Author Topic: Bad day  (Read 5451 times)

George Frudakis

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Bad day
« on: May 27, 2022, 08:17:40 PM »
Went to get the beaver fired up for the weekend trip. The driver's side is leaning a little and there is some oil in front of the trie well. When I start up the cat and the air is inflating it still leans, I dear not drive her for the tire will not clear the wheel well. Does any know what the issue is? Is it my airbag or the ride height setting? What is the oil from? There goes my weekend trip.

David T. Richelderfer

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Re: Bad day
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2022, 09:14:38 PM »
I assume the coach is leaning down to the left and the oil is in front of the left steer tire - yes?

At first glance, I am guessing the oil leak and leaning are two unrelated issues.

Oil leak - The oil is likely Dexron from either the hydraulic leveling system, the living room slides' moving system, or perhaps the power steering system.  Someone would need to find the leak's source to make a further determination.

Coach leaning - Again, an assumption... the whole coach is leaning to the left?  If so, then a ride height valve or its controlling solenoid, the left rear ones, may have given up.  The two ride height valves near the drive axle to the rear of the coach control the left-to-right leveling.  The one ride height valve between the steer wheels controls the front-to-back leveling.

Someone more knowledgeable than me will chime in soon with a better explanation.
« Last Edit: May 27, 2022, 09:23:33 PM by David T. Richelderfer »
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George Frudakis

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Re: Bad day
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2022, 09:57:15 PM »
Thanks, Dave for the reply.
Yes, the oil is in front of the front driver's wheel. I check that to see if the power steering is the issue. I had the ride high check about a month ago, all was well then. I am sure that is the issue. I must have someone on-site to fix that because I can not drive do the tire will hitting the tire will shirt. Hop to gett her fix next week.

Keith Moffett Co-Admin

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Re: Bad day
« Reply #3 on: May 28, 2022, 02:08:38 AM »
George. Try dropping all the air and then firing it up.  When air reaches full be sure to put it in travel mode.  Sometimes this will loosen a stuck leveling valve.
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Joel Ashley

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Re: Bad day
« Reply #4 on: May 28, 2022, 02:21:45 AM »
I have to agree with Keith that his advice is worth a shot at first, as I've had that work for me once.  Otherwise it's possibly the left rear height control linkage (not necessarily the valve).  The rubber "boot" is a common failure point and one of the first things to check.  I'm not sure how that might be related to any oil residue, though.  They may not be connected.

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George Frudakis

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Re: Bad day
« Reply #5 on: June 15, 2022, 07:50:31 PM »
Replaced the left side and had a hard time adjusting the left to the right height to make them the same. Now the front is low. Any suggestions? Also, I notice that my hydraulic lines have some blisters. I guess I must change that as well. Does anybody know where in the Florida area that can do that? I do not want the mess and want to check all lines? Soon it going to be a new coach, HAHA

Steve Huber

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Re: Bad day
« Reply #6 on: June 15, 2022, 09:30:49 PM »
George,
The air levelers are in a tricycle arrangement with 1 each on the left and right rear and 1 center in the front. Sounds like the front one needs to be adjusted to raise the front.
Steve
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Paul Meehan

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Re: Bad day
« Reply #7 on: June 15, 2022, 10:02:39 PM »
George, not sure if a mobile service is available in your area.  I have heard good things about Pirtek mobile hose service.  I have never used them.

In the Jacksonville/St. Augustine area their phone number is (904) 647-6533 and nationwide number is (888) 774-7835.  After digging a bit they are all over the US.

https://www.pirtekusa.com/locations/?list_by=state

Good luck!
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George Frudakis

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Re: Bad day
« Reply #8 on: June 21, 2022, 02:50:49 PM »
does anyone know where I can purchase a new leveling unit for the front? This is the problem with my coach not raising.
Photo enclosed

George Frudakis

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Re: Bad day
« Reply #9 on: June 21, 2022, 02:54:14 PM »
Here the photos

Steve Huber

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Re: Bad day
« Reply #10 on: June 21, 2022, 07:25:24 PM »
George,
Maybe I'm missing something. The hydraulic rams are only used to level the coach when parked. They have no role in leveling the coach to get it in travel mode since that is controlled by the air bags. The only way a hydraulic ram could keep the front low and from reaching travel height is if it was jammed in its seating pad.
So is the problem you are trying to solve leaking hydraulic lines or front of coach won't raise in trave mode or?
Thx, Steve
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George Frudakis

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Re: Bad day
« Reply #11 on: June 21, 2022, 07:40:08 PM »
steve
Both my leveling unit are leaking hydraulic fluid and the coach is not going into ride height. I found the units from beaver coach rebuilt 900 each. I decided to change both not to have problems down the line. Now the ride height- earlier change the side to side, and have them just about even. But the ride height is too low in the front.  overnight I return there is hydraulic fluid is on the ground around the front tire area and the coach leans to the driver's side. I cant move the coach because it will not be able to turn without ;D damaging the coach.

Steve Huber

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Re: Bad day
« Reply #12 on: June 21, 2022, 07:44:51 PM »
George,
Have you adjusted the front air bag control?
Steve
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George Frudakis

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Re: Bad day
« Reply #13 on: June 21, 2022, 09:12:06 PM »
working on that I let you know. Thanks for the help

Joel Ashley

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Re: Bad day
« Reply #14 on: June 21, 2022, 11:52:20 PM »
This is indeed a head scratcher.  As Steve notes, the photos seem to show a hydraulic jack used for making the coach level while parked in a campground or elsewhere.  They aren't used on the highway, which is when George seems to be saying his problem occurs - going into Travel Mode.  There can be three "leveling systems" on these things - two for getting level in camp and one for keeping the rig relatively stable on the road:  the 1) hydraulic one that George's photos reference is for camp leveling to augment an 2) air system that balances the air bags for the same purpose;  the 3) Travel air system is separate and balances the bags on the road.  I can only presume there is a nomenclature issue here - by going into Travel Mode he may mean the lifting/retracting of the hydraulic jacks before leaving camp, as opposed to putting the air ride system into Travel Mode.

I think George has us confused, except he apparently does have a leaking jack.  But his Travel Mode issue is another thing entirely that by description is commonly a bad ride height valve link boot up front, of which there is only one and a relatively easy fix.  Safety first:  always block up the coach or put on ramps before fiddling under there with an air system, whether Travel Mode/ride height or camp leveling.  By his last post he has obviously not fixed his jacks issue, and apparently neither his rear ride height one since it's leaning left again.  As Steve says, you might need to adjust the ride height control to get rebalanced after fiddling with those rear valves, George.  I have an instruction for our HWH control box, but you may have a different model and need to contact its manufacturer.

I think I'd get that ride height valve and/or linkage boot problem dealt with first, so at least as long as the jacks could be secured up I could drive the coach.  George, did you take Keith's advice and try fully lowering the coach then back to travel status?

-Joel

On review, George may not have used the term "Travel Mode", which is an ID on an HWH air control panel;  my bad.  Ride height is the terminology put forth.
« Last Edit: June 22, 2022, 12:07:24 AM by Joel Ashley »
Joel and Lee Rae Ashley
Clackamas, Oregon
36.9 ft. 2006 Monterey Ventura IV, aka"Monty Rae"
C9 400HP Cat