Skip to main content
Topic: New coach tool (Read 1488 times) previous topic - next topic

New coach tool

So after a year finally came across a affordable lifting air bag. $230 delivered, Ebay. Usually much more. 15 ton capacity with a 9" lift capacity. Will carry a assortment of plywood to space as needed. Weighs under 12 lbs. will add a six foot extension hose with a bleed hole and a shut off ball valve.  Merry Xmas for the coach. Will fit under the front axle with a flat tire. Mike thanks for the great idea!
Scott


Re: New coach tool

Reply #2
I carry a more primitive version of this in our FJ Cruiser for off-roading.  It attaches to the exhaust.

Saved our butt!  Or could have.  I hit a rock on a very rough trail, and put a big hole in the side of our front tire.  We jacked it up with the supplied jack, and the car fell on top of the jack!  We used the air bladder jack to lift it up again and change the tire.  I was surprised how stable and easy to use it was.  That jack you got would be even better!

Second part of the story...  We got the spare on, and it lasted TWO-TENTHS of a mile.  The tire was never used, but was ten years old.  Everything but the sidewalls gone.  Learned my lesson well after several miles on a very rough road riding on the rim, and the purchase of two tires and a replacement rim.

I have lifted the front of the FT with a big bottle jack.  Works OK, but pretty scary!
Matt B
1998 u-320

Re: New coach tool

Reply #3
Wow lifts Toyota counterbalance with 30 psi. Should work great for the coach. Gathering a assortment of plywood blocks to use to shim up . Very happy with the new tool. Made up a short service hose with shut off so you don't go under coach while using, EVER.

Re: New coach tool

Reply #4
What are you using as an air source Scott?  Looked those up and it looks like they normally run them off a pressurized tank of some kind, with the regulator set at 200psi.  Did you get the check valve setup with it, so it can release on it's own?
Keith
2003 U320 38' #6197

Re: New coach tool

Reply #5
Scott,

Once you have to lift a coach that is on the rim with that air lift bag you will be glad you have it.  Using it just once will justify the cost. Now I have to tell you that with you being a tinkering kind of fellow you will find all kind of uses for that.

Mike
Pamela & Mike 97 U 320

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."

Re: New coach tool

Reply #6
Wish I'd had a couple of those 22 years ago. I lifted the back of a 50 ft boat high enough to change out drive boots on twin mercruisers with two log skidder inter tubes . They kept wanting to shoot out the sides just about the time it was beginning to lift the boat but a friend and myself finally got them snug enough with nylon rope. Took a little diving under the boat to get situated but the end result was positive. The physics of it is amazing. The store bought unit on dry land should move some metal.
Dub McBride 1996 270

Re: New coach tool

Reply #7
Got a link Scott?
Jason
2000 U295 36' Non-slide  ISC350

Re: New coach tool

Reply #8
What are you using as an air source Scott?  Looked those up and it looks like they normally run them off a pressurized tank of some kind, with the regulator set at 200psi.  Did you get the check valve setup with it, so it can release on it's own?
Just coach air. Rated 122 psi 15 ton. Installing a six foot lead hose with air control valve, and will probably install a #80 restriction hole to slow down going up and coming down. Doesn't have all the secondary locks but I'm also not putting personal under it. Thank you again Mike for the great idea, and your right the secondary uses are endless.
Scott

Re: New coach tool

Reply #9
MaxiForce KPI- 17 Air Lifting Bag | eBay

So I've been watching for a affordable one for like a year. They do come up but generally most sellers are too hi. They are used by the fire department and they are certified for ten years I believe. Just means that you should be using with personal under them. They do need to stay out of the sunlight to reduce us damage probably. I would buy one that shows lots of use in wear also. I paid $230 delivered. Check with your local fire department for timed out ones. Be worth a Franklin for sure

Re: New coach tool

Reply #10
Scott you are costing me a fortune trying to keep up with you. Just bought this one.


Paratech MAXIFORCE Air Lift Bag Pad KPI-10, 11.4Tons Capacity 12" X 18" | eBay
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: New coach tool

Reply #11
DW is saying the same. I guess I'm a expensive date

Re: New coach tool

Reply #12
Thanks Scott. One question I have ben wondering is how do you change a tire on these, besides calling Coachnet or similar. Would you use this for that? If so, would you fee comfortable potentially crawling underneath it with this holding it? Or did I miss what your use case is?
Jason
2000 U295 36' Non-slide  ISC350

Re: New coach tool

Reply #13
1. One question I have ben wondering is how do you change a tire on these, besides calling Coachnet or similar.
2. Would you use this for that?
3.If so, would you fee comfortable potentially crawling underneath it with this holding it?

