Community Forums

Letsgoagain · 03-09-2007, 05:29 PM

Evening,
I took the motorhome in yesterday and had all the tires balanced. The truck tire shop had me lift the motorhome completely off the ground with the stabilizer jacks so they could pull the tires. When I got home I was checking the tire pressure and heard a hissing sound from the right rear duels. Thought it was a tire but it turns out the right rear air bag is leaking I think. Can't pin point the sound but I'm not loseing air pressure in the tires.
I'm wondering if raising the motorhome off the ground could have caused damage to the air bag? Also wondering if its safe to drive this way as we're leaving for a long trip Monday. Bags seems to hold while the motorhome is running.
What do you think?
Appreciate any responses.
Letsgoagain

Letsgoagain · 03-09-2007, 05:29 PM

Evening,
I took the motorhome in yesterday and had all the tires balanced. The truck tire shop had me lift the motorhome completely off the ground with the stabilizer jacks so they could pull the tires. When I got home I was checking the tire pressure and heard a hissing sound from the right rear duels. Thought it was a tire but it turns out the right rear air bag is leaking I think. Can't pin point the sound but I'm not loseing air pressure in the tires.
I'm wondering if raising the motorhome off the ground could have caused damage to the air bag? Also wondering if its safe to drive this way as we're leaving for a long trip Monday. Bags seems to hold while the motorhome is running.
What do you think?
Appreciate any responses.
Letsgoagain

ronboc · 03-10-2007, 02:19 AM

Sounds like a good question for the Monaco Tech-folks. I've had mine hiss for awhile during/after leveling it into some odd attitudes, but they always quieted-down after everything got leveled again. If you say they keep doing it, it does sound like something mighta got loosened or pinched in the bellows. Better safe than sorry, since the bags do some much.

A tech told me recently that the bags & computer are important in keeping the overall coach from twisting/bending/torquing while traveling down the road. They were working on one that kept breaking windshields and have concluded it was the computer that wasn't keeping up with the loads being induced in the front-cap. Without the real-time corrections, the cap flexed too much with predictible results.

Good luck!

rvarchers · 03-17-2007, 05:50 AM

We had the same problem after a tire blew and damaged a line. The air bag would hold pressure while traveling but within an hour of parking the coach would sag on that corner. We found a small pin hole leak in the line. If you can hear it you can probably track it down by feel.

ronboc · 03-17-2007, 06:18 AM

Thank goodness they invented soapy-water to check out pinhole air-leaks.

I even heard you can use that stuff to wash dishes... what'll they think of next??

Gypsies2 · 03-18-2007, 08:19 AM

To Letsgoagain: The leak in you Air Bag may be
the direct cause from using your Jacks to lift
the coach to change a tire. A good repuable tire repair store would not under any conditions use Jacks to left your coach. (1) Its UNSAFE. (2) The jacks are not designed to lift beyond the heighth of the tires. (3) Damage may/or will occur. The tire shop you used in my opinion should be held responsible for the damage to your Airbags. Of course this is my opinion. Heads up to all who may be thinking your jacks serve other purposes than leveling your coach.

tom wilson · 03-18-2007, 08:29 AM

lifting the tires off the ground will not harm the air bags. the shock absorber will carry the axle load when you lift the axle. now if your shock is broken then the air bag will be damaged.

Letsgoagain · 03-21-2007, 04:28 PM

Hello all.
Thought I would respond since its been 12 days since my original post and I've taken the trip and am back home.
First of all the bag in question held just fine while underway much to my relief so I think if anything it is a very slow leak. Haven't had time to diagnose yet as I had to work the last two days right after we arrived home.
One responder said that the motorhome should never be raised off the ground with the jacks. I admit that made me a little nervous but I don't think it must be a big no no because I had a left rear jack replaced at the factory service center in Wakarusa, IN last year and they raised the coach completely off the ground testing it. I'm thinking if the factory guys do it then it can't be to hard on it.
Having a procedure done on Friday and have a bunch of medicine to take tomorrow but if I can stay out of the bathroom long enough then I will crawl around under the coach to try and scope things out. Heh, Heh. Sorry if thats to much info but I have to laugh at some of things we go through in the pursuit of good health.
Once again thanks for all the responses.
Letsgoagain