Taaadaaa! Took the plunge. Airbags on the Class A

[RustyMacIntosh]

So after much procrastination and diddling around....and being the cheapskate that I am, I ordered a set of airbags for my 95 Bounder 34j.

Just what Mr. Bounder needed! And, it really was not all that hard to install. New leaves were about $1500. This was about $500.

Then I saw it....rear sway bushings. GONE. Rotted, fallen off many miles back, laying on the side of the road like roadkill.....

MOOG supplied! HD blue sway bushings both on the frame and the sway end. Along with the airbags, I be pimping now like a big dog!

I bought Airlift 5000 model. Independent air connections. (Might put a compressor on this). Rear end raised about 4 inches at about 70lbs of pressure.

Road test! Along with getting yelled at by my oldest son for buying yet another car to add to my fleet,---Hey KID the deal was too good to pass up, a 2017 Fusion Hybrid for $8800. (I can tow the Fusion on all 4's). The C-Max is a great car but this was too good to pass up.

I was going down the highway with the cell phone in my ear and driving with 1 hand. Cops can't see me anyway. IF there were any.

No sway. Not being pushed by passing big rigs. In fact, the only complaints seem to be the dishes in the sink in the kitchen.

The Bounder felt like it was riding a bit more firm. I had the PSI set at 60. The 100g water tank was full and 3/4 tank of gas. Now with fresh tires, Bilstein shocks, new sway bushings both upfront and now rear, with airbags, this big boat handles pretty **** good for a 25-year-old coach.

The install was not exactly as planned. Yes, there were pre-drilled holes on the frame. But not exactly matching up. Once the top bracket was mounted, and we squeezed the airbag down onto the bottom bracket mounted on the axle housing, it was all straight forward, no pun intended....

I ran the air lines to the storage compartment---one on each side. But when I saw the condition of the rear sway bushings....

So, we are now ready, (we being me, two dogs and a mean old Siamese cat that thinks she is the queen of the Nile), are getting ready to make the trip from Cal to Kansas.

The cooling system rebuilt. New brakes. Tires. Shocks. Bags and bushings, the generator is now up and running, microwave replaced, the coffee maker is new, AC and heaters working, and a rear camera now installed at the license plate.....

Next stop....Pratt, Kansas. The farm manager can see me coming so they will run for the fields when they see this baby lumbering down the road heading their way. "EVERYONE RUN...California is here....bail, everyone make yourselves disappear, California has arrived....."


Now to have the shop build me tow clips for the front (nonplastic area) of either the C-Max or the Fusion.... aint retirement fun? And only one kid yells at me. No old lady to make life miserable. Just a mean cat, two Aussies who collect socks and shoes which they stash under the couch, a big motorhome...life is good. Gas is cheap. And if Covid visits, the kids have the passwords to the accounts. If you know what I mean.

[MrWizard]

Air lift, air spring, bag #2, drivers side installed completed,
This side was more complicated, outside of frame where the bag mounts, 3 electrical harness runs, a 2 wire power run for the external fuel pump installed last year,
Inside of the frame brake lines and fuel lines
Positioning and drilling were critical, one hole clipped the edge of the shock absorber mounting bracket, which faces forward from the axle on the drivers side, was not a factor on the curbside installation.
I have 70# air pressure in each bag, but plan on adjusting each bag up or down in the next few days after a little bit of test driving, I know the curbside is the heavy side and will need more air than the drivers side, I run fully loaded most of the time, so once I get it set, I won't need to be changing the air set points, just check and maintain them, fleet wood designed this thing as rear end heavy, curbside heavy

[MrWizard]

Lower back pain, pain in my right hand, and other chores, have halted all exterior RV work
Hopefully to be completed soon

[MrWizard]

Still have not completed the 2nd install, the drivers side
But I did test the new electric 1/2" drive impact wrench, one by one, I loosened and tighten all 10 lug nuts on the driver side duals,
Other things have intervened and prevented me from have the time to complete the job

[MrWizard]

Southern California, wish I was visiting in 'Q', I think 2016 was my last trip there
First air spring bag is installed
New cobalt steel drill bits, made the difference
Finishing the first hole was easy, lower hole on left side of bracket
Drilling 2nd hole, wasn't too bad, thru the frame , no flange, fender washers to make a gap filling spacer,no body flange ( yes I worked counter clockwise from the first hole position )
Number 3 ,forward facing upper hole above number 2, for right side of upper bracket, thru body flange then frame, same as hole #1, that was a lot more work, than drilling just thru the frame , but the cobalt drills did the job, ##4 same thing,
Final bolt down and running the airline was easy
Hopefully
Doing drivers side today/Sunday,
Tried last weekend, could not get wheel lug nuts loosened
Bought an electric impact wrench, weighs 12.5# ,has 450 ft pounds of torque, with good luck I might not break an arm today, this side will require more prep work, there are.. brake lines and fuels along inside of frame member, don't want to damage those items

[RLS7201]

I drilled my frame with a Dewalt 1/2" Li battery drill motor & Harbor Freight Titanium(?) (at least they were yellow/gold in color) drill bits. Maybe, just maybe the difference is, I have a Black & Decker drill bit sharpener that does a really nice job of putting an edge on my bits. Turn the bit slow and push hard.
The picture of the partially drilled hole looks polished on the bottom, where as it should show cut lines from the drill bit. Looks like the bit dulled before finishing the hole.
Another option might be bringing in a on site welder. Just need a little shielding. Wife's cookie pans work well...GRIN

Richard

PS: MrWizzard, what part of the country are you located in? We're spending the winter in southern AZ. (Q) in the cold (45º) & the rain.

