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Travel Height Not Working

Just left Alaska on the Alaska Highway and the passenger side air bags, front and back,  dump the air.  If I tell HWH to
level, it works fine and holds air.  Surely, both leveling valves didn't go bad.  Should I disconnect the rod and somehow
set at 8 1/2 inches and go on?  Thanks for any and all help.
Jerry
Jerry and Nancy
1995--U295C
Fulltimers

Re: Travel Height Not Working

Reply #1 –
Quote
Just left Alaska on the Alaska Highway and the passenger side air bags, front and back,  dump the air.  If I tell HWH to
level, it works fine and holds air.  Surely, both leveling valves didn't go bad.  Should I disconnect the rod and somehow
set at 8 1/2 inches and go on

Hi Jerry,
Here are some emergency procedures.
I dont know what model HWH you have.
But this should help get you going.

http://beamalarm.com/Documents/ride_height_emergency_first_aid.htm

http://beamalarm.com/Documents/emergency-leveling-valve-override-proceedure.htm

The selected media item is not currently available.Barry BEAM #16014
2003 U320 40' AGDS
Beamalarm, Foretravel technical help and specifications
"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve"

Re: Travel Height Not Working

Reply #3 –
If what you mean is that when driving, your right side does not go to ride height, there is only one ride-height valve that controls the right side and it is located near right rear tires.

At the left rear is second right-height valve that controls the left side.
A third ride-height valve centered in front controls front to back level.
There are only 3 ride-height valves.

Among other electric solutions, a temporary fix is to remove the ride-height rod and tape the rotation of the valve in the middle 'closed' position and then level coach with HWH level system.
When you drive down the road, the right side ride-height will stay at the
HWH leveled position and will not change as you drive.
I made this fix and drove for a week in back roads of Canada until I could get to a bigger city in BC to buy a replacement ride-height valve.

By the way, ride-height valve's bottom rubber boots often disintegrate and the white square muffler material fall out.  Everyone should check for missing bottom rubber boots.
Replacement boots are not available and it is not logical to replace ride-height valve to get a new valve that will have it's boot later disintegrate.  This is a Meritor problem, they are not standing behind.
Most are making a simple boot replacement to keep water and dirt out of the bottom of the valve.

Re: Travel Height Not Working

Reply #4 –
Jerry;
  The frost heaves are really bad along that strech of highway. If you were going any faster than 20 MPH , you may have damage in the level sensors AND possibly in other suspension components. A good inspection of the undercarrige is in order prior to any normal hi speed driving. That road was BAD last year and worse this year.
Gary & Sharon Karnes
1999 295 WTFE 3600

Re: Travel Height Not Working

Reply #5 –
Okay Guys,  Thanks for your help.  But now I have another question.  You spoke of the neutral position on the leveling valve.  I can't find that position.  I can move the rod to let air out , but moving it will not let air in.  I have now taped the rod in the position to stop air escaping.  I have used the HWH to set the valve ride height at 8 1/2 inches.  When I turn HWH off the green travel light comes on.  Whitehorse, Yukon, is 100 miles away.  Do you think I can safely drive there to order a new valve?
Thanks again.
Jerry 
Jerry and Nancy
1995--U295C
Fulltimers

Re: Travel Height Not Working

Reply #6 –
Since you cannot find the ride height valve fill position, that may be the problem is with your ride height valve. OR maybe the problem is with your HWH 6-pack valve manifold.  The top solenoids are supposed to open when you are in travel position.  If a solenoid does not open you will not be getting air to the ride height valve. In travel position, the air hose TO the ride height valve always has air pressure.  Removing this hose and finding no air pressure, puts the problem back at the HWH 6-pack manifold.  And your ride height valve is probably ok.
 
With your taped ride height valve, you could even drive back to the states if you want, just may not have as comfortable a ride.  You may not know the difference.  We drove a week that way.
 
If you have a black plastic original ride height valve, the replacement may have different mounting holes to bolt to frame.  You may need to make a piece of metal with holes to mount to frame and other holes to mount to new ride-height valve.  This is what we needed  to do to get the new valve in the same position.  You can probably mount the new valve in the new position temporarily to drive ok.

Re: Travel Height Not Working

Reply #7 –
I found a closed scale house (for level) and set the bag at 8 1/2 inches, then drove 150 miles and could not tell any difference. The ride seemed just normal.  I will keep an eye on it and get back to the lower 48, then make a decision to get is fixed or wait till Texas. As of now I seems one could drive a long way the way it is now.... What do you pro's think?... Jerry
 
Jerry and Nancy
1995--U295C
Fulltimers