| Rear Suspension Supports [message #75734] |
Fri, 05 March 2010 18:18 |
Larry C
Messages: 1168
Registered: July 2004
Location: NE Illinois by the Illino...
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Senior Member |
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Supporting the rear suspension manually
Hi folks
I haven't been around as much because of a terminal illness with one of my dogs. You know how dogs become family!
BUT, I think I have come up with something that might come in handy if you have a 4 bagger air bag system. I think this can be modified for the OEM bag system as well.
The Problem
Gatsbys' CRUISER  air system is fine for travel but when parked, in a few days she starts to sag.
This is find for long term Winter Storage, one can just support the suspension with some blocks of wood.
The Fix
I came up with the thought that I could support the coach with a piece of wood between the 4 bagger mid support and the airbag arm.
In the case of the 4 bagger, you need one for each side about 6.5 inches long, which I cut from some 1x1 lumber and installed.
This kept the coach up for a week or so.
One day I noticed the passenger side sagging, the wood had split allowing the suspension to come down.
My next brite idea was to cut the 1x1 into 1/4 inch long peices and glue them together like plywood.
This worked but I noticed the wood was compressing and causing a slight curve in the wood, I projected a failure as the curve would get worse until it would break apart.
In the meantime, I had been thinking of how to make this work while camping. I reasoned I would need it to be adjustible for manual leveling ( use the air system to lift and lower and adjust accordingly, then let out some air to put the weight on the device and off the bags ).
what I came up with is essentially very simple and very small so it stows easily.
I went to my favorite overpirced ACE Hardware store and went to the pipe section. There I picked up 4 pipe 4 12" long and able to let a 1/2" threaded bolt to slide inside. I also picked up 4 pipe caps thinking this would give a footing for the device.
I then went to the bolt section, and picked up 4 carriage ( rounded head) bolts about 5" long and 4 (1/2") nuts.
When I got home, I put the pipe caps on one pipe end, and the 1/2" nuts all the way on the tread of each bolt. I then slipped one bolt into each pipe.
The rest is rather basic, park at the camp site, level the coach, instal the variable sized pipe support, let a little air out to put weight on the supports and forget it till you leave.
I have a little bag I put them in and when the coach is supported by the leveling devices, I put the bag on the gear shift to remind me to remove them.
This will cost about $21 dollars and is probably as simple as it can get with the least amount of space used for storage.
If pics are required, I can email them.
LarC ( "in the words of Pecos Pete" I wuz a hunt'n for a solution to hold this here coach up, and I dun found me one )
Gatsbys' CRUISER  08-18-04
74 GLACIER X, 260/455-APC-4 Bagg'r
Remflex Manifold gaskets
CampGrounds needed, Add yours to "PLACES" />
http://www.gmceast.com/travel
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