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Topic: Controversey Over Leveling Coach (Read 3148 times) previous topic - next topic

Controversey Over Leveling Coach

I guess this may end up being a rather controversial topic, but I really need some input from ALL of you owners of U280, U295 AND U320 owners.  While attending the FOT ladies driving school at Nacogdoches this fall, the classroom instruction was to DUMP all the air prior to leveling the coach with the HWH air leveling system.  Despite their best efforts to explain why this was a good idea, I'm too far on the downhill side of senility to grasp it.  Our local service rep actually had some good reasons NOT to do it.

How many of YOU dump the air before leveling the coach?  Why?  Yeah, I know it sets lower, but not sure that means a lot to me.

Re: Controversey Over Leveling Coach

Reply #1 –
We do not dump.  We just level.  If we're too high in front and not completely squatted below, we will sometimes lower a little then relevel.

Just doesn't make sense to me to dump all the air out then pump it back up - more wear and tear on the aux compressor and a waste of the desiccant capacity (if your coach is so-equipped).  Plus if you happened to be in a site where dumping all the air twisted the chassis, you could pop a windshield and put undue stress on things.

Re: Controversey Over Leveling Coach

Reply #2 –
Never dump// Agree with Michelle this is just extra work for the air system.  Have known some people who dump to have the coach lower to the ground but I never have dumped my air and I have always been able to level.  DAN

Re: Controversey Over Leveling Coach

Reply #3 –
BTW, same advice was given at GV two years ago

Re: Controversey Over Leveling Coach

Reply #4 –
We don't dump, just level. It's close to the ground to begin with, really no need get it lower.

Re: Controversey Over Leveling Coach

Reply #5 –
I have an older coach, but my practice is to let the engine idle for 10 minutes or so to cool off the turbo and let the leveling system get used to not moving. During that time I make sure that I'm really where I want to be and plug in the shore power. Then I have the HWH system level the coach. Once it is done I check the bubble level and tweak as necessary. Here at home the left rear is resting on the tires while the right front is at almost full extension. Dumping everything would just mean the RF would have to be pumped up all over again.

Re: Controversey Over Leveling Coach

Reply #6 –
I also lower the coach when parked at home and shut off 12vdc system unless I'm in the coach.

Re: Controversey Over Leveling Coach

Reply #7 –
       What seems to be the issue here is ---( HWH-- Active Air) -- Active air equipped coaches , hit the auto level button and you  drop the coach to the frame , then make's it level automatically. Mine drops with a thud , front and rear then is level fairly quickly . Making sense of this is not in the cards . I would guess that is what the driving school was thinking about .  My 2 cents worth .      Brad Metzger

Re: Controversey Over Leveling Coach

Reply #8 –
David,

There is no need to idle for 10 minutes to "cool the turbo" unless your RV park happens to be at the top of a mountain.  A couple minutes of slow driving from an interstate to a park, then within the park to a site will sufficiently cool the turbo.

Re: Controversey Over Leveling Coach

Reply #9 –
We never dump then level, just set the brakes and eather auto level or do it manual, then shut the coach off

Re: Controversey Over Leveling Coach

Reply #10 –
Quote from: Brad Metzger –
        What seems to be the issue here is ---( HWH Active Air) -- Active air equipped coaches , hit the auto level button and you  drop the coach to the frame . Then make's it level automatically. Mine drops with a thud , front and rear then is level fairly quickly . Making sense of this is not in the cards . I would guess that is what the driving school was thinking about .  My 2 cents worth .      Brad Metzger

Good point, Brad.  I believe they used new coaches at the driving school, so those would have had Active Air.

Re: Controversey Over Leveling Coach

Reply #11 –
We always raise the coach as high as it will go then level. Couple of reasons. I want the gray/black tanks higher than the sewer pvc otherwise it's an uphill battle. If I need to relevel for whatever reason it can be done by letting air out instead of starting the engine to build air. The best reason is it make the coach look bigger. Kinda like puffing your chest out. :)

see ya
ken

Re: Controversey Over Leveling Coach

Reply #12 –
I never dump.  Doing so would leave my step hitting the ground.  After leveling,  I might raise or lower the coach to place the step at a more convenient height.

Re: Controversey Over Leveling Coach

Reply #13 –
No need to make an ih45 look bigger.


Quote from: kenhat –
We always raise the coach as high as it will go then level. Couple of reasons. I want the gray/black tanks higher than the sewer pvc otherwise it's an uphill battle. If I need to relevel for whatever reason it can be done by letting air out instead of starting the engine to build air. The best reason is it make the coach look bigger. Kinda like puffing your chest out. :)

see ya
ken7

Re: Controversey Over Leveling Coach

Reply #14 –
We always level from travel height.  This seems to work fine for us.

The advice (to dump before leveling) must only pertain to the newer coaches.  The "HWH Air Leveling Systems Textbook" (link below), published 16SEP99, covers leveling system series 500, 600 and 680.  Under Leveling Procedures - Automatic Air Leveling (page 26), it says:

"DO NOT dump all the air from the air bags at this time. Allow the system to level the vehicle from travel height."

http://www.hwhcorp.com/ml20635.pdf

Re: Controversey Over Leveling Coach

Reply #15 –
If the coach is level when I push the button I will dump the air to get it lower.

Re: Controversey Over Leveling Coach

Reply #16 –
I don't know why the unihome and unicoach chassis allows the coach to
lower enough to sit on the tires.  I have heard that this practice can crack
tile floors, and if you ever try to move the coach before you reach travel
height, bad things can happen.  I level from travel height, and never let the
coach sit on the tires.

Re: Controversey Over Leveling Coach

Reply #17 –
Makes the steps closer to the ground

Re: Controversey Over Leveling Coach

Reply #18 –
I have never heard of coach damage from resting on the tires.  The coach is designed to do this.  Of course, never move the coach before it reaches ride height.

Re: Controversey Over Leveling Coach

Reply #19 –
             The Active Air drops the coach to (hard) stops ----not metal striking against metal ---- and does not touch the tires . The coach can be moved when all the way down . Don't know if it could be driven that way as I always let it get to ride height first . While all set up and parked level , and time to go , you would have to be fast to move before it gets to ride height as it does it right now . Takes a bit of getting used to , but I've learned to let it do what it's designed to do . It's going to do it anyway so I try to not screw it up with some stupid input on my part .                Brad Metzger