345s thru the years

[klattu]

What changes were made as they went along?
I have noticed around '88 there is a storage bin above drivers area.
The paint changed away from wood trim to a tutone color lower panel.
Some have a pocket as you come in the door on kitchen side panel...some have just a handle.

Were there any suspension changes?
Do they all have air bags on tag?
Tank sizes?

[ALANSD]

Go To Airstreammotorhomes.com

[klattu]

Lots of great phgotos there...

Nothing on any suspension changes?
Do they all have air bags on tag?

[ViewRVs]

They all have air bags on the tags. All 345's have front air bags that have to be manually inflated unless someone installed the after-market Air Lift pump. Hope that helps.

345 Models Page at Fred's Airstream Archives

[ALANSD]

I think suspension was the same for all model years.
The air bags are still able to be replaced with new ones as needed.
The weak point for me was the compressor. I replaced it with a manual input valve.

[klattu]

Thanks or all the info.
We just picked up our 345 Friday.
Going thru it now, exploring all the neet stuff.
Previous owners left us all kind of camping gear.

How to you toot the air horn???
Its up there, cannot find a button or cable anywhere.
It is an 89 on a 88 chassis...J and K.

Exhausted from too much fun....

[swebster]

It's probably an electric horn. Mine was wired to the horn button on the steering wheel. Many of them are full of bugs and dirt and will work again with some cleaning.

I ended up replacing mine with some louder air trumpets from Camping World. They were the cheapies which use a small compressor (no tank). I mounted the compressor in the locker and ran the tubing up through the original mounting holes to the new horns.

They work great.

One note on the suspension. They all have air bags in addition to coil (front) and leaf (rear). Make sure these are holding air and properly inflated (especially in the rear) as driving at highways speeds when underinflated can cause damage to the tag axles. There should be a low air light on your dash.

If the compressor does not work (it's under the bed) then you can usually inflate them through a valve mounted between the drive and tag axle on the driver's side.

Also, the tags don't have air suspension...they are torsion suspension of the same type found on the trailers.

[klattu]

Thanks...
I did find that the horns are electric...but not tied in.
There is a regular car horn behind grill that is working.

Now a few more Qs...
1. What is compartment to the rear of battery tray for?
It does not slide out, door swings down.
It looks special, kinda small, like for a tool box?

2.How are those recessed lights on passenger side turned on?
Look like used for backing up. Front one faces rear, rear one faces front.

[swebster]

We use that little compartment for wheel chocks, hitches, large tools, jack, etc.

There is a "docking lights" switch on the dash for the recessed lights on the curbside of the coach. This will also turn on all of the outside compartment lights

[ViewRVs]

1. That was a perfect fit for my tool box! (Great minds think alike!)

2. Those lights should operate with a rocker switch on the dash or just inside the door on the sink cabinet.

[JBK]

Air345:
We just picked ours up on Sunday the 15th. I had some of the same questions. My biggest problem is that there is no summer left to camp!
Enjoy your bus. I know we will.

JB

[ViewRVs]

oh heck, take her out for a spin soon. We called our trips 'extreme camping'! We did take our 345 up to the Georgia mountains in January and watched the Super Bowl (Black Rock Mountain had cable TV at the sites) with snow falling outside. Your critical heater is the rear furnace. It is around the water tanks and most water pipes. Fill the water water tank up and do not use the hose since it will freeze (many campsites shut down their water lines in the winter).