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Re: air bag replacement? [message #368688 is a reply to message #368678] Mon, 07 February 2022 16:56 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ken Burton is currently offline  Ken Burton   United States
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
Senior Member
Hi Les and welcome.

We heed to know the year and possibly the model of your coach. There are lots of places that your system can leak air. The year will get us started.

Temperature changes will change the air pressure but only a couple of PSI and if that is the issue the pressure will return to normal when it warms up again. If you are having to add air to bring it up again then yes you have a leak somewhere.

Early coaches (Power Level) had knobs on the air controls (Version 1) Later ones (Electrolevel I) around 1975 to 1977 had flat control switches mounted in the center of the dash or side panel to the left of the driver's seat. 1978 coaches had a 3rd version called Electrolevel II

Let is know what you have and we will go from there with suggestions.


Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
[GMCnet] Re: air bag replacement? [message #368689 is a reply to message #368688] Mon, 07 February 2022 22:58 Go to previous messageGo to next message
jimk is currently offline  jimk   United States
Messages: 6734
Registered: July 2006
Location: Belmont, CA
Karma: 9
Senior Member
Yes there is a duplicate bag, but it carries a very limited warranty as
Migule Mendes of MGM GMC saw two of those new bags blown out at our shop.
We returned all back and started using the larger bag from FIrestone.
Back in 1980-1990 there were guys like Roland Wilbur, Clarence Buskirk, Ken
toma and bunch of other great Mechanics and technicians I had the honor of
rubbing elbows.
Some refused to supply used parts to each so I ended up being the Pivot Man
and bought parts for them then and still do.
I will be 80 this year, so I have lot of memories.

On Mon, Feb 7, 2022 at 2:56 PM Ken Burton wrote:

> Hi Les and welcome.
>
> We heed to know the year and possibly the model of your coach. There are
> lots of places that your system can leak air. The year will get us started.
>
>
> Temperature changes will change the air pressure but only a couple of PSI
> and if that is the issue the pressure will return to normal when it warms up
> again. If you are having to add air to bring it up again then yes you
> have a leak somewhere.
>
> Early coaches (Power Level) had knobs on the air controls (Version 1)
> Later ones (Electrolevel I) around 1975 to 1977 had flat control switches
> mounted in the center of the dash or side panel to the left of the
> driver's seat. 1978 coaches had a 3rd version called Electrolevel II
>
> Let is know what you have and we will go from there with suggestions.
> --
> Ken Burton - N9KB
> 76 Palm Beach
> Hebron, Indiana
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>


--
Jim Kanomata ASE
Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
http://www.gmcrvparts.com
1-800-752-7502
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Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
[GMCnet] Re: air bag replacement? [message #368690 is a reply to message #368689] Mon, 07 February 2022 23:36 Go to previous messageGo to next message
powwerjon is currently offline  powwerjon   United States
Messages: 849
Registered: March 2013
Karma: -2
Senior Member
One thing that I have not seen in any of the post is that you rotate your
STOCK bags 180 degrees to prevent what we called "Hot Doging'! When I was
running the stock bags we did that about every 2 yeats.

Jim, The big "80"!!!!!! congrats.

J.R. Wright
GMC Great Laker
GMCGL Tech Editor
GMC Eastern States
GMCMHI
TZE Zone Restorations
78 Buskirk Custom 29.5' Stretch
75 Avion (Under going Frame up Restoration)



On Mon, Feb 7, 2022 at 9:59 PM Jim Kanomata wrote:

> Yes there is a duplicate bag, but it carries a very limited warranty as
> Migule Mendes of MGM GMC saw two of those new bags blown out at our shop.
> We returned all back and started using the larger bag from FIrestone.
> Back in 1980-1990 there were guys like Roland Wilbur, Clarence Buskirk, Ken
> toma and bunch of other great Mechanics and technicians I had the honor of
> rubbing elbows.
> Some refused to supply used parts to each so I ended up being the Pivot Man
> and bought parts for them then and still do.
> I will be 80 this year, so I have lot of memories.
>
> On Mon, Feb 7, 2022 at 2:56 PM Ken Burton wrote:
>
>> Hi Les and welcome.
>>
>> We heed to know the year and possibly the model of your coach. There are
>> lots of places that your system can leak air. The year will get us
> started.
>>
>>
>> Temperature changes will change the air pressure but only a couple of PSI
>> and if that is the issue the pressure will return to normal when it
> warms up
>> again. If you are having to add air to bring it up again then yes you
>> have a leak somewhere.
>>
>> Early coaches (Power Level) had knobs on the air controls (Version 1)
>> Later ones (Electrolevel I) around 1975 to 1977 had flat control
> switches
>> mounted in the center of the dash or side panel to the left of the
>> driver's seat. 1978 coaches had a 3rd version called Electrolevel II
>>
>> Let is know what you have and we will go from there with suggestions.
>> --
>> Ken Burton - N9KB
>> 76 Palm Beach
>> Hebron, Indiana
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>>
>
>
> --
> Jim Kanomata ASE
> Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
> jimk@appliedairfilters.com
> http://www.gmcrvparts.com
> 1-800-752-7502
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>
_______________________________________________
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Unsubscribe or Change List Options:

[GMCnet] Re: air bag replacement? [message #368691 is a reply to message #368690] Tue, 08 February 2022 10:05 Go to previous messageGo to next message
James Hupy is currently offline  James Hupy   United States
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
Senior Member
Geez, Jim K., where have all the good times gone? 80. Imagine that! Tom
Wait has a quote that fits. "material possessions are fleeting, Only
memories endure." Kinda fits here I think. I forgot about Roland Wilbur
until you prompted my memory banks.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

