Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Topic: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags) (Read 2426 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #25 – March 17, 2011, 03:55:07 pm

Quote from: Carol Savournin – March 17, 2011, 03:32:00 pm

We are having all our airbags replaced, as I type.

This morning the guys at MOT sprayed all our airbags, and enough of them were bubbling madly that we made the call to replace them all at one shot.

Carol,

I am so sorry to hear this

Do the guys at MOT have any idea what might have happened to cause multiple air bags to fail? Do you know yet if they all have similar failures? I hope some failure analysis can shed some light on the problem.

I know it's small consolation, but maybe if something is learned about why they developed leaks it could help someone in the future.

Michelle

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #26 – March 17, 2011, 03:59:10 pm

Quote from: Carol Savournin – March 17, 2011, 03:32:00 pm

This morning the guys at MOT sprayed all our airbags, and enough of them were bubbling madly that we made the call to replace them all at one shot. Sigh. Interior decorating will be pushed back a bit farther.

Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. Too bad someone didn't think to test the air bags early on. We, too, have paid a lot of money to have a tech try to find an air leak. Frustrating when the fixes don't fix the problem. But looks like you finally found the culprit.

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #27 – March 18, 2011, 01:54:28 am

An air leak on my coach was discovered and fixed just yesterday that was discovered accidentally.
I had the mechanic checking all air connections on everything and during his inspection he discovered two small leaks and repaired them.
The coach was sitting with the engine off, on a "laser leveled" concrete slab (used for ride height adjustments) and everything seemed fine until I pushed the parking brake off and the mechanic heard a leak from the other side of the garage.
I am not sure just where it was leaking but they cured it and asked if I could tell from gauges whether or not the air compressor had been cycling quite often which might have been happening but, nothing compared to a leaking air bag...
I would never have heard it as I probably NEVER take the parking brake off unless the engine is running and I am ready to move..
My engine makes too much noise to hear an air leak.
FWIW,
Regards,

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #28 – March 18, 2011, 07:36:51 am

Airbags...

Left MOT @ 5 yesterday afternoon and parked at FOT..@ 6:30 step started to close and pressure had dropped to 60PSI.

MOT will not be pleased to see me this morning...FYI-bill for air leak is approx $4K this will be our 8th day.

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #29 – March 18, 2011, 07:57:26 am

Quote from: Jeff Savournin – March 18, 2011, 07:36:51 am

Airbags...

Left MOT @ 5 yesterday afternoon and parked at FOT..@ 6:30 step started to close and pressure had dropped to 60PSI.

MOT will not be pleased to see me this morning...FYI-bill for air leak is approx $4K this will be our 8th day.

Additionally, we aired up again last night at around 8:30, but this time we turned the air leveling system OFF instead of leaving it ON. Same result ... 90 minute leakdown to 60psi. Any bright ideas, anyone?? I am out of patience and there are moths flying out when Jeff opens his wallet.

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #30 – March 18, 2011, 11:07:24 am

Yes, these air leaks are maddening. My right rear will deflate in a few hours after parking. I have searched connections, airbags, and six packs with a leak detecting solution and have not found any leaks. As long as I can park with the right rear deflated or supported with a safety block it is no problem. Still it is annoying. I can air up the coach with an outside compressor and afterward there are noises (not like leaking air, but air moving through something) for a few minutes coming from the vicinity of the wet tank near the rear axle. The front airbags will stay inflated for over a week with the system off.

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #31 – March 18, 2011, 11:31:28 am

Jerry, Jon and George, et al.

Thanks for the support. Believe they have located the problem-retarter soloniod and another smaller leak. I am usally a lot more congenial, as I know things like this happens, but been here 8 or 9 days and a stomach virus the last 5, which is horrible. If I wasn't so anal I would have just learned to live with it,,,,

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #32 – March 18, 2011, 11:32:06 am

Last fall in the northwest I encountered a 65 minute leak down. Did the leak solution thing. Was also cycling every few minutes while on the road.
Finally got to the wet tank drain valve. Walla, it was not closed all the way. Only way I found it was putting my finger over outlet.
Side event---- there was NO moisture in the system

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #33 – March 18, 2011, 04:25:12 pm

finally ... Finally ... FINALLY. We appear to have a solution to our leakdown issue! One more time, Jeff asked the techs to look at our auxiliary air pump, located in the upper part of the "D2" bay, just behind the front wheels. We had noticed periods of madly leaking air, but when Foretravel looked at it in November (squeezed us in as a favor) they did not have a new part on the shelf (or couldn't find one) and also were of the opinion that the release valve was not our issue. Only gave it a cursory look, really. Now ... after 8 days at MOT ... we have had a multitude of things done to the coach. 4 of those days have been concentrated on the leakdown. The underside of my coach has been sprayed with soapy water from one end to the other. 6 different guys have crawled all over it. I have 8 new airbags (all were worn, some were leaking a good bit), new pistons under the step cover, a new solenoid on the accumulator for the retarder (old one was leaking), many fittings were cleaned, tightened, re-doped or whatever as they were found to have small leaks ... BUT ... at the end of the day ... when we again asked, "Won't ya pleeeeeze take a look at that aux compressor and make sure it is behaving the way it should?" GUESS WHAT??? One guy finally found a T-fitting (that does not look like original material) that had a small crack and was bleeding air. Viola! Replaced ... we are holding air and have only gone from 111 to 108 in over 2 hours. The guys at MOT were going bonkers, trying to figure out why they could not correct this problem. I cannot argue with their treatment and commend their perseverance. But I will bet they are glad to get us out of their bay!!

