Air Height valves - Printable Version

Air Height valves - Printable Version

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Air Height valves - birdshill123 - 02-13-2008 07:12

We are on the road in Mexico and have had some problems with the left
rear height valve. We had stopped for lunch and the whole unit was
leaning to the left. Stayed at a toll booth overnite and took it to a
shop in the morning. They replced the valve and it sat level and I
thought all as OK. We are in Mazatlan now and I noticed that when I
used the air braks my air guage dropped more than normal. Step would
come out after being stopped for 2 minutes. I crawled under and the air
is coming out the exhauts port on the new valve. I can see the allen
head set screw for adjusting the valve and I have a suspicion that it
is just out of adjustment. Or they may have installed the wrong valve??
I would loosen that set screw but I dont have any supports for the Bird
and am afraid it might dump the air from the bags and crush me. Not too
many good mechanics in this area but we might try a KW dealer on
Friday. Any suggestions appreciated I figure my life is worth more than
an hours labor!! I do have one hydraulic jack and could drive the unit
up on a 2 by 10.

Bruce
1988 FC35

Air Height valves - John McGinnis - 02-13-2008 17:37

Bruce, I don't know what the specific problem might be with the leak in
leveling system but FWIW I'd like to suggest while your in that area
working you might want to take the time to replace the swivel ball
joint on the end of the connecting rod on the air leveler. It's a
$3.00 part and after 20 years of road grime it will seaze up and break
off. That happen to me on the first day of ownership of my bird. I
thought I had an air leak or ruptured air bag until we crawled around
underneath and found the rod hanging loose. Driving in some road
conditions it would wiggle around and catch and the bag would inflat
then others it would deflat. Somewhere I have the NAPA & Carquest part
numbers for the ball joint. Maybe Bill Pape will come on, I sent him a
NAPA ball joint awhile back he lives on his bird & mine is in storage
so he can get to the parts number quicker. Good luck.
John 88FC35

Air Height valves - birdshill123 - 02-14-2008 01:24

Thank you John:

It is fixed. This is a great story . After we got to Mazatlan I got on
the city bus to the Kenworth dealer. They were not interested in
working on a BB. Same with the IHC dealer. I tried a few large tire
shops as sometimes in Mexico they do air barke work and air suspension.
No luck. Finally I got on the city bus again. They are all privately
owned and have air brakes and doors. I asked the driver if he knew of a
good shop. Took me right to a street full of trucks and shops. The
first shop was strictly outdoors but they were working on a newer fire
truck and an 06 KW. I told them my story. In 2 minutes I was on the
back of a 100 cc motorcycle with the mechanic. At the CG he climbed
under despite my warnings about safety ( macho). He weighed all of
about 110 lbs. 15 minutes later we were done. Apparently the air supply
line and adapter fitting were not tight! Kind of like a Doctor that
makes house calls!! I will check those ball ends. Probably a Haldex or
Bendix part.

Bruce
1988 FC35

Air Height valves - Mike Hohnstein - 02-14-2008 01:26

Great out come, glad it's fixed.

----- Original Message -----

From: "birdshill123@yahoo.com"

To: "WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com"

Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2008 7:24 AM

Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Air Height valves

Thank you John:

It is fixed. This is a great story . After we got to Mazatlan I got on
the city bus to the Kenworth dealer. They were not interested in
working on a BB. Same with the IHC dealer. I tried a few large tire
shops as sometimes in Mexico they do air barke work and air suspension.
No luck. Finally I got on the city bus again. They are all privately
owned and have air brakes and doors. I asked the driver if he knew of a
good shop. Took me right to a street full of trucks and shops. The
first shop was strictly outdoors but they were working on a newer fire
truck and an 06 KW. I told them my story. In 2 minutes I was on the
back of a 100 cc motorcycle with the mechanic. At the CG he climbed
under despite my warnings about safety ( macho). He weighed all of
about 110 lbs. 15 minutes later we were done. Apparently the air supply
line and adapter fitting were not tight! Kind of like a Doctor that
makes house calls!! I will check those ball ends. Probably a Haldex or
Bendix part.

Bruce
1988 FC35

Air Height valves - Fred Hulse - 02-14-2008 02:32

Bruce

We need a few of thoseguys around here.

Fred & Jeanne Hulse
Morristown Arizona
1997 Wanderlodge WLWB41

Air Height valves - Gregory OConnor - 02-14-2008 03:53

The airline fittings were tight, something made it grow loose. (look
for the cause) If it is simply vibration from the rough roads the
one loose fitting will not be unique to your bus.

Some hoses that have swival ends twist a bit radialy when cinched
tight. The hose always trys to relax and untwist in the direction
of loosing up the fitting.

