Let the Air Out

Tikvah · July 02, 2013, 04:36:08 AM

Is there an easy way to let the air out of my suspension to get into a shop door?
I'm kicking around the idea of putting my bus in a big building for the winter so I can work on it, but the door is just a couple inches too low. The ceiling is fine once I'm in.

Can I release the air all the way, and still drive it in?

bevans6 · July 02, 2013, 04:43:38 AM

Easiest way would be the same as using the suspension for leveling at camp sites, independent control of the leveling valves. Just command them to droop. Be best if your bump stops were still there and level, and you want to be careful of torquing the frame structure driving over bumps when the front suspension is down on the bump stops.

Brian

Debo · July 02, 2013, 05:13:39 AM

Let some air out of the tires?

Tikvah · July 02, 2013, 05:19:52 AM

will probably let some tire air out in addition to the suspension. Tires won't give me much and still roll

bobofthenorth · July 02, 2013, 06:52:04 AM

Make sure you're lined up with a straight shot into the door before you let the suspension down because you may not have clearance to turn the front tires once the bags are down. Other than that I wouldn't worry about moving short distances with the suspension sitting on the stoppers.

muldoonman · July 02, 2013, 08:17:09 AM

Friend of mine use to drop his 90 something Prevost to bottom every time he put his in shop. It would just barely clear. Told me one time just be sure to drop it if you raise it in shop. Cost him a door.

bobofthenorth · July 02, 2013, 09:54:59 AM

We saw one like that at Bish's RV in Twin Falls a long time ago. Guy bought a new truck camper, picked it up, went home, put the truck in the garage and then came back to Bish's for them to rebuild the top of his new truck camper.

muldoonman · July 02, 2013, 10:17:11 AM

That's the reason I put 14 foot doors in my new bus barn! Clear by a foot.

bevans6 · July 02, 2013, 10:23:03 AM

One f my buildings (the crappy one) has 15 foot doors, the nice one has 11'-6" doors and the bus is happily 11'-4" to the top of the air conditioner.

Brian

chessie4905 · July 02, 2013, 10:55:08 AM

When I brought my 4905 home, the center air conditioner cleared my shop opening by the thickness of a credit card. I had my neighbor bring his backhoe over and tweaked the gravel drive. It now clears by an inch and one half.
Installing a manual leveling option is a good thing to add, not just to lower, but to raise in case the center bottoms in some occasion, such as crossing railroad tracks, etc.