Air Bag Suspension Assist

[chuckconnie]

Is there anything available to replace the air bags inside the springs on a Workhorse P-32 chassis?

If not then how big a job is it to replace the air bags and is there more than one manufacturer of them and who would they be?

Also would a 1500 mile trip be too much to take without the bags,as one of mine has sprung a leak and I have no time to repair it right now? I deflated the other one but have not driven the coach yet without them.

[hermanmullins]

Chuck & Connie,

Welcome to the Forum. You can go to Camping World and they will replace your air bags. I beleive thay are made by Goodyear. Be sure and have them put the remote fill connections under your hood so you wont have to crawl under your coach to check the pressure.

Good Luck

[wolfe10]

For the P chassis from suspension, you have basically two choices.

One is to replace the complete front springs with heavier duty ones speced for your actual weight such as these:

http://www.henderson...xle-weight.html

The other is to replace the air bags themselves-- many do it yourselfers have done it, others take it to someone else for this work.

The air bags are an integral part of the front suspension, and driving with them deflated CHANGES FRONT END ALIGNMENT. This will both wear out tires and could be a safety issue were you to have to perform a panic maneuver.

[hermanmullins]

Brett is correct. It is a fairly easy job for a DIY person. Jacks, jack stands are a must. Either way it wouldn't hurt to have your coach weighted, each axle (each wheel would be better). Then if you decide on new springs the spring maker will know the weight requirements or with the air bags you would know what pressure to maintain.

[C-677946]

The oem bags are Firestone, 4100, and the aftermarket are Airlift 1000 http://airliftcompan...df/appguide.pdf, see page 19. The Airlift 1000 carry a lifetime warranty - http://www.airliftco...irlift_warranty

I would replace with the Henderson Supersteer Coil Springs if I were going to keep the coach for a while.

[hknapp]

I did the Airlift 1000 Bags. Once I got the old ones out, (the hardest part), putting in the new ones was easy once I discovered you heat the bags in warm water, roll them up tight. and just push them up through the hole in the bottom of the A frame. If I lived closer to Camping World I would have had them done. I understand they're very reasonable. They come with remote fill tubes. Had them about two years and am very satisfied. I run about 85lbs in them and they really stabilize the front end.

[Shadow]

You can get new springs that you don't need the air bags.

[wolfe10]

Yes,

Here is one source for P chassis front springs that do not need supplemental air bags-- speced for narrow weight ranges depending on your actual front axle weight:

http://www.henderson...suspension.html

[Briarhopper]

I seemed to be inclined to ask dumb questions today. In the case of a P32 are the air bags more of an assist than a gotta have?? In other words safer to move than a coach that is sitting on nothing but air?? Considering the 1500 mile trip in question.

[wolfe10]

Stuart,

I'll try to address your question.

The air bags are a standard, original equipment integral part of the P front suspension. They fit inside the coil springs on this independent front suspension (similar to Chevy PU). Without them, the front end alignment will be incorrect and suspension height will be too low/too close to the bump stops. 1500 miles without them could chew through a set of front tires and make handling and ride somewhere between dangerous and "less than ideal".

If your question is whether it would be safer to move a P chassis with no/bad front air bags than a diesel pusher with defective air suspension, quite frankly, neither should be driven, though I guess it would be safe to say that moving the P would be "less bad".

But, no coach, irrespective of type of suspension should be purposely driven if the suspension is significantly out of spec.