"I don't have a budget ... I have a motor home." (Barry , of Barry & Cindy)

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #34 – April 09, 2011, 08:29:56 pm

Quote from: Barry Beam – March 17, 2011, 11:19:57 am

I have lowered the coach to where the air bag leak appears to be sealing itself.
I have not lost hardly any air in 4 days & the aux compressor has not come on.
The new air bag should be here any day to be replaced.
I think finally I may have this long intermittent issue solved.

Any update, Barry? Has your replacement air bag finally arrived?

Our new level sensor finally got here on Thursday. Steve did the swap-out earlier today and now we're waiting to see if it solved the problem. Very much "stress testing" out front of our house where the front needs to be squatted and the rear end up (its least favorite configuration).

Michelle

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #35 – April 09, 2011, 08:46:00 pm

Quote from: Steve & Michelle – April 09, 2011, 08:29:56 pm

Quote from: Barry Beam – March 17, 2011, 11:19:57 am
I have lowered the coach to where the air bag leak appears to be sealing itself.
I have not lost hardly any air in 4 days & the aux compressor has not come on.
The new air bag should be here any day to be replaced.
I think finally I may have this long intermittent issue solved.

Any update, Barry? Has your replacement air bag finally arrived?

Our new level sensor finally got here on Thursday. Steve did the swap-out earlier today and now we're waiting to see if it solved the problem. Very much "stress testing" out front of our house where the front needs to be squatted and the rear end up (its least favorite configuration).

Michelle

Not yet.
I get a story each time I call about the supplier out of stock.
Getting a little upset with them.
Hopefully this week.

Subject change:
I ordered 3 new Optima Blue top Batteries that I still need to install . Fun job behind the tag as you know.

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #36 – April 10, 2011, 10:16:38 am

Quote from: Barry Beam – April 09, 2011, 08:46:00 pm

Not yet.
I get a story each time I call about the supplier out of stock.
Getting a little upset with them.
Hopefully this week.

Well if it makes you feel any better (misery loves company), the new level sensor didn't solve our problem. Coach sunk behind, raised up in front, and Steve reports an "Excess Slope" light once again.

On a positive note, initial leveling is much snappier and responsive with the new sensor board.

Michelle

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #37 – April 10, 2011, 01:54:27 pm

Just picking up on this post as something to do untill the Masters comes on.
I have had a small problem for a while in so much that at times I have a fairly fast leak down and have been scratching my head on it , but as I am still fairly new on the subject I see by a reply of Carol S that the drop down step is tied into the air bag system (I had not bothered to look at the schematic before) and right now the coach is in the paint shop so cannot do anything. I have changed the wiring for activation of step as per Barries Post and like it, but have noticed that with the step going up when parked the air drops fairly rapidly but with it in the down position (factory setting) stays good for days. This tells me there is a problem with pitons/seals on those 2 cylinders used to activate step. Am I correct that it could be the source and if so will take apart and repair/rebuild as required?

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #38 – April 14, 2011, 03:15:07 pm

Quote from: Steve & Michelle – April 09, 2011, 08:29:56 pm

Quote from: Barry Beam – March 17, 2011, 11:19:57 am
I have lowered the coach to where the air bag leak appears to be sealing itself.
I have not lost hardly any air in 4 days & the aux compressor has not come on.
The new air bag should be here any day to be replaced.
I think finally I may have this long intermittent issue solved.

Any update, Barry? Has your replacement air bag finally arrived?

Michelle

Finally arrived. Right bag, wrong base for the tag bag.
I ordered one from Foretravel for $100 more. Ouch.

Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 12, 2025 ...

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #25 – March 17, 2011, 03:55:07 pm

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #26 – March 17, 2011, 03:59:10 pm

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #27 – March 18, 2011, 01:54:28 am

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #28 – March 18, 2011, 07:36:51 am

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #29 – March 18, 2011, 07:57:26 am

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #30 – March 18, 2011, 11:07:24 am

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #31 – March 18, 2011, 11:31:28 am

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #32 – March 18, 2011, 11:32:06 am

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #33 – March 18, 2011, 04:25:12 pm

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #34 – April 09, 2011, 08:29:56 pm

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #35 – April 09, 2011, 08:46:00 pm

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #36 – April 10, 2011, 10:16:38 am

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #37 – April 10, 2011, 01:54:27 pm

Re: Air Spring Ass'y (Air Bags)

Reply #38 – April 14, 2011, 03:15:07 pm

Affiliate Notice