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Fighting a Bad Air Leak!
#41

(04-22-2016, 07:16 AM)77newell Wrote:  Sayed: when you ran this latest test did you leave the leveling system in an "on" setting that continued to actively attempt to keep the coach level? If so, you could have a leak on the left side air bag system (not necessarily the air bags themselves) that the leveling system attempts to rectify until it depletes the "supply" air.

A test for this would be to repeat the test you just did with the only change being to shut off the leveling system after bringing up the pressures and leveling the coach. Watch the rate of drop in the "supply" tank gauge. If my suspicions are confirmed, the left side will drop sooner than during the last test and the "supply" tank will leak down noticeably slower. If this turns out to be the case, the leak will be downstream from the rear six-pack including the fitting on the end of the six-pack.

If in this test the left side drops and the "supply" pressure drops as before then you know you have at least two leaks to find. Let us hope that is not the case as it makes life a bit more difficult and I like "easy".

Thanks for your suggestion!
No, I had the leveling off - have had everything that I can of that uses air turned off or not used like the entry and inside sliding doors.

Sayed Hashimi
Previous owner of # 1237
West Central Part of Michigan
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#42

IF you are willing and assuming your coach is plumbed as my 93 is there is a step you can take to begin to locate the leak. On the bulkhead ahead of my rear axle are two ball valves, one controls air flowing to the front the of the coach and the other controls the air flowing to the rear of the coach. If you shut off those valves and monitor the "supply" pressure gauge (that gets its signal from the front air distribution block) and the pressure gauge on the rear six-pack that monitors air supply for the rear of the coach, you may be able to determine where in the coach to look for leaks.

It would seem that you do have a leak somewhere in the left rear air suspension system.

Jon Kabbe
1993 coach 337 with Civic towed
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#43

Jon,

Thank you very much for your suggestion. it is very possible that my 08 air system is similar to yours as somethings Newell does not change. Furthermore, as you stated, I probably do have an air leak in the rear suspension. Being a novice when it comes to Newells, I do not want to venture out and get under it until I know how to do it safely. I will definitely keep your suggestion in mind.

Sayed Hashimi
Previous owner of # 1237
West Central Part of Michigan
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#44

Feeling comfortable under 20 tons of hard metal takes work, especially knowing how to support the coach so that a failure of the air suspension does not allow it to come down. I use 20 ton hydraulic jacks either on pavement or on laminated blocks on softer surfaces. I jack up until I am confident that deflating the air bags will not just push the jack into the ground. Still, there are times when I wonder what the heck I'm doing under there.

The other approach that I saw at Parliament coach is to construct heavy duty ramps with a dual layer of 3/4' plywood on the top surface and 2X6 runners with lots of cross bracing. They are so heavy that they are mostly moved with a fork truck, but I saw both Prevosts and BleuBirds on them and people working underneath.

Jon Kabbe
1993 coach 337 with Civic towed
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#45

Jon,
I was thinking about  using 5 2x12 treated each staggered by 6" and start with a 5 foot long in the bottom, will provide about  7.5" of lift which will be enough to get under. I don't know what you and others think about this? It will be heavy, but still manageable to move around manually. I would love to hear what others use.

Sayed Hashimi
Previous owner of # 1237
West Central Part of Michigan
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#46

In my experience this will work if two things are true. First the initial timber needs to be tapered just a bit to help the wheel grab it rather than scoot it, and this ramp needs to be placed on pavement. I used a similar arrangement on dirt and the timbers tended to split, very supra sing to me.

Jon Kabbe
1993 coach 337 with Civic towed
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#47

(04-26-2016, 09:25 AM)77newell Wrote:  In my experience this will work if two things are true. First the initial timber needs to be tapered just a bit to help the wheel grab it rather than scoot it, and this ramp needs to be placed on pavement. I used a similar arrangement on dirt and the timbers tended to split, very supra sing to me.

Good idea! I have a concrete driveway, but I'm still thinking the wood might split with all that weight. The treated lumber will help, how much, who knows. I will find out one of these days! I just got me two new front tires through Michelin Advantage program, got my side view mirrors with cameras installed, but still figuring how to connect the cameras to monitor. Chipping at it little by little!

Sayed Hashimi
Previous owner of # 1237
West Central Part of Michigan
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#48

I made that type of wood lift out of 2X12's with each one being about 4" forward of the last to raise the coach and the only time it split was when I drove on it too far off center and then it only split the top board. Used this at many race tracks in the country to help level the coach on big slopes and have been under it many times. I did not use treated lumber but did make sure I bought top grade boards. If you make the bottom board 12" longer than the next, so that the tire has room to get on the first board without hitting the next, you'll eliminate most sliding regardless of the surface. The rear boards need to be quite long if you have a tag.

94 Newell #365, 2009 Smart, 2005 500SL, 2012 ML350, 1934 Ford Streetrod Golf Cart, 1958 Century Coronado, 1965 Cruisers Inc. Car and Boat CrazyTongue
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#49

(04-27-2016, 05:45 AM)larryweikartsr Wrote:  I made that type of wood lift out of 2X12's with each one being about 4" forward of the last to raise the coach and the only time it split was when I drove on it too far off center and then it only split the top board. Used this at many race tracks in the country to help level the coach on big slopes and have been under it many times. I did not use treated lumber but did make sure I bought top grade boards. If you make the bottom board 12" longer than the next, so that the tire has room to get on the first board without hitting the next, you'll eliminate most sliding regardless of the surface. The rear boards need to be quite long if you have a tag.

That is very helpful! Thank you kindly. If I don't have to use treated lumber it will be lighter and easier to mover around. I'm not sure I understand your last sentence -could you please clarify? Also, what is the total length and how many boards high did you make yours?

Have a nice day!
Sayed

Sayed Hashimi
Previous owner of # 1237
West Central Part of Michigan
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#50

Sayed: The front set of boards were 5 high and about 6' long and the rear set was also 5 high and about 7' long so that when you drove up on them the tag would also be supported. FYI: I'm also in Michigan.

94 Newell #365, 2009 Smart, 2005 500SL, 2012 ML350, 1934 Ford Streetrod Golf Cart, 1958 Century Coronado, 1965 Cruisers Inc. Car and Boat CrazyTongue
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