replacement air springs

[bluevost]

Hey POGgers,

This is a continuation of Jon's thread of a couple of days ago regarding the front air springs (bags). March of '08 I had both front air springs changed. There was nothing wrong with them, but going on the 10 year rule, they came out and new ones installed. Sure enough, the new bags are 63-0259. In checking the old bags, they were indeed 63-0126 dated 22Apr94.

Ray Davis and I went out to the hanger today and did a little experiment, if you will. I brought the bus up to ride height and measured from the ground to the frame in front of the tow hooks. Ride height is 9 3/8". Then Ray worked the level lo to raise the front end up, engine still running. The bus only raised to 10 5/8, only a 1 1/4 " gain. Ray then raised the tag, and worked the level lo and the bus raised up to 15 1/2", a gain of over 6". Then he put the tag down and the front end settled at 15 1/8" and stayed there. Interesting isn't it??

Anybody got an answer for why the level lo did not raise the front end of the bus to 15 1/2 without raising the tag?

In addition to the 63-0126 number on the old bag is 1R11-096. Could this be the Goodyear part number, and could this bag still be available through Goodyear?

Happy New Year,

Ken

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Ken,

I will do some checking later to see if I can discern the difference. Right now it appears the 630126 is what the Goodyear number code defines as a nominal 11" diameter. The "footprint" size determines how much pressure is required to lift the coach, a smaller size being less capable and needing help such as lifting the tag.

The ability to lift the front end is critical not only for leveling, but to avoid damage when approaching a steep incline that normal road height cannot clear such as a driveway transition.

I have 1R11-296 listed as the Goodyear number for the 630126 but I will check out the 1R11-096 number.

[truk4u]

Good job Ken & Ray, I suspect mine will do about the same with 259's, although I haven't measured it. We're on the road to Florida and I'll do the same check and see what I get. I've done it with shop air, but I didn't measure.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I'll let Joe or Eric or Debbie post, but they resolved the problem they were having. Their bus goes all the way up with relatively low air pressure now and if I understand it they have 14,000# on the front axle.

[truk4u]

Jon,

Without me going back through all the posts, what bags solved their problem?

[Jon Wehrenberg]

630259 If my memory is correct. I was hoping Joe C. or Eric and Deb would fill in the details.

According to Joe the bus would barely get to ride height and they had to do some gyrations to get there. Again, if I don't have the numbers screwed up the ones Prevost sent were 630260, which are for a seated coach.

After realizing the front would not come up properly they changed air pressure and verified the problem was not that.

The 259 bags that they put on are the same as the 630126 that are on mine and Jim's bling mobile and that work fine. They will run the bus up to max height with a little over 100# which is what my bus requires, and it will go all the way down for an 8" range. Ride height is exactly in the middle of the range which is how it should be. FWIW, ride height should be 11.5" between top and bottom mounting plates and fully raised it should be 15.5" between plates.

Since both our buses are within a few hundred pounds on the front and they are getting the same performance now I would say the 259 bags are a replacement for the 126.

Joe told me the diameters of the 259 and 126 are the same, and that is the critical measurement when it comes to how much pressure is required to lift the coach.

[truk4u]

Thanks, I do have the 259's on mine..

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Then why do you have to go through some gyrations to lift the front?

I am a little over 14,000 on my front axle. About 100 PSI brings it up to ride height. Not much more brings it all the way up.

I never gave any thought to it until this problem with the wrong air bags came up, but when I raise mine up to put the stands under the coach, I raise the rear first, and put the stands under the rear, then lower the bus down until it sits solid on the stands.

Then I raise the front, which is all the way down so my dish gets under the garage door opening. It comes all the way up so I can put the stands under it. That means I am lifting everything forward of the rear support points which are behind the tag axle. By doing it that way I am adding more than my normal 14,000+ pounds and the 126 bags I have do the job.

Joe C measured the 259 bags and compared them to the 126 and he says they are the same. My point is why would you have trouble lifting the front?

[Ray Davis]

Joe C measured the 259 bags and compared them to the 126 and he says they are the same. My point is why would you have trouble lifting the front?

Note, that Ken Z saw exactly the same with the 259 bags, i.e. it won't raise until tag was lifted, beyond about 1.5 inches above ride height. It does seem to be a mystery why some coaches will raise, and others wont.

Ray

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Correction the 259 are the same diameter as the 260 and they both are smaller diameter than the 126.

I can not explain why the 259 will easily raise the front all the way up to its limit where the 260 couldn't even come close and the only difference is the 259 is 1 inch taller than the 260?

14400 steer weights.

We experimented put a gauge on the accessory tank built up air with the 8-V till the compressor stopped pumping and it is only 115psi on this XL then at low idle in level low the front came all the way up and at a normal time.

Then with the bus on high idle with the air compressor running and the gauges at 105 and going up the front went all the way up fast.

We also checked full travel and it was over 15 inches extended and below 8 collapsed.

Life is good for Deb and Erik. Fixed the air leak on the brake tanks too didn't drop not 1 pound overnight.

Would have been a really great time if I would not have lost my dog this morning. We had a 15 year old Golden Retriever and knew she had a mass in her spleen but at that age you just live with it. Well it ruptured and I was up with her all night and she died with me lying in bed petting her about 7 this morn. This year really sucked for us hope things get better.