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.

[RLS7201]

MrWizzard, your drill bits are dull. That frame material is mild steel and should drill easily. Go buy a couple of new drill bits of the correct size and drill at slow speed. First drill through the new fixture with the correct size bit to make a small mark for the pilot bit to center on. Then drill the pilot hole and the final hole. I drilled my frame with a cordless drill motor with no problem.

Richard

[MrWizard]

I used cutting oil,the bit stayed cool was not burned, still had good edge,
Yes I thought about a new larger drill impact driver, I posted here,
That and cobalt steel drill bits might do the job, it would also help of I weighted 200# and was 40yrs younger, at less than 130# squatting in a wheel well, it is difficult to maintain enough force to drill into this steel, not like standing at a work bench, where I could bear down on it, or use a drill press,
The amount of effort needed drill is difficult to apply, when your a "Feather weight" like me
This is case where Brawn is useful and needed,
If could borrow a small portable hand held laser drill I could do this project In no time flat
8 holes ....zap. Zap. Zap done

[alboy]

You need an impact drill,also make sure you use lube cutting oil for the bit

[MrWizard]

This kicked my butt, nothing mounted, one hole v Maybe 3/4 way thru, I put the wheels back on, I might take tomorrow Sunday off, and rest and rethink this
They say 3 hours, I thought 4 hours per side, did not think all day not even one side complete .. too old not big enough strong enough, back hurts

[MrWizard]

Update have been at this alL day since before noon, , removing the dual wheels was not a problem drilling the holes is a very big problem, the Ryobi seems ok,but me I'm too light weight for squatting in the wheel well trying to drill thru 2 layers of steel, there is a body flange steel over the chassis just as thick as the chassis, together got to be about 1/2" thickness, don't have even one hole completed will spend Sunday drilling mounting holes for the first bag, instead of getting both installed. ?¥€#&#$$×%
Maybe cobalt steel drill bits would help,got to get wheels back on, calling it quits, got to be earthquake ready, start again tomorrow ..maybe ! And do what I can
Or
Maybe take Sunday off and rest up, need more muscle than what I have, in order to drill these mounting holes

[MrWizard]

Thanks I can try that, I was thinking of pilot holes, just wasn't sure my RYOBI drill has enough ummph for the job ahead of me, only got one battery, a replacement with little use, I better put it on the charger for a top OFF, RYOBI 18V ONE+/one plus battery (3000 MaHr18v , 54 watt HR) with pilots I do drill each hole twice, but less work per drill cycle, your right enlarging is easier than drilling straight thru with the larger bit
Thanks for the reminder

[Dutch_12078]

As KDK said, do the pilot hole and then the finish hole. I did 16 half-inch holes in the frame of a previous motorhome with a Makita cordless drill to install a Bigfoot jack system using the same process. The job sucked down batteries pretty quickly, but with a couple of spares and a charger on hand it wasn't a problem.

[kdk]

Drill a 1/4" pilot hole first, then the 3/8" hole. Your drill wll do it.











'""

[MrWizard]

My airlift load lifter 5000 air spring kit 57208
Has arrived

But I'm wondering if my 3/8" Ryobi Cordless is strong enough to drill the holes in the frame/chassis, or do I need to get a larger stronger drill for making the 8 new holes, 4 holes each side , for the upper mounting bracket, using a 3/8" Drill bit, I suspect the toughfest part of this project is going to be removing the dual wheels, new tires were mounted in July, of course the the store uses air impact tools, perhaps a New 20v cordless impact drill driver is the answer for the lug nuts, and drilling the holes, awaiting suggestions and opinions,
Since I full time, no large volume air compressor and tank, no air tools, no air drill,no air powered impact driver, I have heavy 1/2 drive impact sockets used with a 3ft long 1/2" drive breaker bar too loosen or tighten lug nuts,
2 bottle jacks and the hydraulic levelling jacks, blocks of wood, I've been thru the tire removal before, when doing a brake job, I know how heavy that job is
But the only time I ever did something remotely close to this, was holes in the bumper of my 68 mustang for a trailer hitch and that was a long time ago with a new car, you do the math, I was much younger then, experience changes Devil may care "I got this"
Into a more cautious approach.

[MrWizard]

I ordered the Airlift kit, part# 57208, I went to the company website too look it up F53 class motorhome rear 1990 ~ 1998 chassis, the downloaded instructions say to drill 4 holes for each top bracket, I would rather not do that much work, but I wanted to buy the one the company said was the correct one, hoping to do the project this weekend, ordered from Amazon, $319 before taxes, Kit has everything except the drill and the drill bits



Click For Full-Size Image.

[MrWizard]

Stimulus is here, and I'm checking air lift kit #s
Again to be sure, I'm ordering as soon as I can be sure I got the right numbers

[RLS7201]

MrWizzard, I just saw the thread again and no I don't have pictures of my rear air bag install. I elected to go with the Firestone air bags. Hardest part is removing the duals. Pretty much a bolt on deal. Maybe I drilled one hole on each side.
I elected to mount the valve stems on the rear of the wheel flairs.
I would go out and take a pic or 2 for you but I woke up to 7°F, this morning. Will be rolling from beautiful downtown Gladstone, MO to not so beautiful downtown Quartzsite in a couple of days.

Richard

[MrWizard]

I never got to do the rear airbag install, the first stimulus check went to other expenses, this next stimulus when/if it arrives is going for the lifts, even if it takes the whole check, 2020 has been a rough year all the way around, one more week, then we welcome 2021 and everybody I know is hoping and praying it Will be a better year all around.
Sure need to Lift our spirits the whole world has got The Covid-19 Blues

Merry Christmas too All

[jeromep]

fred42 wrote:


Rusty,

I do not have handling issues of any kind but the front leans an inch or two lower on the drivers side. No visible damage to the springs. I was considering a front only airbag install.

I see the kit:

1990-2007 Ford F53 Firestone "Ride-Rite" Air Bag, front Model: 2070

requires a 3/8 hole be drilled in the frame. The Air Lift LoadLifter 5000 88140/57140 appears not to need drilling as you said.

Other than that issue, did you or others intentionally avoid the Firestone product?

thanks,

Found this entire thread interesting. I purchased a 95 Bounder 34j which had the Ride-Rite air bags front and rear. Previous owner said to run them at 70 lbs. So far I've not had any issue with that recommendation. It's a pretty firm ride, but crosswinds are a bit easier to handle than I had expected with a firmer ride. Previous owner had purchased a '14 Bounder and had not yet done anything with the suspension and was already complaining to me about how much wallow the new motorhome had compared to the old one.

[fred42]

RustyMacIntosh wrote:
...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....

Rusty,

I do not have handling issues of any kind but the front leans an inch or two lower on the drivers side. No visible damage to the springs. I was considering a front only airbag install.

I see the kit:

1990-2007 Ford F53 Firestone "Ride-Rite" Air Bag, front Model: 2070

requires a 3/8 hole be drilled in the frame. The Air Lift LoadLifter 5000 88140/57140 appears not to need drilling as you said.

Other than that issue, did you or others intentionally avoid the Firestone product?

thanks,