Air suspension

[jqrjr]

I live in Stuart Florida. I have a 1988 Bluebird WBWL i am looking for
a competent shop to replace air suspension and shocks does anybody know
of one

Jim

[Scott]

Jim, I would contact JOSAMS in Orlando..I know a couple of folks that
have had work done there and speak very highly of them. Don't have
the telephone number handy but a quick search should be easy. They
are very competent shop with tons of experiance.

Best of Luck

Scott B
1986FC
SC

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "jqrjr" wrote:
>
> I live in Stuart Florida. I have a 1988 Bluebird WBWL i am looking
for
> a competent shop to replace air suspension and shocks does anybody
know
> of one
>
> Jim
>

[erniecarpet@...]

Chris- when we changed out the front rear air bag on Ralph's coach, it was a
bear. We had to use air chisels to get the job done. Hours? Seeemed like days
trying to do that. Of Course, this is with the 3 Stooges- aka- Ralph, Bim and
me , working on it.

Ernie Ekberg
83 PT40
Livingston, Montana



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Chris]

Getting ready to have some air suspension work done. A recommended
shop in Tampa that works on large trucks. The owner stated that to
change out an airbag would take at the most 6 hours labor at $50.00
per hour and if I need an airbag, they can go for about $275.00 a bag.
Does this sound right? The labor rate sure does but the part cost
seems high. I do have a new extra bag that came with my coach. I was
going to use this bag. It is dated from 2000 when the prior owner
bought it. Might just be a valve or connection... Of course they have
no problem using my provided part and actually encouraged it as they
would have to hunt the new part down. Any one out there have any
advice on this kind of repair? Are all the bags the same used on any
83 FC35?
Thanks
Chris Reed
83 FC35 SB
Plant City, FL
Leaning to one side due to air leak

[Chuck Wheeler]

I just had two front bags changed on my 82FC. The bags were $120 each. The
total bill was just over $400 including setting the valves to level the
coach. I would think that the 83 would use the same bag. I haven't had to
replace any rear bags yet.

- Chuck Wheeler -
82 FC 31 SB
Fort Worth, TX


_____

From: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Chris
Sent: Monday, July 24, 2006 7:37 PM
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Air Suspension



Getting ready to have some air suspension work done. A recommended
shop in Tampa that works on large trucks. The owner stated that to
change out an airbag would take at the most 6 hours labor at $50.00
per hour and if I need an airbag, they can go for about $275.00 a bag.
Does this sound right? The labor rate sure does but the part cost
seems high. I do have a new extra bag that came with my coach. I was
going to use this bag. It is dated from 2000 when the prior owner
bought it. Might just be a valve or connection... Of course they have
no problem using my provided part and actually encouraged it as they
would have to hunt the new part down. Any one out there have any
advice on this kind of repair? Are all the bags the same used on any
83 FC35?
Thanks
Chris Reed
83 FC35 SB
Plant City, FL
Leaning to one side due to air leak






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[tommy240842@...]

Hey Chris, I just changed out six air bags on my '81, 33 footer. (I had
previously changed the other two bags). The cost of the bags was around
$120.something to $140.something, as they all had to be ordered. You would
think a
big trucking community like Charleston SC would have a huge trucking supply
house, NOT. The labor was $75.00 per hour, and it took my mechanic Jason in a
heavy truck garage about 2 hours per bag. The front bags on a FC non turbo
are a bear. So if they are telling you six hours is way too much. Look for a
garage that works on Blue Bird transit buses, and they will have a more
realistic time frame for working on a Wanderlodge.

Hope this helps, I can tell you I can see a huge difference in the ride with
all new air bags underneath.

Tom Meservey, USN (Ret)
'81FC33' Naval Weapons Station, Goose Creek, SC


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Jeff Miller]

Depends on the condition of the threaded fasteners. Some are easy to
get to (well, easier anyway), the left side of the steer axle on
the '83 FC are a bear.

I've done some in an hour, when things came apart easily, others
will take hours. The copper plumbing makes it difficult too, bending
the copper back into place and lining up threads without seeing it
makes thing frustrating.

I believe I've paid around $130/bag for the parts, and average
2hours/bag for labor from a shop that I've had do several 'Bird
airbag jobs. Some go faster, but I've found that they seem to
average out when you take in a bird that has spent time on a Florida
coast where corrosion is 24/7.

Start out by spraying all threads with PB Blaster or other good
penetrant for a few days and it might save you $$$ in labor.

- Jeff Miller
in Holland, MI


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Chris"
wrote:
>
> Getting ready to have some air suspension work done. A recommended
> shop in Tampa that works on large trucks. The owner stated that to
> change out an airbag would take at the most 6 hours labor at
$50.00
> per hour and if I need an airbag, they can go for about $275.00 a
bag.
> Does this sound right? The labor rate sure does but the part cost
> seems high. I do have a new extra bag that came with my coach. I
was
> going to use this bag. It is dated from 2000 when the prior owner
> bought it. Might just be a valve or connection... Of course they
have
> no problem using my provided part and actually encouraged it as
they
> would have to hunt the new part down. Any one out there have any
> advice on this kind of repair? Are all the bags the same used on
any
> 83 FC35?
> Thanks
> Chris Reed
> 83 FC35 SB
> Plant City, FL
> Leaning to one side due to air leak
>

[iwander_85pt40]

Hi all,

Last weekend as we returned home from a short trip, the front air bags
deflated while on the freeway. It was easy to tell when I went over
the first bump. Luckily, we were within a couple of miles of home,
so I eased on in.

