Leaking air What valve is this??

FolkBus · April 14, 2014, 04:42:29 PM

Hi all

The valve on the left is leaking out of the bottom. the one on the right is my leveling valve. These are located Right rear. On my MC-5A.

These ramps are one piece by a friend with a sawmill. The logs we no good for cut lumber but great for bus ramps. Down side...jeez they are heavy

--Mike

gus · April 14, 2014, 04:53:16 PM

Light weight and variable height are the advantages of the plastic commercial ones.

luvrbus · April 14, 2014, 05:15:07 PM

That is a adjustable safety valve to protect the system from too much pressure they are set on 150 lbs could be somebody has tried to adjust it and it leaks when the pressure gets above the set pressure

good luck

digesterman · April 14, 2014, 05:19:03 PM

Quote from: gus on April 14, 2014, 04:53:16 PM
Light weight and variable height are the advantages of the plastic commercial ones.

Haven't seen any plastic one's that I would feel comfortable using, do you have a brand name available?

FolkBus · April 14, 2014, 05:22:04 PM

The max my system sees is 120psi. I haven't heard it leaking until this spring. Is it adjustment only or rebuildable or should I replace it??

luvrbus · April 14, 2014, 05:43:05 PM

Where you live it probably had moisture and froze just a guess they are not a problem most of the time,take it apart and clean it nothing there but a spring, stem and steel ball could be just rust on the ball and seat

good luck

FolkBus · April 14, 2014, 06:33:36 PM

luvrbus

That makes lots of sense. Will do. Update to come

thanks

--Mike

gus · April 15, 2014, 08:14:35 PM

Sorry about that, I was referring to the ramps:)

digesterman · April 16, 2014, 07:09:39 AM

Quote from: gus on April 15, 2014, 08:14:35 PM
Sorry about that, I was referring to the ramps:)

I didn't see your reply Gus, did you have a plastic ramp that you would recommend? Thanks

Midwilshire · April 16, 2014, 05:09:09 PM

Quote from: luvrbus on April 14, 2014, 05:43:05 PM
take it apart and clean it nothing there but a spring, stem and steel ball

Sir, I've been watching your posts for two years now, but I've never met you in person. I feel like I could take any random screw out of my MCI and post a picture of it, and you'd tell us where it came from and what time of day I removed it. You're like the bus oracle. Seriously... How the heck do you know so much about busses?

chessie4905 · April 16, 2014, 06:02:45 PM

I had a set of 4 like that that were 12 inches high, to get my ACF Brill up in the air to work on it. Had to get a little run for it to get it up on top of them. Accidentally went too far once and drove over the ends......Bang! bus dropped to the ground and bounced back up about 4 inches. Fortunately, nothing was damaged, as it had springs and more ground clearance than air suspension units. After that, I attached a 2x4 to each one as a stop.

gus · April 16, 2014, 08:33:26 PM

digester,

I've used the interlocking plastic RV type for almost ten years with no problems.

I had to have them because the 4104 has no leveling system.

Used on dirt, gravel, grass and pavement with never a broken block or leveling problem.

They are a bit expensive now, but not when I bought them. They fit together like Legos.

The good part for me is they are light weight and can be built up to any height desired. I'm too old to be lifting those wood monsters and they aren't adjustable.

digesterman · April 17, 2014, 07:22:37 AM

Thanks Gus, going to go with that recommendation, was not liking the idea of hauling around wood blocks or planks.

Oonrahnjay · April 18, 2014, 03:42:30 AM

Quote from: gus on April 16, 2014, 08:33:26 PMdigester,

I've used the interlocking plastic RV type for almost ten years with no problems.

I had to have them because the 4104 has no leveling system.

Used on dirt, gravel, grass and pavement with never a broken block or leveling problem. ...

Hey, Gus, how do you use them? Stack them together until they're about the right height and drive up on them? I've tried driving up on wooden blocks and found that I tend to drive off the front end (and backing onto them is worse). Part of this is that the torque converter on my auto transmission is a little "grabby" and I'm sure that part of it is just that I'm not very good. But it's been a problem.

Thanks B Henderson Wallace, NC (near Wilmington)

gus · April 18, 2014, 07:44:08 PM

B,

They lock together only one way. If you don't do it correctly the ramp won't stay together.

Yeah, I've driven too far a few times but since the slope on both ends is so gentle it is really no problem normally. That gentle slope is another nice thing about these blocks but it also means you need a bunch of them.

You can use a big block of wood on the plastic block if you absolutely have to stop. I've done that when going too far would be a hazard.