OOPS...broken air ride hose

[jaded1364]

OOPS...broken air ride hose

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I was inspecting a worn looking hose on the 2000 town car and it broke. It's the main feed to the air ride.

It looks like a huge pain in the azz to replace because it's the one the goes up along the frame rail over the axle but in between the "platform" that the shocks and air bags attach to.

I hoped there was an access pannel in the trunk but it's not looking good. I can touch the hose connection/fitting. It feels like a twist type nut. Kinda like a compression fitting.

Is that what it is?

Are there any tricks to acess those lines?
I'm tempted to cut a square out of the trunk with the die grinder and weld the sob back in! LOL
What are the shops doing?

Is that a special grade of hose?

I've never had to work on an air ride suspension before.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Wayne

 

[no0c]

OOPS...broken air ride hose

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I was inspecting a worn looking hose on the 2000 town car and it broke. It's the main feed to the air ride.

The air lines are not hose but nylon air brake tubing (3/16"). I might add it has a protective outer coating that must be removed before any repairs are done.

It looks like a huge pain in the azz to replace because it's the one the goes up along the frame rail over the axle but in between the "platform" that the shocks and air bags attach to.

There is no air that goes to the air bags. They are activated by electricity and blow up in your face upon impact. There is however the aforementioned nylon tubing that transports air to and from the air springs.

I hoped there was an access pannel in the trunk but it's not looking good. I can touch the hose connection/fitting. It feels like a twist type nut. Kinda like a compression fitting.

Is that what it is?

There is no access panel. The fittings are not of compression design, but a unique fitting that employs an o-ring, a collet and a release ring. Take a look at the link below. You will find a repair fitting and also either a TEE or WYE depending on the year of the TC in question. I'm guessing it's that tube at the fitting that has gone bad. You may even be able to reuse the fitting. I installed a remote vent solenoid in my 92 and I used a couple 3/16" compression male adapters with a TEE for that job. I don't know why you couldn't use a 3/16" compression union, with a short piece of tubing, if needed, being very careful not to over-tighten the compression nuts.

http://www.americanairsuspension.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=1823

Repair Union

TEE

WYE

I'm tempted to cut a square out of the trunk with the die grinder and weld the sob back in! LOL

I don't think that would be in your best interests.

What are the shops doing?

Using some imagination to remove, replace and possibly reroute the lines to make things work.

Is that a special grade of hose?

3/16" nylon air brake line with a protective coating.

Good luck.

 

[jaded1364]

no0c,

Thanks for the help.

I knew the lines weren't rubber but I didn't know exactly what the material was. I assumed nylon or plastic of some sort.
Anyway, thinking about it I can probably graft a small piece in where the damage is using some sort of sleeve and clamp arrangement or.
This will avoid the issue of lack of easy accessability.
I plan to fix this one up and flip and move up. If it was my car and it was necessary to access those connections I might consider cutting my welding, he'll, I probably would have made a waterproof bolt in pannel just because it would be cool.

Ok, so they're air springs? Not air bags? Good to know.

Thanks again for your help,

Wayne

 

[no0c]

Here's a picture to illustrate the construction of the tubing used to handle the air (prepared for a repair).

And the procedure for a repair and how the tubing is attached to the drier, spring solenoids and the WYE or TEE in the system.

And here is how I employed 3/16" male adapters to install a Tee into the line for the installation of an external vent solenoid. I used 1/4" tubing to the solenoid valve, because of availability. 3/16" tubing is not readily available and I could not find inserts for it to prevent collapse when the compression nuts are tightened, thus the warning to be gentle if you use a compression fitting.

The 1/4" line on the right terminates at a 12VDC vent solenoid to vent the RAS system when needed. The wires are the current feed wires to the solenoid. This simple repair eliminated my need to replace the compressor/vent valve assembly, just because the integral vent solenoid (not service separately) was fubar.

The remote vent solenoid valve. Wiring comes from the air compressor connector.

Hope that helps.

Good luck.

 

[jaded1364]

I think the compression unions are the way to go in this case. I think I can get at the damaged part of the hose without dissconnecting it from the "tee". The only problem I'm running into is that I can't find anywhere with that size nylon tubing.

