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Front not coming up to ride height
#11

I rebuilt both the travel solenoids and the coach seemed to do nothing when I tested it. I decided to manually raise the driver side, nothing. Manually raised the passenger side and it went up! (At least it’s something!). So I tried to raise the driver side and it raised also... wierd. Travel mode does not seem to do anything - after manually raising the coach and putting it in travel mode I kind of expected it to release air but it did not. So I dumped ALL the air and will continue rebuilding the valves and checking the electrical on each one. I know this does not make sense from a workflow methodology but at least the six-pack will be rebuilt...

Karen & Adrian Abshire 
1998 2 slide 45' Newell Coach 498 
Prior: 1985 Foretravel ORED 35, 1988 38' Foretravel U280, 2000 Foretravel 42' U320, 1990 Bluebird Wanderlodge WB40
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#12

It rained on me all morning and just about the time I finished up the rain stopped. Now the sun is out and it’s warm grrr... Wunderground LIED! Lol
I have rebuilt all the solenoid/valves in the front 6-pack and have them back together now. It’s not too hard but difficult access - removing the bolts that hold the 6-pack to the firewall helped to get it down to a reasonable height to work on. I used some heavy needle nose vice grips to hold the manifold while I fought to twist the valve portion off the manifold. Now the coach goes up/down/left/right with air but the travel option is still not working as it should. When I raise the coach all the way up I normally can put the coach into travel mode and it will settle down to ride height. Not so currently but I’ll try it again in a little while. Richard and Tom are being very helpful to diagnose the issues and I’m going to stay put until I’m sure the coach is safe to drive. On the bright side I have NO leaks in the manifold anymore (used my Infinicon to check leaks)...

Karen & Adrian Abshire 
1998 2 slide 45' Newell Coach 498 
Prior: 1985 Foretravel ORED 35, 1988 38' Foretravel U280, 2000 Foretravel 42' U320, 1990 Bluebird Wanderlodge WB40
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#13

I am going to summarize the situation as Adrian has described to me, and then outline the diagnostic steps to figure out what is going on. I am posting here, instead of doing it offline, to potentially help another owner in the future with a similar problem.

Summary. The coach does not automatically raise from a lowered position, or drop from a raised position, when place in travel mode. The coach has plenty of air pressure, 120 psi. The rear behaves normally. Adrian has rebuilt the solenoid valves. It is unclear whether the front solenoid valves are getting a 12V signal or not. The rear travel solenoids are magnetized when in travel mode. The fact that the front will raise in manual and stay up eliminates major air leak as a problem.

Step one. Unbolt front six pack from bulkhead to allow better access.

Step two. Unplug packard connector for travel solenoid. Turn key on, HWH panel in travel mode. Confirm 12V at packard connector. Reconnect when finished. Assuming you have 12V proceed to step 3. If 12V is not present, we have to figure out why.

Step three. Lower coach all the way in the front. Completely exhaust the front air bags. Completely. Do not have any part of your body under the coach while performing this test. Exhaust all air from the air supply system. Turn off all air compressors. Disconnect one of the air lines going into the back of the six pack at the travel solenoid end. Turn the 120 V compressor on. If the height control valve is working, air should flow out of the disconnected air line. The reason for exhausting all air pressure before disconnecting air line is two fold. One, if the manifold still has the push to connect fittings, it will be impossible to get it to release with pressure on it. Two, if the HVC is working and the system is at pressure, you will ruin your underwear when the line comes loose. Assuming air flows out of the tubing, reconnect, and proceed to step four.

Step four. Disconnect one of the air lines leaving the six pack going to either of the air bag tanks. This air line will be at the opposite end than the travel solenoids. With engine running, and coach in travel mode, air should flow out of the six pack. If not there is a blockage in the six pack.

Richard and Rhonda Entrekin
99 Newell, 512
Maverick Hybrid Toad
Inverness, FL (when we're home Cool )
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#14

Lots of in between details, but here is where Adrian is.

The voltage to the front travel solenoids is hinky (that's a highly technical term).
The ride height control valve is passing air as it should.
The manifold does not pass air to the air bags in travel mode.
The coils for the raise solenoids were transferred to the travel solenoids with raise wiring still attached. The coach did respond. So the mechanical part of the travel solenoid was eliminated as a cause.

Will start in the morning by confirming that 12V is present on terminal 75 in the HWH control box. That is the terminal that powers all four travel solenoids.

Will check grounds for front travel solenoids. Hinky voltage means it's something different every time it's measured.

Richard and Rhonda Entrekin
99 Newell, 512
Maverick Hybrid Toad
Inverness, FL (when we're home Cool )
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#15

I had my HWH computer repaired last year and it took less than 2 weeks to get it sent back from HWH. Not sure how their service time is right now. But I sent mine in around Christmas and they had someone coming in daily to repair boards. For the princely sum of $75.00
Check the small ribbon cable that attaches to the back of the HWH panel on the dash. That could be loose and causing intermittent problems, the retaining clips are easy to break.

Forest & Cindy Olivier
1987 log cabin
2011 Roadtrek C210P
PO 1999 Foretravel 36'
1998 Newell 45' #486 

1993 Newell 39' #337 
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#16

Adrian is back in bidness. Cleaning connections and fuses in the HWH control panel restored voltage to the travel solenoids.

Adrian, I suggest you look at this post. http://newellgurus.com/showthread.php?ti...lder+joint

And yes, the box may need to go back to HWH as Forest suggested. They are incredibly reasonable and quick turnaround.

Richard and Rhonda Entrekin
99 Newell, 512
Maverick Hybrid Toad
Inverness, FL (when we're home Cool )
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#17

And if you send in your box send in the control panel also for a new cover. I think that's only $15.00 more and it'll eliminate any chances of the panel being the cause of your problem.

Forest & Cindy Olivier
1987 log cabin
2011 Roadtrek C210P
PO 1999 Foretravel 36'
1998 Newell 45' #486 

1993 Newell 39' #337 
Reply
#18

Thanks to Richard for ALL of his expertise and time the coach is raising, lowering, going into travel mode, dancing... I even tempted fate and used the auto-level feature and it worked! All is well in Maryland today.

Karen & Adrian Abshire 
1998 2 slide 45' Newell Coach 498 
Prior: 1985 Foretravel ORED 35, 1988 38' Foretravel U280, 2000 Foretravel 42' U320, 1990 Bluebird Wanderlodge WB40
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#19

thats great need! What ended up being your issue?

Matt Whitaker

Coach 1242 & 606
Tesla Model X. Tesla Model 3. Mclaren 12C. Ferrari 458
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#20

The travel solenoids were getting an intermittent and unpredictable signal from the HWH control board. Cleaning connections and fuses resolved the issue, although the system should be monitored for future flakiness. The intermittent signal could be caused by a failing solder joint.

In bigger picture context, the process to follow with any leveling issue is to FIRST determine if the problem is electrical or pneumatic. On HWH systems, the first step is to check the magnetism of the solenoid that is supposedly engaged. You can go to the trouble of unplugging the solenoid and measuring the voltage, but the quick sanity check is to place a washer or small screwdriver on the top of the energized solenoid.

Richard and Rhonda Entrekin
99 Newell, 512
Maverick Hybrid Toad
Inverness, FL (when we're home Cool )
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