FRONT AIR BAGS - Printable Version

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+--- Thread: FRONT AIR BAGS (/showthread.php?tid=2277)

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FRONT AIR BAGS - MARKGMC3 - 04-27-2015

I am another new guy from FLA.

Just wanted to let u all know what i found out about my 1999 Newell Coach this past weekend.

I have been motorhoming sense 1978. My first MH was a 1977 GMC 26ft. Did a lot of updating including adding 24" to the rear of this coach. We kept the GMC for 27 years. 

Purchased the Newell in April 2006. Have done a lot of updates & play with it a few times a week.

Now what i found out. Three years ago while on the Oregon coast had to drop the front end down all the way to level the coach. When i went to lift the front up after our stay it would not move. Had to drive inland to get it repaired.
They found that the coach had a hole in the right front air bag. Had both front air bags replaced.

Now about last weekend. I keep the coach in a Airplane hanger & went to check on it. Found that i forget to leave the 110v ac compressor on. Had lost all the air in the front air bags. Started the coach & turned the air compressor on.....
still the front end would not come up. Called Doug at Excalibur Coach & he said he had the same problem with a 2005 Newell he was working on. The problem is the air bags have a rubber hump on the inside & when the bag goes all the down, this rubber hump seals the air inlet on the top of the bag preventing air from coming in.

Jacked the coach up 2" or so & the air started to come in the left bag. (right side still down) Put my hand on the right bag & it was soft plus i could feel air coming out of it. Was hard to believe that this almost new air bag was leaking.
Ordered new one from Newell & called a truck repair shop.
When we got the coach jacked up & the wheel off we could see the air bag hole & what caused it. When the bag is all the way in the down position one of the steel gussets that supports the air bags upper plate sticks out far enough to 
squeeze & cut open the bag.  Checked the other gussets & could see where they touched the bag... but not far enough to make a hole. Cut an inch off the one that caused the leak (for the second time) & ground down the other three.
Lesson learned....always find out what caused the hole in any air bag.

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RE: FRONT AIR BAGS - encantotom - 04-27-2015

Mark great post and thanks for the info

Tom

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RE: FRONT AIR BAGS - Chester Stone - 04-27-2015

Welcome and good information to know.

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RE: FRONT AIR BAGS - Yachts - 04-27-2015

Kind of answers the question if it's better to score coach with air in bags or not

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RE: FRONT AIR BAGS - MrE - 04-27-2015

Mark, did Newell supply the airbags for free? Sounds like they didn't do a very good job engineering the steel gussets that supports the air bags upper plate.

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RE: FRONT AIR BAGS - MARKGMC3 - 04-27-2015

(04-27-2015, 07:24 PM)MrE Wrote:  Mark, did Newell supply the airbags for free? Sounds like they didn't do a very good job engineering the steel gussets that supports the air bags upper plate.

no free air bag from Newell but for a price they do have them in stock
but yes they need a refresher course.......engineering the steel gussets.

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RE: FRONT AIR BAGS - smagown - 04-28-2015

Mark:
I've been a step behind you. Bought my first motorhome in 1981, a '76 GMC Palm Beach. I've had four GMC's, still have my fourth, a '74 Eleganza SE. Bought my Newell in '08.
What year is your Newell?
Thanks,

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RE: FRONT AIR BAGS - MARKGMC3 - 04-28-2015

(04-28-2015, 06:52 AM)smagown Wrote:  Mark:
I've been a step behind you. Bought my first motorhome in 1981, a '76 GMC Palm Beach. I've had four GMC's, still have my fourth, a '74 Eleganza SE. Bought my Newell in '08.
What year is your Newell?
Thanks,

She is a 1999 #527 rear bath show coach.

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