Air Leveling/Travel Mode

[Ken Sair]

Today was the 3rd time in the last to months I have experienced this problem on my 2007 Beaver Contessa.

Parked in the CG, all level with our air leveling. Slides in, ready to leave, hit the travel button, release the brake, select D on the Allison. Move forward several feet and the coach tilts right, as if all the right side airbags deflated. I stop, activate brake and Allison in neutral. Then I choose level (as if setting up camp). Wait till I am level and then start again. Everything is OK now. Whole thing takes about one minute.

Very strange. It only happens on the first movement forward of several feet. After I re-level all is well. Air pressure is all god before initial start. Any thought are helpful

Ken Sair

[Larry Fisk]

Just curious, are you waiting until the travel mode light indication turns green before you move? I know the answer is probably yes but thought I would ask. If the coach has not completed travel mode which is indicated by the light it is not ready to go.

[Dennis Crawford]

Larry,

I have a 05 Monterey and I have to have the coach in travel mode before I close the slides. So, mine is start;  travel mode; stop engine; bring slides; start engine and leave (after pre drive check of course )

Dennis

[Ken Sair]

Thanks to all the replies. I will wait a little longer before moving after choosing travel mode to see if that helps.

Thanks, Ken

[Roger Bowton]

When your air gauge stops it should be ready to go

[Joel Ashley]

I am a proponent of the "slides out first and in last" procedure.  I also wait, after pressing Travel mode, to release the brake and engage the transmission until full pressure is reattained and I hear the air dryer purge.

All that said, it sounds like Ken more likely has an air valve issue than a problem with slide procedure or tank pressures.  I'm surprised no one more familiar with the valve system than I hasn't offered input.

Joel

[Ken Sair]

Well, to update all worked well today. I did notice on start up that the rear air tank was at 0, the front at about 50 psi (I have seen this before). I did wait a little longer. I hit the travel button and waited about 20 seconds. then started to move forward slowly.

Will experiment again next week when I go to the Onan shop. Still no power from the generator. Will create a new topic.

Ken

[George Morlan]

I would watch the air pressures closely, because I suspect you have a leak somewhere in that system.

On my 2007 Contessa the green travel mode light goes on immediately when I press it.  I've been having a problem with loss of air pressure (long hunt for the crippling leak is, I hope, near an end) and normally wait until the bags are up to 65 psi (bong tone stops) before turning the engine off to pull in the slides.  My routine also includes starting the engine again after the slides are in, putting the coach in travel mode again, and then taking a walk around outside the coach and disconnecting the shore power before moving the coach.  So it has plenty of time to settle in to travel mode (if that is necessary). This routine takes care of the two minutes in travel mode needed before I can raise the tag axle (if I need to raise it).  But on the occasions when I've needed to move the coach without going through this routine, I've never experienced anything like you describe.  So I think "Houston, we've got a problem).

[Gary Winzenburger]

Have you checked the bleeder valves on the tanks? They might not be fully closed due to vibrations, pot holes, etc. Mine are located under the front nose. I bleed them occasionally to get the moisture out. Just a thought.
Gary

[Ken Sair]

Bleeder valves are all ok. I have suspected an air loss when parked 4-5 days or more. But I have chalked it up to the on going leveling of the coach. We traveled last sunday and all was well. I did wait about a minute or so before moving so the increase air pressure must have helped. Does anyone know whether its the front or rear air tank that does the air leveling. Whenever I have noticed a difference in air pressures between front/rear, its always the rear.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

[Gary Wolfer]

Boy do I have a lot to learn. I recently found what is called a dump valve on the dash of my new to me 98 Patriot Monticello. I have a few buttons and switches I do not understand. There is a button labeled air dump I understand it lets air out of the air bags when stopped but do not know the procedure to use it. Just to the right of the air dump is a switch with what looks like a fan with what appears to be 3 positions. I see no fans near the windshield nor do I hear any noise when I turn the switch. On the left panel between the switch labeled cruise and resume there is another black button, what is it for? Also on the dash there is a switch called close out and another close out switch on the end of a cabinet next to the stairwell.  What do they do I hear a ting noise when I flip the switch near the stairwell but see nothing happen. I finally found one lighter type plug next to the throttle pedal with a rubber plug in it I assume it is for a gps.  If you have a similar coach please chime in as I do not want to do something wrong. I have not been dumping the air when I park as I am afraid I will do something wrong and it will not refill air bags before I leave. I also do not know if the mirror adjustment switch is broken or I am doing something wrong. It does not seem to work either.

[Gary Wolfer]

OH Yeah I read something about a travel mode light I have not seen it nor know what it does.

[Tom and Pam Brown]

Gary,

The close out swoth is for the step cover. The one by the door does the same.  The black button is the set button for the cruise control.
Not sure about the fan type switch.  On my leveling panel the travel mode light is there and turns green when its ok to travel as far as suspension goes.
The mirror switch should be rotated left or right to mob pave those mirrors.


My close out is air operated so if there is no air in tanks will not function.

Hope this helps.

[Steve Huber]

Gary,
The air dump switch is for use if you want to dump the air bags without leveling the coach. If you have air leveling you will seldom if ever use this as the air dump is part of the leveling procedure and done automatically during the leveling process.
The fan switch might be for the windshield fan. On my 2000 and 2001 Beavers there is a squirrel cage fan located behind the TV in the front that blows air from the vents above the windshield. If no air is coming out, you may have a blown fuse (not sure of location).
Steve

[Joel Ashley]

Gary-
It sounds as if you have one or more faulty devices.  The switch is activating your step cover control valve, but it may not be getting air so it can actually work.  The step cover mechanism could also be jammed by loose components, misalignment, or debris.

Your dash fans may have a blown fuse or a bad switch, or some other calamity has befallen that circuit - a loose or corroded hot lead or ground connection or a bad relay.  But since you see no fans, a previous owner may have removed them.  That said, our coach has ports for upper dash air, not visible squirrel cage fans as many rigs have.

The 12v "lighter" outlet is commonly found in that location, and is supposedly convenient for GPS, CB, or any other 12v device as you wish.  Just mind that a wire going to a device from down there doesn't interfere with your feet.

It is not uncommon for mirrors to get jammed such that the power mechanism cannot operate them.  This could also be another case of a malfunctioning circuit.

Have a service facility check them, or get to a Beaver rally where experienced owners can help track down the causes.  These should be relatively easy to resolve.  And a rally is a superb place to have other owners help you understand your coach, by walking you through each system.  The previous owner or dealer should have provided you a thorough walk through, but fellow club members may be your best bet for that now   .

Joel