On Mon, Feb 7, 2022, 9:37 PM John Wright wrote:

> One thing that I have not seen in any of the post is that you rotate your
> STOCK bags 180 degrees to prevent what we called "Hot Doging'! When I was
> running the stock bags we did that about every 2 yeats.
>
> Jim, The big "80"!!!!!! congrats.
>
> J.R. Wright
> GMC Great Laker
> GMCGL Tech Editor
> GMC Eastern States
> GMCMHI
> TZE Zone Restorations
> 78 Buskirk Custom 29.5' Stretch
> 75 Avion (Under going Frame up Restoration)
>
>
>
> On Mon, Feb 7, 2022 at 9:59 PM Jim Kanomata wrote:
>
>> Yes there is a duplicate bag, but it carries a very limited warranty as
>> Migule Mendes of MGM GMC saw two of those new bags blown out at our shop.
>> We returned all back and started using the larger bag from FIrestone.
>> Back in 1980-1990 there were guys like Roland Wilbur, Clarence Buskirk,
> Ken
>> toma and bunch of other great Mechanics and technicians I had the honor
> of
>> rubbing elbows.
>> Some refused to supply used parts to each so I ended up being the Pivot
> Man
>> and bought parts for them then and still do.
>> I will be 80 this year, so I have lot of memories.
>>
>> On Mon, Feb 7, 2022 at 2:56 PM Ken Burton wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Les and welcome.
>>>
>>> We heed to know the year and possibly the model of your coach. There
> are
>>> lots of places that your system can leak air. The year will get us
>> started.
>>>
>>>
>>> Temperature changes will change the air pressure but only a couple of
> PSI
>>> and if that is the issue the pressure will return to normal when it
>> warms up
>>> again. If you are having to add air to bring it up again then yes you
>>> have a leak somewhere.
>>>
>>> Early coaches (Power Level) had knobs on the air controls (Version 1)
>>> Later ones (Electrolevel I) around 1975 to 1977 had flat control
>> switches
>>> mounted in the center of the dash or side panel to the left of the
>>> driver's seat. 1978 coaches had a 3rd version called Electrolevel II
>>>
>>> Let is know what you have and we will go from there with suggestions.
>>> --
>>> Ken Burton - N9KB
>>> 76 Palm Beach
>>> Hebron, Indiana
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> GMCnet mailing list
>>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Jim Kanomata ASE
>> Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
>> jimk@appliedairfilters.com
>> http://www.gmcrvparts.com
>> 1-800-752-7502
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>
_______________________________________________
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Unsubscribe or Change List Options:

[GMCnet] Re: air bag replacement? [message #368789 is a reply to message #368667] Wed, 16 February 2022 15:51 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Emery Stora is currently offline  Emery Stora   United States
Messages: 959
Registered: January 2011
Karma: 4
Senior Member
Hi Jim
That is logical that they were used by NORAD. But I do recall that in an old Firestone Airspring catalog, circa approx.1981, they said that they were originally designed for laboratory benches to prevent vibration.
I am sure that people found many uses for them besides vehicle suspension.

Emery Stora
emerystora@mac.com



> On Feb 6, 2022, at 3:23 PM, James Hupy wrote:
>
> A bit of history on the OEM air bags. They were originally designed to
> military specs. Namely, their original purpose was to support the
> operations center at N.O.R.A.D. inside Cheyenne Mountain. That structure
> was designed to withstand a nuclear blast. Of course, there are rows and
> rows of them under the building inside of a tunnel deep inside a mountain.
> And the GMC only has two. Those bags consist of 3 separate bags. The inner
> one which actually holds the air is a bladder similar to an inner tube in a
> bias ply tire. The second layer is a neoprene infused fabric bag, the third
> or visible bag is U.V. resistant material similar to what tires are made
> of. The condition of the outer layer has little bearing upon whether the
> bag can hold air. Just how it is.
> Jim Hupy
> Salem, Oregon
>
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[GMCnet] Re: air bag replacement? [message #368793 is a reply to message #368789] Wed, 16 February 2022 19:11 Go to previous message
James Hupy is currently offline  James Hupy   United States
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
Senior Member
Emery, I have heard of that use also. Also on bases for delicate
instrumentation like sizemology recording, etc.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

On Wed, Feb 16, 2022, 1:51 PM Emery Stora via Gmclist <
gmclist@list.gmcnet.org> wrote:

> Hi Jim
> That is logical that they were used by NORAD. But I do recall that in an
> old Firestone Airspring catalog, circa approx.1981, they said that they
> were originally designed for laboratory benches to prevent vibration.
> I am sure that people found many uses for them besides vehicle suspension.
>
> Emery Stora
> emerystora@mac.com
>
>
>
>> On Feb 6, 2022, at 3:23 PM, James Hupy wrote:
>>
>> A bit of history on the OEM air bags. They were originally designed to
>> military specs. Namely, their original purpose was to support the
>> operations center at N.O.R.A.D. inside Cheyenne Mountain. That structure
>> was designed to withstand a nuclear blast. Of course, there are rows and
>> rows of them under the building inside of a tunnel deep inside a
> mountain.
>> And the GMC only has two. Those bags consist of 3 separate bags. The
> inner
>> one which actually holds the air is a bladder similar to an inner tube
> in a
>> bias ply tire. The second layer is a neoprene infused fabric bag, the
> third
>> or visible bag is U.V. resistant material similar to what tires are made
>> of. The condition of the outer layer has little bearing upon whether the
>> bag can hold air. Just how it is.
>> Jim Hupy
>> Salem, Oregon
>>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>
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