Airbag question

[Lawrence Tarnoff]

When parked on a level site, the front driver's side corner of our coach is noticeably lower than the passenger side, creating a decided downward tilt toward that corner of the coach.  I'd say that corner is about 4-5 inches lower than the other.  I asked the service manager at the dealership where we purchased the coach and he said this was common for this era motorhome and not indicative of a leaky bag or faulty valve.  Can that be right?

Once we fire up the Cat and start moving, we are nice and level.

Larry

[Joel Ashley]

I noticed something similar when ours was new.  I'd pull into a parking lot and get out, and notice one front side lower than the other.  I don't know that it was 4 or 5 inches, but it was noticeable.  I was also told by a dealership, where I'd pulled into for warranty service and parked, and thus pointed it out to them, that it was okay and normal.  Okayyyy... I thought the air ride system would've kept side-to-side balanced, but I guess not necessarily.  It is what it is when you shut off the ignition.  The places it was noticeable happened to be lots that were sloped, so that affected things. 

But yours happening on level sites is different;  I would presume the ride height function to leave you relatively square up front - there is one ride height valve for the front and one for each back side.  If it's catywampus, it actually could be a rear valve not functioning, leaving the right rear high, and consequently the front left low.  At least if you air level within a half hour after parking, and the air-leveling or jack-leveling works properly, the fridge will be protected.  If it was a leaky bag, you wouldn't stay level after setting up camp, or else the auxiliary pump would constantly run after auto-leveling to keep the low bag filled - but I don't know if your coach has auto-leveling.

If you're saying this happens after air-leveling in camp, then I don't know why a service manager would tell you that was normal, because it certainly isn't.

-Joel

[Mike Groves]

I would say NOT normal.  I have a '99 so we're definitely in the same "era".

Mike

[David T. Richelderfer]

Our coach may be out of the era, but it has been parked in our driveway almost constantly since mid March (moved twice since March) and it has been rock-solid on its bags, and this since we purchased the coach in August of 2012.  Every time we park the coach for a night or several months from here to Arizona on RV pads or off-level sites, we get the satellite dish sighted-in and the dish has never lost reception that we can remember.

Perhaps we are lucky for the time-being until something wears out?

[Larry Fritz]

Lawrence:  I have a 98 Patriot and have used it continually for over 15 years now.  After several years of experiencing your symptoms, I have positively identified my problem to the 12V air dump solenoid. Mine is a bellows valve.  I have even tried two new valves without success.  Sometimes one side will go down and at other times the other side.

My coach has a 90 degree thumbscrew type of on/off mechanical valve attached to the output of the air dump valves. If I air the coach, then get underneath and turn that mechanical valve closed (meaning the 12 V dump valve will open but the air cannot escape so the coach stays aired)  then it will sit weeks perfectly level.  If I then get under and open that mechanical valve you can hear a "pssst" meaning air has escaped from the 12V dump valve and if I leave alone the coach will be leaning badly within 24 hours.

My workaround has been to air the coach and if I choose to not dump air then run the jacks down to where they seat on the ground and the problem is solved.

Larry Fritz