Front brake caliper broken bolt (Freightliner XCR)

[J&JD]

Pulled the coach into the backyard after a 6 week trip yesterday and found a bolt head on the ground.

Wonder if Freightliner will warranty this problem?

 

[MapNerd]

At least it didn’t happen on the road! I would hope they would. Shearing a caliper bolt to me means something is majorly wrong somewhere. That just shouldn’t happen.

 

[J&JD]

At least it didn’t happen on the road! I would hope they would. Shearing a caliper bolt to me means something is majorly wrong somewhere. That just shouldn’t happen.

Actually, the bolt head was discovered just before backing into the yard which means it was there when we left 3000 miles ago. What it looks like to me is that the bolt was over torqued or was perhaps was defective. The other 5 in the caliper seem fine. I’m going to go to Freightliner in Sacramento and see what they say. I need to have the coach serviced regardless.

 

[MapNerd]

Actually, the bolt head was discovered just before backing into the yard which means it was there when we left 3000 miles ago. What it looks like to me is that the bolt was over torqued or was perhaps was defective. The other 5 in the caliper seem fine. I’m going to go to Freightliner in Sacramento and see what they say. I need to have the coach serviced regardless.

Yikes! Glad it didn’t result in any issues. Good engineering that the remaining bolts could handle the additional stresses

 

[stang37]

I would check for a recall by FL.. Daimler Trucks North America is recalling certain 2018 Freightliner, Western Star and Freightliner Custom Chassis vehicles for an issue with improperly torqued brake caliper mounting bolts. I couldn't find the recall # but found this information.

 

[Neal]

Actually, the bolt head was discovered just before backing into the yard which means it was there when we left 3000 miles ago. What it looks like to me is that the bolt was over torqued or was perhaps was defective. The other 5 in the caliper seem fine. I’m going to go to Freightliner in Sacramento and see what they say. I need to have the coach serviced regardless.

Sounds like it's a spare then?

 

[J&JD]

Sounds like it's a spare then?

Guess I’ll super glue it back in.

 

[Joe Hogan]

Daimler Trucks recalls some Freightliner chassis used on RVs

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Freightliner Custom Chassis S2, Custom Chassis XB and Custom Chassis XC vehicles equipped

www.rvtravel.com

Looks like the same issue in 2017 - 2018 see PDF

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2018/MC-10151526-9999.pdf

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

Brakes? We ain’t got no brakes! We don’t need no brakes. We don’t got no stinkin’ brakes!
With apologies to “Gold Hat” in “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.”

TJ

 

[Joe Hogan]

If I am reading the markings correctly, this is a 12.9 metric bolt. Not very robust for this application...

Bolt Depot - Bolt Grade Markings and Strength Chart

www.boltdepot.com

 

[J&JD]

If I am reading the markings correctly, this is a 12.9 metric bolt. Not very robust for this application...

Bolt Depot - Bolt Grade Markings and Strength Chart

www.boltdepot.com

At least there are 6 of them holding the caliper together.

 

[Joe Hogan]

Actually, the bolt head was discovered just before backing into the yard which means it was there when we left 3000 miles ago. What it looks like to me is that the bolt was over torqued or was perhaps was defective. The other 5 in the caliper seem fine. I’m going to go to Freightliner in Sacramento and see what they say. I need to have the coach serviced regardless.

May be a service tech attempted to comply with the Recall in my previous post or a TSB and put an impact on the bolts to tighten them. Being relatively soft 12.9 metric this one was stretched a bit thin...

 

[J&JD]

A quick follow up to our broken caliper bolt:
Just spent the day at Freightliner Sacramento Rv Service Center. Had our 48 month service performed (WITH AN APPOINTMENT). So nice to have a competent Freightliner dealer give appointments so you don’t have to leave the coach. Unfortunately, they were not able to replace the caliper bolt because, are you ready, the bolt was back ordered! Seems the whole front assembly is brought in from Germany so Freightliner does not stock the bolts…..go figure. The service manager could not source the bolt because of warranty issues. Good news is that the 5 remaining bolts are good and tight and the feeling is that all should be fine until a bolt is found.