Steering Rod End Replacement

[dalej]

And don't forget the little steer boot that seems to go bad quite often.

I think if we could get a compressor and some air tools, we could have a great seminar on front ends. There are quite a few that already do shocks, I think.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Branson? or is the schedule filled?

I have the design for the miniature working suspension system so we can see how the switches, solenoid pack, Norgrens, ride height valves, and air bags all work together. It won't help anybody find where the leak is that causes the leans, but it will help everyone understand the concept of the entire system on a bus. I will have it at Branson.

I can bring jacks or ramps for a front end seminar if you will do it. I'd offer to help but I know you won't need me.

[dalej]

You know somthing that I have discovered, when you keep you bus at ride height while in storage and keep a aux air compressor on to keep it that way, the aux air runs less and less. I'm just thinking that when all the air goes out of the system during storage, it lets all the rubber seals and bags release to a point that when you air the bus up, it takes awhile for all of them to seal again. Just a hunch!

I always got the leans when going out on the road after sitting in storage for some time and then seems the bus stays up better after using it.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I let the bus sit down, but I keep the aux air compressor on. I rarely hear it run. I wish I had a way to tie all our experience together to draw a logical conclusion, but I think it is going to take more than anecdotal evidence from a few buses to come up with any conclusions.

One thing we all seem to share is that our problems with the leans and our air system leaks always get worse in cold weather. These buses are obviously made for good weather only.

[BrianE]

I wish I had a way to tie all our experience together to draw a logical conclusion, but I think it is going to take more than anecdotal evidence from a few buses to come up with any conclusions.

Jon,

I agree that many of our experiences are anecdotal and so would like to add to Dale's anecdotal evidence. I have been leaving our bus aired up when in storage and believe it contributes to system integrity. An observation of deflated airbags shows them to be severely folded and showing cracks at the folds when flat. Also allowing system valves to cycle should help prevent them from sticking. An air system seminar at Branson would be great, seems to me the air suspension system is one of the least understood of our buses innards.

[hhoppe]

Ahmen to the above proposal for an front end / air suspension system seminar. I haven't heard of a better subject on the schedule.
Brian your and Dales observations make sense to keep the bags inflated.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

My air bags are deflated in storage and for the 17 years I have owned a bus I have done that. I'm not saying that is the best way to do it, but it hasn't seemed to hurt. I have changed air bags at the ten year point however so regardless of whether they suffer or not I don't wait for an air bag failure prior to replacement.

I have noticed as air bags age they get the surface cracks Brian mentions but when I replaced mine recently the cracks that were deepest and most visible were not where the bags wrinkle when deflated, but around the bottom where they roll up and down the base. Since mine were leak free when removed I contemplated retaining one of each as a spare, but after looking closely at them they all had the appearance of dry rot in the area around the bottom where they are constantly flexing. I cannot tell you that they would have failed however. All my airbags that had legible date codes were around 10 years from date of manufacture.

[hhoppe]

It has always been my understanding tires left inflated with weight on them would last longer then without. The theory of putting a car or trailer on blocks would cause the tires to rot quicker than those left with a load on them with ocasional flexing. The best way to treat the air bags is to use them often so don't miss any POG rally's and travel a lot.

[dalej]

Harry, you sure have a lot of wisdom, I'm starting to like you!

[dalej]

And another thing Harry, put some of that wisdom into selling your other bus, that two bus club is starting to change you!