Here are two shots of the rebuilt HALDEX AIR DRYER. I couldn?t take any pics during the disassembly, cleaning and reassembly as I was fighting the clock.
Basically, you dump the air bags and tanks completely, disconnect the air lines from the dryer, loosen the coalescing filter with a BIG filter wrench BEFORE you remove the dryer from the frame mounted bracket. You then remove the heater, lower bracket retaining bolts (3), loosen the stainless steel band clamp and wiggle the dryer down to the ground. It looks big but it is light as it is primarily aluminum. The Coalescing filter however IS HEAVY!
When the air dryer is working correctly, it should "pop" any residual air/moisture off when you first turn the key on and then the massive air blast when everything is fully pressurized (don't forget to shut the air tank drain valves first). Hopefully, you should have minimal moisture and no oil in the discharge as that is what the coalescing filter and dessicant cartridge are supposed to clean out or "DRY".
I will be cleaning, checking and/or rebuilding my air compressor shortly as I think it is time...and it may be leaking...which would explain the oily road grime all around it.