I have also seen teflon tape used on threaded fittings that were not
pipe thread. Pipe thread male ends have deeper vallys at the tip.
when you connect a pipe thread, the tapered male jams into the even
opening of the female. (one of the reason plastic female pipe thread
splits) Teflon is needed on pipe thread only. On washer mounted
unions (hose bib) and the taper angle unions (jic) Teflon tape is
not used. It may even act as a lubricant to loosen up the hose or
get in the way of a good seat.

I like your stories. I get a mental picture of you on a Dino
bus ;Market baskets on the roof ;chickens running up and down the
isle ;the driver in a big sombra'o and a local kid looking back at
your chef hat from the seat forward. The return trip must have
been a sight to see: Mistro the Mechanic driving a moped down a
dirt city street while you balance an 80# toolbox on your
lap ,trying to hold on to the driver and that hat. You have 'Too
much fun'
GregoryO'Connor
94ptRomolandCa

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "birdshill123"
wrote:

. Apparently the air supply
> line and adapter fitting were not tight! Kind of like a Doctor
that
> makes house calls!! >

Air Height valves - John McGinnis - 02-14-2008 05:41

Bruce, Not sure may be a Bendix, it looks just like the conneting rod
end on the linkage rod to a Holly Carb. When I bought my bus after a
serious going over we were on our way to the KOA to stay for a few days
so the PO could go over all the internal systems with us, on our way to
the KOA the wife was following us in the car and she noticed the bus
would raise and lower as we were traveling down the road. Oddly while
in the bus we did not notice any diffenence until we got to the KOA and
the left rear was sagging about 6". We raised the bus with the
levelers, slid a 12 ton under and crawled around, that's when we
noticed the rod just floping around, this was on a Sat afternoon in
Petosky MI, nothing open until Monday AM, ths was an oppurtunity to
give the bus a serious going over. At 9:00, Monday AM we went to
Carquest with the broken part in hand. The young lady asked how many
did we need, I asked how much & when she said $3 I got four, I replaced
the 2 in the rear and 1 on the front, I have a spare, total time of
repair 30 minutes for all three. We were on the road at 11:00 AM
heading home. When I got home I went to our local Carquest & they
didn't carry them but I found them at NAPA so I bought a few more to
share. I liked your story, it is ingenious & nerving how folks in
other parts of the world are willing to work on things & in conditions
when we here in America want to R&R and not take the time to diagnose
and repair.
John 88FC35

Air Height valves - birdshill123 - 02-14-2008 06:16

Greg:

You have a vivid imagination ! But if you have ever been to Mazatlan
the traffic is horrendous. The bus drivers do not get a salary. They
receive the fare less a license fee. They are not regulated so the
competition for passengers is something else. They constantly whip in
and out of traffic and rob the other guy's passenger from the curb. The
busses are all std. transmission with a 2 speed axle. You have to see
them shifting and making change all at the same time. They truly are
amazing. So the ride on the back of that little moto was exciting! My
chef's hat is under glass until next year!!

Bruce
1988FC35

Air Height valves - birdshill123 - 02-14-2008 06:31

John:

After you are in Mexico for a while one learns not to simply R&R.
They have shops that overhaul just about anything: blenders, washing
machines, carburators, fuel pumps, water pumps and boosters. You can
still buy fuel pump kits for the older cars. Some on this forum may
remember when you could go to a parts store and buy the fuel pump
diaphragms. But it is a country of contrasts. There are diagnostic
specialists with the latest test equipment to read the trouble codes
in most late model cars. Any flat rate mechanic would be shocked at
the way the mechanics work. These fellows cannot afford a lot of
tools so the dealerships have a tool crib. You will see them going to
the wicket with a work order and getting a 9/16 wrench and a vise
grip! They are not super fast but lots of good mechanics. Labor rates
vary from around $25.00 at dealerships to $5.00 in the little
pueblos. Parts that are imported from the USA are about 50% higher.
But there are a lot of parts that are either made in Mexico or come
from Latin America. These are inexpensive and of good quality. Time
for a Cerveza!!

Bruce
1988 FC35

Air Height valves - PM7088@... - 02-14-2008 06:33

-------------- Original message --------------
From: "Gregory OConnor"

The airline fittings were tight, something made it grow loose. (look
for the cause) If it is simply vibration from the rough roads the
one loose fitting will not be unique to your bus.

Some hoses that have swival ends twist a bit radialy when cinched
tight. The hose always trys to relax and untwist in the direction
of loosing up the fitting.

I have also seen teflon tape used on threaded fittings that were not
pipe thread. Pipe thread male ends have deeper vallys at the tip.
when you connect a pipe thread, the tapered male jams into the even
opening of the female. (one of the reason plastic female pipe thread
splits) Teflon is needed on pipe thread only. On washer mounted
unions (hose bib) and the taper angle unions (jic) Teflon tape is
not used. It may even act as a lubricant to loosen up the hose or
get in the way of a good seat.

Wrong, both male and female pipe threads are tapered.

Pete, making threads of all types for 40 years.

.