Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Discussions => Topic started by: Ted on March 23, 2022, 04:54:12 pm
Title: New to Motorhomes - choose a 1999 u320?
Post by: Ted on March 23, 2022, 04:54:12 pm
Hello all my name is Ted, brand new to the site, and motorhome living. I needed to move back to my home town in Southern Oregon and decided it would be easier to live full time in a motorhome then an apartment. So I bought a beautiful 1999 U320 that for all purposes looked perfect. However it's 22 years old and what 22 year doesn't have problems? First I had the Folks at Oregon Motorcoach check for air leaks. She looses air at about 3 lbs an hour and doesn't maintain level. Auto level just fails with excess slope. About a bubble off in the rear in my current spot. The told me they sprayed the chassis twice and did not find a leak and my problem was most likely the airbags weeping. They are old and saggy. However, trying to find airbags right now seems impossible. It was recommended to me by the fine folks in the foretravel owners Facebook group to get Contitech AS9448 Air Spring bags. But not finding them. What other bags can I use? There are plenty of things I need to work on and update but I really would like to have a level coach first. Without needing to start my rig every night.
Title: Re: New to Motorhomes - choose a 1999 u320?
Post by: oldguy on March 23, 2022, 05:24:19 pm
The air bags I replaced mine, they are Firestone w01 358 9448 and you will probably get some other brand numbers from someone else. If you are going to change them yourself Scott made some awesome tools that he loaned out but I think he sold them to Eliott. I have a 99 also. Welcome to the site. This site has and enormous amount of information on these coaches.
Title: Re: New to Motorhomes - choose a 1999 u320?
Post by: kb0zke on March 23, 2022, 05:24:56 pm
Welcome to the forums, Ted. You will find lots of good information here.
Firestone is another brand of air bag, but a bit more expensive.
You might do a search here for safety stands and get some. I'd go slightly shorter than what you need. That way you can raise your coach up all the way, slip the stands in, and let it float down to on the stands. Then, when it is time to remove them, just air up the bags, raise all the way up, and the stands will easily come out.
If the former owner of your coach didn't move to another Foretravel, they may have left the safety stands with your coach. There are several common varieties. Most owners have a set of square pipes, about 11" long. Some use a hardwood, also about 11" long. A few of us got fancy and use a two-part safety stand with an acme thread. See what you find.
Title: Re: New to Motorhomes - choose a 1999 u320?
Post by: WS6_Keith on March 23, 2022, 05:27:50 pm
Ebay - 6 available here: ContiTech Continental Air Spring AS9448 | eBay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/333664717587)
8 more here if you need more (higher price): ContiTech AS9448 Air Spring (http://semiairbags.com/contitech-as9448-air-spring)
Title: Re: New to Motorhomes - choose a 1999 u320?
Post by: Roger & Susan in Home2 on March 23, 2022, 05:31:34 pm
Ted, you my want to inspect/rebuild the six packs (two of them). There is one In and for the front and another in the rear. Hey cam develop slow leaks over time and don't always show up as a big leak.
When your coach engine is off and the leveling system is functioning, air to adjust leveling comes from your small compressor. It needs to be working in order for you to maintain level automatically or manually.
Title: Re: New to Motorhomes - choose a 1999 u320?
Post by: Elliott on March 23, 2022, 05:32:38 pm
There is also a Good Year airbag replacement. I have a lot of experience with them and do not recommend them, even if you can get them dirt cheap.
You really need to know where and how to look for air leaks on these coaches. As mentioned, your first order of business should be getting safety stands so you can work safely under the coach.
To check the airbags for leaks, put the coach into "raise" mode and wait until the bags are inflated to their max, then spray all over with bubble solution.
Leaks in/around the six packs can be hard to see. Same with leaks at the 90 degree air fittings going into the forward most bag on either side of the coach.
Title: Re: New to Motorhomes - choose a 1999 u320?
Post by: Chuck & Jeannie on March 23, 2022, 05:35:01 pm
Welcome Ted,
With supply chain interruptions prevalent these days, sometimes finding desired items in stock can be tricky. You just need to be persistent. Try the link below for some tips and ideas on changing air bags.
Foretravel Motorhome Air Bags | All Things Foretravel (http://www.allthingsforetravel.com/2020/02/17/air-bags/)
Title: Re: New to Motorhomes - choose a 1999 u320?
Post by: Elliott on March 23, 2022, 05:38:25 pm
Welcome to the forums, Ted. You will find lots of good information here.
Firestone is another brand of air bag, but a bit more expensive.
You might do a search here for safety stands and get some. I'd go slightly shorter than what you need. That way you can raise your coach up all the way, slip the stands in, and let it float down to on the stands. Then, when it is time to remove them, just air up the bags, raise all the way up, and the stands will easily come out.
If the former owner of your coach didn't move to another Foretravel, they may have left the safety stands with your coach. There are several common varieties. Most owners have a set of square pipes, about 11" long. Some use a hardwood, also about 11" long. A few of us got fancy and use a two-part safety stand with an acme thread. See what you find.
No safety stands found. She was empty of everything but paperwork and lots of floor mats. My body will prevent me from doing work such as this. Will be searching for a shop near Roseburg Oregon to do the work. I am only aware of OMC that is authorized to service Foretravel here in Oregon.
Title: Re: New to Motorhomes - choose a 1999 u320?
