Luxury Coach Lifestyles - View Single Post - solenoids airbags
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Old 07-02-2008, 02:57 PM   #2
fulltiming
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Leo, I presume that the right rear corner of your Newell is sitting significantly lower than the rest of the coach. Is this correct? Do you have air leveling to level the coach when you are parked? If so, will the right side lift when you are parked and use the air leveler controls on the dash? That information will help narrow down the potential problem. I tend to think in terms of the two way air leveling systems (travel and parked) rather than systems that might be air leveling in travel mode only and exclusively use hydraulic levelers for stationary leveling. There are some what more complex systems that have for travel and stationary leveling and hydraulic levelers.

At least on the 1990's models and likely on yours if you have air leveling, there are two separate leveling functions. One system only works off of the leveling control panel on the dash. This allows you to level the coach when you are parked. The other leveling system works when you are on the road and appears to be the system you are having trouble with. I have the HWH automatic leveling system so it operates somewhat differently than the manual system with toggle switches that I have seen on several older model Newells.

Assuming that you do not have a tag axle but do have air leveling, you will likely have a bank of 6 solenoids, likely in the engine compartment to control the air bags for the rear suspension. If you do not have a computerized leveling system, you can apply 12 volts directly to the positive lead of each solenoid (typically the ground wires are fastened together for several solenoids). The solenoids will be right rear raise, left rear raise, right rear lower, left rear lower, and two travel solenoids that are connected to the travel height valves. I don't know when Newell began putting air leveling on their coaches. If you only have hydraulic levelers then your air leveling system would be much less complex and you would only have the travel solenoids and possibly dump solenoids.

If a solenoid is not working, you will, depending on whether the solenoid is for stationary leveling or travel leveling, either have air bag(s) at one corner that will not inflate or will not deflate. The controls on the dash should raise and lower each air bag (or air bag pair). When in motion, assuming the switches on the dash are in the travel mode, the travel solenoids will be activated by ride height valves (one located inboard of the right rear tires, the left rear tires and one in the center of the coach just behind the front axle. A bad ride height valve will prevent the air bags for a wheel position from activating, as will a bad ride height solenoid.

You will need the system air pressure up (preferably 100 psi or more) to begin the test. The down solenoids should let air out of the respective air bags. Of course if the bag is not getting enough air, it will be more difficult to tell. Voltage applied to the up solenoids should start dumping air quickly into one of the sets of air bags and the system pressure will drop quickly unless the engine is running.

So, the first issue is to determine whether all the solenoids are activating when 12 volts is applied. If it is quiet, you should be able to hear a slight click when they activate (power applied) or deactivate (power removed). Stuck solenoids are the most frequent cause of a leveling system malfunction and should be considered a routine maintenance item needing attention every few years. Ride height valves seem to more durable although I suffered a crack in my left rear ride height valve that was draining my air tanks in 10 minutes and the replacement ride height valve was defective and would not dump air when it was extended too high.

If the pressure is up and power is applied to a down solenoid, you should hear air rushing out of a fitting near the solenoids. If the pressure is up and you apply 12 volts to an up solenoid, you should hear air going into the air bag IF it is a stationary leveling solenoid. If the solenoid is a travel solenoid, activating the solenoid just opens the flow of air going to the travel height valve so you may or may not hear any air movement if the travel height (ride height) valve is defective or already at the correct ride height although you should still hear a click when power is applied or removed.

The typical admonition applies NEVER GET UNDER THE COACH WITHOUT HAVING IT PROPERLY BLOCKED UNDER THE FRAME AND WHEEL CHOCKS IN PLACE.
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Michael and Georgia Day
1992 Newell 43.5' #281
8V92 DDEC-2, HT740
PT Cruiser GT with Remco Transmission Pump
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