Rough ride

Lake · 02-05-2005, 02:52 PM

My 2004 Journey has been in storage for a few months, only driven a few miles about once a month. Today I started it up, the air pressure came up to around 140 psi, however it seems that the air bag suspension did not come up. The MH rode like a log wagon, like the frame was sitting on the axels. Any ideas out there as to why this happened and if the air bags are the problem. Help needed.

Lake · 02-05-2005, 02:52 PM

My 2004 Journey has been in storage for a few months, only driven a few miles about once a month. Today I started it up, the air pressure came up to around 140 psi, however it seems that the air bag suspension did not come up. The MH rode like a log wagon, like the frame was sitting on the axels. Any ideas out there as to why this happened and if the air bags are the problem. Help needed.

3huskies · 02-05-2005, 03:34 PM

I'm assuming you know that you have to press the "rabbit" button on the HWH jacks console to fill the air bags. If you don't do that, they will not fill until you step on the brake pedal. How long of a ride did you go?

Lake · 02-05-2005, 03:54 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by 3huskies:
I'm assuming you know that you have to press the "rabbit" button on the HWH jacks console to fill the air bags. If you don't do that, they will not fill until you step on the brake pedal. How long of a ride did you go? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I drove about 30 miles but the ride never improved, still rode just awful. What is a "rabbit" button? I am a little dense as to all the working of a diesel pusher.

3huskies · 02-05-2005, 04:00 PM

I have an 02 Horizon so things may be different on yours. On my hydralic jack panel there is a button with the outline of a rabbit. Pressing this button fills the air bags. (really)

tomsm · 02-05-2005, 05:01 PM

On the 04 Journey, you press the "Store" button on HWH panel. Do this even if your jacks are already stored. I had the same experience that you had and as soon I pressed "Store" the bags aired up.

Surprised you made it that many miles. I got to the end of my block and turned around and came back home.

Lake · 02-05-2005, 07:05 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by tomsm:
On the 04 Journey, you press the "Store" button on HWH panel. Do this even if your jacks are already stored. I had the same experience that you had and as soon I pressed "Store" the bags aired up.

Surprised you made it that many miles. I got to the end of my block and turned around and came back home.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Unfortunately I was on a road where there was no place to turn a big rig around. Believe me it was a thoroughly miserable 30 miles. About 15 miles out before I found a place to turn around then 15 miles back. I'm going to try your suggestion tomorrow, sure hope it works.
Thanks for the tip.

Lake · 02-05-2005, 07:17 PM

I appreciate all the suggestions you folks have given me. I will try them tomorrow and I surely do hope something works as I would certainly hate to have to drive this rig to a Freightliner dealer as it is pure misery to drive in it's present condition.

tomsm · 02-06-2005, 01:31 AM

Lake,
Sorry you had the bad experience. When it happened to me, I called, in order, my dealer, Freightliner, and Winnebago. No help - all said the same thing, "just take it back to the dealer". (100 miles away) Right - I'm really going to do that!

Finally found this statement in the HWH manual under "Retract Procedure":

3. Press STORE. The "STORE" light will come on. As each
jack retracts it's red warning light will go out. The vehicle
suspension should return to the proper ride height for traveling.

Since the jacks weren't extended, I hadn't done that.

Guess they thought the "rabbit" was too silly, but I'll bet I would have pushed that as soon as the problem started. Apparently, they also eliminated the logic that inflated the bags if you apply the brakes. If that logic is still there, it's not documented and it sure didn't happen on mine.

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger...

Lake · 02-06-2005, 05:28 PM

I think I got my rough ride problem corrected although the weather was too bad today to take the MH out but at least the air bags will fill now. I took the suggestions some of you made, started the engine, raised the levelling jacks to their highest, then hit the store button. Don't have any idea what the connection is but the air bags filled after I hit the store button, at least the height of the MH rose about 3 inches, so I suspect the ride will now be normal.
I really appreciate the help of you who answered my post.

The Shadow · 02-07-2005, 11:02 AM

I believe "store" is very necessary when retracting the jacks. Otherwise the system may "think" you were simply leveling. Several owners have reported that failure to use "store" has resulted in the "jacks down" alarm going off while driving.