Newell Gurus

Thanks for sharing your insight. According to the specification sheet for my 2004 Newell Coach, it has a "Trueline Auto Leveling System" and "ZF Suspension w/Steerable Tag Axle" (see attached).

Before I hit the road to pick up this coach (it's about 2 hours drive for me). I am trying to gather as much information as possible to determine whether it air leak issue or not. The place I bought from, is a registered vehicle dealer, but also is an auctioneer. Most of their sale items are trucks and heavy equipment. I guess their technician's knowledge of this Coach might be very limited. 

I spoke with the equipment manager of the dealer and raised my concern, he then sent a technician and performed a test drive, he came back to me saying no leak and no issues found. All good to go. I asked if he had someone observing from outside to check rear side height. He did not, he says the driver only observed from inside and the coach appears leveled okay. This was after he ran a short test drive then put in parking then checked for leaks. He felt it leveled okay to him and reported no issue was found.

So, I asked him to run a test drive again, with someone else stay outside and observe the rear end height when the coach is in "travel mode". He says too busy but agreed to run another test and report back to me by the end of this week.  

I plan to pick up this coach next week. I am thinking to bring with me some DOT-approved air line and fittings or repair kit with me just in case I need to do a quick fix onsite before taking this coach on the highway. Any recommendations on fitting sets or repair kits? 

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Thank you for those documents. My memory went off the tracks as the ZF suspensions began with 697 (with 3 prior exceptions).

The first step is to check the ride height on level ground. If you don't know what it should be & where to check it, then you need to call Newell and get some answers. Then check the ride height with the coach running. If low the ride height is adjustable. It would take one heck of an air leak to cause the rear to run low with the engine running.

I am not trying to say that the coach does not has air leaks, but not likely that air leaks are causing the coach to run low in the rear. The engine compressor puts out a lot of air that can cover most air leaks. Common Newell air leaks do not make the coach undriveable.

Hey Joe, I have #695 (no steerable tag) which is a similar vintage to yours.  I too am new to the coach and learning tons from this forum (thank you all...again).

My drive and steer axle bags are currently getting replaced.  One of my right rear bags was leaking badly and that corner would drop quickly once the engine turned off.  The leak was very easy to hear from pretty far away.  Even with that big leak, the engine compressor could still get it to ride height albeit taking some time to get there.

Wait, there's more...along with the leaking airbag, my engine compressor wouldn't build enough pressure to fully charge the brakes.  It would get over 75psi, but not close to where it should be.  I picked up my coach soon after New Years and drove it back to Rhode Island.  When I picked it up, the pressure would build normally and was good.  I hit a big snow storm in Nashville and pretty poor weather all the way after that.  Somewhere along the route, maybe even before I started, the air intake hose for the compressor fell off so it was ingesting all that unfiltered, dirty, wet air that's in the engine bay over the several day trip (see pic).  Now, I am also replacing the compressor.  

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I think the moral of the story is that hopefully what you saw was an optical illusion or the coach wasn't in travel mode or something else simple.  Here's to hope...

PS - finding the correct airbags is a PIA.  Newell can't tell you what's in your coach without removing what's in there now.  If you have an opportunity to inspect, get any numbers possible off them, and take measurements before there's a problem it could be time well spent. 

I'll post what bags I get once I have that info.

Thank you so much, admin, Steve and David sharing your valuable insights!

Is it possible the people that have your coach don't know how to properly put it in travel mode?

Quote:Is it possible the people that have your coach don't know how to properly put it in travel mode?

Yes, very possible. 

I don't know how to switch into 'travel mode' either. 

I thought the coach automatically switches into "travel mode" when it is shifted into "D" (drive).
But after reading some online digging, it appears the coach only switches to travel mode once it has reached 2 or 3 miles/h speed.
Correct me if I am wrong.

Hang on,

The most likely cause is the picture was taken after the coach had been sitting for an extended period. Almost all of them will settle a bit.

Joe, I can't wait to hear what you find when you pick the coach up.

Joe,

I would have thought it would automatically switch, like mine does. But I've driven one that got "stuck" down and it took a little bit for it to come up. Idling, even on high idle did not bring the coach up. At that time, my unfamiliarity with the suspension system of these was most of the issue. Hopefully you'll find it's only lack of use that's causing most of your new coach issues.

Like Richard says, they'll all droop after an extended sit time.

You've got a good looking coach!

I found a replacement solenoid at Spartan Scientific. Approximately $40 each plus shipping. Thanks for everyone's help.