Well I bought my first Barth 1992 regal 30 ft diesel 5.9 4 speed Allison love it it sits on a spartan ce 2000 I want to put air bags on but no one makes it for that fram does only one know we're or who has some that would fit it any help is needed I do my own work does anyone have part #s or after market manufactures help

Hey Evan, I just purchased a set for my Gillig framed breakaway (34') from Gillig..

you can do a search for 'air bags', there are a number of mentions in different threads..Some may help you..

here's one of the latest ones..again, dealing with Gillig frames..

Air Bag Replacement..

Sounds like he has a Breakaway with a Spartan chassis.

Could you tell us your vin# Evan, or better still, perhaps supply us a picture of the data tag located around your driver's side window so we could better help you in coach and chassis designation.

I saw that also..just thought some of the expertise on this site may be of interest..

Evan, might check this google search link here for Spartan RV Chassis forums on other sites.. I did see mentions of Spartan Chassis' with 'Air Springs'..

Google Seach/Spartan Chassis forums...

Evan, I just ordered air bags for my 1995 Breakaway with an EC2000 spartan frame. They are made to order by Firestone the original supplier (6 week lead time). I am still waiting for them to arrive. After much research I got them through Michigan Truck Spring, Suspension, and Brake Specialist. They were lowest cost and very knowledgeable. the website is www.truckspring.com and phone 1 (800) 358 4751. Hope this will help. not sure about signature so my name is Mitchell

Are you looking for air overloads or replacement bags for the full air suspension? I have a 93 Breakaway with what looks like a factory installed Granning air suspension on the EC2000 Chassis. Have all or most of the engineering drawings with part numbers and material lists. This is full air (no springs) and also has a frame mounted Ross steering gear. But if you have springs this would be of no value to you. john

'92 Breakaway with rear leaf suspension and conventional shock absorbers.
Educate me please: Surmising from the prior reads, was '92 the last year incorporating absolute leaf suspension?
Would be interested in the availability of air bag supplementation to leaf springs- the purpose being to raise the rear height 1-2".
Anything available?

I installed Firestone assist bags on my GM gasser drive axle. It has leaf springs and Dana axle. These might work for you. The top mounting brackets might need modification. (They attach to the existing frame brackets for axle snubber, yours may be different) The bottom ones just clamp to the axle tube.

These worked well for me. I considered getting the saggy springs re-arced to restore ride height but figured they would be stiffer riding. The air bags allow me to adjust the height and give a softer ride than the steel alone. win-win

https://www.barthmobile.com/eve...1087061/m/9803910277

My Breakaway is a'94 30' and I have leaf springs. I also have aftermarket air bags that were put on but done VERY poorly and not positioned correctly.

They are mounted ahead of the axle which does not give the bags much leverage to work correctly. Moving then back to the axle (no clearance) or even directly behind the axle would have been better. However the shocks are behind the axle well as things mounted on the frame so that precludes changing them.

As these are intended to be air assist, they really do not work well to raise to rear end. If I put 100 Lbs in the bags it will only raise the rear about 3/4"-1" but then the ride is TERRIBLY HARSH!


What I did was to cut 1 1/2 inch thick plates (4 of them) and put between the frame attach point and the spring perches. The perches are mounted with four bolts each so each plate had to be drilled to match the original hole pattern. There were plates there before but only 3/8" thick. I used the 3/8" plate as a pattern.

I used grade 8 bolts and hardware. The nuts and bolts were a bit hard to get to around the spring ends and shackles but use of a magnet solved that. At least I didn't have to remove the springs from the perches.

I have over 100K miles on this modification with no sign of loosening or shifting of the spring perches.

If I were to do it again I would probably go with 2" thick plates (could use a pair of 1" plates at each end)but what I have now works well.

100 PSI to airbags is a tremendous force to have "little affect". (Have air bags on a 1T Chevy PU - merely 20 lbs. psi has an lifting/hauling affect greater than I wish to admit. However, having merely 20 lbs. psi, absent load, greatly affects ride (negatively).)

Torn between re-arching leaves, adding a leaf, or retro'ing bags, or doing nothing. (I relieve the springs' tension during the off-season via on board hydraulic jacks.

If anyone has a 'normal" ground to wheel well measurement for comparison, it would be appreciated. I will post mine at first opportunity.

Appreciate your details MWrench.

My ground to bottom of wheel well outside trim is 32 1/2 inches. 225R70X19.5 tires which are about 1 inch smaller rolling radius than 8R195 tires

This is with 6 T105 golf card batteries at the back on the passenger side, 3 coach starting batteries on driver side, and 800 Lbs MD3060 6 speed trans. I an not sure but I think my radiator assembly is heavier than the earlier Breakaways with the Allison 4 speed trans.

I have an Eaton 15040S rear diff which is MUCH heavier than the Dana 80 used on earlier models. Sure the diff weight is not on the springs but the spring mounting (below the axle) may be a bit different.

I toyed with the idea of re-arching the springs but getting them off and to the spring company and back on would have been a big job! I measured the distance off the ground when I first got the Breakaway and it never changed for over 10 years. Of course it is higher now with the spacers. When I went with the 225R70X19.5, that pretty much mandated I do something to raise the rear end. Front is OK and now is the same as the rear.

Of course when I went with the smaller tires I also gave up 60-70 RPM (higher engine speed) at 65 MPH. 245R7019.5 tires are the same diameter and rolling radius as the 8R19.5 but NOT recommended to mount on a 6" wide rim, further they won't work on the dually, they rub together. FYI

With 8RX19.5 tires my ground to wheel well measures 33". This would compute to align with your 32 1/2" with 225R70X19.5.
I would personally not remove my springs to re-arch - I need all ten to balance the checkbook. My "ride" is satisfactory. Thanks for your input. I think I will continue in the off season to relieve nature's force.
My winter search for spring projects will continue. Arguably I should be Mapquesting instead.