Driving with blown airbag

The more loaded you are the more you should baby it. With one air bag not supporting the load, the other side gets more and uneven stress and could possibly break a spring. So just take it easy. Avoid pot holes, slow down for bumps and railway tracks. Take wider turns, stuff like that. For sure you can go to the next repair shop.

 

If I were you and I had a tight schedule I would drive till my hours were up and stop at a petro or TA. Or if you are close to delivery I would deliver first. Than get repair. If you are not loaded to the max you should not be stressing the suspension. As long as the leak is plugged I think you are legal.

 

If your loaded, no way I would risk going very far. Get to the nearest shop with the part asap. And change them both on that axle while your at it or at least get the other side to change when you get home. But I'm anal about matching suspension and brake parts on the same axle.

 

You did not stipulate is this was on the trailer or the tractor. Were it me I would dump the air on the tractor and limp to the nearest available parts supplier. If on the trailer, and it does not have a dump valve, I would not want to venture far with the axle loaded on one side only.

 

Driving with the suspension down on a truck for long distances can cause harmonic vibrations. We had a driver go 1000km with his air suspension down. Due to the excessive driveline angles and harmonic vibrations it exploded the syncro in his transmission.
Limping to the nearest repair facility is the best option

 

As long as you have a plug to cap off the air line air bags aren't really too bad to do on the side of the road or in a parking lot somewhere. You've got a jack that way with your other air bags.

Luckily (except for my back) I don't have any air ride trucks, but on my lowboy it will lock up the side of the axle with the dead air bag when I cap the line off and have to limp it with only the weight of half the axle tube, hub, wheels and tires on it. I got reminded of that just last week when I got caught with my pants down no spare air bag and a transport that had to take place before a replacement bag could be acquired.

 

I have had to change two of them on the side of the road. Fortunately we had a pickup following to run and get a new bag each time.

 

First airbag I ever changed my boss at the time couldn't believe that I went from blowing the bag to back up and running in an hour and half without a bottle jack and time tracking down an air bag included.

It seems like every time I see you guys you've got a pickup or two in tow. Some bad days I wish I had the luxury of help!