Eagles International Forum

Duh, I just saw that I sent these scans previously on a couple of pages back. Oh well, There may be some updated info, otherwise disregard.
David


Here are some eagle drawings I got from Norris in 2006. He did say you could do this method on a model 10.
Probably wouldn't need all the air line plumbing as shown, just a way to air the bags up to the desired height. I hope it will help someone.
There is a good set of pictures on facebook from Perley Jay Benson showing his installation. Just put "air bags for eagle bus" in the facebook search bar and it will come up.

He put his at each end of the torsion bar. Looks like good engineering. I am contemplating doing this on my 10, but whew I've got the 4" fuel fill line in the way and the rear brake service tank. Perley shortened his air tank and decreased the volume. Not sure I want to go that route. I think I found the fittings to lower the 4" fuel line to get the steel in there to carry the force of the air bags. The air tank is a big challenge.
I am at 14" ride height now so this isn't needed soon, but I am out of threads on driver's side, so no more adjustment is left. I raised and leveled everything back in 2016. First time to adjust since 2003. It may last me my lifetime, (hope)
David

I looked at the Benson design on facebook, and I have got to say that I do not like the looks of it. Welding long extensions to the end of the Torsilastic tube does not seem to be a good idea. The other designs that have been out there clamp the air bag mount to the tube. Welding would likely cause problems with the rubber inside the tube.

I'm leaning more this direction. I drew this on Sketchup 8

I have to work around the metal keyway on the torsion springs because I don't want to grind them off and destroy the spring. I came up with the brackets shown below so I can get above them. I can notch the bracket above each keyway. They would be clam shell halves and bolted together. Looks like I need 20 of those half round pieces. I think I could get those made locally. The rest I can cut and weld myself.

Yes, Walter I agree. Don't want to weld on that rubber spring case. The rubber is already old and compromised.

I have a concern: Is there any rotation of the spring case as it moves up and down while driving? If so, this design will rub and the torsalastic will twist it as it moves. The air bag is not made to rotate. It must stay straight up all the time.

David

It seems to me that some movement might be possible. The Torsilastic is bolted to the axle, and therefore it cannot twist, but the axle can go up and down unevenly from one side to the other when going over uneven ground. In actual conditions, it might not be enough to cause problems. I have seen airbags mounted in the center over the axle (back in the nineties) at the Las Vegas bus conventions, and the Eagle manual shows two center mounted air bags for supplemental use. It would be interesting to mount a camera on the frame, and put markers on the axle and torsilastics to see what really happens when you go down the road. The airbags have to be straight, but perhaps their mount can be allowed to pivot. We should look at the details of how airbags are mounted on trucks and other makes of buses.

I would not worry about the tube twisting

I don't think it would twist enough to hurt anything.

Nice mockup, btw. Looks good to me