I have full body paint on my coach. The belt line trim is painted to match so I'm wondering about removing it to remove the fenders. Looking at the various air bag replacement threads, it appears that fender removal is the way to go....if it doesn't screwup the paint. Do any of you with painted coaches remove the trim/fenders, or just tuff out the removal with everything in place?
The pain in replacing air bags is when the top air fitting side is against the bulkhead, like the front air bag. To save removing our painted fenders, we made access holes to reach the two difficult air fittings & nuts.
I figure that removing painted fenders could work if a razor cut is made lengthwise on the painted molding to cleanly allow removing the molding. And a vertical molding cut (with Dremel?) will allow removing the molding over just the fender.
Sounds like I may do 3/4, then let FOT, MOT, or someone else do the last 1/4.
I talked to Biscuit about this when we were at FOT a few weeks ago. He said remove screws, use razor knife top and bottom as deep as you can. Then prudent use of a plastic & metal putty knife to get it off. DO NOT BEND IT! Biscuit's emphasis. :)
see ya
ken
Making a vertical cut will prevent having to bend the trim too much.
I just replaced the drivers-side rear airbag (forward one) with the fender and wheels on. Only the one nut was a pita to get to, but the rest was straightforward. It took me 3 hours, but will go quicker the next time now that I know exactly what is required.
1995 U300SE CAT
Is it possible to do what I used to do with rusted shocks?
After getting four stitches in the heel of my right hand--from falling on a hubcap when the wrench slipped on the shock tower nut I quite easily removed the nuts from both shock shafts with one hand!! (and four Pabst shorties)
The DW held a center punch on the nut. I hit the center punch and then proceeded to cross drill thru the nut. My drill just slightly smaller than the width of the nut. Then I hit the nut/shaft protruding up. It broke off very, very easy.
Would it be possible to access the pesky air bag nut enough to perform the same type operation? Could save a lot of cussing and extra work.
Not sure about Toyman's 2003 U270, but our 2003 U320 doesn't have visible screws in the belt moulding like the previous generation coaches....
I have full body paint and take the fenders off without any thought for it going back just like it came off. It is just a mind issue and once you get over it you never think about it again.
I do not remember anyone saying " Look at that poor coach with the cut thru the trim paint" !!!! I replace the trim then clear caulk it.
I would rather do this than lay under coach and battle all day doing a simple thing.
JohnH
The problem with that one nut is the height of the stud. If you put a normal deep socket on it, you have no vertical room left for the ratchet head. Short sockets bottom on the stud. So I searched my tool box and lucked out that I had a box-end wrench a little shorter than a Craftsman, and allowed enough swing arc without running into a frame rail.
That's what was a pain. Another advantage I had was that this Coach has always been in California, so there was no corrosion issue, and it was quite easy to bust that nut loose.
I think the trick before changing the next airbag will be to take a deep socket and shorten it on a bench grinder, or use a cut-off circular saw.
In other words - make a "special tool".
My tool box has a number of those I've had to make over the years.
Michael, couldn't you just center punch the nut, then drill all the way thru with a drill, about the thread dia, then take a hammer and just knock the nut and threaded stud end off? Or isn't there room ?
Kinda off topic for "trim removal" but........
not sure about a unicoach,....... but on a unihome, without removing the fender, you cant hardly get a wrench on the nut much less a drill. Unless you fabricate a special socket or wrench the best tool to use would be a 3/4" ratchet wrench.
Why would my post addressing Michael's post about removing the pesty nut be "OFF- TOPIC"?
Removal of the nut(s) is/are part of the process of replacing the air bag(s) after removing the fender.
I would think suggestions relative to helping simplify the air bag replacement would be relative.
I did not throw in comments that were totally irrelevant.
Didn't mean to offend as I was referring to my own comment before I posted it.
Topic was "beltline trim reemoval" and not "air bag removal"
Yes removing the trim and fenders is absolutely relevant to air bag replacement. Makes the job much easier.
Mistake was to use your quote. Sorry.
FourTravelers is correct. On my Unihome, a ratchet wrench (but not too long) would be the best tool as long as there was no corrosion present.