Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: Elliott on October 05, 2021, 11:10:41 am

Title: Airbags: only one corner leaking down
Post by: Elliott on October 05, 2021, 11:10:41 am
I am SOOOOOO close to being air tight. Three of the four corners all held air throughout last night but the front left corner (both bags) leaked down. This at least narrows down the number of places the leak could be but I need a bit of help understanding how the six pack works.

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I have sprayed all the airlines going into the front six pack multiple times and don't see any leaks there. It's possible there's a leak on the front side of the manifold around one of the solenoids but I was pretty diligent when I rebuilt it a few weeks ago so I doubt it. If the answer to #1 above is "yes", this tells me it has to be a leak at the bag. Probably the airline fitting/elbow on the front-most bag that I can't see/spray.
Title: Re: Airbags: only one corner leaking down
Post by: bpal on October 05, 2021, 05:46:45 pm
Make sure you check the pressure switches on the 6 pack. I had leaks on 2 of ours where the brass body meets the composite material. My only other thought is are you spraying checking for leaks with the coach aired up with a gap above your frame blocks or with the coach sitting on the blocks? It will likely need the coach elevated above the blocks to put enough pressure to find the leak.

And I agree with you that the leak has to be at the 6 pack, the bags, or in between.
Title: Re: Airbags: only one corner leaking down
Post by: Elliott on October 05, 2021, 05:53:57 pm
My only other thought is are you spraying checking for leaks with the coach aired up with a gap above your frame blocks or with the coach sitting on the blocks? It will likely need the coach elevated above the blocks to put enough pressure to find the leak.

Fair point, I should try it in "raise" mode with a full tank of pressure. My most recent attempts have been with it sitting on the blocks in "manual" mode.
Title: Re: Airbags: only one corner leaking down
Post by: Protech Racing on October 05, 2021, 06:02:05 pm
My guess is that both bags are fed from the same line with a T . The leak should be either the control solenoid or in one of the lines or bags .
Title: Re: Airbags: only one corner leaking down
Post by: Twig on October 05, 2021, 06:03:40 pm
There are six solenoids. 4 for 4 bags and 2 travel. When rebuilt I assume you used new plungers?

There is either 1 pressure switch on the front and 2 on the back or vice versa, I forget. They are cheap so that is most likely the culprit I would think.
Title: Re: Airbags: only one corner leaking down
Post by: Elliott on October 05, 2021, 06:09:24 pm
There are six solenoids. 4 for 4 bags and 2 travel. When rebuilt I assume you used new plungers?
Yes, new plungers and three new o rings on each solenoid.

If each airbag has its own solenoid, that sure makes me scratch my head. The odds of me screwing up the rebuild on two solenoids is even less likely. But it also means two independent leaks if they're stand alone lines.
Title: Re: Airbags: only one corner leaking down
Post by: Michelle on October 05, 2021, 06:16:16 pm

On each six pack, the solenoids are

Driver Raise
Driver Dump
Driver Travel

Passenger Raise
Passenger Dump
Passenger Travel.

There is one sixpack per axle.  3 solenoids for the drivers' side of the axle, 3 solenoids for the passenger side of an axle.

The 2 Driver side front airbags on an axle are tied together and operated by the same solenoids.  Each airbag does not have a separate solenoid.
Title: Re: Airbags: only one corner leaking down
Post by: Twig on October 05, 2021, 06:27:55 pm
Exactly. So you have to determine which is the solenoid for the left front on your model. Looking at the manifold there is an order they are in. The plungers usually fix the leak.
Title: Re: Airbags: only one corner leaking down
Post by: Elliott on October 05, 2021, 06:43:45 pm
So conceivably, if my driver side dump valve was leaking, it would cause the symptoms I'm seeing
Title: Re: Airbags: only one corner leaking down
Post by: Michelle on October 05, 2021, 09:31:52 pm
So conceivably, if my driver side dump valve was leaking, it would cause the symptoms I'm seeing

Yes.  Or if any of the connections from each driver side airbag back to the six pack were leaking, it would also cause both to lose pressure since they have the same "plumbing" lines.
Title: Re: Airbags: only one corner leaking down
Post by: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart on October 06, 2021, 10:16:25 am
If you have trouble seeing the bubbles in hidden locartions, the German bubble product, Pustefix, make huge, long lasting bubbles. Used at parties, weddings around the world. Amazon.com: Pustefix Premium Bubbles Refill 8.3 fl.0z. : Toys & Games (https://www.amazon.com/Pustefix-Premium-Bubbles-Refill-fl-0z/dp/B0002HYC00)  Just follow the directions and use a Dollar Store spray applicator. If used outside, the wind make take the big bubbles out of sight before they pop.

