Air ride suspension

[nooga]

I would like to install air bags on my "Bouncing Betty" 1994 Shasta Spirit. I asked several shocks and springs shops if they could install them if I bought them on-line. They all said they didn't do that kind of work and directed me to Camping World and another RV dealership. Got one estimate of $874 plus tax, broken down into $429 for an Air Lift kit, $210 in labor and $25 n miscellaneous cost. Based on the experience of you veterans, does this sound reasonable? The labor sounds pretty reasonable but I have priced kits on-line for much less than $429. The Air Life kit in quote apparently does not include an on-board compressor, a convenience I would like to have. Haven't priced one yet. In case the cost is prohibitive, what do air-springs drivers without an on-board compressor do to adjust the ride when out on the road or to level the MH when parked? I assume that would require a portable air compressor so how powerful should it be? Any help would be appreciated.

Nooga

[linda s]

Your Itasca came with air bags. Shows them being standard in the Winnebago brochures. Have you looked under there to see if there is anything left of them. If the brackets and hoses are still there you might be able to just buy just new bags. Also since Winnebago is one of the only manufacturers still in business you could ask them what kind of air bags were originally installed. I don't like Camping World for having work done. Find a local Rv repair place instead or maybe a truck repair place. Lots of trucks use air bags too for heavy loads.

Linda S

[Maineah]

Your Itasca came with air bags. Shows them being standard in the Winnebago brochures. Have you looked under there to see if there is anything left of them. If the brackets and hoses are still there you might be able to just buy just new bags. Also since Winnebago is one of the only manufacturers still in business you could ask them what kind of air bags were originally installed. I don't like Camping World for having work done. Find a local Rv repair place instead or maybe a truck repair place. Lots of trucks use air bags too for heavy loads.

Linda S

X2 ^ they are the Walmart of the camping world.

[nooga]

Linda--I have thoroughly checked for air bags under the MH and there is no sign of any ever being installed. Checked, too, when I bought it and previous owner said there were no bags. My owner's manual says that "these vehicles are available with rear air bag suspension." So I assume they were offered as optional equipment. I'm hoping that upon closer inspection I might find some wires, hoses, etc. for air bags built into the coach in case a buyer wanted the option. I don't like Camping World either and the estimate did not come from them--a smaller, local dealer. Will keep checking. Maybe a good backyard mechanic would tackle the job.

[Derek up North]

With a name like "Bouncing Betty", I'd suggest you upgrade your shocks first.

[linda s]

Linda--I have thoroughly checked for air bags under the MH and there is no sign of any ever being installed. Checked, too, when I bought it and previous owner said there were no bags. My owner's manual says that "these vehicles are available with rear air bag suspension." So I assume they were offered as optional equipment. I'm hoping that upon closer inspection I might find some wires, hoses, etc. for air bags built into the coach in case a buyer wanted the option. I don't like Camping World either and the estimate did not come from them--a smaller, local dealer. Will keep checking. Maybe a good backyard mechanic would tackle the job.

I checked the winnebago brochure before I answered you. They were standard on that vehicle. Easy way to check and see if they were removed. Are there rubber spring stops directly above the axle mounted on the frame . If not it's because there were air bags there once. I'm betting if someone removed the bags they wouldn't have replaced the spring stops. Either way it's something you could have a kid in the neighborhood do. Not difficult at all. The compressors are very pricey though and hooking them up is much more complicated. I have a small 12 volt air compressor I use to put air in mine. carry it with me always cause I use the air bags for leveling sometimes.

Linda S

[nooga]

Linda--It was Firestone who told me to go to Camping World. I'm taking the MH down to a local Midas shop in the morning to get an estimate. Owner said he's need to get it up on the rack before giving me a no-cost estimate. Will have him check the shocks while there. I have found the Air Ride kit with the quoted price of $425 for as low as $260 on line. It's nice to know that a small 12-volt compressor can do the job.
Thank for the help.

[bufbooth]

Probably any tire/shock place should be able to install the air bags if the top bracket is present.

On my Odyssey, the original rubber stop is still there, about 6 inches in front of it there is a boxed in bracket that was welded

to the truck frame, the openning faces the inside, so one needs to crawl under the RV to see the openning where the top of the

air bag and the air line is secured. The bottow is secured to the coil springs with clamp on type of bracket. At least with my Firestone 3T

air bags, there is a left and right one and if installed on the wrong side the air bag will hit the shock on the drivers side.

Regarding an air compressor, if you have one installed it will put the same amount of air in each bag, which means that you probably

would not be level, unless your Toyota ended up being balanced weight wise and that one evenly packed the gear and had equal

amounts of water in each tank, etc... I believe a non-compressor setup is better and a lot lest costly. With a non-Compressor setup

one will have two air valves near the rear bumper, and one just fills each one up until the desired height and balance is obtained.

Dennis...

[WME]

There compressor valves that have left, right, both

[nooga]

Thanks for all the good advice. I'll tell you how it all comes out.

[bufbooth]

WME, so how does that work with a compressor with left and right valves, is it a manual switch that one needs to flip or is there a remote switch?

[WME]

A compressor will have a single outlet. The line goes to a controller there the compressor is turned on and off. There two valves and two gauges. You turn on the compressor and select which side the air goes to and set the air pressure.

[nooga]

The saga continues. Last night my hyper meticulous better half went onto the RV.net class C forum and printed out about eight pages on the benefits--or lack thereof--of air bags, which led her to question the need for air spring suspension Most of the RV.net folks seemed think that air suspension was a waste of money if you wanted to achieve a smoother ride. Most of their responses were contrary to everything I have learned about RVing. If you want a smoother ride, let air out of your tires to the minimum safety level; fill up your holding tanks while on the road and keep your gas tank topped off so the heavier load would smooth out the ride. There were snippets of good advice--install better shocks, anti-sway bars, etc. Bottom line, wifie now thinks we should hold off on the air bags.

I pointed out that the RV.net folks generally drove bigger rigs (someone said the average length was 27 feet) powered by big V-10 and V8 engines. Their rigs have much more storage space, which they apparently load to the hilt. There was little concern about fuel efficiency lost by having softer tires and heavier loads. That is a big concern to me and was the main reason I bought my Toyota. Lot of other RVers apparently think so, too, since 6-cylinders vehicles--Rialta, Winnie Vista and well-preserved Toys seem to be commanding top prices on the resale market. I'm looking for as smooth a ride as possible without sacrificing mileage.

Any thoughts on the RV.net thread?

[waiter]

I don't think airbags are going to help with bouncing. That sounds like shocks.

Air bags will help with level control to make up for week springs on our over gross Toyhouses.

JOhn Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto

[Derek up North]

You don't have to add any weight just to make a Toyota Motorhome 'loaded to the hilt'! They rolled out the factory door that way.

[Bob C]

I picked up an infra-red thermometer that I use to check tire temps. If the tires are about the same temp, they are probably close to the same pressure. if I have a hot tire, I check more accurately with my tire gauge. Contrary to what some people believe, a 12 volt air compressor will easily add air to your tires, they just don't do it very quickly.

I check my tire pressure every morning and check the temp every time I stop. The thermometer was on sale for about $25 and has a laser sight to show you what you are taking the temp of.