High Wind Storm

[Jason Worman]

So we are camped for the winter in Winchester Bay Oregon. We had very high winds last night, It was reported gusts up to 40 MPH. Our 1991, 36 foot Contessa barely wiggled in the wind, the wind was coming straight at us. The question I have is, if that same wind or higher was hitting us broadside should we dump the air bags and raise the jacks to give us a lower profile and does it hurt the coach to deflate the airbags? I was reading online that any winds above 53 MPH that this is a good idea. Thanks

[Mike Shumack]

I think you should always dump the airbags before leveling, regardless of wind.
If I was in a high wind event I would keep the jacks down for more stability but also keep the tires firmly planted on the ground.
IMO

[Jason Worman]

Doesn't completely dumping the airbags drop the coach to the ground? We are pretty green owners. Thanks

[Jerry Emert]

I guess there is more than one way to skin a cat as they say!  I never dump before I level because I like to step up a little when entering.  I have also had my step wedge itself on a slight rise or "hump" on the ground.  Another concern for me is that my bays are part of my slides so if the ground is uneven the bottom of the cargo bays may get all the way to the ground.  My .02 cents! 
Jerry

[Mike Shumack]

Doesn't completely dumping the airbags drop the coach to the ground? We are pretty green owners. Thanks

I have only owned this one coach so I don't know how all the other models act, but on mine, the air bags lift the body from the chassis/frame.  The chassis height is determined/fixed by the height of tires and the frame structure where the airbags mount, so the height that the chassis/frame is off the ground does not change with changes to the airbags, only the coach body (so to speak) lifts and lowers with the airbags. When I dump the air bags the body lowers (the gap between the top of tires and fender wells closes. This is probably 6 inches or so. With the airbags completely empty the body/compartments/step will not touch the ground. Of course you can't drive this way (airbags dumped) as the front tires are too far up into the fenderwell to be able to turn.

[Jason Worman]

Mike,

I know this is a dumb question but how do you dump the airbags? I have a dump airbag override switch on my panel, it this what I press?

Jason

[Jerry Emert]

I have three ways to dump.  A switch on the dash, a dump button on the HWH panel and one on the hydraulic panel.
Jerry

[Mike Shumack]

Mike,

I know this is a dumb question but how do you dump the airbags? I have a dump airbag override switch on my panel, it this what I press?

Jason

Not a dumb question - and I don't know how your coach dumps either. 
Mine is like Jerry's with the dash dump switch and with a "lower button" on the HWH Leveling control pad.

I looked for an Owners Manual for your 91' in the Beaver Coach Links section and Googled it, and could not find one. I did find the brochure (nice coach!). http://www.cmrvs.com/contessa/brochure.pdf
It's built on the Gillig (bus) chassis which is a very good chassis.

I did see this link to buy a manual, but I dont know what is being sold and I'm skeptical it is an Owners manual for a 91 Contessa https://www.etsy.com/listing/237717959/beaver-1990-1999-motorhome-manuals-470pg

Just to add one more thing: On my style coach the hydraulic leveling jacks extend to the ground, so when the airbags are dumped the jacks don't have to extend as far. My Owners manual states that the airbags "should be dumped".

[Doug Allman]

I am with Jerry as we over 25 years of having coach's we seldom if ever dump the air bags when leveling. There are a lot of reasons as Jerry indicated some and if you are not real careful you will wish you had been. Lowering 30,000 to 58000 lbs will do some damage to numerous parts. Jacks down always over the long stay helps to stabilize. Getting into the bays when lowered is always hazardous to you or the coach in many different ways.

We were camped in Badlands NP in South Dakota one summer when a storm front blew thru at 65 mph. Coach was quartering into the wind but with jacks down it only rocked a little. The greatest test was not listening to the camp host when he told everyone to get their awnings in. We decided to go the the camp restroom first and came out seeing the women trying to hold down the awning as the front had suddenly arrived. Host said you wont have time when it hits and he was quite accurate as 4 of us barely got it in before it got real bad.

[Mandy Canales]

We have a '90 Marquis and when we get the final resting place we put the jacks down and then dump the air by using the dump switch on the dash and then level the coach..  Our jacks only go down about 2 -3 inches B4 they hit the ground.  The jacks are also the swing down type not like the newer ones that go straight down.  We've seen some of those "straight down" jacks with planks underneath the jack so the jack doesn't go down as far.  Sometimes on our swing down jacks we can't get a 2 x 4 jack pad underneath.  I'm quite sure that the '91 coach also has swing down jacks.

[Jason Worman]

Mandy,

We have the swing down jacks on our 91 Contessa and it is tricky to get 2x4's under the jacks. Just out of curiosity, do you find it hard to get parts for it?

Jason

[Doug Allman]

HWH Corporation in Moscow Iowa, their plant is right off I-80, exit 267 between Iowa City and Davenport,  I am sure can do whatever you need for your jacks. We worked with them on our 91 Contessa and they are super people to work with. Have place to park if you need to stay overnight.