I replaced the original $1170 Gast with a Viair 345c. 100% duty cycle at 100PSI. Fills my tank in less than 5 minutes from dead empty. still haven't found all the leaks so the bags deflate over night. the viair has a built in check valve. make sure you have one. i looked everywhere and 2 shops looked as weel and none of us could find one.
I replaced the original $1170 Gast with a Viair 345c. 100% duty cycle at 100PSI. Fills my tank in less than 5 minutes from dead empty. still haven't found all the leaks so the bags deflate over night. the viair has a built in check valve. make sure you have one. i looked everywhere and 2 shops looked as weel and none of us could find one.
I replaced the original $1170 Gast with a Viair 345c. 100% duty cycle at 100PSI. Fills my tank in less than 5 minutes from dead empty. still haven't found all the leaks so the bags deflate over night. the viair has a built in check valve. make sure you have one. i looked everywhere and 2 shops looked as weel and none of us could find one.
Wpapke,
You have an interesting problem. Oddly enough ours had the same issues. I replaced the leveling valve, check valve, schraeder valve and rubber line some previous owner had installed for use with the schraeder valve. Ours still leaked down after about an hour. Then one day several months later we noticed that the air wasn't leaking out anymore. I have no idea what changed but ours now seems to hold the air with no leaks.
So I've put off trying to find the problem until the leak shows up again .
Brad
__________________ "Wherever you go... there you are." - Buckaroo Banzai
Air forums # 1674
1984 310 Limited Motorhome
1974 31' Excella 500 (future hauler for 2 Triumph race cars)
1974 20' Argosy Motorhome (future Excella 500 tow vehicle)
My HarborFreight compressor is still performing well.
Brad,
I use my motorhome to tow a race car too.
It does not look as pretty as this any more. I have put a full roll cage on it and almost 20K miles on it, mainly around the north Georgia mountains. I run with NASA-South East in Time Trials. Next meeting is Road Atlanta August 9-10th.
My HarborFreight compressor is still performing well.
Brad,
I use my motorhome to tow a race car too.
It does not look as pretty as this any more. I have put a full roll cage on it and almost 20K miles on it, mainly around the north Georgia mountains. I run with NASA-South East in Time Trials. Next meeting is Road Atlanta August 9-10th.
Paul
Paul, glad to hear the compressor is working well. I need to replace ours soon (have the harbor freight compressor ready to go) but haven't had the time. The last time I started up the motorhome it took a LONG time for the compressor to fill up the tank.
Nice looking car! What type of trailer do you tow with 310? Also is your 310 a diesel or a 454?
Brad
__________________ "Wherever you go... there you are." - Buckaroo Banzai
Air forums # 1674
1984 310 Limited Motorhome
1974 31' Excella 500 (future hauler for 2 Triumph race cars)
1974 20' Argosy Motorhome (future Excella 500 tow vehicle)
I stopped by Harbor Freight here in Pasadena looking for some straps and noticed that the compressor is on sale for $49.95. Not a bad price.
For those interested in using this compressor on their motorhome here is the info on it from Harbor Freights website:
12 VOLT, 150 PSI HIGH VOLUME AIR COMPRESSOR
This compact, high volume air compressor will fill a car's flat tire in 3 minutes.
Gearless direct drive for quiet operation
Thermal overload protection
Cast alloy pump casing with cooling fins
Anti-vibration rubber feet
Weight: 11 lbs.
Includes 33 ft. coiled air hose with brass tire valve, pressure gauge and 10 ft. 4" battery cables; 12 volt motor, 30 amp, 150 PSI max., Air delivery: 1.35 CFM @ 40 PSI, 1.14 CFM @ 70 PSI, 1.05 CFM @ 90 PSI, Overall dimensions: 11-1/4" L x 5-1/2" W x 7-1/2" H
ITEM 93186-0VGA
$69.99
__________________ "Wherever you go... there you are." - Buckaroo Banzai
Air forums # 1674
1984 310 Limited Motorhome
1974 31' Excella 500 (future hauler for 2 Triumph race cars)
1974 20' Argosy Motorhome (future Excella 500 tow vehicle)
I tow the Brunton SuperStalker in a 14" dual axle enclosed trailer. The car weight 1550 lbs, and I am sure the trailer weighs more.
The MH is a 454. I get 5-6MPG towing.
Paul
Paul,
Those cares are SO fast on the track. Its fun watching them maneuver around all the other cars.
It would appear the trailer definitely impacts your mpg. We towed Susan's race car on an open 14' trailer from Little Rock to Philadelphia and back last year and I think we averaged between 7 & 8 mpg. Of course definitely weighs less than yours and being an open trailer it shouldn't have impacted the mpg as much.
