No air to glad hands on M35A2

[3dAngus]

I seem to be getting more dirty than smart. I have been trying to trace down my M109A3 glad hand air. No luck with search.

I don't have air to either glad hand, the emergency or service line. I need these fixed prior to the Ga. Rally as I am carrying a M1061E1 5 ton in the rear.

It has been difficult to run down the lines by myself. The brakes on the truck work fine, it is just the lack of any air at all to the glad hands.

I looked at the air tanks. The front of the driver side air tank is capped. Could this have been my glad hand air? I'll check Tech manuals, but thought it wouldn't hurt to inquire the broader community in the meantime. Perhaps I can get back to work faster. Thanks for any assistance or info in the matter.

 

[cornrichard]

There are shut of valves on my truck. They are right next to the glad hand. You prob. already found those, but the only thing I can think of.

 

[Recovry4x4]

If it were me, I would remove the ball valves back there and start the truck up and see what you have. I can vouch for the fact that given ample time, mud dobbers can plug up a line that will withhold 150 PSI. Oh, BTW, the ballvalve handles are opposite of civy units. When the handle isn't in line with the pipe, the valve is open.

 

[rlwm211]

If I am wrong and you already have this knowledge I apologize in advance.


The ball valves are misleading/ When they are horizontal they are off.

When they are at right angles they are on.

I bet you had them on with the covers on and they did not leak.

RL

 

[Rustygears]

It's tough to think of a logical reason where both glad hands simultaneously don't work other than the valve for each is closed or is closed when you think it should be open. This is especially true when one considers that the two air systems are totally independent by design just to prevent some sort of single point failure. The only other possibilities are no air in the truck ( you said the service brakes work so this possibility is eliminated) or that mysteriously both lines to the glad hands were disconnected and capped, but that is also pretty unlikely.

 

[hoop]

It takes more than 1 person to trace a copper line?
I must be missing something.

 

[3dAngus]

Thanks for the help Hoop!

Yes, I tried the valve handles in both positions with the covers off just to be sure, well before I got under the truck and got all dirty, just to get back on the net. It was a good suggestion though. I recall first time I tried it covers were on. Just by coincidence I took them off, just in case, without thinking about it, but then it made sense to do it that way.

Been through 8 tech manuals now. No help. I can rebuild a glad hand valve, master cyl. slave cyl, hydraulic to air cylinder, even found the overall pictorial of the brake layout from the glad hands forward but it is difficult to see precisely where the air lines go. It does look like they go in the engine compartment rather than the air tanks, which would make sense, and there has to be some kind of control from the brake pedal to the rear.

Still working on it. Might pull the glad hand just to check for dirt dobber nesting issues. Been there before on many different things including the pressure washer nozzle just a few days ago when I wanted to pressure wash the box. It was unimaginable a dirt dobber could plug up a hole in a tiny little nozzle like that sufficiently to completely stop all water from exiting the outlet nozzle, but it did.

Glad hands look new but that doesn't stop a bee. I'll continue my research some but any other suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[CanonNinja]

just eliminating the obvious here..... when aired up, does the Emergency side glad hand have any air coming out at all, in either valve position? The Service line will only push air out when you apply the brakes

 

[SCSG-G4]

The service line will only have air when the brakes are applied, the emergency should always have air if the pressure in the system is up. Easiest way to check this without "Soldier B" is to open the service line valve with the truck running, then step on the brakes and look at your air pressure gauge. You may also hear air in the back of the truck. If the low air buzzer comes on, you at least have service air!

 

[3dAngus]

Thanks Canonninja. I'm aware of that, so I tried both.

Over a dozen tech manuals now, no help. Interesting. I must be using the wrong search criteria. Would be helpful if I knew exactly where these lines went in, what the assy is called. Probably the hydraulic/air transfer. I'll start over.

Difficult to track lines by myself as they go in, up, down, and over many different frame ribs and other parts in the way with multiple lines around, confusing the issue without someone on the other side of the obstruction on the non-visible line. I'll figure it out, just thought before I climb back in the dirt again and slide all around in it, I would ask and check tech manuals for the quickest answers.

Some of you guys know what it is like to get all dirty, sweaty, greasy, then have to come in the house to get online for tech manuals and answers, if available, just to go back out and start all over.

Sometimes its just really nice to get as many possibilities as possible before the next round. Thanks.

 

[3dAngus]

My tech manual search has been a circus. I'm going back out in the dirt, but this time, I'm going to do something I have never done before. I'm bringing my laptop out with me. I'll retest with your suggestion SCSG-G4. Don't know if I did that, but don't know why I wouldn't have. I just get all brain dead when I get tired and sore now-a-days. Don't know why my brain shuts off, but it does when all sweaty and tired. Even so, God Almighty, I just love getting dirty again.
It's been a long time!

