Travel mode issues

Topic: Travel mode issues (Read 1303 times) previous topic - next topic

Travel mode issues

April 27, 2022, 07:17:03 pm

Travel mode is kicking me again!
3 years ago I sent my HWH computer box and control pad to HWH! They repaired it and all was good!!!
Now I'm having issues again!
Intermittently, the travel mode lights, but not always.
The front driver's side is over 9.5 inches higher than the other sides.
I have adjusted the rear bags to proper heights, but the driver's side is still to high!
Tomorrow I'll go into the computer box and check the fuses, but I'm thinking a travel solenoid may be the issue.
Any thoughts on a solution!

Re: Travel mode issues

Reply #1 – April 27, 2022, 07:38:01 pm

The front just has one height valve,may be a solenoid.

Re: Travel mode issues

Reply #2 – April 27, 2022, 08:03:32 pm

Whether or not you have a bad solenoid won't affect the actual ride height, you need to adjust the valve at the center of the front axle for that. Is the other side of the front axle considerably lower? It's going to try an average the two to whatever it set at so make sure you're on a very level surface when you do the adjustments.

It should be pretty easy to test whether or not The travel solenoid isn't engaging. Just dump the air completely and then put it in the travel mode. If it fails to rise back up then I would start by testing/rebuilding/replacing the solenoid.

Re: Travel mode issues

Reply #3 – April 27, 2022, 08:20:59 pm

I dont think yet that you have a electrical issue yet. You say the driver side is full up. This is controlled by the left ride height valve. Is it is working correctly it will drop regardless. Have you checked your exhaust ports int your valve for mud dauber nests?

Re: Travel mode issues

Reply #4 – April 27, 2022, 08:41:29 pm

I find if I have one side of the front high the opposite rear one will be too low.

Re: Travel mode issues

Reply #5 – April 27, 2022, 09:14:01 pm

I experienced a bad front right hand travel solenoid, if the right hand front started at travel height or below it was fine, if low it would raise to travel height however if I had the right front raised above ride height it would not lower to travel height. Benched tested the right hand travel solenoid and found it to be bad, replaced and all was well.

Re: Travel mode issues

Reply #6 – April 27, 2022, 09:28:34 pm

I ordered a replacement solenoid today. If it isn't the solution, it won't hurt to have it in reserve!!
Tomorrow, I'll block the suspension up and inspect for the issues you have suggested!!
Thanks for the support!!

Re: Travel mode issues

Reply #7 – April 28, 2022, 01:46:42 pm

Does you travel light come on when it's raining and OK when it's dry.

Re: Travel mode issues

Reply #8 – April 28, 2022, 04:51:43 pm

The weather doesn't effect it.
Yesterday the travel mode light came on, but the driver's side front was too high. I manually leveled it, then released the parking brake, the left front went up to 9.5 inches and light didn't come on this time.
I was just inspecting the front six pack and the pressure switch connections are a bit corroded, so I'm about to clean them. I don't think it will solve the problem, but may prevent a future one!

Re: Travel mode issues

Reply #9 – April 28, 2022, 05:15:11 pm

The pressure switches only come in to play when you Are dumping air out of one of the front bags. If a pressure switch doesn't detect 10 psi in the opposing bag, it won't let you drop that side so that you are not able to twist the coach and cracked windshield.

Travel mode, and manual leveling mode, engage different solenoid's and different mechanisms that control the amount of air into the front bags. I think that you need to adjust your center ride height valve on the front axle (on level ground).

Re: Travel mode issues

Reply #10 – April 28, 2022, 07:37:14 pm

You could have a raise solenoid that is leaking causing that side to raise. You might get the hwh 6 pack rebuild kit and rebuild both the front and rear 6 packs.

Re: Travel mode issues

Reply #11 – April 28, 2022, 08:57:18 pm

Could a leak be detected with soapy water?

Re: Travel mode issues

Reply #12 – April 28, 2022, 09:00:27 pm

Quote from: Want2rv – April 28, 2022, 08:57:18 pm

Could a leak be detected with soapy water?

Yes. They can be very tricky to spot on the six pack though. There's a pressure regulator between the front air supply tank and the six pack that you can turn up to increase the chance of spotting bubbles. Index it though, so you know where to return it to afterwards.

Re: Travel mode issues

Reply #13 – April 28, 2022, 09:16:28 pm

I saw that regulator when I was inspecting the 6 pack. Thanks for the tip!
I guess it's time to order the rebuild kits!

Re: Travel mode issues

Reply #14 – April 28, 2022, 10:00:36 pm

If one of the solenoid valve is leaking internally you can't see it.

Re: Travel mode issues

Reply #15 – April 29, 2022, 09:05:36 am

Lets go over a few things so you understand how the system works so you will be able to figure out what the problem is.

Attached is a diagram I found on FF, so a system similar to yours. The diagram has a tag axle but besides that everything else is pretty close. You might have the one for your coach in the big book Foretravel gave to the new owners when they sold the coach.

http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?action=media;sa=media;in=3511

Since the problem is in the front, lets just be concerned with that. As you can see the 6 pack has 6 solenoid valves. There are two for travel (1 for each side), 2 for raise (1 for each side), and 2 lower (1 for each side) When you are not in travel mode and coach is sitting all of the valves should be closed with no power going to them. The front only has 1 height control valve that has an air supply all the time, when it feels the coach is too high in height it lets air out, when too low it add air. When you go into travel mode the two travel solenoids will have power applied to them, thus letting air pass through to the 4 front air bags. When not in travel mode the 2 travel solenoids are closed and not letting air come in or go out to the front bags. If you manual raise the right side front the 1 front right solenoid valve will open and as long as you have air pressure in the system the right side air bags will start raising. If you lower the side then the lower valve opens up and vents the air out and causes the bag to lower. All of the above will work perfect as long as the valves are closed and not leaking when there is no power applied.

