Hendrickson Air Ride Question

[Auctioneerhere]

I have one that has the air bag suspension with the one big spring on each corner of it. Not sure of the exact model yet...

It is airing up & off center by about 1 1/2 in. on one side...The Drivers side comes up taller than the pass. side. I would like to fix it.

I am assuming the leveling valve needs replaced?

For what its worth the truck is an 1985 IH & it is a single frame T/A Dump truck. It has been used as a dump truck for many many years.

 

[willie59]

Does it use single height valve? Or height valve on each side? Could just be a valve control rod adjustment. There's a lot of info at Hendrickson website.

http://www.hendrickson-intl.com/

 

[Auctioneerhere]

It is a single valve that controls both sides, from what I can see.

Even though it operates just fine like this I feel it might not be safe / good for the drive shafts.

Thanks for the link, I will look through it again.

 

[willie59]

I worked on a KW T600 tandem tractor once that had been stretched and a oil tanker fitted to the frame. It had the Hendrickson HAS system on the tandems with the air bag on one side of the axle and big single leaf spring on opposite side of axle. It had the single height adjusting valve, and with the oil tanker on top of it, the drivers said it got a bit squirrely around corners, leaned purty good. I took the single height valve off and installed a quick reacting height valve on each side of the axle attached to the frame rails. Made that truck handle and level totally different.

 

[Auctioneerhere]

I noticed it floated a little in the one hard corner it has on its current run.

I'll bet it is the same kind of deal. I am just going to replace the one that is on it, give it a whirl & go slow in the corners.

Thanks!

 

[willie59]

Suit yourself, but consider modifying it to use two height control valves. It's an easy modification, and would make that thing drive like a totally different truck.

 

[Auctioneerhere]

So your saying 2 of these....? http://www.hendrickson-intl.com/products/product_detail/height_control_valve.asp

 

[Willis Bushogin]

I agree with ATCO, I had a converted dump truck and it would scarce you in a curve, I installed 2 leveling valves and it was like a new truck. I would check the spring on each side and see if the bow is out of the spring, is the spring cracked, is it the same leafs on each side, is the bottom of the air bag support bent??
As a quick check you can switch the air lines going to the air bags and see if the problem switchs sides. Make sure you have the same air bags on each side, the numbers are usually stamped in the rubber.
These are easy checks, that wont cost you any money
Keep us posted

 

[willie59]

Yep, that's the height control valve auctioneerhere. It's not unusual for trailers and road tractors to use only one height valve, but Willis knows what I'm talking about, if you have a dump body loaded with dirt to the sideboards, that thing will sway like a ship on the ocean. And those valves come in different delay settings, I'd put two new quick reatcting valves on it. You'd be surprized how much better it drives.

 

[Auctioneerhere]

OK in the name of safety, I will do it. I will get them on order...

I just bought this truck & it has some issues, but for the most part works pretty well.

I bought it to resell, but then I decided to fill in the adjoining 5 acres w/ some reject sand. I use the sand to pack around the concrete fill / rubble all ready in place.

It has a Silver 92 & a good 13 speed in it so it is fun to drive. Our haul is 6.2 miles each way.

I plan to keep it busy for 3 months.

Thanks for the help... This is my first AR dump truck so I have been learning how to use it properly via the net.

Thank you.

 

[Auctioneerhere]

Whoop's double post