Semi Air Let Go

[Paul Wilkins]

Arrived on site in Germany. Deployed the self levelling jacks. While levelling one rear wheel came off the floor followed by a loud hiss. It would appear that as the air suspension swing arm extended the air bellows popped off the lower end. Unable to ‘re-fit’ the bellows myself. Hopefully will find a ‘man who can’.

 

[SandraL]

Caution, if you drive to a garage with the air bag unattatched there is a possibility / probability the movement of the suspension might rub through the rubber airbag.
In my case a fully attatched but uninflated airbag did just that. Released air to aid levelling and forgot to inflate before moving off..........

But if there was a loud hiss then surely you have a leak already? Our airbags, on alko chassis, have a plastic boot on the base of the air bag, even if it became detatched from the lower mounting there should be no leak.

 

[Lenny HB]

3 year old thread.

 

[daveandsan]

3 year old thread.

Read again.

 

[Two on Tour]

3 year old thread.

Says posted at 5.46am this morning ?

Has Lenny time travelled back from the future.

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[daveandsan]

As has been said, be careful driving as you may cause more damage.
Anyone who has air suspension fitted, never jack the body up when there is air in the suspension system.

 

[Guigsy]

I'm trying to work out whether lifting the wheel off the floor would have caused the bellows to be stretched beyond their resting length? Maybe it was pulled apart? Only way I can think this would happen is if it had a slow leak before, so when wheel lifted off the floor it caused a vacuum?

 

[Guigsy]

As has been said, be careful driving as you may cause more damage.
Anyone who has air suspension fitted, never jack the body up when there is air in the suspension system.

That applies to full air systems. I've not seen that advice for semi-air before.

 

[daveandsan]

That applies to full air systems. I've not seen that advice for semi-air before.

The system I had fitted on my previous motorhome (think it was Dunlop) warned you not to Jack the body up with air in the system.

 

[Lenny HB]

Says posted at 5.46am this morning ?

Has Lenny time travelled back from the future.


View attachment 534852

Dho! read the date he joined, brain not in gear this early.

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[Paul Wilkins]

Hi folks. Here are a couple of images. The top of the bellows are attached with bolts. The lower end is secured by a ‘rim’ around which the bottom is secured. I tried to reattach the lower end but I don’t have the tools nor the access. The MH is driving fine without the semi-air. Wish I’d been told about not jacking with air in the bellows when the guys fitted the HPC system

 

[Guigsy]

I don't understand why jacking with air in the bellows would make any difference. As the vehicle lifts, the pressure in the bellows will decrease. The only thing I can think of is that when the wheel is all the way off the floor, the bellows might become over extended. But then how would letting the air out before you lift help?

 

[SandraL]

Your air bag appears split at the base, if so will need renewal not repair.
Whilst the van will drive ok an airbag with no air will deform and probably rub on the chassis or hub bracket.
If airbags were fitted to increase rear axle load then technically you may be overweight on rear axle.
Answer is new airbag. Our originals were fitted by gliderite, who used firestone airbags.
The replacement , from gliderite was a cheaper alternative called Sabo. A pair were £210 inc vat supply only. At the time they could not supply Firestone airbags.

I'm no expert, but was the airbag fitted correctly? It appears that when vehicle was jacked the suspension dropped until wheelhub was hanging on the airbag rather than on the torsion bars, assuming alko axle. Perhaps if the bag was taller, or packed from top bracket, it might have been ok?

This could be checked on the other side by jacking van, seeing if hub lowered after releasing bolt holding airbag. Does other bag show similar early signs of failure?

The lower fixing, the rim might be a band around the bag sealing the rim to a plate, the plate the might have a single bolt to fix to the bottom bracket, would be visible from below. Our bags are fitted with a single bolt from below and 2 into top plate. With wheel off very easy to remove, our airpipe is a quick detatch, just pull back collar and release pipe.

Certainly on our similar setup we have no signs of stress or alignment issues when vehicle is jacked, but our airbags have a plastic "pillar" on the base of the airbag about 50mm tall which bolts to the lower bracket.

