Air Bag Replacement-2002 Signature

[Converterjoe]

Getting frustrated with the lack of knowledge of this coach by service departments. I blew an airbag on the drive axle about 100 miles from home. Not too big a deal...yet. Capped off that airline and was able to limp the 20 miles to the Freightliner dealer on the tag. Sourced and purchased all 8 bags (tag axle lift bags were new). After a week the dealer emailed me saying they were able to replace the busted bag and its mate but said the hardware to change the rest of the bags was hidden in the chassis and they couldn't do the job. He also said they don't have the software to set the ride height. This Roadmaster chassis was a partnership with Freightliner so I had assumed that they would be the best folks to do this job. Does anyone know who might be able to handle it anywhere in Alabama or central to north Florida? I don't trust the remaining bags.

[Just Jim]

I have not heard that Roadmaster and Freightliner were a partnership...  possibly after Monaco went belly up?  A good shop is very difficult to find.  Good luck in your search.

[Ivan K]

Software to set the ride height? 

[Dr4Film]

Go to Josam's in Orlando, see Barry the service manager. You won't find a more honest, reputable and cost effective place to have all your chassis work done.

[RobsMarquis]

18 minutes ago, Converterjoe said:

Getting frustrated with the lack of knowledge of this coach by service departments. I blew an airbag on the drive axle about 100 miles from home. Not too big a deal...yet. Capped off that airline and was able to limp the 20 miles to the Freightliner dealer on the tag. Sourced and purchased all 8 bags (tag axle lift bags were new). After a week the dealer emailed me saying they were able to replace the busted bag and its mate but said the hardware to change the rest of the bags was hidden in the chassis and they couldn't do the job. He also said they don't have the software to set the ride height. This Roadmaster chassis was a partnership with Freightliner so I had assumed that they would be the best folks to do this job. Does anyone know who might be able to handle it anywhere in Alabama or central to north Florida? I don't trust the remaining bags.

Yes,  the ABC Bus Co,  Winter Garden Florida just helped me with my air bag problem and ride height control valve.  My 08 Beaver Marquis.  .  The roadmaster chassis never was affiliated with Freightshaker co.  The ride height should be around 9 1/2 inches top to bottom of bag supports..  There is not software to adjust the ride height as it is mechanically controlled from the ride height control valves...  as for me I would also change the height control valves as they fail without warning.  There are three of them rear left side and right side on the drive axle and the front axle.  Good luck  The service writer is ALEX at ABC company. Oh they have pits to drive the coach over to make it easier to work on.   800-222-2871

[David Pratt]

O'Boy, someone has filled you panty's with a bunch of cow manure!. There is no software to set the ride height.

The ride height is measured by the distance between the upper and lower mounting pads of the airbags on the steer and drive axles. The measurement will be covered in your owners manual along with how to do it correctly.

Prior to 2014 I do not know of any Monaco Coach that had a Freightline chassis. The early Monaco Beaver coaches had Spartan Chassis.

When REV purchased the Monaco Brand they started using Frieghtliner Chassis in all there builds.

The best and only place to take your coach to have it serviced and repaired correctly when it comes to chassis work is JOSAM's in Orlando Florida.

Josam Truck Frame & Alignment Center, 8849 Exchange Drive, Orlando, Florida 32809, 407-438-7020 and ask for Barry. There is nothing they do not know about the Monaco Chassis.

[vito.a]

Changing the airbags is not rocket science but can be a dirty job. 

Actually, an old division of Chrysler Corporation developed the Roadmaster Chassis for a heavy military vehicle.  Monaco purchased the design from them. 

Most of us that have been around for a while actually think of Freightliner as a low-price poor-quality choice.  The large corporations concerned with only the bottom line lease Freightliner trucks.  Those that care purchase something with better quality.    

Like the others said, ride height is set by adjusting mechanical links, two on the rear and one on the front.  No software required.  In fact, if it was correct before the air bag change it may not require any adjustment. 

 

[Converterjoe]

Thanks everyone!  I'm waiting on a call back from Barry @ Josam now.  

[Hypoxia]

Here's an excerpt from a 2005 Monaco Executive Owner Manual showing the ride height adjustment information.

Adjustable Ride Height.docx

[Chuck B 2004 Windsor]

Josams in Orlando is the place.  Chuck B

[WayneC]

Air ride suspension,  fantastic ride! I am a little late to post but I was thinking about what has been said while I was traveling. I have driven logging trucks in Northern Canada and you could imagine the conditions and the large amount of weight that we are able to carry in - 40 temperature,  air ride tractor and Trailer, very seldom blowing an air bag and when it does happen just change the one bag. So my question is why change ALL the bags on the coach? If you have the means too and I do appreciate the preventive maintenance concept.

