Hissing Snake In My Rear End

[Volunteer]

Sorry about that title but I wanted to get as many knowledgeable folks as possible to help me. I've got two distinct problems with my rear air springs:

1. The rear bags empty with a noticeable air leak when I shut the engine down on my 1996 Fleetwood Discovery while leaving the air dump valve in the closed position. However there is no air leak when I put the rear jacks down. Or at least I can't hear one. Common sense tells me these 20-year old air springs have come to the end of their useful life. Agreed?

2. FCCC tells me the replacement air springs for my VIN in the rear are HLD 90557172. This is the Holland replacement for Neway. The problem is that they are not in stock anywhere I've looked and have to be custom made. FCCC offered to order me a pair for about $244 a pop. And that's a very reasonable price when looking over similar air springs. Are you aware of any other replacements that I might get my hands on in a more timely fashion?

Your time reading this is appreciated and my apologies to IRV2 for taking up so much bandwidth. In the meantime, if you see a very well-used Discovery at Cracker Barrel with the rear jacks down, come in and say "Hi."

[BFlinn181]

Check out Firestone and other big manufacturers, I'm sure they can match up a replacement for your air springs.

Perhaps the reason you don't hear a leak when using the levelers is the jacks take the weight of the RV off the air springs and they leak at a slower rate. When you raise the jacks do they air springs support the RV at normal height or deflated height?

[D Lindy]

You'd be surprised at the out of date parts you can get off EBAY by just entering the part number only. I've gotten stuff there that's not been available any where else this way.

[Volunteer]

Bob, thanks for reminding me I forgot an important point in my original post. Firestone tells me they can get the air springs but they'll have to be special ordered ... same story I get from Freightliner. I've scoured the Internet but have not found any reference to these particular bags. Also, indeed when my jacks are down, the bags don't leak. When I raise the jacks, the bags start audibly leaking.

Ebay is one place I've not yet looked so thanks for the tip D Lindy.

[Dutch Star Don]

"Volunteer".....There is a vendor on this forum "Source Engineering", that you can find in the Vendor tab above. Part of their business is installing air bag kits for a better ride. They primarily work on the Monaco Roadmaster chassis, but it might be worth a call to them. Jim will answer the phone and will help you if he can or maybe point you in the right direction.

[Volunteer]

Thanks for the tip, Don. They seem to be exclusive Roadmaster with no real crossover to Freightliner. I've decided it's the bags that are failing and after looking real close, I'm definitely going to let a big truck shop replace them for me ... or maybe even my local Freightliner shop.

Thanks to all for taking the time to read and offering suggestions. That's why IRV2 is the best.