Alko air suspension help please (1 Viewer)

[DavidG58]

Hello all, newbie fool here again. I have a Hymer with Alko chassis, the manual makes no reference to what I think is air suspension. Beside the drivers seat in the exit well are 2 pressure guages, both have Alko on them hence my assumption they relate to the suspension. There appear to be 2 tyre type valves adjacent to the guages, the guage range is 0 - 8, not sure what units, one is bang on zero, the other is 2. Anybody out there got the same or have any ideas what it is, how it works and is mine right?

I have now decided never to buy anything so technical privately again, regardless of how cheap it might seem, I need too much hand holding!! and selling my old MH privately has been truly tiresome.

David

 

[Peter & Elaine]

Don't drive it till you get some air in the 0 one you will damage the airbag
Set both pressures to equal say about 40 psi and check for leaks
I have mine set at 50 psi

 

[billy]

Mine is inflated by using a compressor yours sounds like you have to inflate it yourself with a pump.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[pappajohn]

the 0 to 8 range will be in BAR...not PSI.

40psi is 2.75bar

inflate both to this pressure then see how the van 'rides'

might need more, might need less.

I run my rear Goodyear air bags at 60psi but the rear axle weight is around 5 tons.

 

[Bailey58]

This follows on from a query I made on a thread regarding the Bailey Approach. Does air suspension give a better ride on an Alko chassis or should it not be necessary with the lower floor?

 

[pappajohn]

This follows on from a query I made on a thread regarding the Bailey Approach. Does air suspension give a better ride on an Alko chassis or should it not be necessary with the lower floor?

air assist's primary function is to maintain correct ride height....anything else is a bonus (stability etc)


motorhomes are usually built close to, so constantly runs near, the vehicles max permitted weight limit so a lot more suspension 'give' is to be expected

the same base vehicle in a working environment will spend more time unloaded than loaded so the suspension doesnt suffer anywhere near as much.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[DavidG58]

Oh, still sounds complex, do I need to inflate with an airline or woiuld a foot pump do? Any ideas why it is down to zero? Should I be worried that I am off to Scotland on Friday?

 

[Peter & Elaine]

A foot pump will do or a 12 volt compressor
Just blow it up to about 40 psi leave it for a while if it goes down you have a leak
If it stays up great just keep a eye on it

 

[Bailey58]

From the AS Air Suspension website:

The two-gauge control panel, to operate the compressor, is normally fitted within the cab area of your vehicle, although this is of personal preference. Operating the system is simple, with one switch to raise the air spring/bellows and two push-in buttons to lower.

This is what I've got in my cab, a control panel with one push button to inflate both sides and 2 buttons to lower them individually. The 12v pump is located under the rear seat. If you have tyre type valves it looks like a manual pump up system.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[DavidG58]

if it goes down you have a leak
If it stays up great

Is a leak mendable or are we into a new system? being of a permanently negative viewpoint, what kind of £'s will it take to mend or replace? I will get a compressor on to it tomorrow, I might just get lucky.

Thanks to all contributors so far, I am not there yet though so keep on 'helping ' please

David

 

[smiffy502000]

hi,had a similar set up in my old mh,just pop to the local garage insert 20p in the air line,inflate to your required pressure,you will see the back end lift up. you will see heads turn when you open the door and insert the airline into the footwell !!!

 

[billy]

Put some air in using your foot pump then by morning you will find out if you have a leak or not.

Mine are set at 3bar if this helps

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Peter & Elaine]

There maybe nothing wrong just low pressure
possibly a loose connection or a bit of pipe to replace all easy cheap fixes
At worst you could be looking at a replacement airbag but i don't think thats very likely they are very robust and not likely to fail
Easy to fit but unsure of cost
mine were fitted new from scratch in well under 2 hours for £400 by a dealer
Don't go spending a fortune on a compressor just for that any old thing will do even a bike pump with correct end it's no more difficult than blowing up your vehicle tires

 

[francour]

air suspension

Hi
hymer do not have Alko chassis

 

[DavidG58]

OK, been down cellar, found a 12V compressor, plucked up courage and blown up the system, both now set a 3 bar, no obvious hissing sounds and the MH is now amazingly stable to walk around in, I had thought it seemed very soft. Given the relatively high spec of the MH I am surprised it does not have its own pump, will check again oin morning and report back on pressure retained, probably quickly followed by several calls for more help.

