Uh oh!!! My worst nightmare, air beam troubles!

[Paladin]

Ok, so today I pulled up the ramp in my beast and also tore out the floor on the left front. After very much cleaning and lot's of gross factor I got to the air beam, or what I guess is the air beam.
Rusty of course but at the very forward point behind the drivers seat, right where the floor drops to the seat floor level and inward where the heater tubes turn outward there is a large hole or rather three working on two.
Is this still part of the air beam?
Could I still be able to air up with a hole that large? Wouldn't it blow out the insulation that was over it?
How much air pressure would be leaking from there?

What's my best plan of attack? Either way it needs to be fixed in some way or another.

So exactly how screwed is Dave?


-Dave

[maria-n-skip]

Holes that big; no it would not air up. But I've been wrong before.

  Not being flipant but how good are your welding skills? It may make a difference on
how you fix it.

Skip

[Stan]

The airbeams are between the bulkheads. That area appears to be ahead of the front bulkhead. In your bus, I think the front bulkhead is in line with the latch side of the door frame.

[Paladin]

Forgive the pictures, trying to give a good description.
Here is where the rust is:

[mikelutestanski]

    Welcome to the club.......  try getting underneath  check the wheel well from underneath; looks like the front corner of the wheelwell is open to the interior .. need to patch across the whole well and seal it real well..
     If you find the plywood under the rear of your seat base is bowed up  then the metal underneath is gone..  lots of water enters from the wheel well and gets under the plywood . 
     also check the backwall of the spare tire bay..  Possibly the  lower ceiling over the axle  (above the leveling valve is gone  (aluminum)) need to replace that as it allows water to get into the areas where the airlines are located..
          All is not lost spent one winter under the front axle repairing all that...
          Por 15  is real good stuff  try the magnet paint version  cheaper.  same stuff...  others may beg to differ..   
          By the way my bus is plated all around ..  LOL...   
         Happy bussin     Mike  mci 7..

[Tony LEE]

The levelling valves only allow fairly slow air flow into the bags and beams so it could be possible for the rest of the bus to air up with fairly large holes in the bags or beams -- but of course that section of the suspension would be down on the bump-stops either all the time or within minutes of the engine stopping.

[JohnEd]

Mike,

Por 15?  Magnet version?  More data, please.

Thanks,

John

[mikelutestanski]

Mike,
Por 15?  Magnet version?  More data, please.  Thanks,  John


    Hello
              Magnetpaint.com   
      The por 15 lookalike is called chassis saver...  $88.00  gal.     I have no interest and do not make a dime.  I just go for the best I can afford..   
     Happy bussin   
    mike mci 7

[JohnEd]

Mike,

Thanks.  Always interested in improving my vocabulary.

John