[djimellis]

I am looking for a air system diagram for my 87 Newell. I have looked on many websites but have not seen one that matches my Newell. For example, my front axle has 4 air bags, 2 per side, and each pair feed directly into their own tank. The tank in front of the axle supplies the right side air bags & the one behind the axle supplies the left side. I have never seen a diagram with that sort of configuration. I am trying to determine which solenoid controls what action-Raise, Lower & Ride height. I also have 2 other tanks near the front of the coach which I assume are related to the brakes. Any help would be appreciated.

[prairieschooner]

it would help if you take a couple of pics of the manifolds & the type of valves

[djimellis]

it would help if you take a couple of pics of the manifolds & the type of valves

[Richard]

Jim,

A couple of basic questions before I dive into this. Do you have one or two sixpacks in the rear? Are you looking for a complete diagram of the air system, or just trying to ferret out the suspension? I can help with the suspension, but not with a complete diagram of the system.

[djimellis]

Jim,

A couple of basic questions before I dive into this. Do you have one or two sixpacks in the rear? Are you looking for a complete diagram of the air system, or just trying to ferret out the suspension? I can help with the suspension, but not with a complete diagram of the system.

[djimellis]

it would help if you take a couple of pics of the manifolds & the type of valves

[Richard]

Jim,

Here is a hand drawn diagram of the front setup. Here are a couple of key points to keep in mind when understanding how the logic works. First, and this is a tricky one. The supply air feeds the height control valve (HCV), the hcv is piped to the six pack, and when the travel solenoids are open the hcv is then connected to the air tanks that feed the air bags. The outlet of the single hcv in the front is teed to merge the air pressure of both sides. That allows the front of the coach to float side to side when in travel mode. The back air bags are not piped that way, so when in travel mode the rear hcv's control the side to side height.

Second, when in level mode, the hcv is now isolated from the air bags. A second supply line to the six pack allows you to inflate the left or right side via the up solenoids. And correspondingly, deflate the left or right side. If the travel solenoids did not isolate the hcv this side to side leveling would not be possible since the left and right bags are teed together at the hcv.

This is an important concept to get. IF, and if the electronics that control the solenoids fail, then you could tie the air lines from the hcv to the air lines leaving the sixpack together with a simple plumbing connection and have the coach return to travel height.

   

Call me at 817 223 2056 if you would like.

[djimellis]

Thank you so much Richard, my problem is solved, you made my day!

[Richard]

Here is the diagram for the older style setup that uses individual solenoids instead of the six pack. The logic is the same but the execution of quite different.

   

And as usual, talking with one of the gurus is like meeting a new brother.

[77newell]

Just a slight adjustment to the diagram and description Richard provided that applies to my 93 coach. The supply air comes from the supply tank, then goes into the top center of the 6 pack, the supply to the HCV(s) comes out the center bottom of the 6 pack and then the HCV modulated air comes back to the end of the 6 pack opposite the end the 2 lines going to the bags are connected to.

Forest taught me that touching a piece of steel to the top posts of the solenoids will tell you which one(s) are activated at any given time. You can use that technique to verify how yours are set up.