Air Brakes locked and cannot cage brakes or Fill Compressor with Air

Shoes might be rusted to the drum, too. You can try disconnecting the supply line from the chambers and plugging in shop air to see if it releases. Do that with each chamber individually, and when you get them all freed up, daisy chain 'em all together and charge the system. Pull it to wherever you need to and just disconnect the line to apply the brakes again.

I'd refrain from attempting to physically remove the chambers. They should be under pressure, which will make it a real pain to get off and downright impossible to get back on...and you don't want that thing sitting around without brakes holding it...waiting for a gust of wind or a bump from whatever to send it into motion.

 

I would try adjusting the brakes by backing off completely. But like the above-mentioned they could be completely rusted together

 

Leave those chambers well enough alone. They are probably like Bombs waiting to go off to shred you the moment you loosen something off enough to have it redirect the energy somewhere else besides the drum and pads.

I don't know of any thing that will help here. If your vehicle sat 15 years with brakes on, it's going to be pads stuck to the drum. I used to beat brakes loose fighting ice. But once enough gets loose and you are under there, you probably will die or worse. Then you will have to sell it to pay your trauma costs.

You sir have a problem. But like all things in life there is a way out. I just don't know what that way out is... It's possible my solution is this.

Jack that thing, stack 6x6 or thicker 4 foot length cribbed under that frame in 6 or more places sufficient to hold the whole vehicle where it is off the ground. Jackhammer the wheels off unbolting the slack stroke bars. Then beat the drums off the stuck pads.

However. if your compressor inside the vehicle that is the heart of the entire air braking system is kaput, or dead... all of that work is for nothing. You must get air into that vehicle. Replace the compressor? Erm.. maybe find another vehicle and cut your losses.

Im just thinking out loud here, wondering how you work around a system that wont be worked around as it is.

 

If there is nothing to cage the brakes, then the next best thing is to adjust them and back them off. A hammer and a prybar should make short work of anything that is rusted together.

Perhaps post pictures? I suspect that if there is no option for caging the brakes that perhaps there is no maxi spring in there and you may just be rusted together and the brakes may not actually be engaged. A picture of the brakes in question may help someone help you with that.

 

Get a compressor from a farm store that will pump air. Plumb it into the system at the air compressor location on the bus. Do not exceed 120 lbs pressure, air up the system and see if the brakes release, block the wheels so it will not roll, like was meantionwd in another post, the shoes are probably stuck to the drum. The brake chambers are under pressure from a large spring when locked and chambers can and do explode over time. Do not loosen the brakets that hold the chamber together. Best advise, get help from someone that knows what they are doing. The charge for help is small compared to a serious injury will cost.

 

To prevent personal injury or property damage, I would call out a professional mechanic for a service call to see what is going on before you run yourselves over.

 

Yes. I had a customer die from his RV falling on him. Whenever you or someone else works on it make sure the wheels are chocked and if you jack it up make sure that you have good secure protection from it falling on you.

 

I would be concerned about the tires also.Dry rot from the inside.
Spray your brakes and s-cams, slack adjusters with wd40 or pb blaster. Soak all the parts.
Good luck