Blown airbag

[daverave]

So we’re in Colorado headed back to CA from the east coast and driving up a dirt road to a campground near Great Sand Dunes NP we blew a Firestone airbag when the bracket holding it in place completely sheared. Made a hell of a racket, I thought a turnbuckle had failed.
Fortunately we had cell and internet service. Being a 1/4 mile from the campground and 3.5 steep miles from pavement, we decided I’d wire it up so it didn’t bang quite as bad on everything around it.

Assuming we can get a tow from AAA to a mechanic, my theory is to just remove both airbags and run on our Bilstein shocks until we get home. Does anyone have an opinion on the wisdom of that plan and other considerations we should be aware of?
Thanks!

 

[rando]

How much pressure do you normally have in the airbags?

If the airbags are carrying a significant portion of the load, then you may not want to drive back to CA without them. Your shocks don't carry the load, your springs and airbags do, so it is a question if the springs alone are sufficient to carry the load for your return journey. Airbags are easy to install, so you may be able to have a bag and bracket overnighted to a nearby mechanic or campground.

 

[daverave]

Thanks for the input. We normally run the airbags at 35 psi. We have a Hawk in the truck bed with stock springs, figure 1200 lbs loaded.

 

[daverave]

Note that airbags may be easy to install but the few mechanics here are backed up for weeks and understaffed. I have a call into my dealer/installer in Sacramento for their opinion. Thanks again.

 

[rando]

Thanks for the input. We normally run the airbags at 35 psi. We have a Hawk in the truck bed with stock springs, figure 1200 lbs loaded.

At 35 psi it doesn't seem that the airbags are carrying a huge amount of load, so as long as the truck is handling OK and isn't squatting too badly, then you should be OK to drive home.

 

[daverave]

I had the bags and shocks installed at Four Wheel Parts in Sacramento who I just spoke with. They were quite evasive about how I should deal with our problem but the guy I spoke with said he wouldn’t drive it without the airbags if it was his. It seems we may have to hole up here in Colorado for quite a while to get this fixed.
It has me questioning the value of airbags… it wasn’t even a particularly bad dirt road where it broke compared to what we’ve done in the past five years.

 

[pvstoy]

How much lift from the bump stops do you get with 35 psi? What do you think 35 psi gets you, 1 inch? Look at the side that is not blown and compare it to the blown side.

Right now only one side is lifted and that makes the blown side drop more and look worse. Taking out half of the air on the good side would level it out more.

If you have good distance to the bump stops where you might bottoming out with bumps then you would be ok to go.

Like rando says the leaf's hold the weight and the shocks and tires absorb the bounce.

You would just need to make the broken parts safe for travel. If can't remove then bailing wire and duct tape does wonders.

 

[ntsqd]

How badly tail-down does the truck sit with no air in the air springs? At 1200 lbs you're 200 lbs over the theoretical max loading for a 1/2ton truck. Not ideal, but preliminarily I'd call it driveable pending more info.

I would not leave the other side inflated at any pressure for the drive home.


A quote that I read somewhere and have absolutely no idea who said it.
"The difference between an Adventure and a Catastrophe is Attitude."
One that I do know who said it is:
"You have to have experiences like these to have good camp-fire stories."
-- Billi-Jo Garcia

 

[daverave]

So far it’s an adventure but a week in Monte Vista, CO with no wheels could change that. ;-)

 

[Curmudgeon]

It has me questioning the value of airbags… it wasn’t even a particularly bad dirt road where it broke compared to what we’ve done in the past five years.

Tens of thousands of people run air bags off-road without problems. I installed a set on one of my pickups in the late 1980s, and they are still going strong. Instead of questioning the value of airbags, you should probably be questioning the quality of the installation.

 

[fuzzymarindave]

Drop the remaining air bag to 5 psi and proceed. Should be fine. Headlights may be too high for night driving though.

 

[fish more]

I'm with Jim, I would question the install. I've had air bags on three vehicles and never had that happen. Also have driven on some severe 4WD roads with no problems. I would tie it up out of the way or remove and head home !!

 

[daverave]

Update: After a slightly fitful nights sleep, we’ve set up a tow through AAA to Monte Vista. There appears to be a 1-1/2” sag between the front and rear axles. Tentative plan is to have the airbags removed and head home depending on what shop tells us.

 

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

That’s hardly any sag at all. I had a similar experience with a leaking Schrader valve on one side. If you have any really heavy items you could move them forward in the camper. Take it easy on the way home and all should be good.

 

[daverave]

The AAA tow guy, who we thought was free, wanted $300 for the 3.5 miles of freshly graded and improved gravel road to get us back to pavement. Being penny wise, pound foolish we spent 40 minutes driving down very slooowly to pavement. Seemed worth it ;-/

 

[Lighthawk]

Been there, done that.

A few years ago in DV we were driving up from Saline Valley to Steele Pass and ka-blooie!
I popped one bag, due to reasons not relevant here.

I amputated the blown bag and lowered the other side to 12 psi. We were able to get it done quickly and still got in our hike that day.
We continued another few days of dirt and 300 mile drive home to Nevada City without incident.

Plenty of people drive without airbags at all.

 

[pvstoy]

All great suggestions have been posted. I think Dave is going to go with what he feels comfortable with. It is outside the normal for him and we don't want to push him out of the bubble.

5 psi in the remaining side, lighten the rear weight forward and enjoy the drive home. Plenty of people drive around with worse conditions.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Patrick,thanks for the realistic approach.
I hope yours and other suggestions give
"daverave" an easier mind.
Frank

 

[daverave]

Sitting in a shop in Monte Vista getting well taken care of by Paul at Discount Parts and Glass which pretty much does everything. Recommend. He squeezed us in to a packed schedule and we’re avoiding a motel night.

He confirmed what several have said that it was likely a poor install, guessing that Four Wheel Parts may have installed with the camper on it, a big no-no as you can’t really know the true ride height so the articulation was compromised. He also thought 35 psi was too low for the load. He suggested a package from AirLift when we get home… and a better install.

We’ll probably take it easy on the way home, staying near pavement. Thanks to everyone for weighing in, much of this is outside my knowledge base but I feel better able to address it now.
WTW rocks!

 

[ntsqd]

Might talk to WFO up in Auburn when you get home about a leaf springs-only solution. 1.5" of sag doesn't sound like it will be asking for much more than what you have now.