Hello,
I purchased "Free Bird" around 3 months ago and final was able to take her out
on our maiden voyage. I had all the shocks and air bags replaced and had all the
mechanicals check out at ABR (American Bus Repair) located in Alameda, CA. Great
place to have work done if you are ever in the area.
The maiden voyage went well. We took her from San Francisco to Lake Tahoe. I was
amazed at how many complements we received. I came across one issue when it was
time to dump the tanks. Both gray and black dump valves seem to stick. I had to
pull (quite hard) on the black round knobs to get them open. I also noticed that
after I closed them, the black valve continued to leak air.
My questions is do these valves need to be lubricated so that they don't sick
and also, how do I fix the air leak? Or should I just buy new valves? I located
power twis-loc valves on dupree products website. is this the correct valve to
replace them with?
Any help would be appreciated.
Jerry Kocher
1987 PT38
San Francisco, CA
Hi Jerry,
Did you purchase your coach from Jim & Barbara King?
Is the air leak at the hose to air fitting, or coming from around the cylinder shaft?
Sticking...is usually the paddle that is either binding due to seal distortion, or lack of lubrication. You can purchase the paddles with seals from Dupree products. Use Plumbers lube to lubricate the seal.
Curt Sprenger
1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"
Anaheim Hills, CA
"curtsprenger@gmail.com"
One of the "Birds of a Feather" (BOF) Organizers
On Thu, Aug 11, 2011 at 11:59 AM, jerry_94110
<"gerard@kocher.com"> wrote:
ÃÂ
Hello,
I purchased "Free Bird" around 3 months ago and final was able to take her out on our maiden voyage. I had all the shocks and air bags replaced and had all the mechanicals check out at ABR (American Bus Repair) located in Alameda, CA. Great place to have work done if you are ever in the area.
The maiden voyage went well. We took her from San Francisco to Lake Tahoe. I was amazed at how many complements we received. I came across one issue when it was time to dump the tanks. Both gray and black dump valves seem to stick. I had to pull (quite hard) on the black round knobs to get them open. I also noticed that after I closed them, the black valve continued to leak air.
My questions is do these valves need to be lubricated so that they don't sick and also, how do I fix the air leak? Or should I just buy new valves? I located power twis-loc valves on dupree products website. is this the correct valve to replace them with?
Any help would be appreciated.
Jerry Kocher
1987 PT38
San Francisco, CA
You can also just replace the seals. I replaced paddes and seals in 2007 and
seals only this year - a bit hard to get them on, but they work as well as new
paddles.
I have had to replace both air "switches" due to leaks internally.
On 8/11/2011 at 12:14 PM Curt Sprenger wrote:
>Hi Jerry,
>Did you purchase your coach from Jim & Barbara King?
>
>Is the air leak at the hose to air fitting, or coming from around the
>cylinder shaft?
>
>Sticking...is usually the paddle that is either binding due to seal
>distortion, or lack of lubrication. You can purchase the paddles with seals
>from Dupree products. Use Plumbers lube to lubricate the seal.
>
>Curt Sprenger
>1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"
>Anaheim Hills, CA
>curtsprenger@...
>One of the "Birds of a Feather" (BOF) Organizers
>
>
>On Thu, Aug 11, 2011 at 11:59 AM, jerry_94110 wrote:
>
>> **
>>
>>
>> Hello,
>> I purchased "Free Bird" around 3 months ago and final was able to take
>her
>> out on our maiden voyage. I had all the shocks and air bags replaced and
>had
>> all the mechanicals check out at ABR (American Bus Repair) located in
>> Alameda, CA. Great place to have work done if you are ever in the area.
>>
>> The maiden voyage went well. We took her from San Francisco to Lake
>Tahoe.
>> I was amazed at how many complements we received. I came across one issue
>> when it was time to dump the tanks. Both gray and black dump valves seem
>to
>> stick. I had to pull (quite hard) on the black round knobs to get them
>open.
>> I also noticed that after I closed them, the black valve continued to
>leak
>> air.
>>
>> My questions is do these valves need to be lubricated so that they don't
>> sick and also, how do I fix the air leak? Or should I just buy new
>valves? I
>> located power twis-loc valves on dupree products website. is this the
>> correct valve to replace them with?
>>
>> Any help would be appreciated.
>>
>> Jerry Kocher
>> 1987 PT38
>> San Francisco, CA
>>
>>
>>
Congrats on the successful maiden voyage - may you have many more uneventful
trips. In addition to what has already been mentioned, I usually spray the
metal shaft of the paddle with some silicon spray whenever I open them to dump.
Seems to keep them opening easier. I am sure Stephen Birtles (Dupree Products)
will chime in with other ideas/comments when he sees your post.
Did you get any pictures during your trip for Bird of the Week? Send them on
in!
Thanks,
Mike Bulriss
1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan"
San Antonio, TX
--- In
WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "jerry_94110"
wrote:
>
> Hello,
> I purchased "Free Bird" around 3 months ago and final was able to take her out
on our maiden voyage. I had all the shocks and air bags replaced and had all the
mechanicals check out at ABR (American Bus Repair) located in Alameda, CA. Great
place to have work done if you are ever in the area.
>
> The maiden voyage went well. We took her from San Francisco to Lake Tahoe. I
was amazed at how many complements we received. I came across one issue when it
was time to dump the tanks. Both gray and black dump valves seem to stick. I had
to pull (quite hard) on the black round knobs to get them open. I also noticed
that after I closed them, the black valve continued to leak air.
