Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

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Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

August 21, 2014, 12:38:08 pm

I investigated an issue whereby my coach would leak down air pressure within a day or two to 30 PSI. I found a leaking part see picture.

In trying to tighten large black nut with a channel lock I made existing air leak worst and definitely need to replace part. Can anyone identify this part and where to purchase.

Thank you Tony

First picture shows a part with a missing piece and the second picture is the Part with air leak.

Thank you, Tony

Re: Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

Reply #1 – August 21, 2014, 12:49:28 pm

Tony, That's an air regulator but I am not sure what it regulates. Looks like the Nut or cap that you turn to increase / decrease pressure is missing. Take it to a parts store and I will bet they can match it up.
Gary B

Re: Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

Reply #2 – August 21, 2014, 02:03:47 pm

those are as Gary said regulators and are available anywhere that sells air equipt. Just get the right size NPT and replace. They are set at 60lbs there for the steps etc. Maybe just need taking off and cleaning the put back. Tapered threads.. While at it I would soap the end of step slide cylinder (under sliding cover) as I bet that is your main problem.
Simple to do, just open door and actuate the slide cover, look under it and remove boot cover then spray the cylinder shaft you see at the neck of it.. If it is leaking go to my posting on how to fix without removing the cylinder ( unless you like throwing money away then let FT do it and replace)
JohnH

Re: Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

Reply #3 – August 21, 2014, 03:52:58 pm

Tony,
I cant tell from the picture where the bubbles are coming from but if they are coming from the exhaust ports on the switch valve then it most likely is the step actuators or the step well actuator leaking. There are two back there one is for the the step the other for the cover. If it is the regulator you can get them at lowes or home depot.

Shop Kobalt Mini-Regulator with Gauge at Lowes.com

This is the one I used .

Mark

Re: Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

Reply #4 – August 21, 2014, 03:59:51 pm

Quote from: John Haygarth – August 21, 2014, 02:03:47 pm

those are as Gary said regulators and are available anywhere that sells air equipt. Just get the right size NPT and replace. They are set at 60lbs there for the steps etc. Maybe just need taking off and cleaning the put back. Tapered threads.. While at it I would soap the end of step slide cylinder (under sliding cover) as I bet that is your main problem.
Simple to do, just open door and actuate the slide cover, look under it and remove boot cover then spray the cylinder shaft you see at the neck of it.. If it is leaking go to my posting on how to fix without removing the cylinder ( unless you like throwing money away then let FT do it and replace)
JohnH

Thanks Gary and John for your immediate replies,

I just ordered a new regulator from Grainger which is okay by me versus taking the old one apart and which may just need a cleaning or new "O" ring. By the way the counter person also said the same thing!
Glad you told me 60 Lbs. pressure as I was not sure about what it should be set at. Tomorrow I will check on the step slide cylinder, which is hopefully not leaking.

One can never say enough about how wonderful this forum is and how special all our forum members are, and a special shout out to those tech guru's who are always there for a few of us who are somewhat/very technically challenged!

Thank you both again!
Tony

Re: Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

Reply #5 – August 21, 2014, 04:07:41 pm

Quote from: MAZ – August 21, 2014, 03:52:58 pm

Tony,
I cant tell from the picture where the bubbles are coming from but if they are coming from the exhaust ports on the switch valve then it most likely is the step actuators or the step well actuator leaking. There are two back there one is for the the step the other for the cover. If it is the regulator you can get them at lowes or home depot.

Shop Kobalt Mini-Regulator with Gauge at Lowes.com

This is the one I used .

Mark

Mark,

The size I ordered from Grainger was the 1/4" NPT, going by my picture, I belive that one is 1/8"NPT.

Also, the Lowes one is half the price.
Tony

Re: Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

Reply #6 – August 21, 2014, 06:49:52 pm

I guess mine is a different size. The one from lowes has worked great for me.

