In having a conversation with one of my Newell friends I was reminded that identifying the air bag numbers on our coaches was one of my winter jobs. Since his coach is one number from mine, we are going to make what may be a dangerous assumption that our air bags are the same. Apparently the only way to identify the air bags is to remove them as the number is on the top and/or bottom. If any one has replaced the air bags on a 1999, IFS coach, you could save me some work. While my air bags are not cracked and look pretty good I would like to know the Firestone number before I need it.
I am starting with the right front. It appears that there are two bolts on the bottom mounting plate and three bolts on the top mounting plate. There is also an air line on top. It appears unbolting the mounting bolts, unscrewing the air line and prying down the extended air bag will allow removal. Is there any one who can confirm or straighten me out on removing a front air bag?
Steve Bare
1999 Newell 2 slide #531
(This post was last modified: 02-13-2013, 05:06 PM by rheavn.)
Thanks Tom,
I did a search, but it didn't bring up your thread. I know our tag bags will probably be different as they changed the tag axles in 2000. I'll let you know what I find.
I am not sure every air leak in our 84 has been yet located. The mechanics did say though that our airbags did not leak. So how long do these last and what do they cost to replace typically?
Todd & Dawn Flickema
Former owners of a Classic 1984 Newell
71 Karmann Ghia
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
that is a whole can of worms. just when do you change an airbag? i am sure many will jump in here. particularly those that have had an airbag pop on them.
i only changed the airbags on my 02 in the rear because they were really cracked badly. the ones on my 90 were not.
if they leak, then it is clear. if they pop, it is clear. otherwise it is a judgement call.
the airbags run about 200-250 bucks apiece and take a good mechanic two to four hours to change the rears and a couple of hours perhaps to do the front. maybe less, maybe more.
so it is not inexpensive to do. the other challenge is what steve bare was referring to. it is hard to know exactly what airbag you actually have. very few of them are labeled on the bag themselves and apparently all of them are labeled on a tag on the top or bottom of the bag mount, requiring you to take a bag off to know what one it was. that is what i had to have done for my tag bags.
then it is not always easy to source or find the bags. many of them you have to order and wait for them. newell seems to stock a pretty complete stock of them, but not sure if they have them for clear back to the 80's. just dont know.
thats my two cents worth.
tom
2002 45'8" Newell Coach 608 Series 60 DDEC4/Allison World 6 Speed HD4000MH
It is a wonderful thing that Steve is doing!!! I will be greatly in his debt.
Yes, I would be willing to take the gamble that my bags will be the same as the coach built next to it. And it's not much of a gamble. The most I lose is the cost of a couple air bags. The potential gain is vastly reduced down time should I have a bag blow on the road.
I think it needs to be mentioned that finding the number is not as easy as contacting Newell. They responded their records don't contain the number and that they just remove the bag and see if they have a spare in inventory. That's just fine if are in Oklahoma. If Steve is able to get the information maybe a few of us will be better prepared to either do a proactive replacement, or a repair, whichever we choose. Thanks Steve and take lots of pictures. Russ
Russ White
2016 Winnebago Vista LX 30T
#530 ( Sold )
1999 45' Double Slide - Factory upgrade 2004
(02-13-2013, 09:24 PM)encantotom Wrote: that is a whole can of worms. just when do you change an airbag? i am sure many will jump in here. particularly those that have had an airbag pop on them.
i only changed the airbags on my 02 in the rear because they were really cracked badly. the ones on my 90 were not.
if they leak, then it is clear. if they pop, it is clear. otherwise it is a judgement call.
the airbags run about 200-250 bucks apiece and take a good mechanic two to four hours to change the rears and a couple of hours perhaps to do the front. maybe less, maybe more.
so it is not inexpensive to do. the other challenge is what steve bare was referring to. it is hard to know exactly what airbag you actually have. very few of them are labeled on the bag themselves and apparently all of them are labeled on a tag on the top or bottom of the bag mount, requiring you to take a bag off to know what one it was. that is what i had to have done for my tag bags.
then it is not always easy to source or find the bags. many of them you have to order and wait for them. newell seems to stock a pretty complete stock of them, but not sure if they have them for clear back to the 80's. just dont know.
thats my two cents worth.
tom
Tom, I believe the general consensus is that an airbag's useful life is abou 10 years
My coach is a 2003 that I have had a couple of years. Over the course of the past few trips at Newell, I had the front and rear bags replaced. I was concerned that a blown airbag would leave me stranded in a strange place with a non-drivable / non-towable coach.
I asked Newell about them and they were not in favor of replacing. Actually, I had to ask a couple of times. Finally, they relented and replaced the rear ones. The next trip, they replaced the front.
I am much happier going down the road knowing that the air-bags will not cause a problem. Plus...it cured an air leak!
Chuck, I am in your camp! After 10 years, you are probably on borrowed time.
I've run into my first stumbling block. I was afraid the mounting bolts might be an issue since they had not been moved since production, but they came loose fine. The swivel fitting on the large air line going to the top of the air bag does not want to swivel. I can get the fitting loose, but without the fitting nut swiveling I can not remove the hose from the top of the air bag. The fitting is a 90 degree with a swivel nut that connects to the air bag fitting. Any one dealt with this issue?
Steve Bare
1999 Newell 2 slide #531
(This post was last modified: 02-15-2013, 08:26 AM by rheavn.)
