Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: AirForce 1 install U320 help requested (Read 1329 times) previous topic - next topic

AirForce 1 install U320 help requested

Hi. Just put in the roadmaster baseplate for my 2012 Jeep grand cherokee and now getting ready to put in the air force one and would like some input from you guys that have  done it on your coach. Have looked at the forums for previous posts, looked at a couple of youtube videos as well as the instructions that came with the airforce1. What problems did you face?  Where did you install the air tank assembly? Any pictures you have of the install would be helpful. I am pretty confident of the install in my jeep, but less so in the coach. And no, I do not want to pay someone else to do it. First, I need the cash for other stuff, and 2nd, I would rather have the knowledge of putting it in myself than be clueless of how someone else did it.
Thanks
Bob

Re: AirForce 1 install U320 help requested

Reply #1 –
Here are a few pictures of my coach install. Hardest part is making sure of where the supply and control lines are before cutting. Study your air schematic carefully.

Mark

Re: AirForce 1 install U320 help requested

Reply #2 –
Hello Bob,

My coach was probably on the construction line at the same time as yours, only 16 different in build number.  After many considerations, I mounted the air tank assembly on the vertical angle iron supports for the battery tray, just inboard of the engine start batteries.  To facilitate the mounting process, I happened to have some quarter inch thick aluminum plate so I cut a piece that fit snugly been the angle iron supports. I then removed the tank and other items from the steel base plate (which did not quite fit properly between the supports) and remounted them on the aluminum plate.  Actually you could use a piece of half inch or better plywood in place of the aluminum plate that I used.  I am sorry that I do not have a photo to attach but I am not at my coach at this time. 

I agree with Mark, it is pretty scary when you actually make that first cut of the brake system air line. 

Re: AirForce 1 install U320 help requested

Reply #3 –
By the way, I love the AirForce1 system, have been using it for a couple of years now.  Once all was installed and working properly I made one other modification.  I added an indicator light on the instrument panel of the coach that illuminates when the Jeep brakes are activated.  That way I know that the system is actually working as designed.  The indicator light does not come on in light braking situations but does activate when the coach air brakes are applied heavily, such as hard stops or the final brake application at a stop light. 

To do this, I used the center lug of the electrical plug between the coach and Jeep, which was not otherwise used.  I spliced a wire into the Jeep's brake light switch on the brake pedal and ran it up to the trailer light plug at the front of the Jeep.  Then on the coach I used one of the "spare" wires that run from the engine compartment to the instrument panel area. 

It is reassuring to see, each time I have the coach brake pedal heavily applied, that the Jeep brake is also being applied. 

Re: AirForce 1 install U320 help requested

Reply #4 –
Roadmaster makes a custom mounting for their normally open switch that closes when the brake pedal is not fully released. We rely on it.

Re: AirForce 1 install U320 help requested

Reply #5 –
This posting brings me to a curious question about baseplates...

I see a lot of Roadmaster baseplates where they stay on tow car between trips. I can see that it is often not worth removing the cross bar.

With BlueOx base plate, quickly & easily removing two small twist off attachment points leaves the tow car looking normal, and lessens the chance for leg-banging.

Any towbar can be used with Roadmaster & BlueOx baseplates, so why is Roadmaster baseplate seemly more popular? Do you think Roadmaster is more popular?

Re: AirForce 1 install U320 help requested

Reply #6 –
I've been using a universal tow bar for 18 years and a brake buddy since it was required. The tow bar goes to any vehicle I buy mounts for. No knee banging and quick on and off.

