| New Air Bag System [message #221201] |
Thu, 05 September 2013 10:30  |
Bob S.
Messages: 143
Registered: October 2012
Location: Rapid City, SD
Karma: 2
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Senior Member |
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Over the last 10 months, I have been renovating my "78 Royale. All the while, I have been lurking on this forum and siphoning off as much of it's valuable information as I can.
I am getting close to finishing the interior remodel so I moved on to completing some mechanical upgrades.
When this project began I decided to do it on a cash only basis so that I won't have a bunch of nasty credit card bills to ruin the experience when I am done. With that being said my budget is always a concern.
The EL II system quit working before I bought it so the PO had a so called mechanic modify it so it sort of worked. I was told the way to achieve proper ride height was to "just eyeball it".
Obviously the ride height sensors didn't work.
After some research and comparison shopping I decided to replace the original system with the Wireless Airlift System and the Sullybilt air bag system. The Sullybilt system was easy to install and only took me about 1.5 hours to do both sides. The Wireless system took me a little time to figure out since I am admittedly technologically challenged. I finished the job about 3 weeks ago but the first time I really got to test drive it was last week end. Wow, what a difference, the new system runs about 1/2 the air pressure of the original and provides a much plusher ride. I live in the Black Hills, so winding roads are the norm. It handles better than before no matter what type of road I am on.
When I got to my campsite (uneven gravel) it leveled easily and quickly, with much less air pressure change than I would have thought.
I don't have any experience with any of the other air bag systems that are available but I can say this is a vast improvement over the original.
I do not want to start any unpleasant debate over which system is best, I just wanted to comment on a fine product that works well for me and fit my budget. Bob Schilling- Newbie
Bob and Pam Schilling
Rapid City, SD
"78 Royale
[Updated on: Thu, 05 September 2013 10:33] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: New Air Bag System [message #221219 is a reply to message #221201] |
Thu, 05 September 2013 12:24  |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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Senior Member |
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What you have is a constant pressure system rather than a constant height system. If it works for you then that is what counts.
I personally would rather have a constant height system as designed by GM on the GMC and lots of other vehicles. My Toronado has a similar air height system. When I throw something in the trunk, fill up with gas, or someone gets in the back seat, the system kicks in and increases the pressure accordingly to maintain the correct ride height.
It sounds like you made great improvements from what you started with.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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| Re: [GMCnet] New Air Bag System [message #221251 is a reply to message #221225] |
Thu, 05 September 2013 17:22 |
Mike Teets
Messages: 299
Registered: January 2004
Location: Dublin, OH
Karma: 0
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Confession time... I have the sully bag system and love it. New pump but
otherwise stock 77 system with non-functional height valves. My coach
drives one-finger easy, with almost no wandering except deep truck ruts.
Now the confession... I am pretty close to the "just eyeball it" method.
At proper measured ride height, if I make a fist, hold up my thumb on top
of the rear tire, the tip of my thumb just touches the lip of the fender.
I cannot tell a difference in height from full to empty gas tanks which is
the only thing that changes during travel. Your hand size may vary.
On Thu, Sep 5, 2013 at 1:47 PM, Dan Gregg <gregg_dan@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> That was a good report. I especially liked the "just eyeball it" part.
> Kinda the same information I got from my PO. I had no idea. My system is a
> manual setup also but I know now the proper ride height for the rear.
> Keeping the rear at the height it was designed to run at makes the 26 foot
> fella easy to drive.
> Dan
> --
> Dan & Teri Gregg
> Dexter, Mo.
>
> http://danandteri.blogspot.com/
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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Mike, GMCing since 2002
77 Palm Beach, 260, 403
Dublin, OH
http://teamteets.com/gmc/
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| Re: New Air Bag System [message #221265 is a reply to message #221201] |
Thu, 05 September 2013 20:37 |
An87ttype
Messages: 157
Registered: September 2012
Karma: 0
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That's pretty funny Mike, I do exactly the same thing. It works perfectly. Must have the same size hands...
Although I have a fully functional oem system, I prefer to verify the height and close the valves on the bags for any long trips. The current weak link in my system is the Dana. Something always happens if I let it run for very long. It's on the list for replacement when I run out of spare parts.
1975 Eleganza II
Hudson Valley NY
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| Re: [GMCnet] New Air Bag System [message #221305 is a reply to message #221283] |
Fri, 06 September 2013 07:33 |
Mr ERFisher
Messages: 7117
Registered: August 2005
Karma: 2
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cool thing about wireless, is
- it comes with pressure readout for each side
- 2 preset settings to -get-er-up after camping
- 10lb increments adjustment - on the road- independent
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/wireless-air-system/p36755-wireless-controller.html
fulll tank of gas is nothing 50x7=350 lb, not even a factor , in a 13,000
lb rig :>)
come listen to Hupy at the coos bay rally
http://www.bdub.net/jhupy/
gene
On Thu, Sep 5, 2013 at 9:26 PM, Gary Berry <duallycc@gmail.com> wrote:
> I use to let my Auto setting work, but then I had a blow out in Salem,
> OR and it took out that system. Now I pump my bags up to full, then
> release air and count to 16 (sea-level). Nice and cushy ride. I fixed
> the air valve this year, but I still do it by counting.
