Anyone know how to install a PTO controlled air bag dump valve?

Discussion in 'Heavy Duty Diesel Truck Mechanics Forum' started by giannid, Feb 19, 2025.

  1. giannid

    giannid Light Load Member

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    I've got a 2020 Freightliner Cascadia that already has a PTO and air dump bag switches on the dashboard. Trying to make it where when the PTO is turned on, it automatically dumps the air bags for a dump truck application. I thought this would be easy as the air ride control valve already has a dump valve built in with a pilot line. What I did was tee off of the air line going into the pto and tied it into the pilot line going into the dump valve. My first problem with that is the air back charged to the air dump switch in the dashboard when the PTO switch was charged. My solution to this was to put an inline check valve between the dash mounted dump switch and the tee I spliced the pto line into at the pilot line going into the ride control dump valve. My second problem after doing that is the air bag dump valve would not work properly as the check valve wouldn't let the air release back to the switch so the line never un charged and the bags won't air back up. Kind of pissing in the wind on this one. I want to be able to use the air dump valve independent of the PTO. ANyone know how to do this with my application? Got some pics for reference. Valves for PTO and air dump in the dashboard are air and not electronic.



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  3. SomeCanadian

    SomeCanadian Light Load Member

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    Ask a parts supplier, I believe there are relay valves for air.
     
  4. giannid

    giannid Light Load Member

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    I called two, they're lost. Parts guys are just parts guys these days for the most part unfortunately.
     
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  5. kwswan

    kwswan Road Train Member

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    Put a electric dump valve on & use a wire from your pto on light to power the valve. Might need to wire a relay in to power the valve and let the wire from your light trigger the relay.
     
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  6. Big Road Skateboard

    Big Road Skateboard Road Train Member

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    Use PTO air supply to also signal suspension dump. Easy
     
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  7. SomeCanadian

    SomeCanadian Light Load Member

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    I can see it working if you’re willing to change from the fancy switch to a trailer dump valve. Plum the pto side to the supply side of it and when you dump the air with the valve it should ignore the pto and vent the airbags to atmosphere.turning on the pto should also dump the bags.
     
  8. giannid

    giannid Light Load Member

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    Tries that. It backfeeds the dump valve in the dashboard. Hoping to keep them both working as I may want to dump the bags without engaging the pto. The pto will probably never need to be engaged without dumping the bags.
     
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  9. giannid

    giannid Light Load Member

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    Hoping to keep using air for everything.
     
  10. giannid

    giannid Light Load Member

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    So you're saying there's no way to keep the factory PTO and air bag dump valve and do this? Trying to find a work around. Someone has had to run into this before.
     
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