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07-21-2020, 06:09 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 142
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How long should air springs last?
Last weekend when leaving the campground, we noticed the backend was riding very low. Upon further inspection there was a loud air leak coming from behind the rear driver’s side tires.
Luckily we were only 15 miles from a freightliner service center so drove really slow and dropped our rig off for them to check it out. Their diagnosis was air bag failure and the total cost for parts and labor will be $1,400... Our rig is a 2017 with 8,800 miles. Do I need to consider replacing all of them at some point soon? Or is this an unusual occurrence?
__________________
2017 Tiffin Phaeton 36GH "Charlie"
2018 Jeep Wrangler Sport "TomTom"
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07-21-2020, 06:14 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,400
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-----perhaps 15-years, probably longer....sounds like your bag was damaged by road debris or improper installation at factory....[eg, rubbing or stray bolt head, etc????]
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Old Scout
2015 IH45 Foretravel
2003 Alpine 40' MDTS [Sold]
New Braunfels, Texas
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07-21-2020, 06:58 AM
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#3
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Graham WA
Posts: 85
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I just replaced all 8 of mine, they weren't leaking I just thought it was time ( at 22 years of age). I did the work myself, cost of all 8 bags was under 800 dollars.
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Eric and Mary. w/Carl the Jack Russel Terrorist
Moby the Coach, 97 U320 Foretravel
and Sammie the toad
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07-21-2020, 07:21 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 142
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Thanks for the replies. Sounds like it should not have failed so quickly. I sent them a message asking if they could determine what caused the premature failure.
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2017 Tiffin Phaeton 36GH "Charlie"
2018 Jeep Wrangler Sport "TomTom"
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07-21-2020, 07:27 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Country Coach Owners Club Solo Rvers Club iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 37,725
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20 years is not unusual.
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2009 45' Magna 630 w/Cummins ISX 650 HP/1950 Lbs Ft, HWH Active Air
Charter Good Sam Lifetime Member, FMCA,
RV'ing since 1957, NRA Benefactor Life, towing '21 Jeep JLU Rubicon Ecodiesel
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07-21-2020, 10:46 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 181
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Its on the short list. 17 years on a rubber balloon.
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2003 Rexhall Vision DP
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07-21-2020, 10:56 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 583
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At 17 years, our bags were working fine, but several had surface cracks from sun exposure.
One of the bags had a piece of welding rod right up against it, left from when the RV was manufactured. No damage to the bag, but a reminder that an air bag can fail for lots of reasons - sun exposure, manufacturing defect, rodent damage, road debris...
Replacing all of the bags, absent of good evidence, seems a decade premature.
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Matt B
1998 Foretravel U-320
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07-21-2020, 11:04 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Hoodsport Wa
Posts: 3,147
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Ours are 20yo and still going strong, with some slight checking on the front bags. I'd expect another 20 years when I replace them all this fall.
We had Aspen low boy trailers in our fleet approaching 30yo with original bags, used almost every day.
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2000 Alpine 36 FDS #74058
04 Jeep Wrangler TJ
"On the road to find out..."
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07-23-2020, 03:28 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 142
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Picked up my RV today. I asked them to save the defective air bag so I could see it. It had completely separated into two pieces at the seal. It essentially just came unsealed. Not sure how else to describe.
I asked if I should worry about the others and they didn’t think I should be concerned. Freak failure I guess.
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2017 Tiffin Phaeton 36GH "Charlie"
2018 Jeep Wrangler Sport "TomTom"
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07-24-2020, 09:04 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: North America somewhere
Posts: 30,982
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr_D
20 years is not unusual.
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Mine are 21 and still appear fine.
__________________
2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD , ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG 11B5MX,Infantry retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA. " My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy
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07-24-2020, 09:52 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 2,812
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Had a 1964 Gmc bus conversion, sold it 5 years ago, still had 1964 air bags.
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Foretravel tag axle 40 ft. 500 hp/1550 ft/lbs ism 1455 watts on the roof. 600 a/h's lithium down below.
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07-25-2020, 12:24 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 191
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1988 Winnie..2 rear bags original..I found a leak at a fitting on one side fixed it..The other side has some slow leak and when on the road loses 10-15#'s over a week..
I have portable compressor and just pump it up..Cheaper than getting new one's
The fronts are newer, well I've had it 15 yrs, no leakage at all....
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07-25-2020, 10:16 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 8,638
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Machine99
Last weekend when leaving the campground, we noticed the backend was riding very low. Upon further inspection there was a loud air leak coming from behind the rear driver’s side tires.
Luckily we were only 15 miles from a freightliner service center so drove really slow and dropped our rig off for them to check it out. Their diagnosis was air bag failure and the total cost for parts and labor will be $1,400... Our rig is a 2017 with 8,800 miles. Do I need to consider replacing all of them at some point soon? Or is this an unusual occurrence?
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For all 4 that’s would be a fare deal but for one shop around.
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2007 Fleetwood Revolution LE 40V
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