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Thread: Joe's Priceless Advice

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Leesburg
    Posts
    521

    Default Joe's Priceless Advice

    Purchased 6 air bags from Prevost (On Sale this month) and installed. Used Joe's advice to compress the new air bags before installation and plug the bag before installation to make the process easier. Worked liked a charm, compressed bag to fit easily into it's space. Slowly loosen the plug and align the bag as it decompresses.

    Thank you Joe
    Chuck
    Chuck & Katrina
    2000 Featherlite
    H3-45 Double slide
    2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Diesel

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2019
    Location
    Newport News
    Posts
    92

    Default

    I havent even met Joe (yet), and I will say he has been super helpful and am looking forward to retaining his services for my coach. . I've read through enough of his things going back over a decade here - that I've also made mistakes that I have read about his warnings against. . too bad I read it too late. I now do a search beforehand and read everything through before undertaking something rather than doing something and then coming here when I hit a roadblock. . inevitably you'll usually see a Gil or Joe post that provides some insightful information.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Chicago
    Posts
    3,988

    Default

    Hey Bus driver u must have another Joe. I never do that never not even once.

    That's okay the publicity is wonderful.

    Here's what you can do to facilitate easy installation of the airbags if you don't have the Brute Force to just compress them and put them in. you can really compressed those things down a long long way Chuck probably more than you realized but it's tough I'll give you that. When you've got the bus on the body supports and you've got your jack underthe drive axle for example will use that as an example. You got to take the outer duals off to change the airbags reasonably easy you don't have to take inners but if u r a novice pull both duels. When you set the jack to lift the rear axle up to pull the tires off set it so that there's a whole bunch of Ram extended out in order for you to get it high enough to get the tire off the ground. Do that on both sides so now you got the bus supported on stands and you've got the rear axle up on Jack's and tires are off and the Jacks Are way super extended. Now when you go loosen up all your airbag nuts you can back those jacks off and drop them way down You can't just do one side at a time cuz it'll get cocked and the bolts won't easily lineup so you drop both Jack down go back and forth couple timesalternating lowering Jack's and you can drop that suspension way way down out of the way and those air bags will just float in and out Chuck. Then you run the jack back up until the studs go through the holes.

    Bada bing bada bang.
    1990 Peterbuilt 377
    3406 B Caterpillar
    13 Speed Roadranger
    No Norgrens


    1 day on paper no machines

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Leesburg
    Posts
    521

    Default

    Thanks Joe, as always great advice.

    I used the level low and raised the bus as high as it would go, put supports under the frame then dumped the air. That gave me the height I needed to get under the bus without removing any tires. Old bags came out without to much effort and by compressing the new bags and plugging them I had the reduced size needed to install the new bags with out struggling with them. I lined up the mounting holes, slowly unscrewed the plug in the top and guided the bolts into their mounting holes as the bag slowly grew in size as the air returned into the bags.

    Chuck
    Chuck & Katrina
    2000 Featherlite
    H3-45 Double slide
    2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Diesel

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Chicago
    Posts
    3,988

    Default

    20200505_150309.jpg

    Easier way. Drop the cradle lift out the old drop in the new raise the cradle. On IFS front ends similar choice. Fight them in and out or take a very few short minutes and undolt the upper a arm from the frame.
    1990 Peterbuilt 377
    3406 B Caterpillar
    13 Speed Roadranger
    No Norgrens


    1 day on paper no machines

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2019
    Location
    Arlington
    Posts
    752

    Default

    Hey Joe, have you ever built a jig to air them up in and check for leaks before installing them?


    Mark and Debbie Fratto
    1998 Parliament

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Chicago
    Posts
    3,988

    Default

    That's very dangerous you better make sure it's one hell of a cage cuz if the bag escapes it could kill someone. There's really no reason to air up in advance.

    With all the Leaky crimps on the new tag axle air bags that I've been getting that end in 2 5 9 I've been tempted to take one of them back off and shoot some green tire Slime into it I wonder how that it work I bet you it would work good. We need another test pilot.
    1990 Peterbuilt 377
    3406 B Caterpillar
    13 Speed Roadranger
    No Norgrens


    1 day on paper no machines

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Bloomsburg
    Posts
    102

    Default

    Lol I recognize that green painted floor line in that picture! Learning so much this week!!!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Chicago
    Posts
    3,988

    Default

    20200507_152026.jpg

    20200507_152038.jpg

    20200507_152053.jpg

    Hey Scott. Everyone, Scott has a 1 0f 4 Libertys ever produced without over the road ac. Now I've had my hands on 2 of them. its a 97 and Liberty put 4 togeather and Buddy Greg was where they were sent to be marketed.

    Back to the reason for the post.

    Clue these photos aren't of these components being put back together these are photos directly after disassembly.

    What is wrong with these pictures.
    Last edited by Joe Camper; 05-08-2020 at 07:02 AM.
    1990 Peterbuilt 377
    3406 B Caterpillar
    13 Speed Roadranger
    No Norgrens


    1 day on paper no machines

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Beverly Hills
    Posts
    4,652

    Default

    Oh no...there's a disc brake rotor in the same picture as a grinder ;-)

    And the grease looks fresh...


    Gil and Durlene
    2003 H-3 Hoffman Conversion

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