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bob_b's avatar
bob_b
Explorer
Oct 23, 2014

Top of the Grapevine, lost all air pressure!

The "Grapevine" is the mountain pass on the "5" descending into Los Angeles, the summit a little over 4,000 ft. On Sunday, around noon, I was just beginning the decent and felt the ride getting stiffer, like when you leave a campground before the air pressure has built all the way. I checked the pressure gauge and it was falling quickly! Luck was on my side as there was no one in the right lane. I pulled over but by now the Bus('06) had fallen on to the bump stops and it was bouncing us out of our seats. Again thanking my lucky stars, there was an off ramp in sight but by now my low pressure alarm was blasting and we were feeling some panic, just waiting for the brakes to lock up. We did get off the freeway and, lucky again, got to a parking lot and shut it off. I dropped the jacks and proceeded to look for the cause. After starting it up I was able to find the leak, it was the air dryer, a cylinder about ten inches around and over a foot in length. It is located at the rear just under the front of the motor. Meanwhile DW was on the internet and had found the Freightliner hot line. It is manned around the clock every day of the year, and, a real person who speaks English answered. He helped me through the diagnosis and suggested the fix. I took off the two air lines, air in and air out and connected them together, bypassing the dryer and it's leaking pressure relief valve. Problem solved! I drove it into our winter spot here in Mesa with no other difficulties. The air pressure was a little higher, around 145, but was assured there would be no problems. It is time to buy the rebuild kit and get my next lesson on maintenance! Bob

20 Replies

  • I believe that the air dryer's connection have a male on one side and a female on the other....so no additional connectors are require to by-pass the filter. Just disconnect the two lines from the dryer and reconnect together.

    At least that's the way my previous coach was and I assume they are all made that way.

    Good job getting the fix done on basically your own.

    Ron
  • Good on Freightliner. That speaks volumes for customer service.
  • Executive wrote:
    msmith1199 wrote:
    Back with the old system if you lost your air you did lose your brakes.


    True, your bonus was you got more grey hair, new shorts and got to try out those nifty run-away ramps.....:E......Dennis


    Always wanted to be that guy that pulled in front of the "run away" truck and brought it to a stop with brakes squeeling. Sure do miss the old days.
  • msmith1199 wrote:
    Back with the old system if you lost your air you did lose your brakes.


    True, your bonus was you got more grey hair, new shorts and got to try out those nifty run-away ramps.....:E......Dennis
  • Only in the movies, or only on older trains and trucks. Back with the old system if you lost your air you did lose your brakes.
  • Glad it all worked safely out for you.
    Gee in movies, if you have an air leak/break, you loose your brakes and are a run away..........same things for trains in the movies........disconnect the air hose and you have a run away train..........only in the movies .......thankfully.
    Biran
  • Just a technical correction, the Grapevine is actually the section of I-5 that runs from Lebec down into the San Joaquin Valley through "Grapevine Canyon."