Air suspension

[Jeremy Parrett]

Does anyone know the type/name /model etc of the air bag (bellows) we have fitted on our 2000 Marquis Amethyst. We are off to Baja.Mexico in 2 weeks time, and reckon it would be a good idea to carry a spare.
We  found this item on E Bay, and wonder if it will fit our coach.
Part Brand:  MOHAWK
Manufacturer Part Number:  12C-3-52

 Thanks, Jeremy and Jane
  

[Richard And Babs Ames]

Air bag failures are really quite rare in motorhomes. Maybe Gerald Farris is the best person to get a list of spare parts to carry with you.

Fuel Filters and belts would be the first thing on mine along with the 12 volt electric connector kit and basic tool box.

[Bill Sprague]

About 30 years BC (before computers) I worked in a Seattle truck parts store.  We had a contract as the Firestone air bag supplier.  We had a catalog, inventory and cross references for about every air suspension brand used at the time.  We could even match replacements with a tape measure!

Now it appears to have an on line component at http://www.firestoneindustrial.com/.  You may be able to crawl under your motorhome, look for part numbers on the bag itself and look it up.  

There may be an easier way, like calling Beaver Coach Sales, giving them your coach serial number and having them ship you one!

That said, they are bulky and have a low failure rate.  You may not want one in your parts bin.  

As long as we are talking about airbags, maybe someone knows why we think the rubber in tires is getting old at around 7 years and we never hear about the rubber in airbags getting old.  

[Roy Mueller]

Jeremy,

Air bags do hold up very well.  Road hazards do happen,  you may not need carry spare, but you
should call Robert, at Beaver coach sales in Bend OR. and get a Part # to find out where the part can be found.  Firestone,Goodyear, etc., so you can cross reference the #.  Some are the same as trucks and readily available.  Some are special order and take 2 months to get.  It would be good to know before you have a problem.

Roy Mueller

[Jeremy Parrett]

Richard,Babs,Bill and Roy,
Many thanks for your advise. I will call Robert, at Beaver Coach Sales, and see if he can look up my coach records, and just keep a part number for reference.

[Edward Buker]

I was considering carrying a spare also. I have the PN for a 2002 Marquis Air Spring. It is probably the same as in the 2000 but should be checked. It is a Goodyear 1R12-431. I called a large supplier in PA to see what the pricing would be and he did not have a listing for it. He had been in the business for years and did some research with Goodyear and was told that it was a proprietary PN for Monaco that could not be bought directly. Monaco pricing was extraordinarily high when compared to similar Goodyear air springs that were obtainable so I went without. This was several years back when I checked, perhaps there is a better supply situation now. Let us know what you find. Hope this helps.
later Ed

[Gerald Farris]

Jeremy,
I would not carry a spare air bag, but I would carry at least one, and preferably two secondary fuel filters, one primary fuel filter, a fuel filter for the generator and a spare serpentine belt for the engine. Diesel fuel in Mexico is much more likely to have contaminates in it than the fuel that you get at major truck stops in the US, so extra fuel filters are a must.

If you are running Cat. extended life coolant, I would carry a spare gallon of it also because it will probably be hard to find were you will be traveling.

Gerald

[Jeremy Parrett]

Hi Gerald and Ed,
 Thanks for the suggestions. So, we will not carry a spare air bag (bellows in Canadian), but we will carry spare fuel filters, etc ,serpentine belt and a gallon of extended life CAT coolant.
 So far we have not been offered anymore than $100 for our nearly new steering Bridgestone R250 11R22.5 14PW's
 Dilemma.....
 I am considering just carrying a spare Bridgestone R250F ED 11R22.5  16PW , load range H
  OR installing  2 and carrying one of the old Bridgestone 11R22.5 14PW as a spare
  OR installing 2 Bridgestone 295 80/R22.5's with no spare.
 The question really is ....'do we need to carry a spare tire going for 2 months to Baja .Mexico'

[Edward Buker]

The highest failure rate components in motorhomes are tires and batteries. As Gerald recommends a spare belt, fuel filters, and some extra coolant is a wise choice. Tire failure rates rise with time as the strength of the materials degrades. A seven year useful life is typically being quoted which is not your current issue. Perhaps someone who makes that trip yearly can comment on the road hazard issue and the need for a spare.

Bottom line....I would opt for the  safest possible scenario regarding my front steer tires which would be the new 295 80R/22.5 Bridgestones. You might try E mailing several tire dealers in Mexico and see what tire availability is to get a replacement tire in your size if needed, and use that to determine if the hassle of carrying a spare is warranted. Beyond that be sure that the age of your batteries is reasonable to head out with. It is impossible to guess what you might have a problem with and carry enough parts to cover all the bases but if tires and batteries are in the best shape that would be a good start.

Later Ed