Pierce
Title: Re: Airbags: only one corner leaking down
Post by: John Duld on October 06, 2021, 01:02:05 pm
Swap the left raise and dump solenoids. If the problem goes away your dump solenoid was the problem.
If you still have the problem and the pressure switch is ok then it's in the air line or bag.
Airbag air also has access to the travel solenoid. If you can't find any plumbing leaks you might swap the travel solenoids also.
Title: Re: Airbags: only one corner leaking down
Post by: Twig on October 06, 2021, 07:17:43 pm
Swap the left raise and dump solenoids. If the problem goes away your dump solenoid was the problem.
If you still have the problem and the pressure switch is ok then it's in the air line or bag.
Airbag air also has access to the travel solenoid. If you can't find any plumbing leaks you might swap the travel solenoids also.
Just swap the connectors.
Title: Re: Airbags: only one corner leaking down
Post by: Elliott on October 06, 2021, 07:59:23 pm
I found a leak on one of the 90 degree elbows going into the bag. It was only finger tight in the bag. Fingers crossed that does the trick
Title: Re: Airbags: only one corner leaking down
Post by: Elliott on October 07, 2021, 10:14:49 am
Well it held air and stayed mostly level last night. That one corner still leaked down a bit more than others (which seem to last a few days) but it'll be good enough to get through the night without needing the  aux compressor, which has been my goal this whole time. Pic attached of level on the front dash.

My desire to never have to work on the front six pack again outweighs my desire to go multiple days without the aux compressor at this point so I'll probably call it good here.
Title: Re: Airbags: only one corner leaking down
Post by: dsd on October 07, 2021, 11:40:14 am
I found a leak on one of the 90 degree elbows going into the bag. It was only finger tight in the bag. Fingers crossed that does the trick
Yes the 90 can be a pain to get to seal up and were my primary leak point. The hidden ones also need to be verified. Bubble juice and mirror worked good to get verification on no leaks for me. Several of the fittings got turned another turn past what I normally would tighten up to resolve leak also. My aux compressor never comes on. (Disconnected since day one) it will have to get fixed before the bladder is repaired. Our coach now will go for weeks and stay within level needs.
Scott
Title: Re: Airbags: only one corner leaking down
Post by: Elliott on October 07, 2021, 11:49:32 am
Yes the 90 can be a pain to get to seal up and were my primary leak point.

I tried to replace the 90 with a new one but couldn't find any in town so I cleaned up the old one and slathered it with permatex. I have a few on order that'll be here tomorrow and I'll replace it for posterity's sake the next time I have the coach blocked.

The "hidden" 90 on the front bag is brand new and I was able to check it for leaks by popping out the docking light and spraying/viewing through that hole in the fender.

I'm wiring in a new switch for the aux compressor this weekend so I can toggle it from inside the coach, just waiting on some 10 awg wire to show up (MAN that stuff has gotten expensive!).
Title: Re: Airbags: only one corner leaking down
Post by: Hans&Marjet on October 07, 2021, 01:20:23 pm
Parker Quick Disconnect swivel 90..DOT approved. I also changed the mate on the sixpac...

Works flawless no leaks
Title: Re: Airbags: only one corner leaking down
Post by: dsd on October 07, 2021, 01:40:46 pm
I tried to replace the 90 with a new one but couldn't find any in town so I cleaned up the old one and slathered it with permatex. I have a few on order that'll be here tomorrow and I'll replace it for posterity's sake the next time I have the coach blocked.

The "hidden" 90 on the front bag is brand new and I was able to check it for leaks by popping out the docking light and spraying/viewing through that hole in the fender.

I'm wiring in a new switch for the aux compressor this weekend so I can toggle it from inside the coach, just waiting on some 10 awg wire to show up (MAN that stuff has gotten expensive!).
Terrible when you can pay for a control relay and install for less than you pay for the wire. It's not that it's gotten expensive is just your money is worth less. More to come during the ride.
Scott