 

[Csm Davis]

Only one gladhand has air allways the other only has air when the brakes are actuated. Also not all gladhand valves on mv work opposite of normal after checking probably a thousand most of the backward ones are the single sided handle, the ones with a standard cross handle work normally.

 

[3dAngus]

NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!!

There just isn't any tech manual or search engine in the world that will outperform real live STEEL SOLDIERS!

SCSG, I'm a dummy. You're the smart one. I guess I didn't test the service line with cover off, handle in both positions, and brake pedal on. I heard the noise in the back and the pressure drop.

Emergency still didnt work in either handle position.

Recovery, you da man! Nothing inside the large hole, but I did detect either a shadow, or a possible bit of dirt in the smaller hole in the emergency line. I went in the garage and pulled off a wire from my pegboard, nice and sturdy, and brought a pair of pliers back with me. I bent it to work through and around the big hole, and inside the smaller hole. Sure enough, a few grains of red clay drop out. I dig some more and a sputter, but nothing else. So I move the air handle in the opposite direction and work the dirt some more. More sputtering but steady this time so I back up and KABLOOYEY, out it all comes, more and more and more. That dang dirt dobber must have buried himself way up in there with the valve open or something, because dirt was just a flyin'.

Both brake lines are working now. The service line made a funny sound emitting air at first, but settled down, so there might have been something in there too, but nothing on a visual. The air tanks were full of water earlier. I forgot to bleed them during the recovery. OOPs.

Anyway, all is well. I really appreciate your guys help and expert knowledge. Makes life easier for a guy with little knowledge on the subject, but just wanting to have some fun in his life before the big one comes.

THANKS AGAIN!

 

[Darwin T]

try removing the glad hand and the pipe al the way back to the frame then turn it on and let it start to pressure up, but not all the way try 20 to 30 pound and see if it works then. if it was stored without the covers on the end critters may have moved in (dirt dobbers, ect.) if you use to much pressure and it breaks free it will be and dirt bullet and that would be bad. clean all the pipes you removed and check the operation of you valves. mine were so bad on my M109a3 that i had to replace them. i found some that the handle was on the gladhand and it is alot easier to operate.

PS. i almost soiled myself when the dirt blew out on mine that is why i added the pressure warning.

 

[Darwin T]

sorry i did not type faster to warn you about the"KABLOOYEY".

 

[Darwin T]

i know it's kind of late now but when i was replacing mine i added a ait quick connect on the passenger side whick i can use if needed. all you can see of it in the picture is the shinny end of it.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Glad that worked out for you. The mud dobbers can actually set up shop ahead of the ball valve if its's left open. A little trick for your tool bag. Before hooking up anything to the glad hands, remove the covers and burp the lines. Don't be in front of them either, you will be amazed and the little junk that comes out (and might have entered your air tool). Service side just open ball valve, remove cover and go stab the brakes. See you at the rally.

Let me add that there is an air line shcematic in the back of TM 9-2320-361-20 in the appendix.

 

[3dAngus]

Good idea. I might just do that some day, after the Ga. Rally.

I'm showered up now, and ready to fuflill a promise that almost went awry, to my wife. I promised her I would take her to the Ga. National Fair, right here in Perry, for some fair food. We like the Gyros and BBQ, huge onion rings, roasted corn, heck, we like it all. In 30 years of marriage, it is rare I break a promise, but was prepared to today. Not to awfully smart about these things on a deuce, but a bulldog when started, and I don't give up on it for frilly things like a fair, so I thought I might have to break a promise. We're both happy now.

Anyway, you guys like pictures, so here is some of my painting in progress of the M109A3. I did the box yesterday, and next week I will finish the second coat on the cab and camo, just in time for the Rally, I hope. It will be raining here for the next few days so painting is out of the question. I will also have some fresh supply of Rapco paint, in both gallon(tan) cans and spray cans in tan and brown CARC 383 replacement at the rally, if anyone needs some fresh ones. Just ordered here in Oct, 2011. Here's my M109...

update, the wife did some cleaning and installed a new microwave, coffee pot, and refridgerator, as well as a new shower curtain, bed linens, and throw rugs this morning, not included in the pics. Getting ready to go!

 

[Floridianson]

Looking good there 3D. Did you do the roof top AC yourself?

 

[3dAngus]

It was already installed. Compressor comes on, just normal air, maintenance docs say the "CFC's removed". Haven't had a chance to look at it on the roof yet to see if there is a valve in there or not. Most of the roof air units for RV's are sealed units, but not sure about the military.