[jeromep]

Stim wrote:
I have drilled a few hundred holes in semi frames mounting axles/equipment and I can't imagine using battery tools!
We used a 1/2" drill with a "D" handle AND put a chain around the frame through the "D" in a loupe. With chain tight you rotate the drill which forces the drill into the hole.
In your case you might try a rope around the frame and drill to get more force.
You also must use slow speed with lub.

I've done a few holes in frames also. Had to get an electric 1/2" chuck drill with a side handle (not a "D" handle, but similar concept), plus the correct bits and lube. The electric drill with the right bits really makes all the difference. I don't think there are too many battery powered tools that will do what you are trying to do.

[Stim]

I have drilled a few hundred holes in semi frames mounting axles/equipment and I can't imagine using battery tools!
We used a 1/2" drill with a "D" handle AND put a chain around the frame through the "D" in a loupe. With chain tight you rotate the drill which forces the drill into the hole.
In your case you might try a rope around the frame and drill to get more force.
You also must use slow speed with lub.

[MrWizard]

No way to avoid the body flange, it covers the area where the airbag top bracket bolts to the chassis,
I'm not sure the body flange steel, is as mild as the chassis steel, I think it's harder steel,

[MrWizard]

Thank you for the Tip
On my knees instead of squatting

[MrWizard]

First pilot hole,, never made thru, never even got to try the 3/8" Drill bit

Well Richard you must be a more robust fellow than I am, I'm only 72, never been over weight, never had heart problems, never been a tobacco smoker, worked with tools most of my life, electronics tech, machinery tech, construction electrician and so forth etc..except for allergies and bouts of Flu, no serious illness, always had good health, there's cancer in the family tree, my mother and a brother, but I've been lucky , maybe it's simply the drill bits, but unless you weigh less than my 120#, I think that is part of it, so was the difference in our working positions, I was squatting , you said on your knees, in that position your legs thigh muscles give you some leverage to brace against the force of yours arms pushing on the drill , I'll park the RV different next time, and try doing this on my knees, I know that squatting is not a good position for me , doing this job, not efficient use of my light weight body mass

I spent a great deal more time than 5 mins, way too much time, I'll buy some more bits before I try again

[kdk]

If those titainium bits are not of a good grade bit, go to Lowes and purchase a good quality high speed bit. I got some bits from harbor freight that were supposedly titainium that would hardly drill a hole in wood. Having worked in machine building for over 20 years of experience a 1/2 " hole in mild steel with a good bit shouldn't take more than 5 minutes. If you have a Industrial tool supply huose would be a goodplace to get one or maybe two, but again drill a pilot hole first.

[MrWizard]

The rusty looking area is a section of the body flange, covers a huge area of the chassis rail, the mounting holes I'm trying to drill must go thru flange and then the chassis, I got one 1/4" pilot hole almost thru, lateral force into the steel while squatting in the wheel well , is not equal to the force you can apply when you can bear down, or lay on your back and push up/in with all your strength because your back is against a solid object like the ground, if you can not be braced to apply full strength, the only force that can be applied in a horizontal lateral 90° angle is equal to your weight, especially when squatting, not the same as standing with legs spread one foot behind you, in the CLASSIC pull push sideways stance leaning forward into what you are doing,
I had the feeling this could be difficult physically, (technically it's easy), I just did not think it would be that difficult to drill those freaking holes, and it was hot yesterday 88° , same again today, got to check and tighten the lug nuts, before going to the gas station

[RLS7201]

MrWizard wrote:
Bits are from new set, titanium coated,
Richard you were under the rv ?
Pushing up ? Solid ground under you
Correct ,?
You do realize there is a huge difference in the amount of applied force that can be maintained,
Given that you were an immovable object which could not be moved,
And my applied force was also pushing me away from the rv, remember physics, equal opposite reactions, you could not be moved the drill had to go forward into the steel, in my case the cutting force was actually 1/2 of the energy I was putting into it, nothing behind me keeping me immovable so all force is on the drill bit
Yes I want to get harder drills, that stay sharp longer, also going to get some friend, younger and heavier to do the drilling
But Not today, I'm exhausted, maybe later in the week or next weekend
Yesterday was much too tiring

No, I was drilling horizontal holes just like you. On my knees pushing the drill motor. Maybe I'm a little younger than you. I'm only 77.

Richard

[MrWizard]

Bits are from new set, titanium coated,
Richard you were under the rv ?
Pushing up ? Solid ground under you
Correct ,?
You do realize there is a huge difference in the amount of applied force that can be maintained,
Given that you were an immovable object which could not be moved,
And my applied force was also pushing me away from the rv, remember physics, equal opposite reactions, you could not be moved the drill had to go forward into the steel, in my case the cutting force was actually 1/2 of the energy I was putting into it, nothing behind me keeping me immovable so all force is on the drill bit
Yes I want to get harder drills, that stay sharp longer, also going to get some friend, younger and heavier to do the drilling
But Not today, I'm exhausted, maybe later in the week or next weekend
Yesterday was much too tiring