Air dryer filter change out

DSDP Don wrote:
There are several types of air dryers. If you're lucky, you have the spin on type like the Wabco Meritor. "Fire Up"....I'm no expert, but I don't think you need to remove yours, just spin on a new filter.

Mine has the Bendix unit that requires a can to be unbolted to access the filter inside.

Don,
There is a cross member and other structural parts that reside about 1/4" above the top of the main, spin-on filter when the unit is mounted on the frame of the coach. Even if it were, just a "spin-on" filter only, I couldn't get the filter off, much less be able to maneuver it around and out. Then, I'd be hitting hoses, wiring looms, other structural members, while trying to manipulate that new canister into position and, all the while knocking dirt/debris/grease/sand and anything else that's caught in between all those zillion miles of wiring loom etc. into the cavity where that filter would cover.

For many of you, your air dryer is either a small one like the ones that's mentioned, a Wabco Meritor, talk about small, that's 1/3 the size of mine. And, I don't know what else needs replacing on those besides the main filter. As you can see in the pics, mine has multiple pieces that needed replacement. There are TWO FILTERS FOR THE HALDEX UNIT.

One is inserted inside the cavity where, the other filter spins on above it. In the pics below, you see the heater ring completely cleaned and coated with copper anti-seize to help reduce the possibility of future corrosion/rust etc. And, all the holes that the screws (two broken ones had to be drilled and re-tapped) needed cleaning and re-threading. So I installed Stainless Steel Allen 10-24 x 3/4" screws there and coated them with the copper based anti-seize.

So, no, again, it would have been impossible to service this thing while it was mounted. To all of you that have just one filter and it spins off and on without obstruction, you're seriously lucky compared to what my situation is. But, then again, this is par for what I have to do to repair things on this coach. It will be installed tomorrow and tested. Thanks for all your help here.
Scott