 

[tonyidle]

From your description and photos I believe you will need to replace the airbag (and check the one on the other side).

 

[Flairy]

how far are you from wetzler or Frankfurt dealer close by.

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[jockaneezer]

Could you have a quick check to see if, because the axle has dropped quite low, that you haven't just pulled the air pipe or fitting out of the bag ? Just wondering if when it was fitted, they hadn't left enough "slack" in the fill pipe ?

 

[Paul Wilkins]

Could you have a quick check to see if, because the axle has dropped quite low, that you haven't just pulled the air pipe or fitting out of the bag ? Just wondering if when it was fitted, they hadn't left enough "slack" in the fill pipe ?

No. It’s definitely come off it’s mount on the lower arm.

 

[Paul Wilkins]

I’m currently driving (or at least SWIMBO is) down to Garmish-Partenkushen for a couple of days. I’ll send more pics when I get pitched.

 

[Catpirate]

Cool, love garmisch-partenkirchen and nearby Mittenwald, are you going to Munchen (know the oktoberfest is cancelled)

 

[Ditcha]

Normally you have the air fed from the top of the bag which is non moving so the hose isn't subject to any force rubbing or pulling, can't see on your pic any air feed from the top.

Can you compare one side to another?

It should look something like this

The bag will come deformed like your pic when extended with no air in due to a vacuum effect when extended.

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[Paul Wilkins]

As promised here are the left and right bellows. As you can see one has become detached from the lower mount and is is crumpled. The other is correct, with no air pressure in it.

 

[Paul Wilkins]

Btw.. it is quite beautiful here .. how long do I get without a visa?

 

[SandraL]

AL-KO Single Axle Dunlop Semi-Air Kit with Compressor

Full explanation of AL-KO Air Kits below, please scroll down to see more information and instructions on measurements required. Lead time is 5-7 working days.

www.marcleleisure.co.uk

I see picture shows a dunlop label, the above link might help if yours is the same.
Not sure if marcle supply just the kit or seperate parts.

 

[jockaneezer]

That first pic you posted looks like it's still all connected, but just turned inside out ? Still, it doesn't explain the hiss/leak you heard, hope you get it sorted ok.

 

[Paul Wilkins]

That first pic you posted looks like it's still all connected, but just turned inside out ? Still, it doesn't explain the hiss/leak you heard, hope you get it sorted ok.

I can assure you it is not connected at the bottom.

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[Landy Andy]

I don’t think it’s designed to allow the axle to hang from it, hence it being pulled apart.

It would be worse with pressure in the bag as the bag will fatten with the pressure so make it shorter, equalling less length/drop.

i think it may be new bag time, only other thing I can think of would be to strap axle to chassis, so they can’t be forced any wider apart then lube bottom section of bag, increase it’s pressure to get it to reseat it’s self.

In off reading sometimes people have a catch strap between axle and chassis to stop the axle dropping too much causing other suspension issues.

 

[Flairy]

Have you got your air suspension sorted I’ve been concerned.

 

[Paul Wilkins]

No not going to bother until we return to the UK. I spoke to the fitters and they confirmed that semi-air is only an 'assist' to the normal suspension so would be fine to drive. Indeed it drives ok, not as 'nice' as before, but it's ok. We're on the return leg now and I'm sure we'll be complaining like heck when we hit the UK roads again LOL

Considering getting a plate made up that says 'DEFLATE AIR BAGS BEFORE LEVELLING' put above the drivers head.

 

[Phill D]

My SEMI AIR bags should NOT be inflated to more than 5psi if the vehicle is jacked so that the axle can hang.
I would assume to avoid potential incidents similar to this.
Jacking under the axle is no issue.

 

[Paul Wilkins]

My SEMI AIR bags should NOT be inflated to more than 5psi if the vehicle is jacked so that the axle can hang.
I would assume to avoid potential incidents similar to this.
Jacking under the axle is no issue.

Well mine was at 4psi..

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