Houston, we have a problem!!!

[dfuelman]

Originally Posted by Skip426

I have to agree with 99% of your post , Scott , I'm 71
I have the nut breakers and thread chasers and $40,000 in other tools to get the job done ....and some days you have to throw the whole tool box at a project. ( good to see the " hot wrench " in the background in the one photo) .
Anti-seize on assembly is about the only "hopeful cure " for rusted bolts/nuts.

As a lifelong Virginia resident and Hot Rodder, I refer to the "Hot Wrench" as a "North Carolina Socket Set"

[Det57]

I got into the "preventative" mode this past summer and was going to replace the two rear airbags on my 2000 Discovery DP. I purchased the (Firestone) airbags and started to get under it one day, and then said......NAHHHHH.....The first bolt started giving me an issue. Right then and there I knew how the rest of my luck was going to run.

The Freightliner Service Center is about 20 minutes from me so I called them and made an appointment. I first asked them if it was OK that I supplied the airbags. The service guy was great and said "No Problem!" I hate doing that because its like taking your own eggs to the diner......

So, made the appointment, dropped it off one day and picked it up the next. Sometimes your time and aggravation is worth paying out a few bucks for... While it was there I had them go over the whole undercarriage and had a draft or drain tube replaced at the same time. This Spring I am going to have the front bags replaced due to their 21 years of age.

[Mile Marker 42]

Originally Posted by FIRE UP

Well,
First off, mine has FOUR bolts that hold it in place. Two that pop out completely and the second two, are under the air bag itself and do not pop out. They are attached to the bracket that the air bag is attached to. Once the air bag is removed from the lower bracket, then the two other bolts can pop out. And, since this coach has been alive for more than 17 years, those 5/8 diameter bolts DID NOT WANT TO COME OUT! And, I had to buzz down to my local Napa auto parts store to purchase a 1 1/8" x 3/4" drive socket. Nothing else in my tool inventory would work, to bust those nuts loose.

I have a 4' long K D 100 to 600 ft. lb. click type torque wrench and, that new socket, attached to that torque wrench, was my only way to bust them loose. The best $16 I've spent in a long time. I've got a Blue Point Snap On 1/2 air impact that, even at 150 lbs of my home air compressor air pressure, wouldn't even think about loosening those nuts.

Anyway, I finally got it out and, will take a motorcycle ride to kingman AZ to Western Freightliner to pick up the new one in the morning. We'll see how it all goes when it's time to put it all back together.
Scott

Good work. Looks like an old IR impact gun. Had many of them back when I was an auto mechanic.

[Mile Marker 42]

Originally Posted by Skip426

I have to agree with 99% of your post , Scott , I'm 71
I have the nut breakers and thread chasers and $40,000 in other tools to get the job done ....and some days you have to throw the whole tool box at a project. ( good to see the " hot wrench " in the background in the one photo) .
Anti-seize on assembly is about the only "hopeful cure " for rusted bolts/nuts.

The hot wrench. That is funny. Zep 45 is the magic spray. Try to find it. I use to just set the spray can near a difficult nut and it would come off. No joke. Scared it loose.

[FIRE UP]

"Hot wrench", "North Carolina Socket Set", what a crack up boys!!!! Well, I got the new air bag in, in about 15-20 minutes. But, I just spent TWO HOURS trying to get the locator pin that's on the bottom of the Uni-leaf spring, that sits under that air bag, that lines up the axle, into the hole in the axle. Talk about frustration!!!!! Good thing there wasn't any little kids around. I tried and tired to move that axle in any direction that was needed so that locator pin would drop in the hole. Nope, ain't happening. I gave up for the evening. When in, got a shower and had a popsicle. Going to bed now. Going Jeeping in the morning.

Will resume the attack on the axle and locator pin tomorrow evening!
Scott

[Argosy]

Wire brush the heck out of the dowel and lube it up. Make sure the hole in the plate hasn't been damaged. It doesn't take much of a ding on the edge of the hole to deform it enough so it won't go on. It's a tight fit, the plate has to be flat to the pad to get it started. The air bag is stiff enough that if the axle has moved you probably won't be able to get the plate flat. If you can start the mounting bolts use them to pull the plate over the dowel, tighten each bolt a turn or so at a time and make sure the dowel starts into the hole as you tighten them.

