Total Air Bag Replacement Cost

Total Air Bag Replacement Cost - Printable Version

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Total Air Bag Replacement Cost - Richard - 10-02-2023

I put this in the things to consider column to potentially aid a buyer in assessing the cost of replacing the airbags on a coach.

I was lurking on the Wanderlodge forum, reading a similar post. A well known suspension shop in the Pacific Northwest had quoted a Wanderlodge member 10k to replace the airbags. That quote included parts and labor. I think the gentlemen got it done using an independent tech for a total of 6800.

The cost of airbags, like tires, has almost doubled. And for those who have changed their own, the labor is intense, dirty, and challenging.

I am kind of thinking on 8 airbag coach, the rears would be in the neighborhood of 400 each, and the two fronts about 600 each. Obviously more if sourced from the mothership. So the minimum parts would be just under 4k. Based on my own ineptness in doing the work several times, about 3 or 4 hrs per air bag. Using 3 hrs per bag at shop rate of 150 results in labor of about 4800 in labor, so the 10k quote was not out of the question.

I am curious what others experience would say about my estimates.

I am trying to get a 2023 cost for some of the major maintenance items that a new owner may face in taking over a used coach.

I also would like to hear about any recent radiator replacement costs.

My purpose is to give a potential buyer a tool in helping assess the price of a used coach, and to anticipate what maintenance costs may be incurred if these items are not reasonably fresh:

For example:
Slide seals
Radiator
Brakes
Tires
Airbags
AirCon Options and Costs

Would love to hear your thoughts on other items that should be on this list.

RE: Total Air Bag Replacement Cost - [email protected] - 10-03-2023

(10-02-2023, 06:33 AM)Richard Wrote: I put this in the things to consider column to potentially aid a buyer in assessing the cost of replacing the airbags on a coach.

I was lurking on the Wanderlodge forum, reading a similar post. A well known suspension shop in the Pacific Northwest had quoted a Wanderlodge member 10k to replace the airbags. That quote included parts and labor. I think the gentlemen got it done using an independent tech for a total of 6800.

The cost of airbags, like tires, has almost doubled. And for those who have changed their own, the labor is intense, dirty, and challenging.

I am kind of thinking on 8 airbag coach, the rears would be in the neighborhood of 400 each, and the two fronts about 600 each. Obviously more if sourced from the mothership. So the minimum parts would be just under 4k. Based on my own ineptness in doing the work several times, about 3 or 4 hrs per air bag. Using 3 hrs per bag at shop rate of 150 results in labor of about 4800 in labor, so the 10k quote was not out of the question.

I am curious what others experience would say about my estimates.

I am trying to get a 2023 cost for some of the major maintenance items that a new owner may face in taking over a used coach.

I also would like to hear about any recent radiator replacement costs.

My purpose is to give a potential buyer a tool in helping assess the price of a used coach, and to anticipate what maintenance costs may be incurred if these items are not reasonably fresh:

For example:
Slide seals
Radiator
Brakes
Tires
Airbags
AirCon Options and Costs

Would love to hear your thoughts on other items that should be on this list.

So the o e thing I will say about airbag replacement, the owner on WOG was talking about an FC and the bags on the front of them are quite difficult because the engine is there taking up a ton of real estate. I have not removed any airbags on my Newell yet, but by looking at them, mounting locations and accessibility, I think it would be similar to my PT, and I think I could change a bag in an hour or less each based on my experience, so hopefully a good mechanic could do similar time. This is not including the time to raise the coach and support it of course. Now one thing that did catch me off guard was how much time it took me to change the front shocks on the IFS84 suspension. Removal was fairly straightforward and probably took 20 minutes each shock, but the install I was not prepared for. Getting the new bushings to squeeze into the slot was a chore, finally worked out a better method but still took some fiddling to get the bushings in where they were not distorted and you could get the bolt through. Greasing everything was the trick to getting them to slide in better. Anyways what I thought might be a 2 hour job turned into closer to 8 hours at least and lots of colorful language.

