Wanderlodge Gurus - The Member Funded Wanderlodge Forum

I have been doing some "wiring" work on my Bird, 1988 FC35. What fun. I
needed to access the wiring behind the driver's vent. I removed the
grille and the panel for the air vent. Couldnt get the plastic air hose
off so removed the Clippard cylinder. It is just hanging right now. It
looks like somneone has been in there before. I started up the bird and
operated the cylinder to see that it worked OK. It did but at the rod
end of the cylinder there is a small factory hole in the cylinder body.
When the rod is extended a small amount of air leaks at that hole. Is
this normal? It is fine when not extended. I havent hooked everything
back up to see if maybe it is because the cylinder is extended too far
exposing that hole. Maybe if it was attached to the vent door the
cylinder would not fully extend?? Thanks

Bruce

You speak the bitter truth, "some one has been here before". I hope you don't
run into the dreaded side cutter user. My vent cylinders don't leak at either
end of travel, but I haven't checked them out of frame. I am working with a
couple of new cylinders for another project and they do not leak at the stroke
limits.
MH
----- Original Message -----
From: birdshill123
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, November 08, 2006 3:33 PM
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] driver's vent air cylinder


I have been doing some "wiring" work on my Bird, 1988 FC35. What fun. I
needed to access the wiring behind the driver's vent. I removed the
grille and the panel for the air vent. Couldnt get the plastic air hose
off so removed the Clippard cylinder. It is just hanging right now. It
looks like somneone has been in there before. I started up the bird and
operated the cylinder to see that it worked OK. It did but at the rod
end of the cylinder there is a small factory hole in the cylinder body.
When the rod is extended a small amount of air leaks at that hole. Is
this normal? It is fine when not extended. I havent hooked everything
back up to see if maybe it is because the cylinder is extended too far
exposing that hole. Maybe if it was attached to the vent door the
cylinder would not fully extend?? Thanks

Bruce





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Bruce, the hole is to release air when the cylinder is actuated,
necessary as otherwise it would be compressing air against the
piston stroke. The point of concern for air leakage would be prior
to the piston reaching that hole. It may never get to the point it is
now under normal operation. My guess??
Bob Janes, Greenville, SC


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "birdshill123"
wrote:
>
> I have been doing some "wiring" work on my Bird, 1988 FC35. What
fun. I
> needed to access the wiring behind the driver's vent. I removed the
> grille and the panel for the air vent. Couldnt get the plastic air
hose
> off so removed the Clippard cylinder. It is just hanging right now.
It
> looks like somneone has been in there before. I started up the bird
and
> operated the cylinder to see that it worked OK. It did but at the
rod
> end of the cylinder there is a small factory hole in the cylinder
body.
> When the rod is extended a small amount of air leaks at that hole.
Is
> this normal? It is fine when not extended. I havent hooked
everything
> back up to see if maybe it is because the cylinder is extended too
far
> exposing that hole. Maybe if it was attached to the vent door the
> cylinder would not fully extend?? Thanks
>
> Bruce
>

Bruce,

Call Clippard and ask them.about hole and leaking. I believe you will
need a new cylinder. You can order one while you are on the phone.

Try this to remove the air hose. Push in on the piece that the hose goes
into and remove the hose.

Good luck.

Curt Sprenger 1987 PT38 8V92, Anaheim Hills, Calif.



birdshill123 wrote:

>I have been doing some "wiring" work on my Bird, 1988 FC35. What fun. I
>needed to access the wiring behind the driver's vent. I removed the
>grille and the panel for the air vent. Couldnt get the plastic air hose
>off so removed the Clippard cylinder. It is just hanging right now. It
>looks like somneone has been in there before. I started up the bird and
>operated the cylinder to see that it worked OK. It did but at the rod
>end of the cylinder there is a small factory hole in the cylinder body.
>When the rod is extended a small amount of air leaks at that hole. Is
>this normal? It is fine when not extended. I havent hooked everything
>back up to see if maybe it is because the cylinder is extended too far
>exposing that hole. Maybe if it was attached to the vent door the
>cylinder would not fully extend?? Thanks
>
>Bruce
>
>
>
>
>
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Some air cylinders only push out or pull in. they are called single
acting cylinders. the vent is needed for the release of air from the
noncharged side of the piston as it is pushed or pulled. The only
time it will pass air is during a movement . static release of air
is a sign of a damaged piston seal. The entire stainless cylinder
interior wall surface is uninterrupted (full distance of stroke)and
it is more likely that the rubber seal is damaged.

Moisture in the cylinder freezes and the ice chews up the piston
seal. Or dirt gets past the rod wiperseal and buggers up the piston
seal. Or you meet the requirements for Clippard's planned
obsolescence. The Clippards I worked on are more or less non
servicable. Clippard . com has a good enduser web order store and the
prices are less than MSR.

Some of the airline fittings have a plastic collar near the bace of
the fitting. pushing the collar toward the fitting releases the air
line.
GregoryO'Connor
94ptRomolandCa

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "birdshill123"
wrote:
>
> I have been doing some "wiring" work on my Bird, 1988 FC35. What
fun. I
> needed to access the wiring behind the driver's vent. I removed the
> grille and the panel for the air vent. Couldnt get the plastic air
hose
> off so removed the Clippard cylinder. It is just hanging right now.
It
> looks like somneone has been in there before. I started up the bird
and
> operated the cylinder to see that it worked OK. It did but at the
rod
> end of the cylinder there is a small factory hole in the cylinder
body.
> When the rod is extended a small amount of air leaks at that hole.
Is
> this normal? It is fine when not extended. I havent hooked
everything
> back up to see if maybe it is because the cylinder is extended too
far
> exposing that hole. Maybe if it was attached to the vent door the
> cylinder would not fully extend?? Thanks
>
> Bruce
>