Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Air Bags (Read 1229 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Air Bags

Reply #25 –
Quote from: 18360 –

    I asked him if there is anything I could put on them to preserve them.  He said because they are hidden from the sun, they are good. 
     
When I removed the old air bags, I was surprised that the worst parts were hidden from view.  In all cases, the part that I could see from the wheel well looked bad but passable - the exposed cord, crumbling rubber, checking was all on the backsides.

My thought is that road chemicals and/or moisture are bigger enemies to the rubber than the small amount of sun.

In any case, 20-something years of use for a rubber part is acceptable to me!
Matt B
1998 u-320

Re: Air Bags

Reply #26 –
Our bags with the exposed cord, rot, were all facing the tires. Only one developed a leak but the other two looked terrible so I replaced them. The remaining five are OEM and just over 30 years old but still look good. Lots of rubber on the inside of the cords. Broke as a kid so drove with tires showing a bit of cord.

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

Re: Air Bags

Reply #27 –
I changed ours back in 2017, after 22 years they didn't look too bad to me but I was concerned about the age and didn't want a blowout while on a cross country trip. For those who haven't seen the inside of a 22 year old air bag............ here ya go
Justin & Cathy Byrd
1995 U280 "Old Faithful"
36' Build #4673
C8.3 Cummins
Allison MD3060R 6 speed - retarder
Powertech 10KW  4cyl Kubota