Mark

Re: Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

Reply #7 – August 21, 2014, 07:05:51 pm

Outside step and inside step-slide use same type of 4-way valve. Air pressure going into 4-way valves is often reduced to whatever PSI does not move things too quickly. 60 psi is good, so is 40-80 psi probably ok, not critical. Pressure regulator often has a gauge include and pressure regulator can mounted on 4-way valve or anyplace on the air line going to the 4-way valves.

4-way valves have an air-in, air-out, hose to one end of air cylinder and hose to other end of air cylinder. If a 12-volts is applied, the air-in flows to one end of air cylinder and at the same time the other end of cylinder flows to air-out port, which is covered with a filter/damper that slows down air leaving cylinder preventing step or slide from moving too fast and slamming to end of movement.

When 12-volts is removed, a spring inside the 4-way valve swaps the two cylinder's air lines, allowing air pressure to move step or slide in opposite direction.

Re: Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

Reply #8 – August 21, 2014, 11:04:11 pm

Make sure you check the air flow arrows on the regulators when installing. Don't ask me how I found this out?

Re: Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

Reply #9 – August 22, 2014, 07:43:09 am

Quote from: MAZ – August 21, 2014, 06:49:52 pm

I guess mine is a different size. The one from lowes has worked great for me.

We also bought our replacement at Lowes.

Re: Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

Reply #10 – August 22, 2014, 07:43:40 am

Quote from: Barry & Cindy – August 21, 2014, 07:05:51 pm

Outside step and inside step-slide use same type of 4-way valve. Air pressure going into 4-way valves is often reduced to whatever PSI does not move things too quickly. 60 psi is good, so is 40-80 psi probably ok, not critical. Pressure regulator often has a gauge include and pressure regulator can mounted on 4-way valve or anyplace on the air line going to the 4-way valves.

4-way valves have an air-in, air-out, hose to one end of air cylinder and hose to other end of air cylinder. If a 12-volts is applied, the air-in flows to one end of air cylinder and at the same time the other end of cylinder flows to air-out port, which is covered with a filter/damper that slows down air leaving cylinder preventing step or slide from moving too fast and slamming to end of movement.

When 12-volts is removed, a spring inside the 4-way valve swaps the two cylinder's air lines, allowing air pressure to move step or slide in opposite direction.

Mark.

I could have ordered the wrong size using only the picture will confirm later on today. Thank you for reply
Tony

Barry and Felix will post progress later thank you for your replies.
Tony

Re: Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

Reply #11 – August 22, 2014, 07:48:09 am

Michelle,

Thank you, seems Lowe's was the place to go but may end up there anyway if I ordered wrong size to begin with.

Tony

Re: Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

Reply #12 – August 22, 2014, 08:01:28 am

Got my replacement air regulator at NAPA part # 90725. exact match for slide over steps or outside step.

Re: Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

Reply #13 – August 22, 2014, 11:48:20 am

Last Nov. while at Alliance RV service in Wildwood, Fl repairing our HWH leveling system, we had the 3 reg regulators replaced.
Watts Miniature Air Regulator Part # R384-02C @ $65.45
1 gauge #1189 @ $21.44

Side note, as we were getting ready to leave there on Sat, we had trouble with the left side going to travel mode. That solenoid was also(?) defected. They/we could only find a used one in their shop. Replaced it and off we went.
Along about April, we started to have problems with the leveling system.
Got home and sent the control box to HWH for service. Reinstalled and still had problems with leveling.
Spent may hours with Randy on the phone trying to find the problem with no luck.

We head out to Moscow, Id Sept 11 and see if they can fix it.

Will keep the forum informed of our results.

Re: Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

Reply #14 – August 22, 2014, 03:34:51 pm

I replaced the 2 Front Step Air Regulators with the ones I purchased from Grainger Inc. I needed to add step down to connect to 1/8" opening on the Norgren activator. Took coach out for test drive and Air pressure worked okay.

New Regulator pictures posted and added picture of the removed Step Regulators - both are cracked, not worth repairing.

