BCM Community

Now that I am about to install new airbags on the bus, I find that the service manual doesn't show anything about how or where to block up the body. I can only assume that it should be done at the bulkheads, but I'd like to be sure. Can anyone help? Thanks

on the front, there are jacking/blocking points where the suspension links connect to the body, you will see the large flat surface under the joint, forward of the axle. same on the rear, in between the drives and bogies. get yourself nice and high, and please be sure to use good solid blocking, not just jacks or jack stands. Leave plenty of room to be able to drop the axles far enough for a fully expanded airbag, it will make installation/removal much easier. the extra effort spent in removing the wheels and tires is well worth it, and will make installation of the new bags much easier. Make sure you get all new bolts too, the old ones won't be a lot of good.

When I changed my rear airbag, I jacked the bus up from the jackpoint below the airbag and blocked it by the large member by the bulkhead.  First I merely raised it enough to remove the tire, and then raised it more.  At that point, I re-blocked the bulkhead so that the bus was high enough to let the airbag completely open when the jack was removed.  Lowering the jack let the suspension down and emptied the airbag.  There was lots of room to work, and the airbag was easy to R&R.  Bicycle tire tools worked well for removing the rings from the old airbag and installing them on the new one.

My memory is a little vague here, but I think that it was necessary to jack up the airbag and fill the suspension with air to raise the bus off the bulkhead blocks. 

Note: Mine is a 5a.  I don't know if there is any difference here.

I had to also remove one end of the shocks to allow the suspension to drop farther but I was going to the rolling lobe type.