Air brake connection at rear

[sardonux]

Good day, gents-

Quick question on a 1984 1/2 PT36. If I wanted to supply an air brake line at the back of the bus for the vehicle I'm towing, where would I find a supply manifold to do so? I've seen this on other coaches, however I've crawled around underneath and I am not sure what I'm looking for (not that it's easy to fit under, nor see).

Perhaps there is already a supply at the back, just tied up somewhere? Perhaps wishful thinking?

Thanks!

[birds_first]

You will need to tee off the brake air hub to supply air to the toad for brakes. Any other air source will not work, you only need air to the toad when you apply your brakes on the bus. I would suspect you would need to tee off the drive axle brakes but someone smarter than I will let you know if I'm wrong.

[sardonux]

Yep. I've seen the manifold for air brakes on Chris Damien's FC, however I can't get to the right place to find something like it on my PT yet. With all of the power train in the back, it's a lot more difficult to just wander around under there.

[Randy Dupree]

on a pusher coach you tie into a brake chamber on the tag axle.
Theres always a port on the chamber with a plug in it,remove plug and put an air line adapter in the hole,away you go!

[sardonux]

Thanks Randy! Somehow, I knew you'd come through with what I was looking for. Now, for the next question: is this the brake chamber on my drive axle, toward bottom left of picture?



Because I can't seem to find one for my tag axle very easily crawling around under the bus in the dark. Good thing I took pictures the other day when I changed all of the tires.

[bwinter1946]

That is what SMI did for my Air Force One system. They install a separate air tap off of the rear axle, a separate air tank and safety valve set up so in case of line separation etc the air pressure cannot be exhausted.

[sardonux]

OK, so I crawled under the bus in the dark and shot a few photos. Can someone please point to the right place? I can't seem to find a brake chamber for the tag axle anywhere…

Brake chamber for the drive axle:


Other random pictures of different sections underneath:








Drive axle curb-side brake chamber:


Drive axle street-side brake chamber:


You can see the leveling jack and other infrastructure, no brake chamber?

[Randy Dupree]

picture 4 shows the brake chamber on the tag axle.
is there a plug in an unused port?

[birds_first]

I used the right rear brake feed off the air hub between the left & right wheel. I got a brass closed nipple & tee from the Parker store, inserted it into the air hub and put my right rear brake hose into the tee. My toad brake line is plumbed into the brass tee. While your under there I would replace the air brake hoses, a cheap fix. I would also recommend a oneway safety check valve for the toad feed. Pictures for my system, may not work for you:

[birds_first]

If I'm correct you have an air hose the brakes and an air hose for the park brake, make sure you use the air hose for the brake and NOT the park brake. Wrong plumbing and no brakes to the toad. Your air hub looks to be above the drive shaft area. DON'T CRAWL AROUND UNDER THE BUS WITHOUT PROPER SUPPORT.