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Lexair Rebuild - LW 4000

M

MDrost1

Member
Folks,

I have learned a lot from you over the past few years and am very grateful!

I have a Lexair Valve on my undercarriage for my LW4000 that is starting to leak. An indication that it needs to be rebuilt. It is one of the "4 bolt" bigger lexair valves. I have one of each on my pump stand.

When installing, is there anything I should know before taking the four housing bolts off the valve? I know this may sound stupid, but I have never done it before. Should I shut the air off, or does the mac valve take air off the valve when not in use? Should I be ready to get nailed by water draining out of the HP line? Anything I should do when the valve is open...i.e. inspection, etc.?

Thanks a ton for the help. Have a wonderful 4th of July weekend.

Mike
 
I haven't rebuilt the larger style Lexair, but with the smaller ones, I always cut off the air and cut off the water to the high pressure tank. I drop the level of the water in the high pressure tank below the level of the lexair. Remove the airline and the quick connect. Then I remove the cover of the lexair while standing to the side. Sometimes the water pressure will force the internals out and sometimes they will stick. If it sticks just pry out the plunger housing and watch for the spring when the water starts to flow out. Once the line has drained back the water should stop. Good luck.
 
I forgot that you will need to check the inside of the brass valve body for excessive wear, pitting or anything that may prevent it from making a good seal. If you find a problem then you will need to replace the brass body.
 
I would try to rebuild once. If it leaks soon after get a new one. Turn off water and air. Hopefully the 4 bolts are not seized in the aluminum housing!!! Undo the air line first take out the bolts and remove the piston. Just watch the direction of the pistons and the placement of the seal and o-ring. I did mine twice and they still always ****ed water on the undercarriage. I just replaced the undercarriage one and t works nice. I should have switched to the newer ones they are a little less expensive. $530 and I think the newer ones are around $350 from Kleenrite. Good luck!! You might need air to push the actuator piston out of the aluminum housing.
 
Dump the lexairs all together, and put in a 1 inch dema 458ps. 180 bucks, and you do not have to worry about that air leaking any more.
 
A propane torch come in handy for stuck bolts or sized pipes.. The bottom nut can get sized and there probably not much room to work it when installed so a carefully heating of the nut with a torch helps it break loose easier. Get the parts directly from Lexair. Much, much cheaper ime.
 
So I suppose if you get rid of the lexairs you also eliminate the mac valve?? I like it!! But how dependable are the big high pressure electronic dema's?
I tried to purchase from Lexair and they would not sell direct. Referred me to a local distributor that wouldnt even quote to me until I gave him all my info and my left arm since I was not a current customer.
 
What.!? Sorry, I'm gonna have to dig out my paper work and see exactly what I got and from who.. Swear it was Lexair themselves.. Wait maybe it was a distributor. I know I had no trouble ordering and the price was right.. I'll look into it later today.
 
Well what I did was go here to the distributor locator http://lexairinc.com/locator/expand your search out if needed you can call any distributor you want that will ship.. If.. I think I dealt with Norman controls or All Controls... Listed on my area search here.
 
Last edited:
Etowah
pgrzes said:
So I suppose if you get rid of the lexairs you also eliminate the mac valve?? I like it!! But how dependable are the big high pressure electronic dema's?
Click to expand...

I have had them on for over 3 years with no issues. Yes; get rid of mac valves. I say again--$180 for the dema; two per unit is $360. No mac valve, no lexair valve, no air leaks. At $180, you can keep a spare on the shelf.
 
Got a little quik on the rebuild and didn't pay attention to which way the big rubber seal for the big puck goes. Does the opening part of the seal face the machine or out?
 
I like washnvac's idea. Air operated valves are a leftover from the early days when miniaturization of electrical components was getting started. There were actually "air logic" designs that used air switches instead of electronic switches. And that's all a computer is, is a bunch of switches turning ones and zeros on and off. Too much crap in air supplies to keep them functioning.
 
Well sparky you get a nice atta boy on that one. I see all the time perfectly good stuff trashed because an unknowing owner listened to some salesman.
 
What r they wired into to tell em to open/close
Probably gonna go that route
Rebuild not working
Still a bit of water getting by on the undercarriage when arch is on.
Figure should grab em before it Peter's out on bizy day.
Headed to Ashland this am anyway for some footvalve. N.p. open at 8 or 9 sparky?
Thanks
 
Ontario Car Wash said:
What r they wired into to tell em to open/close
Probably gonna go that route
Rebuild not working
Still a bit of water getting by on the undercarriage when arch is on.
Figure should grab em before it Peter's out on bizy day.
Headed to Ashland this am anyway for some footvalve. N.p. open at 8 or 9 sparky?
Thanks
Click to expand...

They open at 8.
 
Etowah
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