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Topic: Air ride bag replacement number? (Read 1922 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Air ride bag replacement number?

Reply #25 –
NICE!! Thanks for the info and pics. It will come in VERY handy :)
Carl Sandel
1991 36' U280
Northern Michigan

Re: Air ride bag replacement number?

Reply #26 –
Carl,
There something that you need to realizes about our '91 coaches - they were the last year of 8' wide coaches the for U280 and U300 models.
As such the air springs are tucked up against the fender and make access harder than on '92 and later models.  I couldn't see a way to do it without removing the fenders - but then I didn't have Pierce's nifty tools either.  I removed the fenders and took the opportunity to clean up, repaint and caulk the areas that difficult to get to with the fenders in place.  Yes, the trim piece is a bummer.  They do sell silicone remover at home improvement stores but it just weakens it - doesn't really remove it.
John Fitzgerald
1991 U300 (SAI) Side Aisle Island Bed 40'
Detroit 6V92 with Allison Retarder
Meridian (Boise), Idaho

Re: Air ride bag replacement number?

Reply #27 –
Thankful for this recent thread!  Just went over to take a monthly drive and noticed the motorhome listing badly.  Figured it was just the fact that one side deflated faster than another.  Took it for a 30 minute spin around the area and then pulled in to fill up with fuel.  Shut down the engine and noticed that I was listing to one side pretty heavily.  Got out and sure enough, air leaking out of one of my rear bags.  Looks like replacement time for me!
Benjie, Ashley, Zoey, Fallon, and Lake
Round Rock, TX
In search of our next monster...

Re: Air ride bag replacement number?

Reply #28 –
I'm relatively inexperienced with 'air bags'. ( I have a set on the rear of my older class C that are aftermarkets bolt ons ...and now all around as 'THE' suspension, on my 2001 Foretravel).
 My mind says they are very similar to tires in design and function but obviously are manufactured without date codes.
So....
-How do we know how old the ones are that we are purchasing? (don't want a set that might have sat on a shelf for 10 years!)(In tires, Michelin says 10 years max.)
-How can we protect the ones we have or the new replacements? ( any chemicals to protect from UV or ozone/ physical shielding like a custom sewn sunbrella cover or something else?)

There was a professional guy selling suspension components at the Pheonix Good Sam Rally in a corner booth,  that told me and others, that air bags will last a lifetime, but I know virtually nothing is.

Ideas?
Coach Build # 5862/40'/2001/U320/Motorcader 17136

Re: Air ride bag replacement number?

Reply #29 –
Air bags on my MCI were over 20 years old, still working fine, did replace 1 due to looks not due to failure.  SOO my opinion, your 01 Foretravel is atleast not half way thru the life of the air bgags, I also have a 01 320, bags look new yet, no cracks, no blisters, no bubbles, no leaks that I can detect.
I would worry more about a comet striking the coach than air bag issues at this point, give em another 10 years and look again.
From my experience, others might be different.
Dave M

Re: Air ride bag replacement number?

Reply #30 –
Dave, No!
No worries about comets but as to.... my thoughts posted," is there a way or a difference maybe/or similarity....as to the suspension air bags vs. tires."  I'm thinking of carrying a spare airbag as well as: to the original question i thought I was proposing: Do airbags have a life expectancy similar to tires?

thanks. ron
Coach Build # 5862/40'/2001/U320/Motorcader 17136

Re: Air ride bag replacement number?

Reply #31 –
Six months ago I replaced the rear airbags on my 1996 U320 because two of the three layers of cords were exposed on one bag, while one of the three layers was exposed on another bag. The other two bags looked dried out. The bags with the cords exposed had rubber which would just rub away in chunks. None of the bags were leaking but I did not want to have to deal with a failure on the road.
 
I showed the damaged air bag to a heavy diesel shop representative who was in Quartzsite and he indicated that he had never seen airbag damage like that before - thought it might have been due to being cleaned with harsh chemicals.

I cannot find the same damage on the front airbags but plan to replace them late this year.

Wyatt
96 U320 40 WTFE, build 4943
84 Toyota Supra towd
2015 Jeep Wrangler towd
Victoria, BC, Canada

Re: Air ride bag replacement number?

Reply #32 –
Quote from: MemoryRoads –
-How can we protect the ones we have or the new replacements? ( any chemicals to protect from UV or ozone/ physical shielding like a custom sewn sunbrella cover or something else?)
Ron, I just keep them very clean.  No need for after market additives that make outrageous claims.  If you keep road dirt & grime off the rubber, you've done all you can.
Peter
Peter & Beth Martin
No Forrest? What have you done?
MC# 15890 until Dec 2016; FMCA #F329677
Cincinnati, OH

Re: Air ride bag replacement number?

Reply #33 –
From what I can tell, only one bag has gone bad.  I ordered two new bags as I'm not wanting to spend the money to replace all 8 just yet.  So, should I just go ahead and replace both bags on the failed side OR should I just replace the bad bag and keep the extra around for when the next one fails?
Benjie, Ashley, Zoey, Fallon, and Lake
Round Rock, TX
In search of our next monster...

Re: Air ride bag replacement number?

Reply #34 –
I was at FOT a couple of days. I saw several air bags lying in what appeared to be a junk pile. There a couple of bent H frames and some other parts that had suffered damage. The air bags looked undamaged and in WAY better condition than what I am running. I doubt that FOT would sell them to a customer, but you could ask.

We have air bags with "crumblies" on the outside. I often live toward the edge of prudence and normalcy, so I am sticking with the current bags until I have a better reason to change than aesthetics or worry.
J D Stevens
1997 U295 CAI 36' Build #5085
2002 Subaru Outback
Motorcade 16869
Bellville, TX