Post by: Ted on March 23, 2022, 05:53:52 pm
Ted, you my want to inspect/rebuild the six packs (two of them). There is one In and for the front and another in the rear. Hey cam develop slow leaks over time and don't always show up as a big leak.
When your coach engine is off and the leveling system is functioning, air to adjust leveling comes from your small compressor. It needs to be working in order for you to maintain level automatically or manually.
The small compressor kicks on and try's to do the work but errors out by the morning and the rear drops. The Six packs are next on the list. Then tires.
Title: Re: New to Motorhomes - choose a 1999 u320?
Post by: Ted on March 23, 2022, 05:57:51 pm
There is also a Good Year airbag replacement. I have a lot of experience with them and do not recommend them, even if you can get them dirt cheap.
You really need to know where and how to look for air leaks on these coaches. As mentioned, your first order of business should be getting safety stands so you can work safely under the coach.
To check the airbags for leaks, put the coach into "raise" mode and wait until the bags are inflated to their max, then spray all over with bubble solution.
Leaks in/around the six packs can be hard to see. Same with leaks at the 90 degree air fittings going into the forward most bag on either side of the coach.
I'm far to fat and broken to even think about crawling in, around, or under my coach. Haha. The service department told me they sprayed the entire chassis while up on the lift and didn't find any leaks, and guessed it was the air bags. They are several years old and cracked pretty bad so I figure now is a good time to get them taken care of while I have money in the bank and before prices triple in the next few months.
Title: Re: New to Motorhomes - choose a 1999 u320?
Post by: Ted on March 23, 2022, 06:03:02 pm
Wow...getting expensive. I just ordered one a month ago for $125 from find it parts and thought that was painful. Gone are the days of $99 airbags :(
Yup, and the tag axle bags are higher. AS9441's are $172 now. I was hoping they would go down from the $145 they were a few months ago. Might just have to bite the bullet.
Title: Re: New to Motorhomes - choose a 1999 u320?
Post by: Geodmann on March 24, 2022, 08:04:47 am
Keith is that the correct part number for the tag axle air bags? My '02 has Goodyear bags in the tag position but they look like they need to be replaced and I'm unsure of the correct part number.
Title: Re: New to Motorhomes - choose a 1999 u320?
Post by: WS6_Keith on March 24, 2022, 10:12:17 am
Keith is that the correct part number for the tag axle air bags? My '02 has Goodyear bags in the tag position but they look like they need to be replaced and I'm unsure of the correct part number.
Based on the part number page, the original was a Goodyear 1R11-039 which crosses over to this number according to my research.
Title: Re: New to Motorhomes - choose a 1999 u320?
Post by: Rudy on March 24, 2022, 10:18:57 am
On my 2001 U320, all air bags/air springs are the same.
On a 2003 with lifting tag, the 2 tag bags are different
Title: Re: New to Motorhomes - choose a 1999 u320?
Post by: "Irish" on March 26, 2022, 04:40:15 pm
If you check around you may find a small diesel repair facility that does school busses and small trucks and would be happy to do the suspension/ steering/ engine stiff on your coach. A place where they will be careful if your interior. A whole lot cheaper than going to a Cummins service center. The rest of the coach: a good RV repair guy should be able to help with any heat/ AC/ water, they are fairly standard RV type. There are mobile service guys who do Aqua hot systems or look up Rudy on the forum. The other stuff, you are on your own or possibly make a pilgrimage to HWH in Iowa for the leveling system or to Nacogdoches for any repair. Good luck with your new coach
Title: Re: New to Motorhomes - choose a 1999 u320?
Post by: dsd on March 26, 2022, 05:32:11 pm
Hello all my name is Ted, brand new to the site, and motorhome living. I needed to move back to my home town in Southern Oregon and decided it would be easier to live full time in a motorhome then an apartment. So I bought a beautiful 1999 U320 that for all purposes looked perfect. However it's 22 years old and what 22 year doesn't have problems? First I had the Folks at Oregon Motorcoach check for air leaks. She looses air at about 3 lbs an hour and doesn't maintain level. Auto level just fails with excess slope. About a bubble off in the rear in my current spot. The told me they sprayed the chassis twice and did not find a leak and my problem was most likely the airbags weeping. They are old and saggy. However, trying to find airbags right now seems impossible. It was recommended to me by the fine folks in the foretravel owners Facebook group to get Contitech AS9448 Air Spring bags. But not finding them. What other bags can I use? There are plenty of things I need to work on and update but I really would like to have a level coach first. Without needing to start my rig every night.
Congratulations on your new home. How level is the area your parking on? May be able to dump air and be level enough on the ground. If the lines and bags aren't showing evidence of leaks it probably a control problem with your six packs leaking. The search function on the top right upper corner of this page has endless amounts of prior work by others. I couldn't imagine saving money on one of these coaches if your not working on it yourself. When you find someone to work on the air ride level system it would be beneficial to have a ships set of safety stands. Lots use the 2" hitch tube from harbor freight or you can go to any metal shop and have some 1/10 wall or thicker 2" tubing cut to 11 inches. Four is good and eight is best. One placed next to each air bag for redundant support. I typically level and leave system off for weeks at a time. Dollar store has Kids bubble fluid, its cheap and works well. Good bunch of people here willing to put in there two cents.👍👍 Scott