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Front not coming up to ride height
#1

I had the brake splitter valve replaced a few weeks ago along with getting a new solenoid for the dump valves and now all my air systems are working great and all systems are holding air pretty well!   My normal routine since buying this coach has been to let the 110v compressor run the air up to about 110psi and then use the leveling system to fully raise the coach.  This has worked for several years with no problems (I know not to let the air run too long so as to not damage the air bags).  
Planning to head home from Virginia (mandatory work from home now) so have everything ready and coach is running great (and looks good too).  The rear drive/tag raised perfectly but the front is refusing to budge, it looks like the bags are all the way down.  I drove the coach a few weeks ago and as I recall (which is always iffy), the front was in the correct travel position.  Is there a solenoid/valve somewhere I can check for this or is this part of the six-pack at the rear of the coach?  I’ve never really had air problems until the past couple of months when i started fixing them (amazing how that works, huh?)... 
I’ve called Newell and Tommy is supposed to return the call but thought you guys might have an idea... 
Thanks in advance!

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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#2

OK, talked to Tommy at Newell and checked 3 12-volt fuses in the dash for the leveling system (all fine) now I’m on to the 6-pack and possibly rebuilding it tonight. I cannot figure out how to get the wires off and don’t want to break anything - I see there are a bunch of quick-disconnect wires - should I disconnect there and unwrap all the wires? - ONE solenoid at a time as suggested in this post: http://newellgurus.com/showthread.php?ti...ght=6+pack

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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#3

Adrian,

BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING WITH FRONT SIX PACK....PLEASE SECURELY BLOCK THE COACH!  You will have to have all the air released to remove a solenoid from six pack.  The front location is unfortunate because with all of the air released....there is not enough room to work on front six pack.

Have you cranked engine and gone into travel mode to see if the front comes up?  The engine air compressor puts out a bunch more volume of air compared to the 120V compressor.  It could be that it is just taking a long time. 

On my coach, it is now takes 4-5 minutes to get to travel height from all the way down.

On the solenoids...  If you unbolt the coil (where the wires are)....it will simply slide off and you don’t really have to disconnect from wiring. 

Bill

Bill Johnson
Birmingham, Alabama
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#4

Whoa ! Horses, not zebras.

When you are trying to raise the coach what does your supply gauge read?
Is the light green on your HWH control panel?

Before you tear into the front six pack, let’s do some diagnostics. It is HIGHLY unlikely that you have a solenoid problem require it rebuild. Here is why. When in travel mode the air line out of the height control valve tees into the two front travel solenoids. The probability of both of them sticking at the same time is dang near zero.

First thing I would try is to crank the engine, use the emergency off button on the HWH pad, then press the travel button. My HWH panel goes goofy every once in a while and stays in level mode and travel mode simultaneously. The procedure above will wake up the HWH panel.

If that doesn’t work, then put the coach in travel mode, and with the key ON, use a steel washer to see if the front travel solenoids are magnetized. They will be the two closest to the wall the six pack is bolted onto. Check the rear solenoids also. Please report if they are magnetized or not magnetized.
Be aware that all four travel solenoids get their 12V signal from the same terminal. If one is energized, all four should be energized.
As Bill said, stick something under the skid bar to keep the coach from potentially ruining your day.

Richard and Rhonda Entrekin
99 Newell, 512
Maverick Hybrid Toad
Inverness, FL (when we're home Cool )
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#5

Thanks Bill and Richard! I have gone through all of the different cycles on the HWH system and still no joy to raise the front end... what I just thought about is I have NOT tried to raise ONE side (not sure why I didn’t think of that). I did rebuild the solenoid at the bottom/front of the block - so I think that is the passenger/raise solenoid - and I FORGOT to put in the new plunger that Tom had in the kit! I’ll rebuild it again correctly - it was easy.
After discussing with Tom I used a small washer with the coach key on and the HWH system in FULL RAISE mode to check if the solenoids had electricity to them - no joy but really couldn’t reach the top solenoid next to the firewall - will check that in the morning hopefully.
You are absolutely correct about there being NO room under the front and even though I drove the coach forward onto a little embankment there was little room to work. I was going to go to HD and get some 2x12’s cut but the line was out to the street to get in so i punted... maybe early in the morning (7am) will try again. BTW, you are also correct about the solenoids continuing to let out air even after dumping the system and dumping the main ping tank with the lanyard (between the rear wheels). Was surprised the coach lowered even more - glad it came down slowly! I will check the electric connections in the morning and will check back.

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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#6

O-RING GREASE? Tom mentioned MagnaLube but I can’t find it locally. Anyone know of another grease for the o-rings that I can use? I found this at HF but not sure whether it will eat the seals: https://www.harborfreight.com/85-gram-su...k8QAvD_BwE

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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#7

O ring grease will work. Should be at hardware store.

1993 Newell (316) 45' 8V92,towing an Imperial open trailer or RnR custom built enclosed trailer. FMCA#232958 '67 Airstream Overlander 27' '67GTO,'76TransAm,'52Chevy panel, 2000 Corvette "Lingenfelter"modified, '23 Grand Cherokee.
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#8

Plumbers silicone at HD or Lowes.

If I understood correctly, you said you had already rebuilt one of the solenoids? How recent was that?

Could you answer the questions. What is the supply pressure? Do you have a green travel light on the HWH panel? Are the travel solenoids energized?

You can go inside the front bay, and take the two bolts loose that hold the six pack. It will allow you to pull it out from under the coach to work on it.

Richard and Rhonda Entrekin
99 Newell, 512
Maverick Hybrid Toad
Inverness, FL (when we're home Cool )
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#9

I found some Danco waterproof grease (plumbers grease) but will run to the hardware store and see if they have oring grease... I don’t want to have to do this again (ever) in the front...
Questions/Answers: the supply pressure with the 110v compressor gets it up to over 110psi+ (I don’t let it go much higher) with the engine about the same.
I do have a green travel light on the HWH panel - it seems to be working fine.
The travel solenoids are getting 12volt but are not magnetizing correctly (tried with a known good steel washer and it doesn’t stick).
I did figure out where to two bolts were that hold the unit in place and once I removed that black bulb thing (whatever it is) I was able to get the unit down just about on the ground so I could remove the solenoids and rebuild them. I am working now to rebuild the travel solenoids. I may just rebuild them all... Hopefully that is the group recommendation :-)
PS: do the plungers in the solenoids need any type of grease on them?

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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#10

Do not put grease on plungers. Just follow the directions in my kit

Tom

2002 45'8" Newell Coach 608  Series 60 DDEC4/Allison World 6 Speed HD4000MH

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