> --
> Gary and Diana Berry
> 73 CL Stretch in Wa.
> _______________________________________________
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--
Gene Fisher -- 74-23,77PB/ore/ca
“Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today --- give him a URL and
-------
http://gmcmotorhome.info/
Alternator Protection Cable
http://gmcmotorhome.info/APC.html
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| Re: New Air Bag System [message #221422 is a reply to message #221303] |
Sat, 07 September 2013 00:53 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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| Matt Colie wrote on Fri, 06 September 2013 07:22 |
I guess it just matters more because we have a very light coach (~9400#). We used to regularly run 500+ mile days, so the chance to experience the difference between the load of full fuel and minimum fuel was very available.
On a single (and single for a reason) occasion, we ended up with the rear air pressure for full fuel with the fuel tank about empty. The ride was remarkably "bouncy" and Mary was having a hard time staying in the lane with trucks passing. After we fueled, I noticed that the rear had not been set to "Travel". I set to "Travel" then and when that tank got low, the same situation did not occur.
We always hear the air pump (hard to miss) after a fuel stop.
It is easy to imagine that the 300# of fuel would make less of a difference to a 12000# coach.
Matt
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Besides immediately adjusting after fill ups, I also notice the same thing when the road surface changes. For some reason 2 lane roads seem to have more taper than 4 lane roads. The other place I notice it is if I have a strong cross wind or if I move from the front to the rear of the coach and let Laurie drive. I'm 210 pounds. I do not notice it correcting when Laurie moves the same distance. She is 115 pounds and the dog at 50 pounds also does not trip it to correct.
As far a leaks go, I have none. My coach sat parked from last October until late August with no height change.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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| Re: [GMCnet] New Air Bag System [message #221463 is a reply to message #221422] |
Sat, 07 September 2013 09:03 |
 |
USAussie
Messages: 15912
Registered: July 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Karma: 6
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Senior Member |
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Ken,
John Sharpe and I intend to do some testing to obtain hard data which will put this discussion to bed.
I purchased two dial faced angle indicators which will place perpendicular and parallel to Double Trouble's fore / aft axis. We will
drive down a crowned road with the Power Level in Travel mode then make the same trip in Hold.
If we find that there is a difference between the runs we'll repeat it in John's coach which has an Electrolevel system.
Regards,
Rob M.
-----Original Message-----
From: gmclist-bounces@temp.gmcnet.org [mailto:gmclist-bounces@temp.gmcnet.org] On Behalf Of Ken Burton
Sent: Saturday, September 07, 2013 12:54 AM
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] New Air Bag System
Matt Colie wrote on Fri, 06 September 2013 07:22
> I guess it just matters more because we have a very light coach (~9400#). We used to regularly run 500+ mile days, so the chance
to experience the difference between the load of full fuel and minimum fuel was very available.
>
> On a single (and single for a reason) occasion, we ended up with the rear air pressure for full fuel with the fuel tank about
empty. The ride was remarkably "bouncy" and Mary was having a hard time staying in the lane with trucks passing. After we fueled,
I noticed that the rear had not been set to "Travel". I set to "Travel" then and when that tank got low, the same situation did not
occur.
>
> We always hear the air pump (hard to miss) after a fuel stop.
>
> It is easy to imagine that the 300# of fuel would make less of a difference to a 12000# coach.
>
> Matt
Besides immediately adjusting after fill ups, I also notice the same thing when the road surface changes. For some reason 2 lane
roads seem to have more taper than 4 lane roads. The other place I notice it is if I have a strong cross wind or if I move from the
front to the rear of the coach and let Laurie drive. I'm 210 pounds. I do not notice it correcting when Laurie moves the same
distance. She is 115 pounds and the dog at 50 pounds also does not trip it to correct.
As far a leaks go, I have none. My coach sat parked from last October until late August with no height change.
--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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Regards,
Rob M. (USAussie)
The Pedantic Mechanic
Sydney, Australia
'75 Avion - AUS - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
'75 Avion - USA - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
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| Re: [GMCnet] New Air Bag System [message #221474 is a reply to message #221463] |
Sat, 07 September 2013 09:56 |
Keith V
Messages: 2337
Registered: March 2008
Location: Mounds View,MN
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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| Robert Mueller wrote on Sat, 07 September 2013 09:03 |
Ken,
John Sharpe and I intend to do some testing to obtain hard data which will put this discussion to bed.
I purchased two dial faced angle indicators which will place perpendicular and parallel to Double Trouble's fore / aft axis. We will
drive down a crowned road with the Power Level in Travel mode then make the same trip in Hold.
If we find that there is a difference between the runs we'll repeat it in John's coach which has an Electrolevel system.
Regards,
Rob M.
|
THAT sounds like a cool experiment!
I'd love to hear the results
Keith Vasilakes
Mounds View. MN
75 ex Royale GMC
ask me about MicroLevel
Cell, 763-732-3419
My427v8@hotmail.com
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