>
> My questions is do these valves need to be lubricated so that they don't sick
and also, how do I fix the air leak? Or should I just buy new valves? I located
power twis-loc valves on dupree products website. is this the correct valve to
replace them with?
>
> Any help would be appreciated.
>
> Jerry Kocher
> 1987 PT38
> San Francisco, CA
>
Hi Curt,
Yes I purchased the bird from Jim & Barbara King.
I am not sure exatly where the leak is coming from, but I can sure here it.
I will give Dupree products a call.
Thanks for you help,
Jerry Kocher
1987 PT38
San Francisco, CA
--- In
WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Curt Sprenger
wrote:
>
> Hi Jerry,
> Did you purchase your coach from Jim & Barbara King?
>
> Is the air leak at the hose to air fitting, or coming from around the
> cylinder shaft?
>
> Sticking...is usually the paddle that is either binding due to seal
> distortion, or lack of lubrication. You can purchase the paddles with seals
> from Dupree products. Use Plumbers lube to lubricate the seal.
>
> Curt Sprenger
> 1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"
> Anaheim Hills, CA
> curtsprenger@...
> One of the "Birds of a Feather" (BOF) Organizers
>
>
> On Thu, Aug 11, 2011 at 11:59 AM, jerry_94110 wrote:
>
> > **
> >
> >
> > Hello,
> > I purchased "Free Bird" around 3 months ago and final was able to take her
> > out on our maiden voyage. I had all the shocks and air bags replaced and had
> > all the mechanicals check out at ABR (American Bus Repair) located in
> > Alameda, CA. Great place to have work done if you are ever in the area.
> >
> > The maiden voyage went well. We took her from San Francisco to Lake Tahoe.
> > I was amazed at how many complements we received. I came across one issue
> > when it was time to dump the tanks. Both gray and black dump valves seem to
> > stick. I had to pull (quite hard) on the black round knobs to get them open.
> > I also noticed that after I closed them, the black valve continued to leak
> > air.
> >
> > My questions is do these valves need to be lubricated so that they don't
> > sick and also, how do I fix the air leak? Or should I just buy new valves? I
> > located power twis-loc valves on dupree products website. is this the
> > correct valve to replace them with?
> >
> > Any help would be appreciated.
> >
> > Jerry Kocher
> > 1987 PT38
> > San Francisco, CA
> >
> >
> >
>
Thanks, Jerry. The information helps me keep my 'Bird list updated.
Your bird and ours are pretty much identical other than colors.
I've experienced the two dump air switches leak and replaced them. The cylinder air hose/connections leak, removed the hoses, cut off about 1/4" and reinserted the hose to stop the leaks.
Have also replaced dump drain paddles.
Let me know if you need more information.ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ
I'm acquainted with the folks that sold your coach to the King's. We shared stories for several years maintaining our coaches.
Good luck.
Curt Sprenger
1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"
Anaheim Hills, CA
"curtsprenger@gmail.com"
One of the "Birds of a Feather" (BOF) Organizers
On Thu, Aug 11, 2011 at 2:10 PM, jerry_94110
<"gerard@kocher.com"> wrote:
ÃÂ
Hi Curt,
Yes I purchased the bird from Jim & Barbara King.
I am not sure exatly where the leak is coming from, but I can sure here it.
I will give Dupree products a call.
Thanks for you help,
Jerry Kocher
1987 PT38
San Francisco, CA
--- In "WanderlodgeForum%40yahoogroups.com", Curt Sprenger wrote:
>
> Hi Jerry,
> Did you purchase your coach from Jim & Barbara King?
>
> Is the air leak at the hose to air fitting, or coming from around the
> cylinder shaft?
>
> Sticking...is usually the paddle that is either binding due to seal
> distortion, or lack of lubrication. You can purchase the paddles with seals
> from Dupree products. Use Plumbers lube to lubricate the seal.
>
> Curt Sprenger
> 1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"
> Anaheim Hills, CA
> curtsprenger@...
> One of the "Birds of a Feather" (BOF) Organizers
>
>
> On Thu, Aug 11, 2011 at 11:59 AM, jerry_94110 wrote:
>
> > **
> >
> >
> > Hello,
> > I purchased "Free Bird" around 3 months ago and final was able to take her
> > out on our maiden voyage. I had all the shocks and air bags replaced and had
> > all the mechanicals check out at ABR (American Bus Repair) located in
> > Alameda, CA. Great place to have work done if you are ever in the area.
> >
> > The maiden voyage went well. We took her from San Francisco to Lake Tahoe.
> > I was amazed at how many complements we received. I came across one issue
> > when it was time to dump the tanks. Both gray and black dump valves seem to
> > stick. I had to pull (quite hard) on the black round knobs to get them open.
> > I also noticed that after I closed them, the black valve continued to leak
> > air.
> >
> > My questions is do these valves need to be lubricated so that they don't
> > sick and also, how do I fix the air leak? Or should I just buy new valves? I
> > located power twis-loc valves on dupree products website. is this the
> > correct valve to replace them with?
> >
> > Any help would be appreciated.
> >
> > Jerry Kocher
> > 1987 PT38
> > San Francisco, CA
> >
> >
> >
>
Have a 1984, 35 foot Blue Bird, FC with Cat 3208 engine, Would like to sell. Located in N.E. Ohio