Firestone bag replacement

[john r. lebetski]

I broke loose the dumb end with air in bag but did the smart end with a socket once air line and brass parts were removed. Problem is the nut stayed
put and the entire " hollow bolt" came out of old bag. I have been holding the bag end of bolt with an internal EZ out and breaker bar and been
hitting the nut with air impact gun and 6 point socket. Used much penetrant, tryed the freeze it stuff and propane torch on nut. Nothing. I see that
the smart end nut is thinner than the dumb end nut. Should I Sawzall through the hollow bolt and try to get a new nut? More heat? Don't want to
ruin that hollow bolt fitting or are those available?
--
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II

 

[LQQKatJon]

I am not quite picturing what exactly you are up against.

Unfortunatly when i went to new airbag system, i ended up sawzalling the air fitting end off. I still have the bag, might be good for someone that
has a bad bag with a good end.

Kicked my butt for about an hour or more when caved and sawed it.

The lesson I took away, was pull off the air line, then install a schrader valve and inflate the airbag before removing the nut. That kept the bag
from spinning on the opposite side. Once that airbag spun, i think i was screwed on getting that nut off.
--
Jon Roche
75 palm beach
St. Cloud, MN
http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/

 

[sgltrac]

You may be able to hold the big threaded end of the fill port with a pipe
wrench and work the pag nut with a socket. That fails then sawzall the full
pipe.

Sully
77 eleganza 2
Bellevue

> I am not quite picturing what exactly you are up against.
>
> Unfortunatly when i went to new airbag system, i ended up sawzalling the
> air fitting end off. I still have the bag, might be good for someone that
> has a bad bag with a good end.
>
> Kicked my butt for about an hour or more when caved and sawed it.
>
> The lesson I took away, was pull off the air line, then install a
> schrader valve and inflate the airbag before removing the nut. That kept
> the bag
> from spinning on the opposite side. Once that airbag spun, i think i
> was screwed on getting that nut off.
> --
> Jon Roche
> 75 palm beach
> St. Cloud, MN
> http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

 

[sgltrac]

Fill pipe

> You may be able to hold the big threaded end of the fill port with a pipe
> wrench and work the pag nut with a socket. That fails then sawzall the full
> pipe.
>
> Sully
> 77 eleganza 2
> Bellevue
>

>
>> I am not quite picturing what exactly you are up against.
>>
>> Unfortunatly when i went to new airbag system, i ended up sawzalling the
>> air fitting end off. I still have the bag, might be good for someone that
>> has a bad bag with a good end.
>>
>> Kicked my butt for about an hour or more when caved and sawed it.
>>
>> The lesson I took away, was pull off the air line, then install a
>> schrader valve and inflate the airbag before removing the nut. That kept
>> the bag
>> from spinning on the opposite side. Once that airbag spun, i think i
>> was screwed on getting that nut off.
>> --
>> Jon Roche
>> 75 palm beach
>> St. Cloud, MN
>> http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>>
>

 

[sgltrac]

Depending upon how deep the machining is in the bogey arm where the nut
seats on the fill side it may be difficult to gain purchase with a box
wrench. I have run into this a few times. If that is the case then the
Schrader valve straight into the fill port would be a good solution. Both
sides can then be manipulated with air load preventing the "wrong" part
from turning and a socket can be used on each end. Good idea Jon.

Sully
77 eleganza 2
Bellevue

> Fill pipe
>

>
>> You may be able to hold the big threaded end of the fill port with a pipe
>> wrench and work the pag nut with a socket. That fails then sawzall the full
>> pipe.
>>
>> Sully
>> 77 eleganza 2
>> Bellevue
>>

>>
>>> I am not quite picturing what exactly you are up against.
>>>
>>> Unfortunatly when i went to new airbag system, i ended up sawzalling
>>> the air fitting end off. I still have the bag, might be good for someone
>>> that
>>> has a bad bag with a good end.
>>>
>>> Kicked my butt for about an hour or more when caved and sawed it.
>>>
>>> The lesson I took away, was pull off the air line, then install a
>>> schrader valve and inflate the airbag before removing the nut. That kept
>>> the bag
>>> from spinning on the opposite side. Once that airbag spun, i think i
>>> was screwed on getting that nut off.
>>> --
>>> Jon Roche
>>> 75 palm beach
>>> St. Cloud, MN
>>> http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> GMCnet mailing list
>>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>>> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>>>
>>

 

[john r. lebetski]

Don't want to pipe wrench the threads. I'm holding it ok with the Hanson EZ out internally. The 1/2" impact won't loosen the nut.
--
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II

 

[emerystora]

Try heating the nut with a propane torch. That should expand it enough to allow it to be turned off.

Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Frederick, CO

>
> Don't want to pipe wrench the threads. I'm holding it ok with the Hanson EZ out internally. The 1/2" impact won't loosen the nut.
> --
> John Lebetski
> Woodstock, IL
> 77 Eleganza II
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

 

[kosier]

John,

If all else fails, split the nut. You can easily get another nut, but that
spud is rare.

Gary Kosier
77PB w/500Cad
Newark, Ohio

--------------------------------------------------
From: "John R. Lebetski"
Sent: Saturday, September 02, 2017 10:57 PM
To:
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Firestone bag replacement

> Don't want to pipe wrench the threads. I'm holding it ok with the Hanson
> EZ out internally. The 1/2" impact won't loosen the nut.
> --
> John Lebetski
> Woodstock, IL
> 77 Eleganza II
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

 

[Ken B]

KROIL Kroil. KROIL!

Soak the nut and threads with Kroil for one day. Multiple applications may be used. After one day, heat the nut with a propane torch. While hot,
take the torch flame far away and shock the center with Kroil again until it cools down. Leave it soak for another day. Repeat the above 3 to 5
times and eventually it will spin off easily. I use a 3/8" drive impact wrench to spin the nut off. I test it each day after soaking the nut until
cool.

If you do not have the time to wait, then more heat and cooling cycles in a day will speed up the process. A nut splitter will speed up the process.
Try to split in 2 places.

A flame wrench can also be used in an emergency but you of course will destroy the piece in the process.

I would chase the exposed threads with a die before starting to remove the nut. It can be a bear to get the nut all of the way off once the nut
moves if the threads are dirty.

Finally when reinstalling the bag, go to Ace hardware and look in the stainless Jam nuts box. The largest jam nut in the box will fit that thread.
Also get some stainless tooth washers. Reassemble the bag with stainless jam nuts, stainless tooth washers and anti-seize. You will never have
problems getting them back together again.

--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana

 

[john r. lebetski]

I was thinking of reassembling w old air spring and a box end wrench captive installed before air line. With normal ride height will that hold the
spud from spinning if I use an extension on the box wrench? Due to the arm casting I don't think a nut splitter will get in there. On the bright side,
this is a good PM event in the barn compared to on side of road where a 30min job would not be possible and be very dangerous.
--
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II

 

[LQQKatJon]

Not sure if this is helpful or not....

A good-not super spendy wrench for those nuts is a trailer ball wrench that is usually found at a few stores near the tow stuff.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000CQOIV4/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1504452394&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=trailer+ball+wrench&dpPl=1&dpID=31ZEKNNHRCL&ref=plSrch

The nuts on mine easily spun off 1/3 of the way and then seemed to lock hard, and that is where i struggled. Had sockets and that hitch ball wrench
gave plenty of leverage, but could not keep bag from spinning.
--
Jon Roche
75 palm beach
St. Cloud, MN
http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/

 

[Ken B]

On the only one that I did with a splitter, I borrowed an air driven device with a set of jaws like bolt cutters. It had several sizes of jaws. The
smallest set fit.

I always encourage everyone to loosen and anti-seize those nuts now with the bag under pressure. Soak them in Kroil, unscrew the air line, screw in a
schrader valve, air it up, and use a deep well socket to loosen.

It is much easier to do now at home rather than on the side of the road later.
--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana

 

[john r. lebetski]

With the open end wrench captive to the air line and full weight of coach on the system it still spins in the bag and not the external nut. So put it
back together until after the long weekend and I can see about getting that fill bolt and nut ftom JimK or Cinnabar. For now it's all funtional and
not beached. The old springs look pretty good and they were put in by PO and Golby probably 12+ years ago so don't want to hammer mechanic the parts
if not available. Again, happy to he in climate controlled barn where I can walk away when tired and not trying this with semi's whizzing by. I will
use antisieze or Synpower on the big nuts in the end so it is truly a 30 min job if stuck on side of road in future.
--
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II