Travel Height Norgren Coil - 5 Port - Steering Bay

[truk4u]

Jon has covered this a gazzilion times, but when it happens to you, the more information the better.

Got home from OKC and the bus would not come back up to ride height after lowering to unload. I had to use the manual position and level up the bus to get it in the garage.

This is a simple fix, if you have the parts and can be easily diagnosed by just swapping out the center position valve (right height) with one of the other valves to determine if the coil is the problem. Another easy way is to put 24 volts to the coil and see if it magnetizes. This is a 30.00 part and I now carry a spare coil and valve with "O" rings.

5676
Coil Part #641929 - 30.89

5677
Valve and Coil

[JIM KELLER]

Good post, Tom.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

This is not a common problem considering the number of coaches in POG and the number of miles driven, but a solenoid valve and coil failure is not an unheard of problem.

AJ had a similar problem and fortunately he was where he could get a replacement part.

If you should experience an inability to restore the coach to ride height there is an easy fix so do not be tempted to drive with the coach raised up or dropped down.

All the solenoid valves that control the suspension system are stacked on a manifold located on the rear bulkhead in the lower compartment beneath the driver's seat. On coaches with five solenoids the center solenoid is the ride height control valve. It is continuously open (and the coil powered ) any time the ignition key is on and the coach suspension control in the drive or road position. Should it fail to function as Tom's did, to make a temporary repair to get you moving swap coils with any other coil, or swap the entire solenoid valve.

On older coaches with the 4 valve manifold I do not know which solenoid valve and coil is for the ride or drive position, but it can be easily determined by seeing which one has 24V power coming into it when the key is on and the ride or drive position has been selected.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Jon, does this tip pertain to Country Coach?

JIM

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Jim, you are not making friends with posts like that. Yes, it pertains to all coaches with our type level low suspension.

Some coaches have the HWH system (and I am shooting from the lip), but I think the HWH sends its ride position electrical commands through the same solenoid array.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Whoops, I didn't mean it that way.

JIM :o

[MangoMike]

More info over at www.Prevoman.com

5682

http://www.prevoman.com/Pages/Manifold/Manifoldpg1.html

Mike

[dale farley]

Based on comments in this thread, I am wondering if my bus goes to ride height when I start it and let it run a few minutes without putting it in "Drive"? I notice mine always exhausts after running for a couple minutes whether I place it in gear or not. I always assumed when it exhausted, it was "road ready". Am I right or wrong in that assumption?

Yesterday, when I started to back out of the garage (before I placed it in gear), when it exhaused it had raised to a little over 12" just in front of my front wheels. Measuring from the bottom of the stainless to the concrete.

[JIM KELLER]

Dale, On my Bus it will not go to road height when started if the green light on our HWH panel is not lighted. After starting and reaching full air you can manually touch " travel " on the soft pad and it will go to road height. Of course as soon as you put the transmission in any gear the green light will automatically come on and road height will happen.

Now that I'm writing this I am questioning my wisdom.

[dale farley]

Jim, I think maybe I should read my instructions again. It could be I am starting the bus and it is going to the level position I stopped it. I do know it goes to road height when I place it in gear or select "Travel". I have never paid much attention to what it does if I start the bus, leave in neutral and don't touch the panel.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Unrelated to repairs, Jim and Dale are making some observations about how their system operates to make me wonder if all owners with custom controls on the leveling system are aware how their coach suspension operates.

I have serious clearance issues getting into my garage heightwise. Roger does also. We cannot have any doubt as to what position our bus sits in when we enter the garage or TracStar will be selling another dish.

I wonder how many others have a system that does its own thing?

[flyu2there]

Based on comments in this thread, I am wondering if my bus goes to ride height when I start it and let it run a few minutes without putting it in "Drive"? I notice mine always exhausts after running for a couple minutes whether I place it in gear or not. I always assumed when it exhausted, it was "road ready". Am I right or wrong in that assumption?

