| Author |
Message |
Gord Skiffington (Gordnb)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, April 04, 2005 - 10:02 pm: | |
Howdy all.....Just a couple of tips to pass on for any of you replacing the double convoluted air bellows (bags) on MC9 drive axles. There are 24 total 5/16UNF special bolts (12 top/12 bottom) for attachment......note that if your bus has an inflation plate sandwiched between the bolts and the support plate you'll need the longer 1-3/4" bolts (12) for that side but you may use the shorter 1-1/4" bolts for the opposite end (or you may opt to use the longer bolts for both). MCI may not mention this when ordering. DO buy all new special bolts for 2 reasons - first you'll save a huge amount of time and grief by just cutting the old ones off (some can be torched some air chiseled) and secondly you'll save the locating keys in the support ring by not trying to twist out stubborn bolts. DO clean the support/inflation plate AND CLEAN ALL THE HOLES so that they'll easily pass the new bolts. DO mark the location of the fitting on the inflation plate with respect to the support plate (saves grief). DO NOT try to use stover lock nuts (its a sanity issue in close quarters especially on the forward drive axle bags). Of course safety is paramount so block 'er up safely (never rest any heavy vehicle directly on wooden blocking but use a steel plate to resist splitting.......or use correct jack stands). Blocked up and with tires removed you can then let down the axle with a seperate jack to make installation much easier. TIP.....use tire soap (Murphy's etc) around the rim and sealing surface of the bellows AND around the I.D. of the ring, put all the bolts in first and you can put this on the bellows by hand (leave the screwdrivers for driving screws). Air up and test with soapy water before getting 'er all together. |
Craig (Ceieio)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, April 05, 2005 - 12:08 am: | |
Gord - thanks for the tip, it sounds well thought out. I think you have convinced me that if I need to do this I'll be driving to Southern Oregon Diesel! :-) :-)
Craig - MC7 |
bruce king
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, April 05, 2005 - 12:58 am: | |
Gords post is right on the money in all respects
Take special heed of the note about bolt length. I went through the exercise of having too-short bolts when the passenger side airbag
blew on my mci-9. I thought at first I had lost
a tire; substantial bang and immediate list to the right, but it steered ok, and i was able to get off the highway. My coach had the air beam on that side plated, and the plate thickness meant that i had to spend an extra day hanging out in a parking lot in kansas city that i really didn't wanna. I cleaned the plate with a
wire brush and then sprayed it with rustoleum
paint. I ended up having to cut most of the
bolts off due to excessive rust; a hacksaw blade
did the trick when i couldn't fit the entire hacksaw in there. |