Air-O- Matic Regulator Problem - Need Help!

[cruzinz28]

Installed a kit this weekend and ran into an unusual problem. The Kit was installed and power assist worked at first and then the regulator began venting all all the air out of the bottom drain hole in the cap. Has anyone ran into this problem or help us out to get this fixed?

Thanks!

 

[hedelta]

I have the same problem.

 

[doghead]

So, are you saying the drain has a bad valve? Did you open and re-close it? Is that a standard replaceable 1/8"npt drain? (Sorry, snowing and cold here or I'd look at mine closer!)

 

[CARNAC]

HEDELTA,

We are talking about your truck.

LOL

 

[hedelta]

I know I just felt like adding my

 

[jimmcld]

Is it possible that you might have installed it backwards?

 

[Massm35a2]

I'm gonna bring my valve to work today and put a guage on it. I wonder what PSI it regulates to? I read on one of the threads that it is not needed on the deuce as the air pressure is lower than some commecial applications and it will work without it.

I want to make sure, don't want to break the seals in the cyl. I am going to use a ball valve in place of the shutoff valve with the kit. The one with the kit is real restrictive to the flow. I also am going to install a filter so I don't get moisture and junk into the air-o-matic parts.

 

[Massm35a2]

I was shocked, The regulator is only set at 48psi, The aluminum cover unscrews and there is an adjustmet knob inside. I am not going to use the regulator that came with the kit. I will use a speedair 4ZK87 from Grainger Pneumatics & Hydraulics > System Components > Pneumatic Regulators > Regulator,1/4 In : Grainger Industrial Supply with a guage installed, this should flow better and I use this unit at work, real reliable. I also can adjust the PSI real easy to TUNE IN the system.

Josh

 

[apbloom]

Gentlemen:

As the distributor for AOM power steer assist, perhaps I can be of assistance.

First, there is no necessity to use a regulator on the stock M35A2 or A3 trucks. A regulator is not offered as part of the current issue #88902 kit. AOM kits installed on commercial vehicles do have a regulator included. The regulator is adjustable and is black in color.

If you are discussing the safety cut-off valve, it is not adjustable (or reparable) in the field. It is set to open at 90 psi and to close at 60 psi. It is required by DOT regulations. It acts to prevent total loss of truck air-brake pressure in the event that the AOM system is damaged. It is silver in color.

If you are experiencing air leaking out of the exhaust ports on the torque valve (the small cylindrical unit in the drag link) other than when it is expected (when returning the steering wheel to the straight-ahead position, for instance) then you have a blow-by situation inside the power cylinder. This blow-by is caused by deterioration of the double-acting piston cup (sometimes called the O-ring) due to age or lack of use.

The military recently offered for sale, via GL, several hundred AOM kits that were well past the Mil-Spec safe-use service date. These units are an average of 15 years old or more. The maximum storage life for safe, dependable operation is 5 years. Therefore many buyers will soon be finding out that they are experiencing problems caused by out-of-date components, such as blow-by, the symptoms of which are described above.

Our company has replacement double-acting piston cups available as these kits start to fail. Please contact us via email or telephone. We also are happy to fax over to you the service bulletin in reference to the trouble analysis of air leaks.

Arthur P. Bloom, Pres.
Home

 

[Recovry4x4]

Thanks APB, that should be a big help.

 

[dm22630]

APB -

What kind of lifespan is expected from units which are installed on trucks that came directly out of service?

I have air-assist on one of my trucks & I dont notice any problems.

How much do rebuild kits cost? How hard are they to install?

Thanks!

Daniel

 

[apbloom]

The lifespan for units that are already in service and continue to be used, is hard to quantify, but is in the area of ten or more years. That assumes that the unit gets at least periodic use. "Use it or lose it" basically. We have seen units that have been in continuous use for over thirty years, but the key word is "continuous."

It assumes that the air supply is clean and dry, and that the only additive is an occasional spritz of air-tool oil into the compressor intake filter. It also assumes that the installation used no pipe dope or teflon tape on any of the air fittings.

The piston cup costs about $100 delivered, and is easy to replace. We have stocked up on them, waiting to see what will happen when all those "bargain" GL kits start getting flaky.

 

[jatonka]

Good to see you here Arthur, The older folks in this crowd know you to be very dedicated to the M35A2 trucks. Thank you for being available to help. JT out

 

[rolling18]

The lifespan for units that are already in service and continue to be used, is hard to quantify, but is in the area of ten or more years. That assumes that the unit gets at least periodic use. "Use it or lose it" basically. We have seen units that have been in continuous use for over thirty years, but the key word is "continuous."

