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air bags

Before I started the AH rebuild, I raised my coach to full height and shut off the engine. I put the safety stands in place. They have about 1/2" clearance when put in place. I did this 3 weeks ago. To date, the coach hasn't dropped a bit. I have all electric and all batteries disconnected so I know the aux compressor isn't doing this. To be honest, I'm not sure it even works. I've never heard it in 5 years, but then the ears aren't the best.

I'm just excited that she has held air all this time.

Larry
Larry Warren
1996  U320 36' SBID "Lola" sold 2020
Build #4970
Motorcade #18318

Re: air bags

Reply #1 –
Mine was the same way during the steering gear project, over 2 weeks never dropped.
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: air bags

Reply #2 –
Quote from: ohsonew –
Before I started the AH rebuild, I raised my coach to full height and shut off the engine. I put the safety stands in place. They have about 1/2" clearance when put in place. I did this 3 weeks ago. To date, the coach hasn't dropped a bit. I have all electric and all batteries disconnected so I know the aux compressor isn't doing this. To be honest, I'm not sure it even works. I've never heard it in 5 years, but then the ears aren't the best.

I'm just excited that she has held air all this time.

Larry

If the HWH system is off (key pad not in auto). And your HWH solenoids in the 6 packs are tight (no internal leaks), along with the lines to the bags, and the bags themselves, you can drain all the air in the tanks out, and the coach will stay fully raised.

So this doesn't mean you don't have leaks anywhere else, just the air bag part of your system is tight.

Chris
Chris and Tammy White  CDA Idaho
Previous owners 1997 U295 36' 3126 Cat 300 HP Build # 4998
Former Foretravel tech & RVIA certified tech
Former owner Custom Satellite home/RV satellites 
Former owner Vans LTD  van conversions
Unemployed, panhandler, drag racer NHRA #6348

Re: air bags

Reply #3 –
Quote from: gracerace –
If the HWH system is off (key pad not in auto). And your HWH solenoids in the 6 packs are tight (no internal leaks), along with the lines to the bags, and the bags themselves, you can drain all the air in the tanks out, and the coach will stay fully raised.

So this doesn't mean you don't have leaks anywhere else, just the air bag part of your system is tight.

Chris


Thanks Chris, that's a great bit of troubleshooting info. 
"Not so  long ago we were a nation of risk takers, riding five million pounds of  thrust straight into space."  Joe Gresh
Chuck Pearson
1996 U295
2018 Can Am X3 TurboRS

Re: air bags

Reply #4 –
Chris,

Can we state a corollary: 

With the HWH system off, if tank pressure drops-- even to zero AND you have not lost height at any wheel position, the 6 packs lines and air bags are leak-free? Yes, one would have to measure ride height at each wheel position before and after storing.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: air bags

Reply #5 –
My air bag system has no leaks but I have another leak that I haven't been able to find. It leaks down to around 60 lbs in a few hours and then stays.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: air bags

Reply #6 –
Quote from: wolfe10 –
Chris,

Can we state a corollary: 

With the HWH system off, if tank pressure drops-- even to zero AND you have not lost height at any wheel position, the 6 packs lines and air bags are leak-free? Yes, one would have to measure ride height at each wheel position before and after storing.
Having safety stands in place with air gap and 3 weeks later still have the same gap is a tight system. Mine is the same way on the front, haven't blocked the back lately for any service but will check when I do.
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: air bags

Reply #7 –
Once I'm parked and leveled manually I turn off the HWH system.  I will normally stay level for over a month (longest I've been parked) but my system air pressure will leak down to 0 in a couple days. (I probably just jinxed myself....)
I just haven't taken the time to look for leaks.
Forest & Cindy Olivier
1987 log cabin
2011 Roadtrek C210P
no longer 1999 36' U320 build #5522
2013 Rzr 570 & 2018 Ranger XP1000
2006 Lexus GX470
2011 Tahoe LT 4x4
Previous 1998 45' 2 slide Newell, 1993 39' Newell

Re: air bags

Reply #8 –
Quote from: folivier –
Once I'm parked and leveled manually I turn off the HWH system.  I will normally stay level for over a month (longest I've been parked) but my system air pressure will leak down to 0 in a couple days. (I probably just jinxed myself....)
I just haven't taken the time to look for leaks.


