ANOTHER air leak

layoutshooter

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
I have my truck in the shop, again, for another air leak. I just talked to the shop and, surprise surprise, it's an AMU leaking.

I bet that Freightliner will be shocked if I never buy another one of their junk trucks. They KNOW that these parts are bad, they refuse to fix them.

Does anyone out there know of a non-Freightliner AMU that can replace this junk?

If anyone from Freighliner reads this, stick your AMU's up your nose!

I guess I will call and complain, not that it will do any good, they have no use for customer service OR reliable parts.
 

zorry

Veteran Expediter
Hope you find a good after market replacement. Until then its an After-warranty Moneymaking Unit from Freightliner. Loved Freightliner in the 60's and 70's. When they decided quantity was better than quality....heck, I don't need to explain it to you.
 

layoutshooter

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
I would seem that Freightliner has changed their business from producing trucks to producing fertilizer.
 

mss1963

Expert Expediter
That's why they call them JUNKLINER'S just money pitts...I drive a 2005 M2 106 would make a better paper weight or boat anchor...that's all their good for!!
 

greg334

Veteran Expediter
How do you have two?

I thought there was only one on the M2?

Did you keep the old one or at least see it?
 

layoutshooter

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
How do you have two?

I thought there was only one on the M2?

Did you keep the old one or at least see it?

There are four on my truck. I have seen the old ones. They crack along a seam. You can hear them leaking, I can even hear it with my bad hearing.
 

Doggie Daddy

Veteran Expediter
LOS, you have had so many of these replaced, can you tell me the average cost parts and labor for this job. I have had 1 of mine replaced, but it's been awhile and can't remember what I paid. The reason I am asking is that I am in need of at least one of these units again.
 

Dynamite 1

Moderator
Staff member
Fleet Owner
Los, there are more than 4. But problems seem to be truck specific. Some of the same year have never replaced any. Just be thankful your not like my buddy. He bought a new 06 112 and is about to put in #41. They did warranty 2 of them. Good luck!!!!!!!!
 

layoutshooter

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
Los, there are more than 4. But problems seem to be truck specific. Some of the same year have never replaced any. Just be thankful your not like my buddy. He bought a new 06 112 and is about to put in #41. They did warranty 2 of them. Good luck!!!!!!!!

My truck is a 06 M112. I would have to go back and count but I believe I have to up to 15-20 that I have replaced. I have only found 4 on the truck. Could be that each truck is set up different? The parts are junk.
 

RETIDEPXE

Veteran Expediter
I think I posted something similar to this in past years and apologize if redundant for those who know how to work the sites search feature, I don't have much luck with it.

I have an 07 M2106 and the 1st AMU went around 150,000 miles and replace under warranty (after paying the shop a $90 diagnostic fee to re-install and tell me what I already knew. I did not want to wait around a couple days for the part and had it done at my home dealer instead). Same AMU again around 225,000 miles I think. Replaced it myself and that was 460,000 miles ago (685,000 mi.s on the odom now). Other then the brake lite switch AMU going out due to an internal electrical issue (not an air leak, although this AMU may have failed due to the factory improper install), I have not had to replace any since then.

My take; proper installation is key. They are all sandwiched together with the rubber gasket w/ molded in o-rings between each. This is what I believe to be the problem. 1st, the 'C' clips that hold AMU's together is easily misaligned or bent out of shape. Care must be taken to install this 'C' clip correctly and then lightly tapped to make sure they are firmly seated. 2nd, when re-installing the block of already attached AMU's , I took a simple adjustable clamp like found here;

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs..._mmc=shopping-_-googlebase-_-D25X-_-202688771

and used it to squeeze the AMU's together while mounting the piece of angle iron back on that holds them all in place. This assures the rubber gaskets are well seated after removing the clamp (I thought about leaving the clamp there but knew a DOT officer would have too much fun with that one).

Like I said, no problems with them since. Be aware this is all my own findings and I did not seek any manufacturer's repair manuals or otherwise (although FL might want to investigate this technique if something similar isn't already being recommended). Good to have a certified tech sign off on it. When the rubber gasket, located in a very hostile environment as they are, leaks, this leads to premature AMU failure due to overworked sensors and other problems like the cracks you may find. I dissected my old one and let me tell you they are well built, they just need a little help holding it all together.
 

layoutshooter

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
Do you have any pictures of your set up? How could you go about getting FL to look are you 'system' and maybe cut down on the problems we are having with them? It is a REAL pain to be sure.
 

RETIDEPXE

Veteran Expediter
BTW, diagnosing a leaking AMU is easy. For finding any air leaks, I use a 3 ft section of 1/2" OSD or smaller plastic hose. Place one end near your ear (not in your ear, haha) and slide the other end in the slot behind the back side of the AMU's. The sound of the air leak will be magnified, By measuring how far back you slide the hose, you can determine which AMU is leaking.

