Air Beam Leak Repair

Burgermeister · April 16, 2006, 11:33:57 AM

You'll get a better appreciation of the task if you go to Gumpydog's site and look at the pictures. The airbeams are rectangular tubes about 6x6 or 6x8 and 36-40" long buried in the frame structure below the floor and inside the wheels.

It can be done - anything can if you're determined enough! but it's alot of work. My "California" MCI-9 had a huge amount of fine silt all over this area that served as a "sponge" making sure the corrosion continued long after the rain was gone. Haven't "tested" for leaks yet, but I'll let you know if any show and what I do to address the problem.

Melbo · April 16, 2006, 06:06:24 PM

Like the old expression goes

Given enough time and enough money you can fix anything

Not to say it is always worth it

Melbo

Bustle · September 28, 2021, 02:06:13 PM

So I have a leak on the 102D3, driver side, rear. The mechanic thinks it somewhere under the floor, and all of the check valves were good. I heard a hissing sound somewhere on the rear left by the drive wheel. What's there to leak over there, that would make the right side deflate?

luvrbus · September 28, 2021, 02:45:31 PM

Quote from: Bustle on September 28, 2021, 02:06:13 PM
So I have a leak on the 102D3, driver side, rear. The mechanic thinks it somewhere under the floor, and all of the check valves were good. I heard a hissing sound somewhere on the rear left by the drive wheel. What's there to leak over there, that would make the right side deflate?

The D's are bad about rust in that area and the air bag will go through the floor and they over extend and leak my DL didn't have air beams are you sure your DL has air beams ? ,man there are old names popped up on this post

Bustle · September 28, 2021, 03:41:39 PM

Plenty of rust from the ol' lavatory... The bags air up fine, they just dont hold air. The left rear bags hold air just fine.

windtrader · September 28, 2021, 04:24:32 PM

On an MCI8, is there a way to put a plate on the end of the airbag to get around leaks in the beams?

luvrbus · September 28, 2021, 06:16:20 PM

The DL is a total different air bag setup from the older MCI buses they are sorta plated to begin with more like a truck setup or a Prevost

chessie4905 · September 28, 2021, 08:20:47 PM

As GM improved their coaches as they came out wither the later models, they moved away from air beams. The newer style rolling lobe. btw are MUCH easier to replace. No leaking between the bellows and beam or block off plates.

Glennman · September 28, 2021, 08:37:43 PM

I'm certainly no expert in this area, but it seems to me that deleting the air beam and plating the bags would reduce the amount of air needed to fully cushion the ride, especially on rough roads (lower volume of air). In other words, it would be like riding on those super skinny tires that hold only a small amount of air. Couldn't you get the same result by plating the air bag, but also installing an additional air tank to account for the lost volume?

buswarrior · September 29, 2021, 03:59:07 AM

Go back to the first page, of this 2006 topic, and read Luke's contribution.

Nobody can tell the bags have been plated.

These things rotted out while they were still in their first line fleet, in the rust belt. With that juggernaut of driving experience, jumping in and out of new and older buses daily, if there was a difference, it would be well known. It's only busnuts that dream this theoretical exercise up...

The problem with leaking beams, is you can't get at all sides without tearing the coach floor out, they love to leak on the top, and after all that, you still miss a hole, or another piece of rust flakes off, either inside or outside the beam, and away you go again.

If the beams are rotten, watch the pylons that the bag is mounted to, they may need replacing. They used to be available as a stand alone repair part, but that was 20 years ago...

MCI D coaches do not have air beams.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

Busted Knuckle · September 29, 2021, 06:38:00 AM

Quote from: windtrader on September 28, 2021, 04:24:32 PM
On an MCI8, is there a way to put a plate on the end of the airbag to get around leaks in the beams?

YES! I am told with the use of "rolling lobe" bags the ride quality is still "almost as if the beams were still there!

BK

luvrbus · September 29, 2021, 07:06:32 AM

The OP has another problem with his D not a air beam so he can forget about a air beam and look at the air bags or leveling valves

Dave5Cs · September 29, 2021, 08:53:06 AM

Quote from: luvrbus on September 29, 2021, 07:06:32 AM
The OP has another problem with his D not a air beam so he can forget about a air beam and look at the air bags or leveling valves

It seems some are not paying attention here? Clifford said there are not air beams in a D....
Clifford I am with you and saw Dallas before I saw the dates and thought he had risen, LOL

thomasinnv · September 29, 2021, 08:59:51 AM

I do believe that there is a section of airline that runs inside the floor over the rear airbags. I would soak the bags and everything air related with soapy water and if nothing is found where you can see it, you will need to remove the airbags to inspect the lines above. There may be a fitting leaking or a line rubbed through inside the floor.

luvrbus · September 29, 2021, 09:39:30 AM

Quote from: Dave5Cs on September 29, 2021, 08:53:06 AM
It seems some are not paying attention here? Clifford said there are not air beams in a D....
Clifford I am with you and saw Dallas before I saw the dates and thought he had risen, LOL

LOL yea Dallas must have missed that one ,when him and the owner Mike then had a falling out he spent weeks deleting every post he ever made on the BCM he was one of a kind he could tell you to go to hell and make people look forward to the trip.Strange his name came up Gary Hatt called yesterday working on Dallas old GM bus for a lady in Texas

Air Beam Leak Repair

Burgermeister