| Air Bag Retrofit Problem [message #166159] |
Thu, 12 April 2012 18:10  |
SThornbg
Messages: 127
Registered: September 2011
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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I'm half way through my air bag retrofit rom OEM to SullyBuilt - the first side went pretty smoothly and the bag is full and holding nicely.
On the second bag, loosening the end nuts the back nut came off as planned. The front nut (on the air port stud)appeared to be coming off - it was turning - but the stud was actually unscrewing from the cone.
Now I have the bag out but the stud is still in place with the nut seized on the stud. The base of the stud is larger than the hole in the bogie arm so I am stuck. I have tried the LiquidWrench and vice grips approach.
The only heat source I have is a simple plumber's propane torch and I don't believe that will put enough heat on the nut to expand it.
Is the stud a hardened part? That is, can I cut it with a hack saw? Do I need to attack it with a grinder or cutoff wheel?
Apreciate any advice I can get.
Steve Thornburg
South Bend, IN
77 PB, 455
Steve Thornburg
South Bend, IN
77 exPB 455 "Tinker Toy"
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| Re: [GMCnet] Air Bag Retrofit Problem [message #166161 is a reply to message #166159] |
Thu, 12 April 2012 18:26  |
sgltrac
Messages: 2797
Registered: April 2011
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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I had that happen at Shawnee.
Hold the fill port on the bag side with a pipe wrench. Once you have a bite on it, turn the mount nut until the pipe wrench gets pinned against the frame. Now you can focus on working the ratchet and 1 1/8" socket
Sully
77 royale
Sent from my iPhone
On Apr 12, 2012, at 4:10 PM, SThornbg <SThornbg@aol.com> wrote:
>
>
> I'm half way through my air bag retrofit rom OEM to SullyBuilt - the first side went pretty smoothly and the bag is full and holding nicely.
>
> On the second bag, loosening the end nuts the back nut came off as planned. The front nut (on the air port stud)appeared to be coming off - it was turning - but the stud was actually unscrewing from the cone.
>
> Now I have the bag out but the stud is still in place with the nut seized on the stud. The base of the stud is larger than the hole in the bogie arm so I am stuck. I have tried the LiquidWrench and vice grips approach.
>
> The only heat source I have is a simple plumber's propane torch and I don't believe that will put enough heat on the nut to expand it.
>
> Is the stud a hardened part? That is, can I cut it with a hack saw? Do I need to attack it with a grinder or cutoff wheel?
>
> Apreciate any advice I can get.
>
> Steve Thornburg
> South Bend, IN
> 77 PB, 455
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Sully
77 Royale basket case.
Future motorhome land speed record holder(bucket list)
Seattle, Wa.
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| Re: Air Bag Retrofit Problem [message #166163 is a reply to message #166159] |
Thu, 12 April 2012 18:30 |
Dennis S
Messages: 3046
Registered: November 2005
Karma: 2
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Senior Member |
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Since I need one of those inserts I hate to suggest it -- but a good sized pipe wrench might work. Can you let the penetrating oil sit overnight?
The insert afaik is not hardened but has a thick wall so you may be a while with a hacksaw.
Good luck.
Dennis
| SThornbg wrote on Thu, 12 April 2012 18:10 |
I'm half way through my air bag retrofit rom OEM to SullyBuilt - the first side went pretty smoothly and the bag is full and holding nicely.
On the second bag, loosening the end nuts the back nut came off as planned. The front nut (on the air port stud)appeared to be coming off - it was turning - but the stud was actually unscrewing from the cone.
Now I have the bag out but the stud is still in place with the nut seized on the stud. The base of the stud is larger than the hole in the bogie arm so I am stuck. I have tried the LiquidWrench and vice grips approach.
The only heat source I have is a simple plumber's propane torch and I don't believe that will put enough heat on the nut to expand it.
Is the stud a hardened part? That is, can I cut it with a hack saw? Do I need to attack it with a grinder or cutoff wheel?
Apreciate any advice I can get.
Steve Thornburg
South Bend, IN
77 PB, 455
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Dennis S
73 Painted Desert 230
Memphis TN Metro
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| Re: Air Bag Retrofit Problem [message #166165 is a reply to message #166159] |
Thu, 12 April 2012 18:35 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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Senior Member |
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The first thing to try is to break the nut loose with the air bag fully inflated and the weight of the coach on the bag. Soak the nut with Kroil for several days and try again. Heating the nut with a propane torch and shock cooling it with spray Kroil also help speed up the process.
I have on two occasions on a coach with blown bags had to cut the old ones off with a flame wrench (acetylene torch).
If the bags are still good you should not (with a little heat from a propane torch and Kroil) have a problem loosening the the nut while the bag is inflated.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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| Re: Air Bag Retrofit Problem [message #166284 is a reply to message #166159] |
Fri, 13 April 2012 20:44 |
SThornbg
Messages: 127
Registered: September 2011
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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Thanks for all the great advise. I was able to remove the old air bag bung by splitting the nut. Unfortunately, I did a pretty good job of messing up the threads on the bag side of the bung before I got it apart.
The Sully Built bags are installed and all is well. It really is a pretty simple job if you overlook some to the rusty thread issues.
Steve Thornburg
South Bend, IN
77 PB, 455
"Tinker Toy"
Steve Thornburg
South Bend, IN
77 exPB 455 "Tinker Toy"
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