 Not Scott but I did have something to do with him spending $
1. Proper size socket 1 1/2"x 3/4" drive, torque multiplier, brake over bar
2. Yes If the front tire has a blow out or get cut down and you are on the rim this will slide under the axle and get it up off the ground. As it can be difficult to get most any jack under the axle due to it being too tall.
3. NO

Mike
Pamela & Mike 97 U 320

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."

Re: New coach tool

Reply #14
The 2000 models take a 1 5/16" socket.
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: New coach tool

Reply #15
The 2000 models take a 1 5/16" socket.

Well I sure wish you had said that a couple minutes earlier, I just Hiked to the coach got out my wheel socket thinking I was losing my mind and verified it was 1 5/16, even double checked it was the a good fit on the coach. LOL
Scott

Re: New coach tool

Reply #16
I dont get under anything without mechanical stands in place. Unless its a matter of life and death IMO

Re: New coach tool

Reply #17
Interesting I have been using 33mm which is a perfect fit, so I guess 1 5/16th and
33mm is the same size.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: New coach tool

Reply #18
Coaches with Budd wheels the nuts are 1 1/2. The rear is both 1 1/2 and square socket.
The coaches with hub centered wheels (metric) use the 1 5/16 (1.312) or the 33mm (1.299) socket.
I should have also added a torque wrench for tightening the lug nuts on reassembly.

Mike
Pamela & Mike 97 U 320

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."

Re: New coach tool

Reply #19
Scott you are costing me a fortune trying to keep up with you. Just bought this one.


Spend a month at his place Chuck!  The dollars were flying!  lol 
Scott is the man and his knowledge and expertise are beyond most out there, especially me!  So proud to have met both Scott and Kim and consider them wonderful caring people who go above and beyond to help a friend in need!  I know I said this before, but thank you , thank you to Scott and Kim for rolling out the red carpet for me and your great assistants in repairs! 
Joe & Dottie Allen
Sold!  December 2023.      2000 U320; build # 5645
Our coach " Maxine"
Motorcade #  15922;  Escapee 150950; FMCA F330833; Boondockers Welcome;  Harvest Hosts;  Thousand Trails
'98 U320 from 2000-'06
USAF '62-'66

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." ―Epicurus

Re: New coach tool

Reply #20

Spend a month at his place Chuck!  The dollars were flying!  lol 
Scott is the man and his knowledge and expertise are beyond most out there, especially me!  So proud to have met both Scott and Kim and consider them wonderful caring people who go above and beyond to help a friend in need!  I know I said this before, but thank you , thank you to Scott and Kim for rolling out the red carpet for me and your great assistants in repairs! 
Ha Ha Ha hardly. I think your looking at this from a different perspective. Look at all the money you saved and the preventive maintenance costs will all be lost because it won't be counted because it will now will never be spent. So sure you spent some money but saved tons getting ahead of problems. The squirrel in the air filter was a first, I always worried about dust and bugs.

Re: New coach tool

Reply #21
Coaches with Budd wheels the nuts are 1 1/2. The rear is both 1 1/2 and square socket.
The coaches with hub centered wheels (metric) use the 1 5/16 (1.312) or the 33mm (1.299) socket.
I should have also added a torque wrench for tightening the lug nuts on reassembly.

Mike
So 1.312-1.299= .013
You would hardly think that 13 thousands would make much of a difference. Since day one I felt the 1 5/16  seemed loose but just never imagined it could of been metric. Actually complained about how loud the impact was knowing the noise was coming from the socket. I actually had purchased the SAE socket since all mine were limited to sets at smaller sizes. Guess ill be watching  eBay till I find what I want, snap on 33m semi deep 3/4 drive six point impact. Please dont tell DW I'm looking for more tools! LOL
Scott

Re: New coach tool

Reply #22
Tractor supply has some decent quality bigger sockets,not Snap-on quality but good.If at "Q" check the flea markets.
96 U270 BUILD 4810
85 380SL
Drummonds TN.

Re: New coach tool

Reply #23
With this thread kind of drifting now would be a good time to remind owners that Metric wheels (hub centered) the lug nuts are righty tighyt lefty loosey.  Where if you have Budd wheels (stud centered) the left side studs are left hand threads and the right hand side are right hand threads. So don't strip/break/ruin the left side studs and lug nuts by going the wrong direction to remove the lug nuts.

Mike
Pamela & Mike 97 U 320

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."

Re: New coach tool

Reply #24
I have a torque multiplier for anything that requires a lot of force but bought a 300lb torque wrench and use it with Mariner's Choice Never Seez for a 41% (or better) torque reduction. So, I use a tiny 1/4" battery impact to run the nuts down and then torque our U300 wheel nuts to 300 lbs. Never Seize Mariner's Choice Anti-Seize Eliminates the chance of galling and rust/corrosion is prevented.

For those who don't believe, you can install tell tale arrows over the nut and optionally under the nut cap if you have one.
wheel nut indicator | eBay

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)