With the coach aired up, not in travel mode, is the right side raising up on it's own? If so then the right side raise solenoid valve is leaking and will need to be replaced or rebuilt. If that valve is leaking and in travel mode, it can be raising the right side, but the travel height valve will see it being to high and want to exhaust air to try and lower the front.

Re: Travel mode issues

Reply #16 – April 29, 2022, 02:19:35 pm

Thanks for the excellent description of the workings of the system!
I have printed out the HWH Manuals for the 600 Series and studied them. Your description is clear and concise!!
The leveling system works as it should when not in travel mode. After it auto levels, it stays level for days without readjusting.
As for travel mode, the green light doesn't always come on when the ignition is on and the air brake off. The left front raises to 9.5 inches and the right from to 8.5. It has been suggested that the right travel coil is bad and the left coil is overcompensating.
I plan to check the coil this afternoon.

Re: Travel mode issues

Reply #17 – April 29, 2022, 02:28:10 pm

Quote from: Want2rv – April 29, 2022, 02:19:35 pm

Thanks for the excellent description of the workings of the system!
I have printed out the HWH Manuals for the 600 Series and studied them. Your description is clear and concise!!
The leveling system works as it should when not in travel mode. After it auto levels, it stays level for days without readjusting.
As for travel mode, the green light doesn't always come on when the ignition is on and the air brake off. The left front raises to 9.5 inches and the right from to 8.5. It has been suggested that the right travel coil is bad and the left coil is overcompensating.
I plan to check the coil this afternoon.

These symptoms sound like 1) you're on slightly uneven ground and 2) your front ride height control valve needs to be adjusted down slightly. Since you only have one ride height control valve in the front, it's tough to get them both at exactly 8.5" (top of plate to bottom of plate).

You need to adjust your rear ride height control valves and make sure they're perfect first, as they'll affect the left to right adjustment of the front.

Re: Travel mode issues

Reply #18 – April 29, 2022, 02:43:04 pm

Elliott,
The coach is parked on my concrete driveway that just has a slight grade for drainage.
I have adjusted the rear right valves. They certainly are more accessible than the front one!!!
I will adjust the front one down and hopefully be able to split the difference between left and right.
Checking the front ride height coils is still on my list!
Thanks for the suggestions!!!

Re: Travel mode issues

Reply #19 – April 29, 2022, 03:04:45 pm

Quote from: Want2rv – April 29, 2022, 02:43:04 pm

Elliott,
The coach is parked on my concrete driveway that just has a slight grade for drainage.
I have adjusted the rear right valves. They certainly are more accessible than the front one!!!
I will adjust the front one down and hopefully be able to split the difference between left and right.
Checking the front ride height coils is still on my list!
Thanks for the suggestions!!!

Any time you're chasing airleaks and haven't rebuilt your six packs you might as well do that first. It eliminates the potential for all sorts of ghosty issues and it's comparatively cheap and easy. Half the battle is finding the will power to just block the coach and crawl under there in the first place

Re: Travel mode issues

Reply #20 – April 29, 2022, 03:48:55 pm

I reached out to Tom McCloud yesterday, he is out of rebuild kits at this time, it will be a month or two! I'm on his list.
I did adjust the front ride height down, both sides are lower, but still an inch apart.
Soaped the coils, no bubbles.
The ride height light won't come on with ignition on and parking brake off!!!
I had the coach running at full air pressure with the parking brake on, auto level on, and leveled. When I switched the level system off, the coach dipped strongly to the right front and the left lifted, just as it does with the parking brake off!
Sure hope I don't launch a windshield!!!

Re: Travel mode issues

Reply #21 – April 29, 2022, 04:33:19 pm

Charlie there are two ground wires on the outside of your HWH control box. Separating them separates the front and the rear. Trouble shooting half the system at a time keeps you from chasing down strange issues. Disconnect them one at a time and being isolated it all will make more sense. Then once you have verified fault see which end of the coach is causing the issues. It will still be active. Manually raise or lower. You also can install short safety blocks cut a inch short of ride height to prevent system from flexing too much. So when that corner drops it will be arrested
Scott.

Re: Travel mode issues

Reply #22 – April 29, 2022, 04:37:17 pm

Quote from: Want2rv – April 29, 2022, 03:48:55 pm

When I switched the level system off, the coach dipped strongly to the right front and the left lifted, just as it does with the parking brake off!

This sounds like one of your lower solenoids/plungers is sticking. You could try swapping them side to side and see if the problem follows to the other corner of the coach. It'll result in the same outcome though; rebuilding the six pack.

Re: Travel mode issues

Reply #23 – April 29, 2022, 04:48:07 pm

If you suspect a front travel solenoid you could swap the front travel solenoids If nothing changes it's not a front travel solenoid. If the problem moves to the other side it's the valve you moved over there.
The green travel light only tells you the computer is sending power to hold open all travel solenoids. You have to solve the intermittent travel light problem. Check connections coming out of the computer to the travel solenoids.
If the travel light works sometimes it sounds like a connection and not the computer

Re: Travel mode issues

Reply #24 – April 29, 2022, 04:49:04 pm

Are the six pack rebuild kits the same as what Newell has?

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