Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: warbirdlvr on November 07, 2021, 08:48:54 am
Title: A Few Questions About My HWH
Post by: warbirdlvr on November 07, 2021, 08:48:54 am
First question: When your coach is sitting for an extended period of time, does one activate the jack system and let it sit on the jacks rather than just sitting parked with the air bags deflated?
Second question (maybe issue): When I activate my HWH jack system, I have yet to see it do as the manual says it should. This relates to the red and white lights. When I lower the jacks before extending them, all of the red lights NEVER go out to when you would have all white lites. After waiting for five or six minutes, and I verify by sight that all jacks are down and in position, then I toggle the auto leveling switch, and even after they are all extended, not all the red lites go out. There is no more action from the system, and then after about five or so minutes, I shut off the ignition switch, with one or two jack lights still red. Any ideas? Or am I just not giving the system enough time? It would seem to me in the lowering portion, that maybe those red lighted jacks aren't latched in place? Any advice is appreciated!!!!
Question three: When I retract them, again, I always have one or two red lites still on. I either have to toggle the "Emergency Off" switch, or after however long, the lights finally all go out, well the "On/Off" switch eventually goes off. I always do a walk-around before just "taking off" down the road and verify all is where it should be. Again, ?????
As always, thanks in advance!!! Big John
Title: Re: A Few Questions About My HWH
Post by: Chuck & Jeannie on November 07, 2021, 09:28:07 am
John,
Can't answer any of your questions - sorry. I know nothing about the systems that use hydraulic jacks.
Can you post a photo of the control panel (or panels) for your HWH leveling system? I am curious which series you have.
The link below shows how to ID the HWH system based on the appearance of the controls:
Title: Re: A Few Questions About My HWH
Post by: nitehawk on November 07, 2021, 09:31:27 am
John, don't know what system you have, so I might not be able to help. But sounds like you have a common problem....Sticky, dirty, dry jack shafts. I have the 400 Series HWH system on our 1989 36' GV. Chassis is the V-817--leaf springs, no air bags. When I park here in the driveway I extend the swing-down jacks and level the coach. Then I crawl under and spray all four jack shafts and the pivot points with a light oil. When we first got the coach some of the jack indicator lights would stay red after toggling the retract and then eventually go off when we were moving. I stopped, went under the coach with my hammer and "banged the bottom of the mis-acting jack pad to compress the jack and the light went out. Next time I had to extend the jacks I extended both jacks on the same side all the way and sprayed WD-40 on the top ends of the shafts. Waited an hour and then wiped the shafts and sprayed a light oil on them for protection. Lights and jacks have worked correctly since. Try this first, and if you still have light issues, let me know. Do you have the HWH trouble shooting manual? Their Repair Manual? I have both.
Title: Re: A Few Questions About My HWH
Post by: FourTravelers on November 07, 2021, 09:32:01 am
This coach has Jacks and Air level ?
"does one activate the jack system and let it sit on the jacks rather than just sitting parked with the air bags deflated?"
Title: Re: A Few Questions About My HWH
Post by: warbirdlvr on November 07, 2021, 11:22:16 am
Ok, it is a 400 series non Bi-Axis system.
Thanks for the info, Norm. This sounds like you had the same issues as I am having, and I would love to have the manuals (both) that you have. Unfortunately, evidently some of the paperwork/manuals that I should have are not there. I have the big Service Manual binder, and a filebox with files on all the coach systems. I don't have an owner's manual per se. The big binder has the info on the Oshkosh chassis only.
Our coach has air bag suspension and hydraulic HWH 400 series jack system. My question is to whether one would let the coach just sit there on the deflated air bag suspension, or whether one should activate the jack system and have it rest on the jacks if the coach is not being used for a period of time.
Title: Re: A Few Questions About My HWH
Post by: craneman on November 07, 2021, 11:35:34 am
Thanks for the info, Norm. This sounds like you had the same issues as I am having, and I would love to have the manuals (both) that you have. Unfortunately, evidently some of the paperwork/manuals that I should have are not there. I have the big Service Manual binder, and a filebox with files on all the coach systems. I don't have an owner's manual per se. The big binder has the info on the Oshkosh chassis only.
