I have an Advanced Air Hitch 20K Class V Superduty hitch that I picked up used about 18 months ago and I need some suggestions on replacement parts. Advanced Air Hitch is now Air Safe Hitches and this style hitch is no longer shown on their web site so I don't know if they offer parts for it anymore or not. I'll be calling in the morning to find out.

In the mean time, my problem is that the hitch rides on six bearings (three on each side) inside two vertical channels and two of the bearings sheared off where they bolt into the hitch assembly. The hitch was not designed to be repaired so I had to cut it partially apart in order to even get to the bearings but while it's apart, I'd like to replace all six bearings. The bearing are about 1-5/8" diameter and about 7/8" wide. There are no part numbers visible on them. Aside from going to the local bearing supply house and trying to match something by size, any suggestions as to where to try to find parts that would work?

 

Jay,

How old is this hitch? You mention a bearing - - does yours have the green composite bearing that slides in the shaft? Mine has 8 of those. If that is what you are referring to, I am sure they are special order items only from the factory. Yours must be quite different from mine - - I have a couple bolts to loosen to disassemble the towers.

You might get your quickest answers from Lloyd or Rodney at 321-939-2132. They will guide you in right direction.

Incidently, I found I need to clean those slides once in a while to stop them from accumulating dirt and binding.

Bob

 

Bob, I forgot to clarify that this is a receiver hitch. I have no idea how old it is since it was used when I bought it. The bearings on mine are steel bearings that ride inside a vertical c-channel and the air bag cushions that ride. I think that dirt and grit in the track added to a bow in the track caused my failure.

I called the contact number on the www.airsafehitches.com and talked to their customer service department and was told that Advanced Air had gone out of business (which I presumed) and that very few parts were available. When I described my hitch and the parts that I needed, I was told that even Advanced Air had discontinued that style and gone to the tie-rod style hitch before going out of business and that no bearings were available. While they didn't say it explicitly, the impression that I was left with was "Why would you want to keep using that old thing?" The only help that they offered was to offer sell me a $1175 replacement hitch. I wasn't impressed (with their customer service - From what I hear, their product is fine).

If Oilguy can build his own air hitch, I know that I can rebuild this one. I'll have to make this trip without the air hitch but when I get back, I'll hit the bearing suppliers and find something that will make it work and then weld it back together again.

 

Hey, sorry about that. I sure love my Air Safe fiver hitch. And yes, I did blow what you were talking about - - I sure couldn't picture it from your description. Good luck.

 

Me neither! Can you post a pic? If I can SEE it, maybe then I can point you in a direction!

I built an air hitch too, based on Oil Guy's design. His help made it easy!

chaikwa.

 

Dude that looks great!!! Do you have any other pictures of it? What is the square tubing coming out of the top?

Tough part is getting the alignment right on the faceplate with the tie rods... After you have that right >> it is easy. Did you make it as a drop hitch or did you come straight out of the receiver?

 

The square tube is a guide that keeps the face plate from trying to twist when you go around a sharp corner with a heavy trailer. Two pieces of heavy flat stock run vertically on each side of it and the whole assembly slides up and down on it.

I made it as straight out of the receiver. I originally had a piece of 2" solid plate cut to come out of the receiver, then drop down about 6", then go flat again to hold the air bag, then go 90* up vertically for the slide that the square tube now functions as. After I got it all together, I figured out that the drop was too much, , so I remade it as a straight set-up. I still have the other piece if anyone is gonna make one of these things and needs it. You can have it for whatever it costs to get it to you, weighs about 90 pounds tho!

Thanks for all your help Oilguy!

Here are a few other pics of it.

chaikwa.

 

I noticed that you didn't put shocks on it... Any reason? I had too much "porpoising" or oscillating at low speeds so I had to slow that down... Otherwise you can't beat the ride quality at all!!
It is really cool to hit train tracks or speed bumps and not feel any trailer shock what so ever!!!

 

Yeah... they weren't in YOUR pictures!

I haven't seen the need for them in my application yet tho. The trailer rides as smooth as silk so why mess with a good thing?

chaikwa.

 

oh!.... I guess I added those later... I added one first and then the other side... I use my trailer everyday in town and low speed and bumpy streets get it to oscillating pretty bad... on the highway though >> Your right... very smooth...

If you are ever interested... I will post pic's with the shocks so you can see how I mounted them.... It is pretty easy to do >> I mean if you built it that far adding shocks is easy.... finding the right shocks.... now that was tough... i bet I opened 30 boxes before I found some with the right spec's.....


OG

 

IF I'm interested? I'da thunk you knew me better by now, of course I wanna see pictures! I might wanna add shocks 'just because'!

chaikwa.