Cab and Sleeper on Air Ride

#90-GTSC · 07-20-2011, 08:15 PM

I was on the Interstate last night next to a Peterbilt 379 with a large sleeper pulling a car hauler. I noticed that the cab and sleeper appeared to be solidly tied together and they floated/bounced above the truck frame; presumably on air bags. The movement seemed significant.

With that much movement, how do you attach a MH box solidly to the frame of the truck and to the cab or sleeper? I would think there were be significant movement.

Thanks!

volvoman · 07-21-2011, 08:24 AM

you can get a longer rubber boot. think it went from 4 gap to 8 inch travel. they said on the longer ones you may get some noise from rubber flapping. they might make one 10 or 11 inch also. most guys take out air bags. will put in thick rubber spacers or block solid. i am thinking i will leave my air bags in.

Doc Weaver · 07-21-2011, 09:42 AM

Uni-Grip makes all kind of accordian seals. They are very helpful. I bought my boot and door seals from them.

fastavenger · 07-21-2011, 04:22 PM

my truck is a air ride cab sleeper and the box is air ride to and they are tied to geather works great

#90-GTSC · 07-21-2011, 08:33 PM

So ... I presume that leaving the cab and sleeper on bags and putting the box on bags provides a pretty good ride. How much better ride? Material? Thanks!

volvoman · 07-21-2011, 10:13 PM

how many bags and what size? what spacing are they? did you fabricate your own brackets?

fastavenger · 07-22-2011, 03:52 PM

yes we built it 4 bags 4 shocks works verry well i had a 40 foot bus when we raced jr dragsters and i did not want to give up that ride so when we went to a big car A fuel car we had to build what we have now works well

Highway OPie · 07-30-2011, 04:07 PM

I am converting a 379 Pete w/63" bunk to a MH using a 16' Morgan box. I will be removing the air ride system and mounting the rear of the sleeper using solid mounts. That will eliminate the movement between the tractor/bunk and the box. I will use a stock Peterbilt sleeper ring and rubber between the back end of the bunk and the front end of the box.

Many class 8 trucks do not have air ride. Further , some Kenworths have air-ride on the tractor and not on the sleeper. I figure the easiest was to eliminate any movement problems is to eliminate the movement.

Highway OPie

fastavenger · 07-31-2011, 12:53 PM

sure makes the rid a lot better with air bags

Highway OPie · 08-05-2011, 10:25 AM

Yes, you are correct; I do expect some degrading of the softness of the ride when I remove the airbags from the back of the new sleeper to make it one ridig unit.

However, I still have the air ride seats, and they take up most of "bumps" when going down the road, anyhow.

Hey, this is a big rig converted to a motorhome, but still looking like a truck. The sacrifice is more than worth it for me.

Thanks, for all the comments. This site is great! And, so far, no jerks (not the air bag kind!).

Highway OPie
Grand Rapids, MI

skatcat22 · 08-28-2011, 10:44 PM

Who can I get to build a box.. I have a t 2000 and would like to do it in phases.

Bob86ZZ4 · 08-29-2011, 10:44 AM

Check out Hawk Engineering. Pretty high quality there I think. Hawk Engineering Inc rv/truck conversions

I'd take a good hard look at the two coaches he's got for sale too. That one for $134k looks extremely nice to me. You could buy that and sell your T2. I bet you'll end up spending a lot more to build one yourself, not even including your time. And you're not going to be on the road for quite some time. BlizzND has lots of experience and knowledge in this matter. Maybe he'll chime in here? I just know that all those little things really add up when you're building it yourself. For sure give Hawk a call and chat with them too. I talked to him before I bought my coach and he was very helpful.

You may also like: