of "grease seal blow out". Let us know what happens.