Thank you all for your help.

BTW I purchased the regulators from Grainger but the Norgren website and eBay seem to have the same or similar regulator for a few dollars less.
Grainger part number is 4RA17, Description: Air Regulator, 1/4 In. NPT, 40cfm, 300 psi,
Cost for each was $42.65.

Tony

Re: Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

Reply #15 – August 22, 2014, 04:09:32 pm

Tom,
Thank you for posting your findings. I will be looking into these on my coach.

Re: Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

Reply #16 – August 22, 2014, 11:05:50 pm

We recently added a 3-way pneumatic valve to remove air pressure from inside step slide cylinder to reduce wear and tear on this cylinder that is in a difficult location to replace. We turn off new valve after moving step slide from open to close or from close to open.

Re: Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

Reply #17 – August 23, 2014, 03:24:31 am

Quote from: Barry & Cindy – August 22, 2014, 11:05:50 pm

We recently added a 3-way pneumatic valve to remove air pressure from inside step slide cylinder to reduce wear and tear on this cylinder that is in a difficult location to replace. We turn off new valve after moving step slide from open to close or from close to open.

What valve did you use. I want to do this as well to prevent air from leaking out of the cylinder. A 3 way with normal off would work great. It could also be used on the steps.

Re: Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

Reply #18 – August 23, 2014, 05:40:00 pm

I just posted a new thread showing our step slide air pressure turn off valve:
Step slide air shut off valve to preserve cylinder

Re: Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

Reply #19 – August 23, 2014, 06:53:30 pm

Hi Barry,

Is there a reason you did not install the shut off valve to effect both the step slide and the fold out step? Â On my '02 that might be even better to eliminate air leaks.

Re: Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

Reply #20 – August 23, 2014, 07:36:32 pm

As one that has done this change ( I think before Barry and Cindy did it) my reason to only do this cylinder was that the drop down step cylinders are easy to remove and fix, plus the amount of air that is lost by them was not (in my case ) of the volume that the slide lost. I had fixed those any way.
JohnH

Re: Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

Reply #21 – August 24, 2014, 12:01:59 am

Our drop down step is another story. It must have air pressure to keep it in up position. And if my new switch is off with step up, when we open door, step will not be pushed down, causing a bad accidental fall. And has John said, the two step air cylinders are very easy to reach and replace. Step slide does not need air pressure to keep slide open or closed. Keep in mind that step slide air cylinder is replaceable as John has also done it.

Re: Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

Reply #22 – June 11, 2016, 05:18:43 pm

I understand this is an old post ... I am a new Foretravel owner (new to me). 2002 U320 36'.. Absolutely love it.. Been doing repairs on it and the stairs was bypassed (pistome that pushed the step out and bent and tore up the box that houses it).

Can someone help with som pictures of where the air hoses go? I have the cylinders connected and I believe they are good as the lengths of hose only allow it to work one way. I have a little motor (or pump in the box that houses the pistons that is unplugged). There is a can that the pump/motor pulls air or puts in air? cant tell.. it is disconnected also. On the top right corner is a hose/airline that comes through the fiberglass (step housing that is blocked off.. (where does it go?)

Can anyone please upload some pictures of the connections of the cylinders and pump? Kinda starting from scratch

thanks

Re: Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

Reply #23 – June 11, 2016, 06:59:44 pm

The can is a vacuum reservoir, someone has added a electric vacuum pump. to run your dash registers. If you post a pic of what you have others might be able to help on other issues.

Re: Air Leak - Posted Picture of Air leak park need some assistance Fix/Part

Reply #24 – June 11, 2016, 07:13:21 pm

I believe the norgren switch(?) is working but might not be getting power.. tried jumping the magnet on the door with key to MH on and off and no change.. have hoses hooked up but not seeing how it retracts.. is it from the switch (does the norgren switch change direction of air to cylinder? seems like I am not getting power to it.. where to start looking? magnet? fuse under bed says its good..

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