I am planning out the installation of the AF1 system on my 2017 Ventana 3709, on a Freightliner XCR chassis. I would like to avoid drilling any holes in the frame for mounting the AF1 tank/valve assy. Has anyone found a mounting location that utilizes existing frame holes?
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I did, right below the valve in the center of the coach frame, but I made a bracket that used existing coach bolts. Some say you can mount the unit to existing bolts, but I couldn't find any that worked, without the unit hanging lower than I liked.
Side Note:......There are several airlines under there when you connect the AF1 unit up. I'm pretty confident about installing things, but I took a photo of the lines I needed to cut and verified with SMI before I did. I also marked the AF1 unit input and output ports with a Sharpie, so that once I was under the coach I would know exactly where the lines went.
I also used the corrugated plastic wire wrap around the airline that I ran to the back of the coach. Harbor Freight sells it cheap and has several sizes. I always have a few bags on hand for protecting wires that I run.
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Don & Mary
2019 Newmar Dutch Star 4018 (Freightliner)
2019 Ford Raptor
I did, right below the valve in the center of the coach frame, but I made a bracket that used existing coach bolts. Some say you can mount the unit to existing bolts, but I couldn't find any that worked, without the unit hanging lower than I liked.
Side Note:......There are several airlines under there when you connect the AF1 unit up. I'm pretty confident about installing things, but I took a photo of the lines I needed to cut and verified with SMI before I did. I also marked the AF1 unit input and output ports with a Sharpie, so that once I was under the coach I would know exactly where the lines went.
I also used the corrugated plastic wire wrap around the airline that I ran to the back of the coach. Harbor Freight sells it cheap and has several sizes. I always have a few bags on hand for protecting wires that I run.
Thanks Don. I may have to fabricate a bracket also.
Did you use the push-in fittings or swage type?
Were you able to support the coach with heavy duty jack stands to give more working height underneath?
I am planning out the installation of the AF1 system on my 2017 Ventana 3709, on a Freightliner XCR chassis. I would like to avoid drilling any holes in the frame for mounting the AF1 tank/valve assy. Has anyone found a mounting location that utilizes existing frame holes?
If you climb under for a survey...take a piece of paper the size and shape of the AF-1 coach assembly...and a crayon with you. Find the pre-existing holes near the centerline of the axle beam...hold up the paper oriented as instructed...and take a rubbing with the crayon.
The paper will help you locate where to place holes on a metal plate. Drill two holes for the AF-1 assembly...and two holes for the freightliner beams existing holes.
I also did what Don did. I took pictures with red electrical tape marking my intended splice locations. The technicians wrote me back within 30 minutes confirming the lines.
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Charlie & Ronni
2016 Ventana 4037
The airline fitting can be attached to the 7-pin bracket making an adapter with a short section of aluminium angle...and some small bolts with nyloc nuts...
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Charlie & Ronni
2016 Ventana 4037
"dp7".....I'm a big guy and I need room to get under my coach. Since I do all of my own servicing every year, I made 6 ramps (2 for the tag axle tires). I made them out of 2 x 8's, 3 boards thick. I drive the coach up on the ramps, leave it aired up and set the jacks with blocks under them too. Even if I have to work on air related items, I can air down and still have room.
"C.Martin" gave you some great pics!
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Don & Mary
2019 Newmar Dutch Star 4018 (Freightliner)
2019 Ford Raptor
Charlie, I am trying to get my bearings in the picture showing the tank/valve mounting. Are the existing frame holes shown, at the top of the cross member near the coach floor?
Charlie, I am trying to get my bearings in the picture showing the tank/valve mounting. Are the existing frame holes shown, at the top of the cross member near the coach floor?
The AF-1 tank/relay valve assembly are mounted with the small tank UP, and the relay valve ported DOWN.
I used a small steel plate as an adapter. Two holes are drilled vertically spaced to align with mounting holes in the AF-1 assembly. Then two holes are drilled in the plate horizontally spaced (using crayon rubbing for measurement) which are used to bolt the whole thing to the axle beam cross member.
Once you find the existing brake relay valve on the coach...nestled up between the anti-skid valves, etc... You will find them on the rear of the axle cross member.., the same crossmember has a clean forward facing vertical surface. Near the centerline...you will hopefully find two holes arranged horizontally spaced. That's where the tank can be mounted.
Just make sure when you connect airlines that they make sweeping bends so they won't get a kink in them later.
If this doesn't make any sense...let me know, I'll get a video shot of it for you...
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Charlie & Ronni
2016 Ventana 4037
The AF-1 tank/relay valve assembly are mounted with the small tank UP, and the relay valve ported DOWN.
I used a small steel plate as an adapter. Two holes are drilled vertically spaced to align with mounting holes in the AF-1 assembly. Then two holes are drilled in the plate horizontally spaced (using crayon rubbing for measurement) which are used to bolt the whole thing to the axle beam cross member.
Once you find the existing brake relay valve on the coach...nestled up between the anti-skid valves, etc... You will find them on the rear of the axle cross member.., the same crossmember has a clean forward facing vertical surface. Near the centerline...you will hopefully find two holes arranged horizontally spaced. That's where the tank can be mounted.
Just make sure when you connect airlines that they make sweeping bends so they won't get a kink in them later.
If this doesn't make any sense...let me know, I'll get a video shot of it for you...
Thanks Charlie. I will crawling under the coach this weekend for a better look.
Thanks Charlie. I will crawling under the coach this weekend for a better look.
Charlie, I crawled under the coach with your pictures in hand. I found the two horizontally spaced holes at the top of the forward side of the cross member.
The AF-1 tank/valve assy has bolt heads on the back. Did you use some kind of spacer on your fabricated adapter to accommodate the bolt head thickness used on the tank/valve assy?
Charlie, I crawled under the coach with your pictures in hand. I found the two horizontally spaced holes at the top of the forward side of the cross member.
The AF-1 tank/valve assy has bolt heads on the back. Did you use some kind of spacer on your fabricated adapter to accommodate the bolt head thickness used on the tank/valve assy?
Not truly a spacer, but got long enough bolts...and put a short stack of fender washers on the bolt between the adapter plate and the frame crossmember to keep the flex on the plate down. I still have a little flex in the adapter plate.
Good deal...glad you found it.
Just have to throw out a reminder ...pull lanyards to empty the tanks of air before cutting air lines...
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Charlie & Ronni
2016 Ventana 4037
Linear Mode
