Specifications

17730-248 9 Important Safety Notice

AIRTEK

•

SOFTEK

for Blue Bird Buses

SUPPORT THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO SERVICING

PLACE THE VEHICLE ON A LEVEL FLOOR AND CHOCK THE WHEELS TO HELP PREVENT THE

VEHICLE FROM MOVING. NEVER WORK UNDER A RAISED VEHICLE SUPPORTED BY ONLY A

FLOOR JACK. ALWAYS SUPPORT A RAISED VEHICLE WITH SAFETY STANDS. BLOCK THE

WHEELS AND MAKE SURE THE UNIT WILL NOT ROLL BEFORE RELEASING BRAKES. A JACK CAN

SLIP OR FALL OVER. SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY CAN RESULT.

AXLE

AXLE CAMBER IS NOT ADJUSTABLE. DO NOT CHANGE THE AXLE CAMBER ANGLE OR BEND

THE AXLE BEAM. BENDING THE AXLE BEAM (SEE FIGURE 3-3) TO CHANGE THE CAMBER

ANGLE WILL DAMAGE THE AXLE AND REDUCE AXLE STRENGTH, AND WILL VOID

HENDRICKSON'S WARRANTY. A BENT AXLE BEAM CAN CAUSE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL,

POSSIBLY CAUSING PERSONAL INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE.

FIGURE 3-3

REPLACE ANY SAFETY DECALS THAT ARE FADED, TORN, MISSING, ILLEGIBLE, OR OTHERWISE

DAMAGED. CONTACT HENDRICKSON TO ORDER REPLACEMENT LABELS.

STEERTEK IS A UNIQUE AXLE, IN THAT THE KINGPIN IS CRYOGENICALLY INSTALLED IN THE

AXLE. THE KINGPIN IS A NON-REPLACEABLE COMPONENT OF THE AXLE ASSEMBLY. DO NOT

TRY TO REMOVE THE KINGPIN. IF THE KINGPIN SHOWS SIGNS OF MOVEMENT, CONTACT THE

HENDRICKSON TECH SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

THE REPAIR OR RECONDITIONING OF SUSPENSION OR AXLE COMPONENTS IS NOT ALLOWED

AS SHOWN ON LABEL IN FIGURE 3-3. HENDRICKSON ADVISES REPLACING ALL COMPONENTS

FOUND TO BE DAMAGED OR OUT OF SPECIFICATIONS. ALL MAJOR HENDRICKSON

COMPONENTS ARE HEAT TREATED AND TEMPERED. AIRTEK/SOFTEK COMPONENTS CANNOT

BE BENT, WELDED, HEATED, OR REPAIRED WITHOUT REDUCING THE STRENGTH OR LIFE OF

THE COMPONENT. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES CAN CAUSE LOSS OF VEHICLE

CONTROL, POSSIBLE PERSONAL INJURY, DEATH, OR PROPERTY DAMAGE AND WILL VOID

APPLICABLE WARRANTIES.

IF A VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH A STEERTEK AXLE IS INVOLVED IN A CRASH, A THOROUGH

INSPECTION OF THE AXLE SHOULD BE PERFORMED NOTING THE CONDITION OF THE AXLE

BEAM, KINGPINS, AND KNUCKLE ASSEMBLIES. IF ANY COMPONENT APPEARS DAMAGED THE

AXLE SHOULD BE REPLACED. IN THE EVENT THE CRASH RESULTED IN EXCESSIVE SIDE LOAD

SUCH AS A BENT WHEEL, HUB, OR SPINDLE, IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED TO REPLACE

THE COMPLETE AXLE ASSEMBLY, CONTACT HENDRICKSON TECHNICAL SERVICES WITH ANY

QUESTIONS. FAILURE TO REPLACE ANY DAMAGED COMPONENTS CAN CAUSE LOSS OF

VEHICLE CONTROL, POSSIBLE PERSONAL INJURY, DEATH, OR PROPERTY DAMAGE AND WILL

VOID APPLICABLE WARRANTIES.

SERVICE MANUAL

FRONT AXLE & SUSPENSION

APPENDIX