It assumes that the air supply is clean and dry, and that the only additive is an occasional spritz of air-tool oil into the compressor intake filter. It also assumes that the installation used no pipe dope or teflon tape on any of the air fittings.

The piston cup costs about $100 delivered, and is easy to replace. We have stocked up on them, waiting to see what will happen when all those "bargain" GL kits start getting flaky.

I could not find any information on adjusting the regulator that came with my 15 y.o kit.. (was still foil sealed)
what direction is the Arrow on the top subposed to point/?
how do i get maximum flow? (or assistance)
i would like to remove it all together but i dont have a female/ female connector.
also where do I get a re-seal kit?
where is the ait compressor intake located?
'
thanks for the assistance!!

 

[wsucougarx]

I just played around with my regulator. Some guys will chime in and say you dont need the regulator. I love the aom!! Got 2 trucks with them.

 

[Rustygears]

There's a bizillion aom discussion threads, many by A3 owners just getting a GL truck and having issues. Almost all of them have some mention of the regulator leaking. This is the most common problem. They vent through the little hole in the bottom, which is actually an aluminum screw-on protective cover to protect the regulator adjustment knob. I guess the rubber diaphragm rots out with age, hence the reason why all these 15 year old truck seem to have the same problem. I bet th kits were packaged at th same time the A3s were built and all the regulators are EOL. You can buy the exact replacement reg from lots of places, including flea-bay and they run around $30 ish for the original Norgren reg with cover. I modified my replacement to add a tire valve ( schrader valve) to the plugged gauge port so i could check it and set the output pressure. You can search the posts for the pictures and info I put up on that mod. If you read the A3 TM, the regulator is supposed to be set for 40 psi. Some say get rid of the regulator, but I figure uncle sugar put it there for a reason, so I replaced my leaky one instead of bypassing it.

 

[autigers35a3]

No shut off found on firewall.
Thanks for the info on the regulator location.

 

[rolling18]

There's a bizillion aom discussion threads, many by A3 owners just getting a GL truck and having issues. Almost all of them have some mention of the regulator leaking. This is the most common problem. They vent through the little hole in the bottom, which is actually an aluminum screw-on protective cover to protect the regulator adjustment knob. I guess the rubber diaphragm rots out with age, hence the reason why all these 15 year old truck seem to have the same problem. I bet th kits were packaged at th same time the A3s were built and all the regulators are EOL. You can buy the exact replacement reg from lots of places, including flea-bay and they run around $30 ish for the original Norgren reg with cover. I modified my replacement to add a tire valve ( schrader valve) to the plugged gauge port so i could check it and set the output pressure. You can search the posts for the pictures and info I put up on that mod. If you read the A3 TM, the regulator is supposed to be set for 40 psi. Some say get rid of the regulator, but I figure uncle sugar put it there for a reason, so I replaced my leaky one instead of bypassing it.

thanks for the info rusty, i would not have thought and did not know anything about the A3's im not having a "problem" so far its great, BUT i was just playing with the reg. and unscrewed the metal cap cobvering the knob but i dont know what "max" is.. max pressure? max assistance? max resistance, max.. ect ect
and the arrow on the top where is that subposed to point? the directioons did not cover any of this

 

[Rustygears]

I could not find any information on adjusting the regulator that came with my 15 y.o kit.. (was still foil sealed)
what direction is the Arrow on the top subposed to point/?
how do i get maximum flow? (or assistance)
i would like to remove it all together but i dont have a female/ female connector.
also where do I get a re-seal kit?
where is the ait compressor intake located?
'
thanks for the assistance!!

You'd be better advised to not squirt oil into the compressor intake and instead remove the fitting for the air inlet into the drag link valve that controls the aom and put a thimbleful of airtool oil or marvel mystery oil into the drag link air inlet. Then reconnect and air up, rock the steering wheel in both directions to distribute the oil into both paths through the drag link valve and aom ram cylinder. The drag link valve assembly has little tolerance for moisture and crud in the air system and will stick in vent mode, leak air or become inoperative all together. A few cycles of the lube process described above will often save $$ by reviving the drag link and ram as well as keep an operating system happy.

The A3 has a air system dryer installed to pull moisture and the oily slobber that comes out of the truck air compressor. These usually fail because of the common failure of the aom air regulator and CTIS that makes the air system cycle too often, gumming up the dryer. That, over time, takes out the drag link air valve for the aom.

 

[Rustygears]

No shut off or regulator found.

The stock location for the regulator is beneath the front of the engine inside the left frame rail 'U' opposite where the drag link is. Check the A3 TMand search the bizillion posts on the topic.