Straightening out rear section

I don't use it unless I have big single coil on. First thing I do before unloading it is dump the suspension before I unchain it. As far a dump valve on the back axle, I'm not a big fan. Most people will argue with me but it should come with big red sticker saying "use only in emergency". When you dump the back it puts all the weight on the front IF you give enough time to build it up. If you don't give it enough time to build (which is several minutes) it just drops to stopper blocks. Both are really bad for the bushings. If you let it build up the air on the spread to pick it up that's 25-30k on a 20k axle. I will just go ahead and scrub the tires and not use one. I haven't found a hole that I can't get into without it. Must don't check but if a DOT sees it and its electric it's illegal.

 

The point of a two dump valves is to eliminate the bounce when loading, its sets the trailer solid. I dump my suspension anytime I’ll loading or unloading anything heavy.

 

As for as I know most Fontaine trailers when you set the brakes it dumps all the air out of the suspension. Or at least all the ones I have been around do.

 

I've only pulled 2 Fontaines. A regular 53' flat with sliding rear axle and the 53' step with sliding rear axle that I have now. Both have dump valve for the rear axle only. Both are Infinity trailers.

Neither trailer will dump air when the parking brake for the trailer is set. You can disconnect the air lines and drop the trailer and it will not dump the air. It will eventually leak out,.. but not at the flick of a switch like setting the brakes.

I've seen this on other trailers by other people. And if I remember correctly,.. one of the Trans Craft that my carrier has will do exactly as you describe. But not all Fontaine will,.. at least not the 2 that I have experience with.

Hurst

 

Must be and option, I wish mine was on a switch, I don't like when your real heavy and on a slight grade and want to set both brakes and when the trailer dumps it pushes aginst the truck if you don't set the trailer first and let it squat down then set the truck. But it's great for loading and unloading, just wish it was on a valve instead.

 

Put it on a valve.

 

Would you have any suggestions on where to start? I’ve been meaning to look into it but haven’t had the time as of late and not so sure which valves I would need. Thanks

 

Well no because I’ve never messed with one. All you have to do is find the valve that is controlling the dump action. My guess is it’ll look like this;


That’s going to receive pilot pressure from your red supply line somehow. You and eliminate the supply line from your supply side and plumb a manual valve into it. The way yours is setup pilot pressure keeps your suspension up, I would think you would want to switch it so pilot pressure drops your suspension, so that if you have a loss of pressure in your ballast tank your air ride would stay up. If you find that valve get the part number and find the one that actuates the opposite.


My lowboy has 6 individual valves, one at each axle that look like this;

They can actually be plumbed to be “normally open” or “normally closed” just depending on which port you plumb them up to. If you don’t see that earlier valve look for this type, my money would be on the other one though.

 

Thanks a bunch

 

Cut the line from the height control to the bags. Hook up the two way valve so that the air can go through to the bags or block the air from the control valve and drain the bags.
a gauge can added on the bag side of the valve.