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SMC Levelrs

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LarryNCarolynShirk:
Edward,

The time delay of the air dump can be modified by the folks at Beaver Coach Sales Service Dept.  They changed mine to 90 seconds, which dumps all the air.  As I recall it was a software download to the control module.  I would guess not many shops have access to the software.

Each jack is extended until it hits the frame and jiggles the coach.  That jiggle stops the jack. When all 4 are touching the frame, leveling begins.  So you have 4 jiggles before leveling starts.  The 2 jacks at a time are extended to complete the leveling process.  If only one jack were extended, the frame would be twisted.  If the left front and right rear were extended together a twist would occur.  So only the pairs on the front, rear, or each side will be extended at one time.  This will, hopefully, avoid popped windshields. The best way I have found to avoid the earthquake is to leave the coach until it is over.

Full air up before retracting the jacks seems to reduce the rapid free fall when you push the retract button.

Larry

Edward Buker:
Thanks Larry,

I did not know that the Beaver folks could modify the delay time, that would help. It will be another year before I get back out that way and could have that done. I loved the line "The best way I have found to avoid the earthquake is to leave the coach until it is over." That brought a good laugh on my end.

I wish some owner was a hydraulic engineer and would come up with a modification to at least slow the drop rate during retract. It would seem like adding some flow restrictor on the return side line would help but it is not my field, really have no idea.    ...Hope other owners will comment on any tips they have learned.

Chuck Bayman:
I have this same system on my 2002 37' Patriot. It took about 3 years
and out of warranty before someone finally got it fixed. They did replace
the manifold block and that took care of the problem. I too have always
dreaded retracting the jacks for the reason you all have talked about. I
will try the airing up and then retract. Also do you guys leave your sildes
out or bring them in before you unlevel? I have always brought mine in.

Edward Buker:
Chuck,

I have dropped the coach and aired up the suspension before I bring in the slides. Seems like if the coach is level you should be able to bring the slides safely in before you retract but I'm not sure. From my understanding Monaco/SMC wanted the coach fully aired up for slide movement.

 If the hydraulic leveling system has raised the front or the back of the coach enough that the valves for the air spring leveling system are closed then you can air up the tank system to pressure but you will not have air movement into those air springs that are in the most raised positions. The gentlest way I have found to come off of the hydraulic levelers is to bump the manual retract switch, dropping a little at a time, after airing up, to give a chance for the all the air springs to come up as the coach comes down. A little delay between bumps of the switch watching the air guage will let you know how much air is still flowing into the air suspension. Allowing some time and flow of air into the air springs means we will have a shorter distance to come down (fall) and have a cushioned landing on the air springs. Ideally, if the coach lifted in all positions with the air springs you would not feel the retract at all since all of the hydraulic rams would be lifted off the axles before you start retact. That can only happen if when you leveled the  coach it was low enough where all of the air spring air feed valves remained open. Hope this helps.

Still looking for a better procedure if there is one or some system modification that would slowly lower the coach on the hydraulics.

Gerald Farris:
The problem with a restrictor is that oil has to flow into the top of the jack and out of the bottom of the jack at the same rate on extend, and on retract the fluid flow is just reversed. So a restrictor in either line would slow extend as well as retract. The ways to do it are to "T" in another circuit with a low flow rate to control the retract process, or you can use a two speed pump with high speed to extent and low speed to retract, or install a switchable valve that can change the flow rate with a seperate switch when retracting the jacks. This would be more complicated and expensive than the circuit that is now used, but any of them are doable. The system designer obviously did not think that any of these design changes wre practical or cost effective, as none were ever added to their system.

Gerald

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