Blew an Air Bag..

[poppi]

Nick,

   Hope things go easy........... That wouldn't be HomeDepot 2X8 pine would it?
   
   Remember Safety First

  Skip

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Skip,

As a matter of fact.... Ummmm, yea

We have a costal storm putting a hamper on progress yesterday and today. I knew I should have put the bus in the shop.....

Nick-

[Chuck Newman]

Hi Nick,

I've been off the board a few days, but I just changed out the four drive axle bags and shocks on my '89 102A3.  Unless the other bags look great, I strongly recommend doing all four.  I also recommend pulling the shocks.  It's not mandatory but they come out easily and it opens up the work area.  It also makes easy access to all the bag and brake air lines, valves, and connectors.  In case you want to leak check and/or modify as I did.  I found a DD3 leak I didn't know I had.

On the front drive axle bags you will need either a crowfoot wrench or a heated and bent wrench to remove the 1-1/8" nut on the air line port.  As you've probably observed, you only have 4" of work space and the nut is mostly hidden by the upper bag support.  I found a standard open end crow foot would not fit, but a split box end 1-1/8" crowfoot did the trick.  The removal of the rest of the hardware is a piece of cake.

One of my copper lines/fittings had been abused previously in the bus's life and didn't want to reseal, so I converted the air bag system to DOT nylon.  I used local supplier but I was told NAPA had a supply of DOT fittings.  I like this place and their prices are equivalent to the local shop here that takes forever to order something (we don't have a NAPA store close by).  

http://www.valleyhydraulic.com/store/shopdisplaycategories.asp?id=353&cat=Push+to+Connect+Fittings

By the way, MCI wanted about $162. per bag and they were out of stock.  I got four bags at Mohawk for $103. each.  Similar savings on shocks from Mohawk.

Good luck,  Chuck



 

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Chuck,

I just got past the front drive bag's yesterday and I didn't have the crows foot box as you did but, I think I

made out just as well with my sawzall...Ha Ha.. Once I removed the rear "larger" nut, I pryed the bag mount down

and exposed the under part of the bag bolt then hacked it right off. By the time I moved on to the second bag,

It was 1/2 hour to do the same thing.

I'm installing all 6 aft rear bags and all 6 shocks new as well as 4 new drive tires. I took the bags from a friend, "ill replace" and

the shocks I purchaced from Luke at US Coach. He had a good price on them.

Thanks
Nick-

[bobofthenorth]

The Sawzall was my friend when I changed shocks.  Make sure to put lots of never seize on the shock bolts when you put them back in. They were a worse ordeal than the air bags.

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Guy's,

I just completed the whole job....

I wasn't easy! My hat goes off to all you guy's that do this yourselves.

Jacking and removing the old bags was the hardest part without a doubt but, not impossible.

The cooper tires look great too. And Wayne, your correct. They are made in China.

The only thing left to do tomorrow, is adjust the levelers a bit.

Here are some pics
Nick-

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Just completed a test drive and all is well...

Tomorrow I will adjust the levelers in the sun light.

Here's a pic of the new Cooper Tires

Nick-

[John316]

Nick,

That looks great! Good work. Your airbags are in a great position! Ours were way harder to access then yours are. Good job!\

God bless,

John