Here are the symptoms:

Front air bags deflated while cruising;
Air pressure--80 psi;
Brake pressure maintains at 70 psi;
Dumped the tag axle to back into parking spot--drive axle bags deflated;
My wife said she could hear an air leak as I was backing in;
By the time I finished backing in, set the brakes, and exited the
coach, the air pressure had dropped almost to zero, so I was unable to
pinpoint the leak.

I couldn't do anything about the issue during the week because of work.

Today, I started the coach up to build air pressure, and look for a
leak. Everything worked normally, although it took awhile for the
suspension to air up.

And, of course, there is no air leak to be heard. What else is new?

Anyway, the Ridewell manual points me to the suspension air filter
(possibly clogged) as causing slow air bag inflation and, of course,
an air leak in the lines/fittings, causing the suspension to drop.

However, I don't find anything that explains the deflation of the
front air bags, and subsequent deflation of the drive axle air bags
after I dumped the tag.

Because my wife heard an air leak, and because things seemed to be
somewhat normal today, I suspect a valve within the air suspension
system is malfunctioning.

Anybody experience the same issue? If so, what was the fix?

Anybody know where the suspension air filter is located? According to
the schematic, it appears to be between the rear air tanks.

Other suggestions are welcome.

TIA,

Phil
'iWander' 85PT40
Left Coast

[dthollis1961]

Phil,

Did you release the parking brake today? I'd bet you have a leak in
a rear brake diaphragm (or hose) when the parking brake is released.

David Hollis 84FC35 Springfield,IL


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "iwander_85pt40"
wrote:
>
> Hi all,
>
> Last weekend as we returned home from a short trip, the front air
bags
> deflated while on the freeway. It was easy to tell when I went
over
> the first bump. Luckily, we were within a couple of miles of
home,
> so I eased on in.
>
> Here are the symptoms:
>
> Front air bags deflated while cruising;
> Air pressure--80 psi;
> Brake pressure maintains at 70 psi;
> Dumped the tag axle to back into parking spot--drive axle bags
deflated;
> My wife said she could hear an air leak as I was backing in;
> By the time I finished backing in, set the brakes, and exited the
> coach, the air pressure had dropped almost to zero, so I was
unable to
> pinpoint the leak.
>
> I couldn't do anything about the issue during the week because of
work.
>
> Today, I started the coach up to build air pressure, and look for a
> leak. Everything worked normally, although it took awhile for the
> suspension to air up.
>
> And, of course, there is no air leak to be heard. What else is
new?
>
> Anyway, the Ridewell manual points me to the suspension air filter
> (possibly clogged) as causing slow air bag inflation and, of
course,
> an air leak in the lines/fittings, causing the suspension to drop.
>
> However, I don't find anything that explains the deflation of the
> front air bags, and subsequent deflation of the drive axle air bags
> after I dumped the tag.
>
> Because my wife heard an air leak, and because things seemed to be
> somewhat normal today, I suspect a valve within the air suspension
> system is malfunctioning.
>
> Anybody experience the same issue? If so, what was the fix?
>
> Anybody know where the suspension air filter is located?
According to
> the schematic, it appears to be between the rear air tanks.
>
> Other suggestions are welcome.
>
> TIA,
>
> Phil
> 'iWander' 85PT40
> Left Coast
>

[iwander_85pt40]

Dave,

No, I didn't, but will do so.

Thanks,

Phil




--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "dthollis1961"
wrote:
>
> Phil,
>
> Did you release the parking brake today? I'd bet you have a leak in
> a rear brake diaphragm (or hose) when the parking brake is released.
>
> David Hollis 84FC35 Springfield,IL
>
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "iwander_85pt40"
> wrote:
> >
> > Hi all,
> >
> > Last weekend as we returned home from a short trip, the front air
> bags
> > deflated while on the freeway. It was easy to tell when I went
> over
> > the first bump. Luckily, we were within a couple of miles of
> home,
> > so I eased on in.
> >
> > Here are the symptoms:
> >
> > Front air bags deflated while cruising;
> > Air pressure--80 psi;
> > Brake pressure maintains at 70 psi;
> > Dumped the tag axle to back into parking spot--drive axle bags
> deflated;
> > My wife said she could hear an air leak as I was backing in;
> > By the time I finished backing in, set the brakes, and exited the
> > coach, the air pressure had dropped almost to zero, so I was
> unable to
> > pinpoint the leak.
> >
> > I couldn't do anything about the issue during the week because of
> work.
> >
> > Today, I started the coach up to build air pressure, and look for a
> > leak. Everything worked normally, although it took awhile for the
> > suspension to air up.
> >
> > And, of course, there is no air leak to be heard. What else is
> new?
> >
> > Anyway, the Ridewell manual points me to the suspension air filter
> > (possibly clogged) as causing slow air bag inflation and, of
> course,
> > an air leak in the lines/fittings, causing the suspension to drop.
> >
> > However, I don't find anything that explains the deflation of the
> > front air bags, and subsequent deflation of the drive axle air bags
> > after I dumped the tag.
> >
> > Because my wife heard an air leak, and because things seemed to be
> > somewhat normal today, I suspect a valve within the air suspension
> > system is malfunctioning.
> >
> > Anybody experience the same issue? If so, what was the fix?
> >
> > Anybody know where the suspension air filter is located?
> According to
> > the schematic, it appears to be between the rear air tanks.
> >
> > Other suggestions are welcome.
> >
> > TIA,
> >
> > Phil
> > 'iWander' 85PT40
> > Left Coast
> >
>