Austral Valve.

[kelvin12]

Must be Austral week.

Up high on the inside of the nearside chassis rail just below the step up into the isle and beside the front tank is a square valve with piping coming out of it and electrical wires running to it. I can't get a good look at it at the moment and its to far away to clean it off for numbers etc. Looking at the brake chart it "might" be a shuttle valve, (whatever that does) or could it be a kneel down valve. If it was a kneel down what would the switch look like and maybe where it would be located. If its a shuttle valve what actually does it do.

Any information appreciated.

Dirk

[Maladjusted]

Does it leak? Do you just want to know what it is? Don't think it would be a shuttle valve on the front though. You are right it could be the Kneel valve. What year coach are we talking about?

[jasonjason]

Does it look like this? This is the only one I could find at the front near the front tank. Its mounted on the inside of the chassis rail.

[kelvin12]

No seems good no leaks from what I can see / hear when I air the old girl up, wires had me thinking it may have been a kneel down but dash wiring is a birds nest and half the switches are inoperative. I haven't hot wired it to see what happens so really guessing what it is or does. Only just noticed it the other day. Been under the back of the bus a thousand times but not a lot under the front.

While we are at it what does the shuttle valve do. Can't remember coming across one before.

Bus is an 87 Austral Tourmaster, 6V92

Dirk

[kelvin12]

Just checking some brake diagrams I have here, on the earlier one, I think is prior to mine it shows at 41 shuttle valve in the front air bag lines also on the rear bags. On the chart for mine, ( I think, as it shows the three air gauges for the ride height regulators). On this chart it shows the valve as 41 again and also again on the rear as a shuttle valve same numbers.

Nothing on these diagrams about tag dump valves or anything like a kneel down. Gathering these might have been optional extras maybe. Fair step down without a kneel down from full aired up for a passenger.

Dirk

[kelvin12]

G'Day Jason,

Your reply must have been slow coming through, thanks for the photo. I can't tell from the photo but weather permitting I'll get a photo myself tomorrow, my bus is out in the elements with about 2" deep water around it. Going on yours it looks like some writing on it which is good. Hoping same on mine.

Dirk

[makeminea2stroke]

Jason

that looks like a festo brand valve, looks similar to what my Landseer uses as a tag dump

Cheerz
Glen

[kelvin12]

Checked the valve and what I thought was wiring to the back of the thing turns out to be a small air pipe. So valve is identical to the one in Jason shot. Still don't know what it is or does though.

Dirk

[dominodc122]

I am picking that it is the ride levelling valve for the airbags - does it have an electrical input with multiple wiring leading into it??

[kelvin12]

No thought it did initially but after cleaning away some crap I saw it was a thin nylon tube which went into the back of the valve, this also went into a bundle of other piping and wiring. But no electrical connections just air.

Dirk

[dominodc122]

OK - So it may be air operated!? If you can trace nylon tube - may lead to air operated solenoid from levelling arms on the front bulkhead ahead of main drive bogie (only guessing here, as have not been able to get to mine for a look see)

[kelvin12]

Chris,

On those brake diagrams its shown as 41 and is called a shuttle valve on that diagram. The boys here also seem to think its a shuttle valve, stops the air being pushed over on cornering from the weighted air bag to the unloaded bag on the other side forcing that unweighted bag higher. Just stop air being shuffled across to the other side. We used to call them something else when I was on the tools but for the love of me I can remember what it was called, been a while... but it was the same valve and did the same job.

Dirk

[dominodc122]

Sort of a non return or check valve is it Dirk

[kelvin12]

Yes I guess it is sort of a non return valve in reverse. Rather than allow air to pass it stops air transferring from side to side on cornering. Its connected into the ride levelers on each axle, one up front and two down the rear where its split between the drive and the tag.

Dirk

[kelvin12]

Sidey, sent you a PM, let me know if you didn't get it. Think I did it right.

Dirk

[dominodc122]

Got it - cheers mate

[kelvin12]

Chris,

Wrong bloke the PM this time was to Sidey.....Lol.

Dirk

[dominodc122]

Sorry Dirk - did you get it sorted mate and find out what it is for???