Yup, I lower mine if it's fairly level, down to almost the snubbers. Then level and turn HWH off. Stays fine for weeks. And the coach air stays in the 80-90 level. I fixed lots of leaks, and my 6 packs are rebuilt.
Chris
Chris and Tammy White  CDA Idaho
Previous owners 1997 U295 36' 3126 Cat 300 HP Build # 4998
Former Foretravel tech & RVIA certified tech
Former owner Custom Satellite home/RV satellites 
Former owner Vans LTD  van conversions
Unemployed, panhandler, drag racer NHRA #6348

Re: air bags

Reply #9 –
I bought 4 stands from Harbor freight. I was thinking on putting them in the front or back depending which area I'm working. See any problems with that?
1996 U295-36, Cummins 300hp, 8.3. Build number 4864. Vin number 1F97D536XTNO54271. Purchased October 31, 2019.

Re: air bags

Reply #11 –
Dan are these jack stands or square tubing?  How many tons are the stands rated for?  One thing I didn't know are that stands are typically rated for the pair and not individually.  So a 10 ton set of jack stands will only be rated for 5 tons if used individually.  My 1999 36' U320 weighs just over 30,000# or 15 tons, the front about 6 tons and the rear 10 tons.  So if I'm supporting the front I need a pair rated at 6 tons and for the rear a pair rated at 10 tons.
But a better option is to get a set of 2" square tubing about 11-12" long and use these once you raise the coach to its limit.
Look at this post:  Safety Stand Placement
Sorry if you already know this, better safe than sorry.
Forest & Cindy Olivier
1987 log cabin
2011 Roadtrek C210P
no longer 1999 36' U320 build #5522
2013 Rzr 570 & 2018 Ranger XP1000
2006 Lexus GX470
2011 Tahoe LT 4x4
Previous 1998 45' 2 slide Newell, 1993 39' Newell

Re: air bags

Reply #12 –
Quote from: dans96u295ft –
I bought 4 stands from Harbor freight. I was thinking on putting them in the front or back depending which area I'm working. See any problems with that?
Are you referring to the 2" square hitch extenders? They will support much more than jack stands.
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: air bags

Reply #13 –
When I bought the coach it came with hardwood stands which work really well.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: air bags

Reply #14 –
Would love to see a picture of "hardwood stands".

Thanks.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: air bags

Reply #15 –
I will see if I can get pictures into my computer and then  up on the web site.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: air bags

Reply #16 –
Wolfe here are the pictures of the wooden blocks I said I would post. The one I am using on the
front looks like fir to me. The rear would be a hardwood. I will check them all to see what I have.
Peter
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: air bags

Reply #17 –
Please buy at least 4 of these if you do not want to buy 8.  I have 8 should I ever need 8.  I only had 4 when I did my diesel fuel lines, one end of rv at a time.  I place one next to each air bag, 8 air bags, 8 steel supports.  If I lift only one end of rv, 4 work fine.

Please do not trust wood supports. Less than $50 could save your life.  I have appreciated your previous posts.  This post of yours scares me.

https://www.harborfreight.com/class-iii-12-in-x-2-in-standard-receiver-tube-69879.html

In addition to the park brake, I also block the wheels, I remove the ignition key,  I even turn off both battery disconnects, chassis and house, that I installed.  I lost a good friend, when a frame support fell while he was under a car.  I've heard of too many things that can happen, such as sudden air loss.  If you do not see the danger, let all the air out of your suspension and see how little room is left between the ground and the frame, you will see what I mean.

When I first bought my FT, somewhere I read of using wood supports.  I made some, and used them a very short time until one split in half and collapsed.  Now I use them only as redundancy next to a steel support as below.


97 U295 40, Build #5040, 6C8.3 325 HP
Oregon Continuous Traveler
Samsung Residential #RF20HFENBSR,
Xantrex SW2012, (3)AGM8D Hse, (2)AGM Grp24 Eng, Victron BMV-712, 1800w Solar 4 LG & 2 Sunpower
Extreme Full Body Pt w/hdlmps, new furn/floor, 4 down Lexus 2004 GX470 AWD curb weight 4,740 lbs
Prev: 1990 Barth, 10L 300 2 yrs; 91&92 Monaco Signature, 10 yrs, 10L C 300 &  6C8.3 300; 1997 ForeT 6C8.3 325 since May 2017.  Employed by Guaranty RV 14+ yrs.  Former VW New Car Dlr/Service Dlr, Sales Mgr, Rv Sales, and Service Adviser from 1968-2017
"Don't criticize what you can't understand" Bob Dylan
 

Re: air bags

Reply #18 –
This is a place I used to get my safety stands. I called via phone and requested two inch steel channel 1/4 inch thick cut into 8 separate pieces each 11 inches in length. The cost was $7.00 each. I was 45 miles from one of their locations so I picked mine up but they will ship right to you. Easy peasy and so much safer.

Speedy Metals Online Industrial Metal Supply
Chuck Wiggy
Coloma, Wisconsin
Sold my 1999 U 320 40 Ft. M11 450 hp
Build # 5468
2009 Silverado