Manually draining water from air lines

randco · 02-04-2011, 04:43 AM

I have a 2004 Damon Escaper on a XC chassis. I am trying to find a valve to manually drain the water out of the airbag system. I am assuming that there is something like this.

Elkhartjim · 02-04-2011, 07:33 AM

Call Freightliner help at 1-800-FTL-HELP with your vin number, they can help.

FleetMan · 02-04-2011, 09:51 AM

If your air dryer and automatic spitter valve(s) have failed, the water should be accumulating in the wet tank and the other air tanks if the problem is really bad. Use the manual drain valves on each tank to drain whatever water has accumulated. If the moisture has gone into the lines beyond the air tanks, you must first remove all water from the tanks, repair the air dryer and spitter valve(s) to stop the water (condensation) from getting into the system. Then, by continually activating the brakes and air bag systems, you should be able to purge the lines.

**Gary RVRoamer** · 02-05-2011, 08:49 PM

The drain valves are on the air tanks, which are located between the front wheels, more or less. The exact location depends on year, chasis type and front axle type.

You may find lanyards to pull the valves coiled up somewhere, or maybe even brought out to the wheel wells. Mine, however, had no lanyards at all.

Be careful - you don't want to be underneath when doing this, because the suspension loses air along with the water and could fall on you.

Luckiest Dre · 02-07-2011, 08:55 AM

I would look behind the front wheels for the wire loop coming out of the frame. Turning the wheel completly to one side may help you look.

Poptop · 02-07-2011, 07:29 PM

On my 2005 Bounder the lanyards are on the frame rail beside the generator (under the hood so to speak).

**Gary RVRoamer** · 02-11-2011, 06:55 PM

The lanyards are usually fairly easy to find on a straight rail chassis with a solid front axle, but the seem to be well hidden (or non-existent) on the ones with the ZF IFS.