Can you think of a suitable alternative?

If I can't find the stuff in bulk I may have to just use a small piece of copper tubing to fill the gap. Unfortunately, there's not enough slack in the tubing to "stretch" it together and just use on union. I'll have to "scab" something in there to fill the void. The hose is actually damamge about 3 or 4 inches long. If it was a clean break or the damage was only about an inch I probably could have gotten away with on union and called it a day.

Question, after the repair is made, is there anything that needs to be done to the system? I mean like does it need to be blead or is there any procedure other than just starting the car up and letting the air pressure build up?

Thanks,

Wayne

 

[no0c]

I think the compression unions are the way to go in this case. I think I can get at the damaged part of the hose without dissconnecting it from the "tee". The only problem I'm running into is that I can't find anywhere with that size nylon tubing.

That's the exact reason my external vent solenoid was plumbed with 1/4". You might for giggles call some class 8 truck dealers like Kenworth, Peterbilt, Navistar, Freightliner .... to see if they use any 3/16". I find it highly unlikely, but it's only a phone call or three. Don't forget your local Ford dealers, they just might have a roll of bulk on the shelf.

Can you think of a suitable alternative?

If I can't find the stuff in bulk I may have to just use a small piece of copper tubing to fill the gap. Unfortunately, there's not enough slack in the tubing to "stretch" it together and just use on union. I'll have to "scab" something in there to fill the void. The hose is actually damamge about 3 or 4 inches long. If it was a clean break or the damage was only about an inch I probably could have gotten away with on union and called it a day.

That sounds like a good plan. It's sure worth a try as long as the tubing will not rub or flex enough to break. That could easily be prevented by putting a piece of 1/2" or 5/8" heater hose over the repair for protection and possibly anchoring the repair with some clamps.

Question, after the repair is made, is there anything that needs to be done to the system? I mean like does it need to be blead or is there any procedure other than just starting the car up and letting the air pressure build up?

I have to assume you have already shut the RAS system off, which is a must anytime you are working on the car or lifting the car off the ground. No, there is no procedure for a refill. Get everything back together and on the ground and turn the key to ON. Don't be surprised if it might not take 2 cycles to get a complete trim inflation as the RAS has a time limit the compressor will run. One cycle may not be enough. Just cycle the switch to OFF and back to ON to try it again. If it were me, I would let the compressor cool for maybe 5 minutes before sending it into another duty cycle.

Good luck.

 

[jaded1364]

I was at an auto parts the other day and the guy showed me an air shock kit. It included the hose and connectors and stuff. All I could have used out of it was the hose so I passed. If I had to replace more than just a 3 inch section it might have been worth the 18 bucks. Plus tax of course.

I wasn't able to find any 3/16 hose today either so I bought a foot of copper, two compression fittings and it worked like a charm.

I was able to remove the right rear wheel and gain access to the retainer that held the hoses down at the tee. I popped it open and was able to fish the broken piece through the access hole between the air springs. It was a peice of cake. I make the connections from there, including the copper, fished it all back through, made the final connection and popped the wheel back on.

I lowered it to the ground and started it up. I waited...watched...and nothing...and waited...then I looked and sure enough it started coming up, got up to normal ride high and "wala" (I know that's not the right spelling but hukd on fonics werkd fer me).

Anyway, thanks for the help. I'm liking this car more and more all the time.
I'm going to have it all shined up and ready to sell and not want to let it go. I always did love a big car. The late 6o's chryslers were the best.

I found a bumper cover about 20 minutes from here for 60 bucks, assuming the deal doesn't fall though, and get this, it's even black. Maybe I'll get lucky and it'll match!

Thanks for the help.

Wayne

PS. I'm looking for an inexpensive labor guide resource. I used to have access to a computer based guide. I'd fip my friend a few bucks here and there when I had to do a job that was out of the ordinary for me but his computer fried and...well, now my resource is gone.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Markviiiedrea]

I'm looking for an inexpensive labor guide resource. I used to have access to a computer based guide. I'd fip my friend a few bucks here and there when I had to do a job that was out of the ordinary for me but his computer fried and...well, now my resource is gone.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I use google. "Book time for..."