When we get our 20' Argosy motorhome with 454 done AND the 74 31' Excella trailer converted to the race car trailer it will be interesting to see what kind of mileage we get.
Brad
__________________ "Wherever you go... there you are." - Buckaroo Banzai
Air forums # 1674
1984 310 Limited Motorhome
1974 31' Excella 500 (future hauler for 2 Triumph race cars)
1974 20' Argosy Motorhome (future Excella 500 tow vehicle)
I am interested in hearing what you learn from converting the Excella into a car trailer. That is something that I wanted to do, but ended up taling the simple way and getting an enclosed trailer.
Pwhittle, can you give me a more detailed account of how you installed the pump. I bought the same pump and couldn't decide how to connect to existing airline to tank. I planned to secure the pump in the same way . Did you cut off the orange hose or leave it and attach in a diferent way. Did you ground inside the compartment. I have a hot busbar in the front dropdown access that I can attach positive wire on. Should I use #8 or larger wire as I will be running about 20 feet. I lost my DH Roy last Aug and he knew how to fix anything. Now it is up to a nephew and I to do the work. We are capeable if we know exactly what needs to be done. Pictures would help.
Thanks for any help you can give.
Pwhittle, can you give me a more detailed account of how you installed the pump. I bought the same pump and couldn't decide how to connect to existing airline to tank. I planned to secure the pump in the same way . Did you cut off the orange hose or leave it and attach in a diferent way. Did you ground inside the compartment. I have a hot busbar in the front dropdown access that I can attach positive wire on. Should I use #8 or larger wire as I will be running about 20 feet. I lost my DH Roy last Aug and he knew how to fix anything. Now it is up to a nephew and I to do the work. We are capeable if we know exactly what needs to be done. Pictures would help.
Thanks for any help you can give.
On our 84 310 the wire running from the front of the coach back to the generator was to small and melted where it plugs into the fuse block. What I ended up doing was replacing the bad connector and then adding a small 12vdc relay in the electrical compartment by the compressor and then used the long wire coming from the fuse block to energize the relay. I then ran a 10 gauge wire from the generator compartment over to the compressor and powered the compressor through the relay. It used to be the compressor sounded real enemic when being powered by the small wire from the fuse block. Now it sounds nice and strong because there is no voltage drop to deal with.
The only change I would make from what I did would be to use 8 guage wire like you suggested instead of the 10 guage wire. I will likely make that change when I install the Harbor Freight compressor. It draws upwards of 30 amps when running and 8 guage would certainly be better in that situation.
Also note you can get your power for the compressor from either the generator compartment like I did (where the generator starter relay is) or from the coach battery bank. The compressor will only run with the relay is energized which only happens whtn the ignition switch is turned on.
Brad
__________________ "Wherever you go... there you are." - Buckaroo Banzai
Air forums # 1674
1984 310 Limited Motorhome
1974 31' Excella 500 (future hauler for 2 Triumph race cars)
1974 20' Argosy Motorhome (future Excella 500 tow vehicle)
I did not use the orange hose to hook it up. My MH is up in Helen GA right now, but from memory, I think I left the quick disconnect on the compressor and fitted another disconnect to the existing hose to make it easy to replace if I had a problem. Those fittings are available from HarborFreight. The other pipe fittings I got from Home Depot, but I suspect they carry the quick disconnects too.
Brad is right on updating the wiring to get as close to 12V at the pump. I also used a relay in the compressor housing and the existing wiring to turn the relay on. Then fed power using a 10 gauge wire from the battery post on the Onan generator. If you are doing it now, run 8 gauge if you can. It can only help.
Thanks Brad and Paul for the Quick replies. I think Cecil and I can fix this now. I now understand where you attached it to the genset power terminal. I don't plan to make any long trips until Sept or Oct. that gives us time to install and do a short test run or 2 before I head out for a 3 wk. swing through OK. to visit friends and relatives
With the air ride rear suspension you definitely want to keep on top of any issues with those components. We found out the hardway with our 310 that when the air bags are not inflated the ride is horrible and actually can tear the coach up.
If for whatever reason you lose your compressor, blow a line or air bag, etc you should reduced your speed to something less than 45 mph or so. Even that is to fast in my opinion. If you don't you'll know about it from all the vibrations that you'll be feeling.
The previous owners of our MH apparently drove the rig without air a lot because you can see the indentations in the frame rails from the rear springs hitting the frame due to no air in the bags.
Bottom line is as long as you have air in your system you should be in great shape!
Enjoy your trip!
Brad
__________________ "Wherever you go... there you are." - Buckaroo Banzai
Air forums # 1674
1984 310 Limited Motorhome
1974 31' Excella 500 (future hauler for 2 Triumph race cars)
1974 20' Argosy Motorhome (future Excella 500 tow vehicle)
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