So something else would be the air system.
Looks like my air dryer filter had not been changed in a while or maybe not at all. It was rusted on, had to beat it off with a mini sludge hammer and big drift jabbed into the filter. I hate having to do that but the thing was not moving and I broke my big strap wrench trying to get it freed up.

I am sure you know this Richard but some of the costs may widely vary based on how well things weee cared for, and it may be just as important to find a coach that has service history so you know that things were taken care of.
I know that a lot of things on my bus were cared for by it’s previous owner, I can tell by the spare parts I have found in the bays. But apparently some things appear to be overlooked. Air systems seem to be a common system that people overlook, just because I think they are not used to having them on any other vehicle.

RE: Total Air Bag Replacement Cost - hypoxia - 10-03-2023

I've been wondering about the airbags but haven't put the time in to research it. I changed the 10 airbags in my last other brand coach which was quite a chore due to access. The cost of those were reasonable $120 each four years ago.

RE: Total Air Bag Replacement Cost - Jonestead - 10-03-2023

Great idea! Seeing how no two are the same, neither are the owners or their priorities, so I'll give my glimpse
Slide seals
I haven't tackled this yet, but according to Newell they had 40hrs labor to replace it on ours before and current $$ for seal is about 1600
Radiator
Ask Richard
Brakes
I need to do tags soonish but haven't priced parts yet
Tires
$600-1000 per tire depending on which you choose and figure another hundred to mount and balance
Airbags
Well covered already
AirCon Options and Costs
I was told SCS could be rebuilt for $1500-2000ea so I budgeted $5000 for AC. I chose instead to install new minisplit and that was about $4000 for parts,labor and ductwork complete, and lovin every minute of it

Would love to hear your thoughts on other items that should be on this list.
LED lights budget - we have a running joke in our house that if I order some new LEDs, the project that I haven't finished yet will somehow be all done, OK I jokingly say that to my wife and she rolls her eyeballs and tells me to go finish the plumbing

RE: Total Air Bag Replacement Cost - Jack Houpe - 10-04-2023

We have owned our coach 1 year and 4 days and it has taken a big part of our life and pocket book. Big Grin

RE: Total Air Bag Replacement Cost - rvguy - 10-06-2023

Richard, I just replaced all air bags myself on coach 480. as well as front rotors and pads, drive axle brakes and drums and rear tad rotors and pads. here was my cost. All parts were bought from newell except drive brakes and drums

front air bags 395.00 each x 2
drive air bags 650.00 x 2
tag bags 359.00 x 2
front rotor assy 895.00 x 2
front brakes 289.00
drive brakes 69.99 for the kit
drive drums 299.00 x 2
spring kit 29.99x2
tag rotors 469.00 x 2
tag brakes 299.00

If you are not mechanically inclined I would suggest you use a shop to do the bags and rotors. It isnt a super hard job but you will spend probaly another 1500.00 in equiptment to do the job if you dont have it. Fortunatly I have been working on 18 wheelers and rvs for 37 years so I had all the stuff.

For tires I just replaced all of them at a price of 6700.00
2 steer tires 365/70/22.5 ( the big ones, guess my coach has some kind of front end update on it ) 1500.00x2 Michelon is the only people who make this size tire
6 drive/tag tires 11r 24.5 3000.00 toyo tires

As for the scs air conditioners. I just rebuilt my front ac compressors were good and fan motors. Had to replace overloads on compressors, and control board.
control boards 589.00 from newell
freon r22 75.00 a pound x3
overloads 29.99
If they die again going to do the mini split thing as explained on this sight

RE: Total Air Bag Replacement Cost - HoosierDaddy - 10-06-2023

I have a local Truck shop do most of the work on the underside of coach 316.
Work done in 2023 august.
Bags from Newell 4 @ 750 each. $3000
Labor 1100
total 4100