Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

Topic: Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation (Read 2183 times) previous topic - next topic

Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

June 14, 2017, 10:17:33 pm

Sorry guys but I didn't pull my wheel well fenders to do mine. It's a lot easier if you do. How about some tips from those who did pull the covers? Tools, easy of replacement, etc.

It makes the job really easy. Several nuts are very hard to get at especially if you don't have small hands. I did mine just to see if I could and while it was not super hard, I do have small hands (not as small as some) but if there is corrosion, it could be really hard.

Thanks for the PMs.

Pierce

Re: Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

Reply #1 – June 14, 2017, 10:30:23 pm

Not sure who/what Pierce is reffering to re removal of fenders, but, it is a simple thing to do. Depending on the year of coach, if it has the centre molding strip with screws in you just remove all of these and take strip off. This reveals some countersunk philips head screws for each wheel panel. I would suggest removing first the ones at lower edge of panel. then the ones down the sides/ bay door joints. Then remove to top ones, and hold tight onto the fibre glass panel as they are flimsy if notheld properly. This operation should not take more than 30 mins or so. Once off the bags and bolts are easy to remove using the correct wrench's.
Replacing the panel is just a reversal of the first one. Take the chance to clean all the exposed areas and wash the rear of panels. Check for rust and protect it before replacing .
johnH

Re: Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

Reply #2 – June 14, 2017, 11:18:21 pm

I pulled my wells off. I got to where I could do a pair of bags in 45 mins once the wells were off. Oh, and btw.......I installed the wells and trim back on like it's supposed to be done, not how Foretravel did it . Way better now. No need for caulking along the top trim.

Re: Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

Reply #3 – June 15, 2017, 01:21:34 am

Quote from: Twig – June 14, 2017, 11:18:21 pm

I pulled my wells off. I got to where I could do a pair of bags in 45 mins once the wells were off. Oh, and btw.......I installed the wells and trim back on like it's supposed to be done, not how Foretravel did it . Way better now. No need for caulking along the top trim.

Twig, Could you please describe the detail about putting trim in correctly, please? Thanks. P

Re: Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

Reply #4 – June 15, 2017, 07:59:03 am

It's not about the trim. And all rigs may vary. Foretravel screwed the wheel wells into wood with sheetrock screws and no sealant. They relied on sealant in the trim to keep the water out. Well, of course over time the water leaked in and rusted the sheetrock screws and things got worse over the miles.

With the wheel wells off to replace the bags, I reinforced the original screw holes and sealed the wheel wells with silicon as I installed them. That eliminates the need to silicon the trim because the water will now run through and out the bottom instead of in between the well and body.

YMMV.

Re: Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

Reply #5 – June 15, 2017, 09:07:55 am

Twig, that is a good idea but not to use Silicon. That stuff looses its adherence to anything over a short time. best to use a good Polymer based caulk. The screw holes can be filled with wooden tooth picks first dipped in glue then tapped in. 2 should be enough. let the glue dry for an hour or so then replace parts etc. I took the time to also clean and paint all the framing and do a good clean up.
JohnH

Re: Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

Reply #6 – June 15, 2017, 12:01:23 pm

If you have a 1991 or older U280 or U300 there's not enough clearance to change four of the airbags without removing the fenders, which is pretty easy. The other four airbags can be changed without removing the fenders but that would be worthless, just take the fenders off.

Re: Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

Reply #7 – June 15, 2017, 09:18:07 pm

Pull the tires off, it gives lots of room and I had no reason to pull the fenders off to change airbags, shocks, and paint everything.

Re: Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

Reply #8 – June 15, 2017, 09:55:32 pm

and be aware that FT routed the air lines in the front of the coach in front of the structure, not behind where it would be much easier to get at the airline to connect/disconect. They are forward of the structure to protect from tire shreds if you have a front blowout so you don't lose the tire AND the air in the airbag during a front blowout, doubling down on the excitement level

MOT newbie did my bags and changed the routing of the air line to behind the front end structure. Bernd caught it and coreccted it. MOT paid the amount Bernd charged, no questions asked. Classy way to resolve wohat could have been a satisfaction issue with a long time customer.