The brake lite switch AMU was found after talking to a FL dealer who asked if the brake lites worked intermittently, which they did, and told me it was probably the AMU. With a test lite and wifey on the brake pedal, determined he was right. Dealer could not get to me till the next day so I went to the parts department, printed me out a schematic of AMU blocks on my truck, bought the AMU and installed it in their service parking lot in about 20 minutes, and retained the nice OH to Laredo run. They sent a scout out to replace a mirror on a truck next to me to covertly check on what I was doing. Heck, all they had to do was ask the parts department, LOL.

Further ideas to eliminate the air pump from cycling so much (and maybe pick up a tenth or two in MPG), other then your basic air line repairs and replacing the cheap FL plastic air line connectors and elbows with brass, is to install a manual air pressure switch and gauge for the sleeper air springs. I got the idea from my Donvel front air springs which come with such a switch and gauge. I tried this after linking the fact that my air pump used to cycle more (every 10 to 15 minutes) on the roughest roads compared to smooth (every 20 to 25 minutes). The air spring equalizer valves, sleeper and rear air suspension, where constantly adding and releasing air, more so on the rough roads, although the rr suspension valve not as much and left it in tact. After running the manual switch for the sleeper air springs and bypassing the equalizer, it now will go 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours between cycling. Note the sleeper air spring equalizer was not leaking, just doing it's job, albeit overworked by my better halve's load of household etc. items in here LOL. She once loaded a Minibago motor home with so many rocks and junk in the back, I could literally pull the front wheels off the ground with a little coaxing on the 7.4 liter gas pedal. I got some funny looks when I pulled in front of the St Louise arch popping wheeleys.

Oh, and lastly, a little "Slime" registered tradename, squirted in an air spring and rolled around a bit will repair any small holes. Going on a little over a year since doing this on a sleeper air spring and still leak proof. I run about 95 PSI in them at all times.

Again, just on man's shade tree ideas that work for me. Your results may vary, should you attempt the same.
 

layoutshooter

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
Thanks for all the info. I will spend some time reading over it several times. It would seem that there should be a better way to do what these things are doing. Maybe a little less 'fragile' clamps/o rings etc. Again, thanks.
 

Doggie Daddy

Veteran Expediter
RETIDEPXE, as another owner of a fine FL product (2007 FL M-2) your posts are much appreciated and hope you will share any other ideas that you have regarding these fine trucks. Again thanks much. ( still looking for that like button ).
 

RETIDEPXE

Veteran Expediter
Wow Layout, that was quick come back 10-4. I did not make it very clear, but the piece of angle iron and everything about the install is using the original factory parts. Pics would only look the same as factory, nothing different, only the install procedure. Think of the AMU's as gluing together blocks of wood, only there is no glue, just rubber gaskets that need to be seated well while re-installing the piece of factory angle iron that cradle and hold the AMU's in place. This angle iron is a 90 degree piece that measures about 1" X 1" X a length long enough that extends across all the AMU's attached using (4) 5/16ths nuts and bolts.

The 'C' clips I am referring to are the factory squared clips that slide out to separate the blocks from each other. They have to be slid back in carefully (they bend easily and a little tricky to get in the correct position) and I tap them lightly with a small hammer to make sure they are seated all the way.

There appears to be much ado about nothing on these when installed this way, so for so good. If and when I have another leak, I'll be sure and post it here on EO, but like a mentioned, it's been 460k miles and still holding.

I enjoy the challenge and sense of satisfaction when stumbling on mechanical repairs such as this and don't mind getting my hands dirty, and hopefully save others some frustration and mucho dinaro. When you mention this procedure to a FL dealer or tech they are sure to look at you like you have two heads. I know there are good techs out there but we all have had experiences otherwise and I just don't have the patience for it. Just the other day I had a tech tell me he went to school for 6 weeks on the M2, then proceeded to ask me, after having much of a struggle with the top purch on the passenger side steer shock, if I had ever had shocks put on before?. He wanted to pull the breather off first and I told him no one has for the first six sets installed. I ended up loaning him my 1 1/8" wrench to get it done, and then, ofcourse, wanted to charge me about 1/2 longer then it actually took. My next big tool purchase is going to be a nice size air compressor for the shop.
 

idtrans

Expert Expediter
I have my truck in the shop, again, for another air leak. I just talked to the shop and, surprise surprise, it's an AMU leaking.

I bet that Freightliner will be shocked if I never buy another one of their junk trucks. They KNOW that these parts are bad, they refuse to fix them.

Does anyone out there know of a non-Freightliner AMU that can replace this junk?

If anyone from Freighliner reads this, stick your AMU's up your nose!

I guess I will call and complain, not that it will do any good, they have no use for customer service OR reliable parts.

what's a amu?
 
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