[BusNit]

I'm not sure what to call this however I was thinking of adding a piece of 3/4" thick steel and welding it to the top of this chassis stop. My rear tires scrub against the fender liners and this would avoid it when the air is dumped or on a roadside emergency. Any thoughts? When I took the pic, I only raised the coach enough to tilt it to the left side so I could dump and sanitize the waste tank. The space there is much much greater in travel mode.

[Jack Houpe]

Simon that looks a little flimsy for all that weight? I think the air bags and the resting seats (not sure this is the word for them) inside them determine the height of the coach when the air is dumped.

[BusNit]

It's a solid bar (not hollow tube) stock that's welded to the drive axle. when the air is out, it sits on the C-channel frame rail. I didn't put that there, just looking to add another 3/4-1" to keep the tires from pushing out the flares. Seems super solid with no dents on the frame rail.

[Jack Houpe]

I was thinking the top piece looks to be 1/4"- 5/16"

[Richard]

I can’t comment on the photos. I do know then when I lost a drive air bag on the road, I was able to wedge a 4X4 block between both the drive and tag to get me off the road. The point being to add a hard stop for the tag also

[BusNit]

Seems either Newell or someone added this solid steel bar as a suspension rest stop. I’m at my favorite steel supplier in Phoenix picking up solid remnants to weld on as a method to keep the tires off the fender liners. I think this will work. I don’t have the stops over the tag axle but these existing ones worked for so many years holding the coach up.

[HoosierDaddy]

If you look at the pics of the original Firestone 9447 bags they have a bump stop incorporated into them. When I removed the front 9447 bags I found remnants of that bump stop rolling around in the bag. 316 rests on the fenders as well. Since the new bags I plan to install on the rear don’t have the internal bump stop I plan to install them .

[Richard]

And oh yeah, that polished aluminum rim has a speck of dust on it. You might want to work on that.
I smile when I see pics of your coach, and then I go look at the Alaska silt in mine which permeates every nook and cranny despite months of deep cleaning.

[BusNit]

Thanks Richard! My coach is certainly not perfect but for something that’s 31 years old, it’s not bad. Wheels are in sad shape actually. Pics make them look decent. Paint has a couple of issues that the shop will take care of. Haven’t figured out how they are going to do that. Either way, I do love my bus.

I cut some 1.5” bar stock down and dumped the air. Tires now clear the fender trims and inside wheel well. I am not sure how much deflection the suspension gives as I went from 4.5” to 3” clearance. If I weld this thing together do you think I can cheat by adding 1” on leveler adjustment? Assuming this thing bangs against itself on the cross Bronx expressway. After this winter I think the country’s roads are going to be in sad shape.

[BusNit]

Normal ride height pic. Forgot to add that.