It's not if you make a mistake or not, it is what you do after the mistake is made and how you accept your responsibility and make it good to the customer that defines the integrity of a company 5 out of 5 stars for MOT- BTW, this happened about a year ago - Newbie not a newbie anymore I am sure

Newbie did my resonator at Parliament a few years ago. did a decent job, took him a day and a half - they changed my 2.7 hours labor said that is what it should have taken - (may still a bit more than it should, buy classy none the less) - I was there for more work so this didn't hold me up - was sort of fun to watch the kd work on it, ask questions of the foreman, work on it some more, lather, rinse, repeat for a lot of hours.

Wonder if he eventually made the grade......

OK, I guess I hijacked this one.........it was about Fenders if I can remember back that far......so PLEAE DONT JUMP ON THIS FORK IN THE ROAD I HAVE CREATED!!!!!

Re: Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

Reply #9 – June 16, 2017, 12:33:37 am

On our coach, only the two front air bags have a problem removal, because of their air connection in a difficult location. We did not want to remove painted fenders, so we, like others, cut wrench access holes in side of step and front street compartment walls.

Re: Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

Reply #10 – June 16, 2017, 12:19:41 pm

I had to remove my right front fender because the one airbag is up against the side of the step well. Very easy to do and it made it much easier to access. I cut down a 1 1/8 socket so it would fit over the large nut. Other bags were pretty easy. Used a crows foot to get the fitting off the bag. Here are a few pics.

Mark

Re: Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

Reply #11 – June 17, 2017, 11:23:44 am

On my 1993 U300 this is what I did
1.) raised coach and blocked it, then dumped air
2.) removed all 4 fenders [first necessary trim and then the screws to the fenders]
3.) Per airbag - remove what nuts you can w/impact - sawzall off others. Nut that is under the air inlet - I loosened it a couple of turns and then cut it off with the sawzall as well. I kept the sawzall blade oiled and and used only one blade. To remove an airbag at most it took 10 min..
4.) Removed the air line from the fittings I cut off.
5.) this is the only gotcha - at least on my rig. The brass fitting is corroded into the airbag fitting. Only one came out easily. I have no clue where to get new ones so I just heated each one w/a torch in a vice. Then the fitting came out easily.
Worst is over - rest is really easy
6.) install the airbags, if too tall smush it down -easy to to. For me they all were too 'short'. I took an tire inflator and removed the end - so all that I had was 1/4" male pipe threads on the hose. This screws into the airbag. So put the airbag in place and expand it w/the inflator, use new nuts with never-seeze on them..
7.) connect air hoses, check for leaks w/some soapy water. Done! have a beer. I had several

Pic's are of an airbag that I had to saw both top bolts off; other is my tire inflator.
-Nick

Re: Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

Reply #12 – June 17, 2017, 11:33:23 am

Quote from: lunker – June 17, 2017, 11:23:44 am

5.) this is the only gotcha - at least on my rig. The brass fitting is corroded into the airbag fitting. Only one came out easily. I have no clue where to get new ones so I just heated each one w/a torch in a vice. Then the fitting came out easily.

Try your local plumbing store. You should have one you took off with you to compare. Good work with the torch.

Good organized list!

Pierce

Re: Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

Reply #13 – June 17, 2017, 04:56:20 pm

I'm getting ready to replace my air bags and found these;
1/4" MNPT 3/8" OD Push to Connect Swivel Elbow - Push to Connect - Hoses |...

Milton is a recognized brand and they seem to be cheap enough here;
http://www.autopartsandstuff.com/milton-2202-9-swvl-ltube38od-14mnpt.aspx

The swivel feature may just be the ticket for easy orientation.

Re: Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

Reply #14 – June 17, 2017, 05:00:17 pm

Yeah. I almost went with the shark bite push on's. I tried one out and had a hard time getting it to seal. Since it's my suspension system and I'm already sick and tired of being busted down somewhere in the desert, I went with the same as I took off. They lasted 22 years. You may have better luck.

Re: Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

Reply #15 – June 17, 2017, 05:13:32 pm

What I have now are all OEM push-ons, just not swivels.