Yesterday, when I started to back out of the garage (before I placed it in gear), when it exhaused it had raised to a little over 12" just in front of my front wheels. Measuring from the bottom of the stainless to the concrete.


Dale,

I am pretty certain that most, if not all, CC's have the HWH system. Mine, the same vintage as yours, I start it up and all bets are off with the leveling, it goes to the drive position, I do not have to touch anything. Like you, I wait for the coach to "break wind" and drive off...never had a problem save when I put a replacement generator start battery atop one of the HWH leveling sensors in that rat hole that can be only accessed from the forward bay aft....but that's a different story and a different post.

John

[flyu2there]

Unrelated to repairs, Jim and Dale are making some observations about how their system operates to make me wonder if all owners with custom controls on the leveling system are aware how their coach suspension operates.

I have serious clearance issues getting into my garage heightwise. Roger does also. We cannot have any doubt as to what position our bus sits in when we enter the garage or TracStar will be selling another dish.

I wonder how many others have a system that does its own thing?

I was told by CC that the "THING" behind the gear selector overrides everything that HWH and CC have installed. I am speaking of the rotating knob and rocker switch that I really have never figured out.........PS, one can dump the system at any time on the (I presume) HWH panel.

John

[dale farley]

I have to raise mine up every time I go in and out of my driveway. When they paved the highway twice last year, it changed my angle of attack just enough to cause me to have the need of raising the bus.

When parked, and I manually or automatically level the bus, the system automatically defaults to the Travel (ride height) position when I either shut off the leveling system or place the transmission in Drive or Reverse.

[Will Garner]

Dale,

You should call your local DOT office, the one responsible for placing the two overlays. It should be pointed out to them that their tie in with your driveway is totally unacceptable. Then point out to them the size and value of the vehicle which now has problems getting in and out of the driveway they failed to make a proper tie in to their two new overlays. If this fails, consider providing a written "prior notice" letter to them about the potential for a tort claim arising from their deficient tie in. I'd also tell them you are at the absolute limit of what measures you can take to avoid damaging the underside of your coach. Invite them to come out for a look and give them a demo of exit and entry to your driveway.

[rfoster]

FlyU2here: I have the "thing" that sits behind the HWH control Pad. It overrides the HWH.

It will lock the air in what ever position I desire by rotating the dial away from drive position. Return the dial to drive and it goes to ride height by default. Depending on the position of the dial as it relates to front, or LR, or RR and which button you hold down either up or down. I also have a red warning on the dash whenever it is not in the drive position.

It took Truk to show me how to use it after I got the coach.

[truk4u]

That thing is the Prevost Level Low control and a normal routine for us poor slobs that have an ALL manual bus!;)

Manual window shades, manual pocket doors, manual bed lift, manual level low, manual awnings, manual belt tensioner, manual door locks, manual electric cord, manual water hose and manual privacy shade.:eek:

Gee, nothing really to work on.........;)

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Truk, did you get the all the manuals for your manuals! :p:D

JIM:eek:

[rfoster]

Whiner---Just go trade up a couple of years and that whining will change to something else.

Can't state it here - Skiff would kick me out

[dale farley]

After doing some observation on my system yesterday, I realized that mine doesn't go to ride height when I place it in gear. It defaults to ride height when I release the emergency brake. That makes more sense.

[Willis Michell]

I have a new coach (new to me) 1999 Vantara. I dont think it was used much before I bought it and I am having the same trouble. Could it be their is to much condensation in the air lines? I understand you should bleed condensation out once a month or so? W

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Willis........

As a newbie the first thing you need to do is try to learn the controls of your leveling system. I am not being a smart ass, but I am trying to get you to be able to define how your system is set up. As you may surmise by reading this thread the system controls are different depending not only on who the converter was, but how the cocah was equipped. What is reasonably constant is the underlying valve operation although some converters varied that as well.