For the curious or confused, I have not used the MH yet, bought in Feb ben put off by weather twice, definitely going this Friday, suspension issues allowing!!

Many thanks again for help and support, it is good to have you there

David

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Peter & Elaine]

Well done that man

 

[DavidG58]

Hi
hymer do not have Alko chassis

OK another boob I guess, all I was going by was the ALKO on the guages, it is a 2008 Hymermobil S if that helps

David

 

[Xabia]

Hi
hymer do not have Alko chassis

I am afraid you are wrong there, most Hymer A class motorhomes do indeed have Alko chassis - mine certainly does!

Mike

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[pappajohn]

I wouldnt worry about it deflating unless its pretty fast.

one of mine drops to around 40psi from 60psi in a month so i just check and inflate before setting out and again before moving off site.

a simple tyre pressure gauge will do the job.

I use one similar to this one.

Link Removed


Link Removed

 

[DavidG58]

Mine has 2 guages, which is the only reason I knew there might be a problem, based on various replies I am now looking tomorrow in daylight to confirm if it is definitely an Alko chassis and whether mine has a built in pump, I dont think so, hence the 2 valves. So far still pumped up to 3 bar, but 2 hours parked may not be a tough enough test!!

 

[pappajohn]

Mine has 2 guages, which is the only reason I knew there might be a problem, based on various replies I am now looking tomorrow in daylight to confirm if it is definitely an Alko chassis and whether mine has a built in pump, I dont think so, hence the 2 valves. So far still pumped up to 3 bar, but 2 hours parked may not be a tough enough test!!

Ooops sorry, you did say that in the original post. oh:
its been a long time since reading post #1.

it could have an onboard compressor and the two exposed valves are for emergency use...ie, failed compressor etc.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[DavidG58]

I have just seen that either you are all wrong, or I keep spelling
guages incorrectly, gauges from here on, at least we can all be wrong together LOLoh:

 

[pappajohn]

I have just seen that either you are all wrong, or I keep spelling
guages incorrectly, gauges from here on, at least we can all be wrong together LOLoh:

the forum spul chucker says its spelt gauges so gauges it is. :thumb:

 

[JeanLuc]

Hymer B SL class from your vintage have an Alko double-floored chassis behind a Fiat front end. B CL have the standard Fiat chassis throughout - no Alko attachment.
Those on a Merc chassis (like your S-class) do not have an Alko chassis attached (so far as I know although there may well be a double floored section towards the back - not sure how Hymer fixed that). Mine which is an earlier Starline (Merc chassis) certainly does not have an Alko rear chassis, although the chassis extensions behind the rear axle, which carry the very back of the motorhome (garage in my case) are made by Alko.

Perhaps just the air suspension units are made by Alko?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[DavidG58]

latest update, put air in 2 days ago, still holding 3 bar, now seriously confused, why was one down to nothing? was it just that the previous owner did not look after it? I now have so much knowledge and still no answers!!

 

[PaulyP]

I would presume that the previous owner didn't know how to use it and it's lost pressure over a period of time.
You now know what to do so that's all that matters.

 

[Peter & Elaine]

Sounds good to me just keep a eye on and enjoy your trip
Worst that could happen you have to top it now and then

Have fun

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[DavidG58]

Sounds good to me just keep a eye on and enjoy your trip
Worst that could happen you have to top it now and then

Have fun

Compressor will stay packed, still convinced there must be a compressor on board somewhere, we have self locking lockers surely we would have auto air suspension!! But fun will be had regardless