Re: Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

Reply #16 – June 17, 2017, 07:07:03 pm

Since the air line out to the bag fitting is plastic, it's easy to get in the ballpark to connect to the brass 90 degree fitting. The problem is the 90 fitting has fine threads and it has to be aligned exactly or it won't go on. Once it's aligned, it's a easy two finger job until you have to tighten the last bit with a wrench. Don't think I would try another kind of fitting as it's pretty easy with a little patience.

Pierce

Re: Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

Reply #17 – June 17, 2017, 08:33:04 pm

Pierce,

By your description I'm thinking you have a brass L that's 1/4" MPT X 3/8" compression fitting, but I'm not sure.

I have what appear to be OEM plastic L's 1/4" MPT X 3/8" quick connect. I noticed today that my air tanks have swivel L's
on the bottom so my thinking was that I would replace the non-swivel ones on the air bags with swivels.

Re: Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

Reply #18 – June 17, 2017, 08:43:21 pm

I just changed some air bags today. The first and easy one came apart very easy the other 2 were rusted so bad that the bottom bolts broke off. Had to remove the fenders so that I could get the top nuts off and then was difficult still. I doubt that you could have gotten then off any other way.

Re: Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

Reply #19 – June 18, 2017, 01:07:18 am

Quote from: Travelin' Man – June 17, 2017, 08:33:04 pm

Pierce,
By your description I'm thinking you have a brass L that's 1/4" MPT X 3/8" compression fitting, but I'm not sure.
I have what appear to be OEM plastic L's 1/4" MPT X 3/8" quick connect. I noticed today that my air tanks have swivel L's
on the bottom so my thinking was that I would replace the non-swivel ones on the air bags with swivels.

You've got it Toyota!! That's what I have on ours but good to know later coaches have a different type. How about a photo if possible so we can compare types and see if the earlier coaches might take advantage of a swivel type?

Bad day for Toyota at Le Mans.

Pierce

Re: Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

Reply #20 – June 18, 2017, 07:54:02 am

Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart – June 18, 2017, 01:07:18 am

How about a photo if possible so we can compare types and see if the earlier coaches might take advantage of a swivel type?

Hopefully next week sometime.

Re: Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

Reply #21 – June 18, 2017, 09:12:08 am

Personally, I don't like using Push-to-Connect (or quick connect) fittings. The seal relies on a single o-ring that moves around a little when the tube moves relative to the fitting. It's also quasi-exposed to the environment so o-ring cracking is a possibility long term. Another problem is the o-ring seals on the outside of the tube so that OD needs to be scratch free - no control over that when working on older coach. The swivel is nice for install too but it is also another leak path. The OEMs love the Push-to-Connect for obvious reasons and they will always be using new tubing.

I like using Parker "NTA" fittings to connect to nylon brake tubing. They are DOT rated to seal to DOT brake tubing.

Here's an old thread that discusses fittings: Travel Mode Air Problem
Park catalog link doesn't work anymore in the above older thread but here's a new one: Parker Air Brake Catalog

Re: Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

Reply #22 – June 18, 2017, 09:26:45 am

I have had the push-on connectors leak on my crane. It is no problem if it is easy to access. I wouldn't use them on the 4 air bags that are very hard to reach the fitting. On the other 4 if they started leaking they could be replaced easily. I do just replace them on the crane when they start leaking at the o-ring as it is very easy access. I even use the push on splices when a leak develops in the middle of a line. When they do fail it is a very small leak at the o-ring.

Re: Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

Reply #23 – June 18, 2017, 11:04:46 am

Quote from: Travelin' Man – June 17, 2017, 04:56:20 pm

I'm getting ready to replace my air bags and found these;
1/4" MNPT 3/8" OD Push to Connect Swivel Elbow - Push to Connect - Hoses |...

Milton is a recognized brand and they seem to be cheap enough here;
http://www.autopartsandstuff.com/milton-2202-9-swvl-ltube38od-14mnpt.aspx

The swivel feature may just be the ticket for easy orientation.

Those come with after market air bags.Have installed several sets. They usually leak. We use those on the race car for our throttle stops,and air shifter's they usually leak. I personally wouldn't use them.

Re: Pulling Wheel Well Fenders for Air Bag Installation

Reply #24 – June 18, 2017, 05:36:27 pm

Chris
What connection would you use / recommend

Affiliate Notice