Freezing Air Lines - Airbags Won't Air Up - Owner Operator Tips & Tricks
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- Опубликовано: 8 фев 2025
- I was also having an issue where a piece of ice would keep my primary air tank from airing up. I would be driving down the road and I would slow down for an off ramp or school bus and the primary air tank would not air up. I put my old thinkin' cap on and determined that I needed to do the same thing between the compressor and the air tanks. This worked too.
The best thing to do is drain the water out daily during the summer and change your air dryer filter on a regular basis.
Anyway, hope this helps someone.
Pre treat it with Air line antifreeze running from the red line a night before. It’ll keep it from freezing hard
This guy made a video 9y ago to save my but in 2025.
Loves replaced my leveling valve yesterday and this morning again-no air in airbags.
One of my operators somehow didn’t know to drain the tanks and was only draining the wet tank. I torched the tanks to melt the heavy buildup of ice, and put airline antifreeze in the lines but still couldn’t get air into the secondary. Out in the field hundreds of miles from the shop I couldn’t just pull it into a warm area (rig’s in northwest Kansas), happened across your video and thought “why not, might work”. Filled a form oil sprayer with hot water from the concrete plant and by god it’s working now! Thanks for the suggestion!
...pretty sure the operator will drain his tanks from now on since he’s been missing his primary rig
Me and my father-in-law just had the same problem last week. Coming back from Iowa to Illinois airbags wouldn’t stay inflated.
Didn’t have any alcohol at the time and was on the side of I 80 at midnight. Disconnect from your trailer jack up the back of the tractor a bit and wedge some 4 x 4‘s between the axle and the frame. Put a strap or a bungee around it and you’ll make it far enough without destroying your driveline in case you don’t have water or alcohol.
Thank-you , I was going to put alcohol in line but you saved the hassle.
Hot water worked like charm.
Good
Make sure the heating element on the airdrier is getting power. Drain your air tanks when its warm out daily before the cold comes. Alcohol evaporators really help in colder climates. Today the windchill is -48c in northern ontario. Bottle of water aint doin shit here friends. So if that dont work is methyl hydrate in the wet tank time. Drain the air... remove a dummie plug from the tank ... get some methyl hydrate into the tank. Re install the dummie plug and air up. If this dont work.... tiger torch under the truck or trailer to warm things up.
Many times when your air springs will not air up , the small pressure protection valve is stuck which is mounted on the air tank . Follow air line from leveling valve to valve on tank and heat up with propane torch . If this does not work turn the air governor screw out ( ccw ) 2 turns , this will let the compressor build to 150 psi clearing valve restriction . Turn your governor back down and tighten jam nut .
Good emergency fix
Just take a whiz on it and hope for the best 👌
Good tip...thanks driver!
Thank you sir you saved my butt!!
Just worked for me thanks
I know this is old... but I bet this never happened when you cab was warmed up, did it? The problem is actually in the valve in the dash. My Pete 389 did the same thing. If you just left the air dumped until the cab (and dump switch) valve warmed up, it would work just fine. Had nothing to do with warming up lines or the leveling valve.
Will this still work if the airbags wont inflate in the summer time?
Have an inverter? Keep an extension cord and a heat gun on board. A heat gun is basically a more powerful hair dryer.
I had issue with my trailer no air going to trailer air tank locked brakes on dock after done loading. I replaced Spring brake valve, problem solve hope this helps who ever reads comments also behind cab @ tractor protection valve blue valve was exhausting air cuz of this issue
Even better is to service your dryer when it's supposed to be serviced.
Well there you go...
Mine is serviced month ago. Still
Thankyou sir
Easy fix with water ' it works for me
Just put alcohol in your lines before it gets cold
I was just recently having this problem with the suspension not inflating on the truck. Ended up having to replace the leveling valve. The Kenworth I drive has alot of problems with frozen airlines every winter. We have replaced the air dryer 2 times now and still the system has alot of water in it.
+D Mc I just replaced the head $15K. Count your blessings brother... I replaced the leveler valve too. Don't have the problem anymore. Make sure you pull that chord and drain those tanks every time you fuel throughout the thawed out months.
This would not work if it were -30f. Water would freeze on contact on those lines. And your leveler would be toast.
So some folks call that a solution? I called that a bandaid lol.
Nice!!!
Thank you very much!
Or drain your airtanks everyday
Exactly. This is the easiest way to go. Mfs are lazy
Alcohol threw your system when u hook up trailer put on supply and return cycle threw your system by hit brake release 2 or 3 times move alchohol threw your system. You will not freeze up
Alchohol bottle pour 4 or 5 seconds in each line
lelee tifra
How to do that though?
No wonder they keep freezing up. Dumping water all over the leveling valve? Come on
No kidding...why not use a little propane torch. It throws mega heat without burning anything if you hold the flame like 4 inchs away. I truck in northern Canada 40 to 50 below. You don't leave without a torch. His trick may work in like 5 below, try that shit trick in 40 below.
I've never experienced that in 30 years ...u probably need a new air dryer
A
U got 💦 water in ur airlines
Penray