Parts Prices 1624 Brake chambers.

[MyPrevost]

I’m currently in the process of replacing my brake chambers and wanted to share some insights.

For our coaches, the #30 chambers for the front are around $37, and the #3036 chambers for the drive are approximately $122, both available from local truck parts suppliers. However, for some coaches, especially XLVs with tag axle emergency brakes, the #1624 chambers are not as common and can be challenging to find. Prevost offers them, but they are priced around $412 each.

There are two ways to significantly reduce this cost:

1. Piggyback Solution: All parts suppliers can source a piggyback #1624, which covers the rear or emergency brake portion of the chamber. You’ll need to add the parts for the service brake portion by purchasing a #16 brake chamber and using its plunger, diaphragm, spring, clamps, and non-pressure can. This combination will yield a #1624 for about $150 to $175, saving you at least $237 per side or $474 per bus.
2. Complete #1624 from Buy Rite Parts and Supply: I found a source for the complete #1624 from Buy Rite Parts and Supply in Hopkinsville, KY (270-886-3976) for $95.55 each, which is a significant savings of $632 per bus. I haven’t ordered from Buy Rite yet since I opted for the piggyback unit, so I can’t comment on their shipping costs or turnaround time. However, if you’re planning to replace your brake chambers, this is definitely worth considering.

From experience, I recommend replacing brake chambers every five years, regardless of their condition. If you’re running with old or original equipment brake chambers, have a plan for managing a bad chamber if one occurs (although this is not recommended). It might be wise to keep a spare #1624 on hand due to their limited availability. The same goes for air bags, but that’s a topic for another time.

[MyPrevost]

Jon,

I noticed that the online NAPA catalog lists a lot of brake chambers.

Does this appear to be the complete #1624 we need for the tag axle, or is it just part of the assembly?

I have a local NAPA dealer who carries a wide range of truck parts, so they might be a good source for brake chambers. Let me know if this is the right part or if I need to look for additional components.

[MyPrevost]

Jon,

I noticed that the online NAPA catalog lists a lot of brake chambers.

Does this appear to be the complete #1624 we need for the tag axle, or is it just part of the assembly?

I have a local NAPA dealer who carries a wide range of truck parts, so they might be a good source for brake chambers. Let me know if this is the right part or if I need to look for additional components.

Andre,

It looks like the part you linked from NAPA is a piggyback unit, similar to what Jon described from Buy Rite Parts. If that’s the case, you would still need to purchase a #16 chamber as well.

You would need to use the parts from the #16 chamber as outlined in Jon’s post to complete the #1624 assembly.

[MyPrevost]

I went through the NAPA catalog, but no matter what search terms I used, I kept getting “no match” for 16/24 brake chambers. Maybe it’s my zip code, but even when I browsed their listings (about 550 items), I could see they are a potential source for drive and steer axle brake chambers. I’ve been frustrated with what I think are excessive prices from Prevost on tag axle chambers, which is why I started this search. NAPA didn’t come up in my initial efforts, but I see now that they could be a source for common parts and chambers.

As mentioned earlier, there are now three ways to get replacement 16/24 brake chambers (spring brakes): buying directly from Prevost, purchasing a piggyback and a 16 brake chamber to create a 16/24 from the parts, or ordering from BuyRite.

By the way, I know many owners have Prevost or a converter handle routine maintenance, and Prevost does list levels of work. Personally, I don’t often get the chance to pull the wheels and inspect everything under the bus from both sides. Now that I am able to do that, I’m conducting a detailed inspection of everything that’s visible. I’ve already found a leaking hub seal, likely from our recent trip to Frozen Florida. I’m also noticing the same issue I found when I first bought the bus: the steer axle brake pads aren’t wearing uniformly. The outer pads on both sides are wearing down more, while the inner pads are still near their original thickness. In contrast, the tag axle brake pads are wearing evenly on both the inner and outer sides. It’s not a major issue, but something is definitely off, and I haven’t been able to figure out what.

My point is that I genuinely care about my coach and its condition. I wonder how many techs go beyond their checklist and really dig in to look for potential problems. If you’re using a shop regularly and are satisfied with their work, stick with them. But make sure to keep a detailed record of every little observation, so they can monitor ongoing issues like my uneven brake pad wear with each visit.

[MyPrevost]

One thing I forgot to mention—and I’m not necessarily recommending this, but it’s worth considering.

It appears that, dimensionally, a 20/24 brake chamber is almost identical to a 16/24, except for the push rod size. The push rod on a 20/24 is 5/8″ compared to the 1/2″ on a 16/24. This means you’d need to purchase a larger clevis with 5/8″ threads, as you can’t use the one currently installed.

However, there’s more to think about than just dimensional compatibility. The 16 service brake chamber has 16 square inches of surface area, which at 100 PSI exerts a force of 1600 pounds on the slack adjuster arm. On the other hand, the 20 has 20 square inches of area and will exert 2000 pounds of force at 100 PSI. While the difference may not seem huge, it’s significant enough that I’m certain the bus designers chose the specific sizes of brake chambers, pads, and shoes to balance braking forces properly. This prevents any axle from locking up prematurely. ABS was introduced to further prevent lockup issues.

Because I lack the capacity to perform all the necessary analyses to determine the impact of changing what the engineers deemed optimal, I’m hesitant to swap out my 16/24 chambers for 20/24s. It’s one of those cases where sticking to the original specifications is likely the safer bet.

[MyPrevost]

I ended up using a 16/24 piggyback setup and combining it with a 16 brake chamber (without the back) to create the 16/24 brake chamber I needed for the tag axle.

And here is a side-by-side shot of the old brake chamber next to the newly assembled replacement. The only part not used in the assembly is the back plate, shown between the two chambers.

While I could have saved more by buying the complete 16/24 assembly, I had already ordered the piggyback and the 16 chamber by the time I discovered the full 16/24 unit was available for $95. Still, I managed to save about $250 per side—or a total of $500—compared to the cost Prevost charges for their 16/24 brake chambers.

[MyPrevost]

Here’s something worth considering:

After finishing the brake chamber replacements on my coach, I reconnected the clevis on the push rod to the slack adjuster arm. For those unaware, most coaches built after the early 90s have automatic slack adjusters, which maintain the clearance between the brake pads or shoes and the drums or discs. Earlier models had manual slack adjusters, which required frequent adjustments. However, with automatic slack adjusters, manual adjustments are generally discouraged.

My coach, with 235,000 miles on it, always seemed to have brakes that were working fine—or so I thought. While reconnecting the clevis to the slack adjuster arm, I manually adjusted the brakes to bring them into range. That’s when I noticed the adjustment wasn’t as smooth on the right-hand side of the drive axle compared to the left. This made me realize how important it is to be vigilant about the functionality of your slack adjusters, especially during any brake work or adjustments.

The correct adjustment of brake slack is crucial for maintaining brake efficiency and minimizing wear on the diaphragm within the brake chamber. The adjusters keep the push rod stroke length to a minimum, ensuring optimal brake performance.

But how do you know if your brake adjusters are doing their job? Here’s a simple check: With both the emergency and service brakes off, measure the distance that the push rod extends from the brake chamber. Then, apply the brakes and measure the distance again. If the push rod travel is less than 1.5 inches—or roughly half the total maximum travel (which is typically 2.5 or 2.25 inches depending on the chamber size)—your brakes are properly adjusted.

I’ve overlooked this check in my regular maintenance routine, but I’ll be including it from now on. I’m not sure if it’s on the official Prevost maintenance schedule, but it’s definitely a good practice to add. Brake misalignment happens gradually, and this is a straightforward way to stay ahead of any potential problems.

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