Our coach has air bag suspension and hydraulic HWH 400 series jack system. My question is to whether one would let the coach just sit there on the deflated air bag suspension, or whether one should activate the jack system and have it rest on the jacks if the coach is not being used for a period of time.
I would treat it the same as my '81 with springs. Take the pressure off the bags not completely raised but more in the same position as when leveled. This assumes yours doesn't leak off, mine don't
Title: Re: A Few Questions About My HWH
Post by: warbirdlvr on November 07, 2021, 11:52:35 am
My coach's air suspension will leak down over 24 hrs. to around 60#'s of pressure and that is where she sits. Now, some may say it shouldn't do that, but what I see indicates it operates as designed. Am I wrong? Should I go ahead and set the jacks as soon as I shut her down, or what????
Title: Re: A Few Questions About My HWH
Post by: nitehawk on November 07, 2021, 11:52:58 am
The manuals I have do not say anything about sitting on the air bags or not. Maybe someone else can chime in on that. I just scanned the operating procedure from the HWH Corporation's Operator's Service and Parts manual for motor coach leveling system Model AP 4189 and attached it. I just stacked the three manuals of HWH information and measured it with my vernier calipers. The stack is .280" thick. One page measures .003" so .280"/.003"=93.3 pages!!! A lot of copying, ink, paper, and labor, not including packaging and shipping costs. Best bet right now is to try the things that have been mentioned in response to your questions first. Then send me a PO and we will try to solve the issues vie emails. normbreit@charter.net works better as it is easier to include pics and scans.
Title: Re: A Few Questions About My HWH
Post by: nitehawk on November 07, 2021, 11:55:13 am
I agree with Craneman. Level the coach with the jacks then let the air bags do whatever they want to do. This way any compression is passive.
Title: Re: A Few Questions About My HWH
Post by: Olde English on November 07, 2021, 12:01:55 pm
When I park in the drive for the winter the air bags settle down eventually and that's that. I wouldn't kick out the jacks as that leaves the jacks internals exposed to the elements. The only major problem I've had with the jacks was installing new springs on one of the front jacks, after studying the set up for a while the only tool I used was a screw driver. Try not to over think it, it's pretty basic engineering.
Title: Re: A Few Questions About My HWH
Post by: warbirdlvr on November 07, 2021, 12:16:32 pm
Thanks Norm, for the page. This manual I have, but thanks anyway. As far as the other manuals, maybe we can figure something out. Email is the way to do this, by far. I am going to use your proceedure to clear the lites when retracted. I'm sure the piston shafts are dirty, and a little cleanin' behind the ears surely won't hurt!!! Thanks again!!!!
Title: Re: A Few Questions About My HWH
Post by: warbirdlvr on November 07, 2021, 12:20:13 pm
Thanks to all for the replies. As always, there is value in everyone of them!!!!
Title: Re: A Few Questions About My HWH
Post by: Chuck & Jeannie on November 07, 2021, 12:33:08 pm
Document linked below has some info (Chapter 2) on the system under discussion:
First question: When your coach is sitting for an extended period of time, does one activate the jack system and let it sit on the jacks rather than just sitting parked with the air bags deflated?
Second question (maybe issue): When I activate my HWH jack system, I have yet to see it do as the manual says it should. This relates to the red and white lights. When I lower the jacks before extending them, all of the red lights NEVER go out to when you would have all white lites. to me in the lowering portion, that maybe those red lighted jacks aren't latched in place? Any advice is appreciated!!!!
Question three: When I retract them, again, I always have one or two red lites still on. I either have to toggle the "Emergency Off" switch, or after however long, the lights finally all go out, well the "On/Off" switch eventually goes off. I always do a walk-around before just "taking off" down the road and verify all is where it should be. Again, ?????
As always, thanks in advance!!! Big John
The ground wires for each jack are clamped to the side of the jack with worm style clamps. The big improvement was to use clamps with teeth. That's where I begin looking. Undo one, clean and re-clamp the ground wire. Whether the jack is up or down is determined by a tilt switch. Down happens because of a small hydraulic cylinder and cam, the return spring for the jack supplying the oil pressure. It's a clever system.