[Ozarkguy]

Thanks Steve,

This reminds me of another question.

Has anyone seen these go 20+ years?

Is there a recommended time for replacement?  If so, is this based on any science or just what feels good?

Our bags are 16 years old but look and work good.  Of course our tires were over 25 years old, looked and worked good but I still replaced those for safety reasons.

Thanks!!!

I replaced the bags on the 74' they appeared to be original and were holding air, but looked scary.. I'll look around to see if I have any receipt.  

Couldn't find receipt but the 74' had the same aux compressor setup and Ride-Well suspension.. The suspension shop I used In Mesa had no problems finding the replacement. Yours look great compared to the ones I replaced  the break drums are pretty scarce tho...

[bobandpeni]

Jimmy,

Thank you so much for looking for the receipts.  Who knows if they'd have even helped.  The receipt that I have for our bags has a part number but it seems to have absolutely nothing to do with Firestone, perhaps it's a stock number for the company that installed them.

Do you have any Newell literature concerning the suspension?  Our coach came with almost no documentation and I've been collecting whatever I could find.  Since your coach has a similar suspension maybe just maybe....  I'd love to know what Newell had to say about this suspension.

Thanks,

[bobandpeni]

bob,  i had a grin on my face the whole time i looked at your pictures of the restoration.  

it is so cool.....

thanks for sharing

tom

Tom,

Your coach is BEAUTIFUL! 

Thank you for your kind words, we love her and have many many plans yet to fulfill!

[Flick]

Wow the work you have done is absolutely amazing. Well done.

Carrying a couple spare bags intrigues me as well. We don't know the age of ours. Out mechanic says they look fine but no doubt he will be too far away if they blow on a trip.

[Retro]

Bob, were apparently in this together. I tried to find a part number on my 77 as well, firestone also, i have to pull them and im told the # is on the top or bottom, can't remember what one. But shouldn't be hard to get replacements.

[Retro]

Your the man for fixing up this Newell, its a gem and there's so few around, I tip my hat!!

[bestgenman]

Bob, Unfortunately I cannot give you a part number but found the springs in the Firestone catalog just as Steve Bare recommended for my 89 Newell.  I've found 15 years as a decent replacement time frame.  It had been 15 years on the 89 and the current coach needed them at 15 years also.   I found the best diagnosis is to spray them with a soap solution and if they are leaking it will look as if you applied shaving cream!!.  Replace those.

[JAMES TUCKNESS]

I have replaced the bags on my 71, 30' gas coach with Ridewell suspension. Firestone #6902 or Goodyear #2B9-201 I think this Goodyear was what I used for replacement. I have the same air compressor as shown in your picture. High quality compressor driven by a long shaft Ford starter of sixties vintage. I worked on my coach for over 7 years and have gone over most all of it. I have part #'s for many items replaced on my rig.

James Tuckness
Springfield Mo.    860-3153 if you have questions I may answer.

[Ozarkguy]

Bob,
You may want to contact this fellow.. Appears he just replaced the airbags n may have documentation

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/rvs/4931071418.html

[bobandpeni]

Jimmy, thank you for the link.  A friend sent me that link a couple of days ago and I saw that he had changed his air bags, but since it's got a rear engine I'm guessing it has a much different suspension than our front engine coach.

James, I can't wait to call you and chat about your coach.  I've really been hoping to find someone with a similar coach to share information on.  I usually try to get the information BEFORE I need it and will certainly take advantage of your 7 years of experience!  Unfortunately our brake job took 3 months since I had no part numbers and had to remove parts, take them to the brake shop and try to match them with something.  If it hadn't been for the retired old timer that owned the shop I'm guessing we would have never gotten it done.  I'll PM you to try to set up a good time to call.

Thanks to all the Guru's for your support!!!