Yesterday, I loaded broccoli. After I was loaded I pulled forward from the dock and made a phone call. While on the phone both airbags on my front axle of a tandem axle reefer blew up and sent shrapnel everywhere. I’ve been pulling this trailer for three months and other than a tire I’ve had no issues. This shipper had ramps for the trailer to go up to raise the rear end of the trailer to their dock. I don’t know if that was issue. I scaled and was 1000 lbs over but nothing major. This is an old Marten trailer and it has different airbags I guess for the trains. When the air is released the bags completely empty and the trailer drops pretty low similar to a flatbed trailer air ride suspension. Either way the mechanic said he had hell putting the new bags on but eventually everything was good.
Well if you backed up a ramp with just the rear axle that would have allowed the front air bags to be stretched all the way out. When you pulled forward they could have came down incorrectly and folded on themselves or could have just pulled loose from the base. Those straps are supposed to keep the axle from dropping to far and allowing the bags to go too far out. Replace those broken straps. Hopefully it will not happen again but have the next guy back the axle up on ramps as well to make it easier to put on bags on the opposite axle.
my guess is that the leveling valve is attached to the rear axle... the front axle was full then when you released the brakes, it started filling the rear bags and over inflating the front bags and they couldn't balance out before they were beyond explosion point. If the leveling valve is on the front axle, it would not think the bags were all flat.
Max you can get is truck air pressure. Bags have no problem holding 120. Every time a flatbedder uses his dump valve loaded, the other bags hit max pressure trying to maintain ride height.
Most will take a 150psi everyday. But they are rubber and age, like a tire. On the side of the road. Plug off leaking bag and run opposite axle up on a 4x4. Gives you room to change it.
All stated above could be valid reasons, but I am willing to bet that trl has never had shocks changed and or air bags. Shocks simply stop the spring oscillations Of the bags. They also dry rot. If bags on rear axle are the same age. Better get them changed at your convenience and place of choosing. Change them shocks.