Re: AirForce 1 install U320 help requested

Reply #7 –
Bob,
Here are a few pictures which might help. I bought the Air Force One system at Quartzsite in 2014. I thought I would treat myself to a break and pay the "Professionals" to do it. Big mistake as it turned out... The arrogant Yahoo who did the instal with a helper was clueless. in spite of his claim to have successfully installed "hundreds". I ended up redoing the entire coach and car installation myself. He didn't know where to take the AF1 supply air from and suggested that he could run a line up to the air tanks up front. When I nixed that idea, he took a look at Jeff and Carol's 2003 40' U320 with a tag axle, and then proceeded to tap the air supply into the Spring Brake port of the driver'a side brake can. The tag axle brake can only has the service brake port, so figuring out the appropriate port is not an issue. The rear brake cans on our single rear axle coaches have two ports, one for the spring brake (parking brake) and one for the service brake. After initially hooking up on the dirt by the side of the road, I pulled out onto the highway. I realized at once that the towed's brakes were locked up when I hit the pavement. I was off the highway in less than 50' and all four tires were already flat spotted on our Honda Fit towed. I contacted the AF1 inventor and CEO and texted a picture of the install. He instantly agreed that the installation was done incorrectly and contacted the installer. Bottom line is that I was (mostly) reimbursed for the four ruined tires and had to redo the installation. Not only was the air supply on the spring brake port, but the tank assembly was flopping around because he screwed the mounting plate into paper thin aluminum that wasn't really backed up by anything and electronic control unit was zip tied right over the exhaust manifold. Those are just the highlights of the bungled installation. Anyway, hope these pictures help!
Don
Quote from: Bob and Julie –
Hi. Just put in the roadmaster baseplate for my 2012 Jeep grand cherokee and now getting ready to put in the air force one and would like some input from you guys that have  done it on your coach. Have looked at the forums for previous posts, looked at a couple of youtube videos as well as the instructions that came with the airforce1. What problems did you face?  Where did you install the air tank assembly? Any pictures you have of the install would be helpful. I am pretty confident of the install in my jeep, but less so in the coach. And no, I do not want to pay someone else to do it. First, I need the cash for other stuff, and 2nd, I would rather have the knowledge of putting it in myself than be clueless of how someone else did it.
Thanks
Bob

Re: AirForce 1 install U320 help requested

Reply #8 –
Quote from: Don & Tys –
Bob,
Here are a few pictures which might help. I bought the Air Force One system at Quartzsite in 2014. I thought I would treat myself to a break and pay the "Professionals" to do it. Big mistake as it turned out... The arrogant Yahoo who did the instal with a helper was clueless. in spite of his claim to have successfully installed "hundreds". I ended up redoing the entire coach and car installation myself. He didn't know where to take the AF1 supply air from and suggested that he could run a line up to the air tanks up front. When I nixed that idea, he took a look at Jeff and Carol's 2003 40' U320 with a tag axle, and then proceeded to tap the air supply into the Spring Brake port of the driver'a side brake can. The tag axle brake can only has the service brake port, so figuring out the appropriate port is not an issue. The rear brake cans on our single rear axle coaches have two ports, one for the spring brake (parking brake) and one for the service brake. After initially hooking up on the dirt by the side of the road, I pulled out onto the highway. I realized at once that the towed's brakes were locked up when I hit the pavement. I was off the highway in less than 50' and all four tires were already flat spotted on our Honda Fit towed. I contacted the AF1 inventor and CEO and texted a picture of the install. He instantly agreed that the installation was done incorrectly and contacted the installer. Bottom line is that I was (mostly) reimbursed for the four ruined tires and had to redo the installation. Not only was the air supply on the spring brake port, but the tank assembly was flopping around because he screwed the mounting plate into paper thin aluminum that wasn't really backed up by anything and electronic control unit was zip tied right over the exhaust manifold. Those are just the highlights of the bungled installation. Anyway, hope these pictures help!
Don

Don, thanks. I did read your original post on your experience. Sometimes we have to go with a "professional" to get stuff done, sometimes it's better to do it ourselves. Hard to know when that is. Even with a lot of cash, you can still get screwed with a "pro".

Barry,  my Roadmaster baseplate has detachable hooks, no different that the blue ox, far as I know. I went with the Roadmaster, as I have a Roadmaster towbar the PO left with the coach, and its more compatible with it. I did look at the blue ox on Etrailer website but liked the Roadmaster more.
Mark, I agree, the hard part is knowing where to cut. Still not sure on that one. The pics you guys posted don't help much, to much close up I guess. I really need to crawl under again and see. Not a big fan of that though. Even with the coach blocked, the clearance is pretty tight for me. Still going to do it myself. Was under my jeep a lot today installing the  roadmaster lighting system (uses its own wires and bulbs instead of cutting into the jeeps wiring... was hot, and tight.
Richard that sounds like a good place to mount the tank, will have to look at it. I might one day put in a ultracapacitor with the chassis batteries though. Going to look tomorrow. Go back to work friday night.... 
Thank you all for your input.
Bob

Re: AirForce 1 install U320 help requested

Reply #9 –
Crane, Your baseplate photos looks like Roadmaster without the crossbar I was talking about. 

Roadmaster baseplate with the cross bar removed looks the same as Blue Ox.  It just seems most do not remove the cross bar.