[lsalem]

Originally Posted by dfuelman

As a lifelong Virginia resident and Hot Rodder, I refer to the "Hot Wrench" as a "North Carolina Socket Set"

Worked in factories for 25+years as an industrial mechanic. Changed many a air bag on conveyors and machinery. For disassembly always used my RED WRENCH. A little heat will always break a bolt loose.

[Argosy]

Just reread your post. If the axle is so far out of position it isn't going to line up break out the come along and pull it into position.

[bneiva]

Yep, after 18 years and 120,000 miles, I pulled into a truck stop one day and had all four bags replaced! I didn't have a problem yet - guess I was bored with going a full month WITHOUT a problem and was getting worried!

Bill

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by Argosy

Wire brush the heck out of the dowel and lube it up. Make sure the hole in the plate hasn't been damaged. It doesn't take much of a ding on the edge of the hole to deform it enough so it won't go on. It's a tight fit, the plate has to be flat to the pad to get it started. The air bag is stiff enough that if the axle has moved you probably won't be able to get the plate flat. If you can start the mounting bolts use them to pull the plate over the dowel, tighten each bolt a turn or so at a time and make sure the dowel starts into the hole as you tighten them.

Originally Posted by Argosy

Just reread your post. If the axle is so far out of position it isn't going to line up break out the come along and pull it into position.

I surely thank you for your technical comments boys. Very much appreciated.
The dowel or locator pin is up against the axle and is covering up about 85% of the hole. I only have about 3/8" - 1/2" of a gap that I can peer into, to see what's going on and, I still have to use a mirror and flashlight to try and see how the pin is oriented to the hole, so I can tell which way to potentially move that axle, approximately 1/8" in two directions at once. It's not just misaligned slightly fore and aft. It's off sideways and fore and aft. And I can move the axle fore and aft but, it moves in a very slight arc since it's till connected to the other side.

When it moves in an arc, it might start to line up when I begin to move it but, it immediately again misaligns itself due to it not following the needed path to drop into the hole. Hope I've explained this situation in a manor that is understandable.

Seems many of you that have taken the chore of replacing an air bag, didn't have too much trouble with the project. And, like stated, the air bag basically went right into place, with very little persuasion. It's that darn pin/dowel/locator that's the issue. It's always me that has a pain in the butt situation to deal with. Man I get tired of that.
Scott

[triplewide]

I've never changed an air bag but have tackled many complex repairs. (Try changing the heater core in a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee.)



When I get stuck on a problem, I have found for me it is best to lay down my tools and take a long break, maybe even next day before starting again. Quite often the problem goes away when I start again. When younger, I would bull through and quite often damage good parts or tools.



Of course, being retired, I have more time now than before.



Keep the faith, I am sure you will prevail.

[SeaBreazer]

Changing a airbag is very simple. They are held in by a nut on top which is also where the air line goes in. And a bolt or two on the bottom an the axle mounting. Takes about 1/2hour to change.

[SeaBreazer]

Changing a airbag is very simple. They are held in by a nut on top which is also where the air line goes in. And a bolt or two on the bottom an the axle mounting. Takes about 1/2hour to change.

[SeaBreazer]

Originally Posted by FIRE UP

I surely thank you for your technical comments boys. Very much appreciated.
The dowel or locator pin is up against the axle and is covering up about 85% of the hole. I only have about 3/8" - 1/2" of a gap that I can peer into, to see what's going on and, I still have to use a mirror and flashlight to try and see how the pin is oriented to the hole, so I can tell which way to potentially move that axle, approximately 1/8" in two directions at once. It's not just misaligned slightly fore and aft. It's off sideways and fore and aft. And I can move the axle fore and aft but, it moves in a very slight arc since it's till connected to the other side.

When it moves in an arc, it might start to line up when I begin to move it but, it immediately again misaligns itself due to it not following the needed path to drop into the hole. Hope I've explained this situation in a manor that is understandable.

Seems many of you that have taken the chore of replacing an air bag, didn't have too much trouble with the project. And, like stated, the air bag basically went right into place, with very little persuasion. It's that darn pin/dowel/locator that's the issue. It's always me that has a pain in the butt situation to deal with. Man I get tired of that.
Scott

Thread the bolt on the alignment end in a few threads to hold it in place. Then put the other end in and thread the nut on.