Is there something I am missing, Air Bags can go for a very long time, I asked our client (logging,construction,mining) certified safety inspection shop, they do all my general service, have them go underneath and tell them to find something wrong, I have asked about airbags and they say everything looks good, enjoy! Beautiful coach!

Thanks Wayne 

1999 signature 

[Dr4Film]

I am still riding on the original air bags installed in 2001. They are over 19 years old and still look good. No plans to change based on age unless one or more start to have problems. When that time comes if it does I will have Barry from Josam's in Orlando do the change-out.

[Converterjoe]

I guess it's possible that I over-reacted to one bag blowing out but all the bags have visible cracking.  19 year old coach with only 130K on the speedometer so my worry is that rather than damage from use, the rubber may have atrophied from all the time this coach spent parked.  This was a very unwelcome expense but the idea of blowing a bag in the winter in Colorado makes me shiver (literally lol) and changing the bags on this bus is much more difficult than changing them out on a tractor or trailer that's completely open underneath.  Probably overkill but.....

[Guest Ray Davis]

1 minute ago, Converterjoe said:

I guess it's possible that I over-reacted to one bag blowing out but all the bags have visible cracking.  19 year old coach with only 130K on the speedometer so my worry is that rather than damage from use, the rubber may have atrophied from all the time this coach spent parked.  This was a very unwelcome expense but the idea of blowing a bag in the winter in Colorado makes me shiver (literally lol) and changing the bags on this bus is much more difficult than changing them out on a tractor or trailer that's completely open underneath.  Probably overkill but.....

You didn't do anything wrong , i probably should replace the bags on my 03 Windsor but I haven't had one rupture yet so it is still a ways down my growing list of things to do .   

BTW I think Freightliner didn't want to work on your RV air bags so someone made up a bunch of BS to get rid of you .

Most shops of the big truck brands run and hide when an RV pulls in .  Some of that may be because many RVers are hard to please and get in the way     as we have every right to be , they charge enormous amounts of money and often make a big mess of things but still if I was one the techs I would much rather deal with a trucker 

[Converterjoe]

This particular Freightliner dealer has as many coaches in the service line as trucks (Dixie RV is only a block away).  As I was leaving, the coach wouldn't level itself so they sent an experienced tech out to help me.  This tech was incensed that they had not called him onto my job (he found the hidden hardware right away).  I got the coach level manually in camping mode, it then stayed level in travel mode and I was able to get it the 100 miles to home without an issue.  The local shop who did my brake job is going to finish the airbag job but I will definitely be bringing my coach to Josam for a thorough inspection the next time I'm in Orlando.

[WayneC]

I agree,if my air bags showed cracks and wear like that I would do the same.thanks for sharing the contact in Florida.

Thanks everyone well done.

Have a great weekend 

Wayne 

1999 signature 

[Hypoxia]

I replaced all of my air springs last year.  There were some that looked good but when I  cut them apart they were not good.  Much easier to do it in my shop then dealing with the delay and unknown shop while travelling.

Inside split

Outside split

Old and new

New air spring tag

Edited November 13, 2020 by Hypoxia

[dl_racing427]

On 11/13/2020 at 6:55 AM, wayne.cerven@gmail.com said:

Air ride suspension,  fantastic ride! I am a little late to post but I was thinking about what has been said while I was traveling. I have driven logging trucks in Northern Canada and you could imagine the conditions and the large amount of weight that we are able to carry in - 40 temperature,  air ride tractor and Trailer, very seldom blowing an air bag and when it does happen just change the one bag. So my question is why change ALL the bags on the coach? If you have the means too and I do appreciate the preventive maintenance concept.

Is there something I am missing, Air Bags can go for a very long time, I asked our client (logging,construction,mining) certified safety inspection shop, they do all my general service, have them go underneath and tell them to find something wrong, I have asked about airbags and they say everything looks good, enjoy! Beautiful coach!

Thanks Wayne 

1999 signature 

Few trucks have anywhere near the service life of a coach.  They typically get a couple million miles and are retired in a decade or less.
Many coaches, like mine, are getting close to 30 years old, and still have relatively low mileage, meaning they could last many more decades.
Time has a much greater impact on rubber and fabric parts, like airbags, than mileage or load.
Replacing them every 15-20 years, or sooner if they start showing cracks, is a very good idea.

[RustyTools]

Awesome people and service and fair prices at Josams'. 

After leaving the Monaco Get Together last year at Lazy Days, the little 'fizzy' bubbles (they'd show up after a rain) I'd been watching around a seam on one of my front bags were slowly getting larger over time.  I was near enough to the 'old' Monaco Wildwood location to swing by and get a replacement bag and take it to Josam's for replacement.  I've had work done by them before, and once again they didn't disappoint.  The shop was pretty full, but when they heard we were pretty-much grounded, they scheduled us in immediately.

Almost makes me want to move closer to them for the future... "just in case".

Edited February 16, 2021 by RustyTools