To answer your question first tell us about your leveling system, or better yet attach photos of the leveling system controls.

Then it is probable that someone on this forum can walk you through the operation of the system, and from that you can report back and tell us what happens or does not happen, compared to what was expected to happen.

Condensation in the system is not unreasonable especially if the air system on the coach was poorly maintained, but apart from hydraulic lock it should not prevent the system from functioning.

Help us help you by posting pictures of your controls, or at the very least describing them.

You may find that on occasion we sometimes actually answer questions correctly.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

BTW, welcome to the asylum. You wouldn't be a sheep farmer would you?

[Willis Michell]

Jon, Thank's for the reply. Farming possibly, Sheep no. My coach has the HWH system, and though it says it is in travel mode it definetly is not. So I use the manual air to bring the coach up to move it. I have a mechanic looking at it and likely valves will need to be replaced but I wondered if water in the system would also cause this. Thank you again, definitely a newbie.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Willis.....

If you can manually make the coach raise or lower I can say with almost 100% conviction that there is nothing wrong with the valves.

The second thing I can say is that unless the mechanic is intimate with the operation of not only the HWH, but the Prevost level Low system you will be paying for a lot of on the job training.

So since there are a bunch of Vantare owners as well as others who have the HWH. why not specifically describe what you are doing, what results you expect, and what the coach is doing and see if someone here can start this discussion by analyzing what is going on.

From my perspective if you can isolate the HWH and use the Prevost system alone and have the coach go to the travel position then you can ignore the valving completely. If however it does not go to the travel position at all, or it fails to go to the travel height at the front, left rear or right rear that could be a simple solenoid valve or ride height valve replacement. We just need specifics. I do not have an HWH so all I can help with is the suspension valve trouble shooting.

[Willis Michell]

Jon,

Thank's for the reply. I will get back to you with what I find out. Interesting and I hope no big expense. At least the Prevost system alone does work so must be in the HWH itself.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Willis, there may be nothing wrong with anything. It may be as simple as understanding how the Prevost and HWH interface. Dale's system as he pointed out goes to ride height when the emergency brake is released for example. It is nuances like that which need to be understood.

On my Liberty I have the proprietary Liberty system for automatic leveling, and while it is a nice feature for getting close to level in a rest area for lunch, I tend to manually level the coach at all other times because that lets me decide to the extent possible how high I want the front step off the ground. Manual leveling is more accurate, and most importantly I have clearance issues getting up my driveway and into my garage. I cannot afford to risk having a system that does not let me manually adjust my heights and leave them where I set them. Automation is nice for impressing the folks in a campground, but hardly necessary.

[rahangman]

What year/conversion do you have? My recent visit to Moscow , Ia for HWH was at best frustrating. They maintain my HWH equip was working in their shop but when installed back into my bus would not work as intended. My level low works great by itself. HWH is blaming installation problems, but it "used to work 6months ago" why now? They could not figure it out after 8 hrs of working on it. As info, they left all their "newer" components installed and did not charge me for their labor due to not being able to fix the problem. They did offer to work on it more at a later date. So, maybe installation, a wire shorted? I am amazed that HWH was not able to get a fix on what was causing the problem.

[Willis Michell]

Roger and Jon,

Hay guys, no when I release the break nothing happens. As an example, if I had leveled the coach down low almost touching the tires it just stays their yet the HWH says it is in travel position. So I do a manual level. As Jon suggests this may be best in the long run. Roger it is a 1999 Vantare

[Jon Wehrenberg]

If it is on the coach, it should be working, but for now at least it sounds like you can by-pass the HWH.

Maybe someone can walk you through how the HWH is supposed to work so you can possibly isolate the problem. Truk can probably help if Vantare set it up like the CC set up, but if Vantare has a unique set up one of those folks may have to offer the guidance.

[truk4u]

Willis,

Is there power to the HWH and the green travel light lit?