Bouncing Diesel Coach

JHS · 04-29-2005, 07:00 PM

Over the past few months we have had three occasions when after start up the coach has literally started to bounce and we had to pull off the road. We visited a Freightliner service and called customer service at Winnebago and they tell us this is not uncommom. On all three occasions the primary air comes up slowly. The guages were registering 125 at time this occurred. We don't start the engine until air is up. We were told to stop the engine, put on the air brake and then restart. It does correct the problem. It was suggested that dust or moisture is getting in the valve and even though the guages are showing the 125 we don't actually have the 125 pressure. Is this really commom? We also did a drop off at Forest City and they could not duplicate so nothing was accomplished in this area. However they re-ipoxyed the door on front where the hinge separated from the coach and took care of a couple of annoying minor problems that dealer claimed no solution. This is a 2004 Journey 32T.

JHS · 04-29-2005, 07:00 PM

Over the past few months we have had three occasions when after start up the coach has literally started to bounce and we had to pull off the road. We visited a Freightliner service and called customer service at Winnebago and they tell us this is not uncommom. On all three occasions the primary air comes up slowly. The guages were registering 125 at time this occurred. We don't start the engine until air is up. We were told to stop the engine, put on the air brake and then restart. It does correct the problem. It was suggested that dust or moisture is getting in the valve and even though the guages are showing the 125 we don't actually have the 125 pressure. Is this really commom? We also did a drop off at Forest City and they could not duplicate so nothing was accomplished in this area. However they re-ipoxyed the door on front where the hinge separated from the coach and took care of a couple of annoying minor problems that dealer claimed no solution. This is a 2004 Journey 32T.

tomsm · 04-30-2005, 03:14 AM

JHS,
The bouncing is a symptom of the airbags not being inflated. Be sure, after ignition switch is on, to push the "OFF" button and "STORE" button on the HWH jacks panel - even if the jacks are not down. Don't know why "OFF" instead of "ON", but that's the way HWH says to do it.

The "STORE" button does several things. Of course it raises the jacks, if they are down, also will retract a jack that tries to drop slightly while driving, AND it opens the valve to fill the airbags.

You may be inadvertently triggering the problem by dumping the airbags when you park and then driving off without hitting "STORE".

When you say you don't start the engine till you have 125, I assume you mean you don't drive off till you have 125, since the engine has to be running to generate air pressure.

Then again, you may be doing everything right and it is just a matter of dust or moisture in the valve as they suggest. However, it hasn't happened to me and I've never seen anything mentioned on this forum about such.

After the pressure is up and you've pushed "STORE", hop out and take a quick look at the suspension height. It's pretty obvious whether the bags are up or down.

smlranger · 04-30-2005, 06:33 AM

At delivery, the tech told me I could/should press 'store' and wait for the lights on the HWH panel to go out. Or, if I need to move more quickly (early departure from CG don't want the diesel to wake my neighbors), I could press the 'rabbit' button which would inflate the bags more quickly so I could get moving.

JHS · 04-30-2005, 05:09 PM

Tom, It's quite likely that I had not used the Jacks when this occurred. However HWH did tell us when we used the store, not to use the Off, but wait for the lights to go out.
I will use the store before I start in the future. You're right I let the air go to 65 before starting the engine and to 125 before moving.
S Miranger, What is the "rabbit" button?
Have been driving this RV since 11/03 without this occurring. It was near the end of 3 1/2 month journey that this happened when we were just stopping overnight. If it was fairly level and we were leaving the tow vehicle on, we didn't put the jacks down.
Many thanks for the suggestions. I was quite disturbed by this. Joan

El Jeffe · 05-01-2005, 11:25 AM

In addiotion to these comments, about the HWH System on which I agree:

On my 02 Journey DL 39QD the "bags will air up" when the air brake is released. This obviously, is not the best method, but I understand it's a fail safe feature.

BTW - I visually inspect the MH to ensure that the ride-height has come up. It's easy enough to tell.

tomsm · 05-01-2005, 01:12 PM

Just so there's no confusion - there are differences between the '02 and '04 HWH systems. The '04s don't have a "rabbit" button and don't have the fail-safe to air up the bags with brake application or release.

I and several others have experienced this first-hand. The ONLY thing that will inflate the bags on an '04 (and presumably an '05) is the "STORE" button.

It's kind of deceptive in that, if you didn't put your jacks down, you'd think you don't need to "store". But, if you dumped the airbags, you must hit "store".

The only advantage I can see to the new system is that, if you dump the airbags to sneak under a low bridge or garage door, they will stay dumped till you hit "store".

I agree totally with El Jeffe - step outside and visually check the ride height.