We have a similar looking Jeep, but with Blue Ox baseplate.

Baseplate is the hidden steel bracket that has the connection points for the towbar.


Re: AirForce 1 install U320 help requested

Reply #10 –
Quote from: Barry & Cindy –
Crane, The knee banking is from the baseplate. I think all our towbars are pretty universal.
There is no base plate on my set ups. What you see in the pictures can't hit my knees.

Re: AirForce 1 install U320 help requested

Reply #11 –
Ah Barry that dreaded cross bar.... #$%@#&^*#$!!. When installing the baseplates, I forgot to put in that bar. Didn't really think about it before or after, but I had purchased a additional bracket for the hookup and didn't need it, but forgot, so had to take the nuts off to put it in. Now, that cross bar hooks up to the inner set of bolts. And these, at least on my Jeep, are pretty much inaccessable with your fingers, so they supply a nut on a wire. Putting it on the first time was a chore, the 2nd time the wire broke. Oh and my fingers of my left hand was under the damn thing so when the impact driver started to go, YES, you got it, my fingers were caught !@.  Didn't panic, just reversed the driver and got my hand out, went in and put some ice on them. Thought I had broken a finger or two, but just hurt like hell for a while. Lesson learned. Then I had to get that nut back on without that wire. Took almost a hour it seemed, but got it on. Afterward I remembered the bracket I had purchased and did't need the bar, #$#@@$%^&%$$$%^*!.  But its on and i'm not taking it off. EVER.
Barry re-read your post.. the cross bar is for the trailer hookup. It has 2 protruding attachments for your wire connections.  Otherwise it does nothing for the strength or stability of the baseplate.
Bob

Re: AirForce 1 install U320 help requested

Reply #13 –
Quote from: MAZ –
Here are a few pictures of my coach install. Hardest part is making sure of where the supply and control lines are before cutting. Study your air schematic carefully.

Mark
Mark, just got out from under the coach. This is one of the pics I took, which  corresponds to your pic above.  Please take a look and let me know if this looks right to you.
Thanks
Bob

Re: AirForce 1 install U320 help requested

Reply #14 –
Bob,
  Yes that looks like it corresponds to the way mine is hooked up.

Mark

Re: AirForce 1 install U320 help requested

Reply #15 –
OK so while cleaning the hoses, a wire harness came loose, I guess its part of the ABS system ( I know this cause now I have a ABS lite on my dash.) Unfortunately, the connector is coming apart, disintegrating. Need to replace it, but not sure what is required.
The other issue I am having with this is its pretty much impossible for me to get 2 hands up there to work on this. vI can try to take the solenoids down but wonder if this will cause more issues. How did you do it? I can cut the hose one handed, but putting in the T's will require 2 hands I think. I really have little room to move there. I am going to jack the coach up and put in jacks to give me more room when I do this. There are 2 bolts holding the solenoids up, I could remove them to drop them down a inch or two. But not sure how difficult it would be to put them back in.
Your experience is needed please.
Thanks
Bob

Re: AirForce 1 install U320 help requested

Reply #16 –
Bob,

It has been several years since I installed my AirForce1.  I definitely remember the difficulty of installing the T-fittings and hoses, but it is doable.  Like you, I thought about but was reluctant to drop the solenoids to make the job easier.  I ended up not disassembling anything.  When I was on my back the hoses were too high to reach with both hands at the same time.  I had to half way sit up while under there to make the install.  I do remember that I was pretty sore the next day.  Take two aspirin before you go to bed after this job. 

I do not remember any problems with my wiring harness connector, so I can't help there. 

Good luck,

Richard

Re: AirForce 1 install U320 help requested

Reply #17 –
Bob,
  I am pretty thin so I don't remember having too much of a problem. You could follow those lines and find a location that might be easier to splice into. I believe I had to sit up in there. Air up the suspension and block it up for safety. The hardest part that I remember was having the nerve to cut the lines.

Mark

Re: AirForce 1 install U320 help requested

Reply #18 –
Well phase one complete. Went better than expected. Haven't tested it yet, and still need to secure the hoses, but the  coach part is done. Was hard but not impossible to get those T's on. Really don't need 2 hands except to cut the bigger hose. I just pushed against something to seat the hose. Drilling for the rear air was one of the harder things. As you guys said, the hardest thing is getting the courage to cut the hose, and the time spent researching it all. Tomorrow I will tackle the Jeep install, but don't think there will be any issues.
Bob