Equalizer leveling system-does it automatically dump air before leveling ? Not hearing it

[Gizmo]

I think we are getting air tanks mixed up with air bags…. Not sure the tanks will deplete just because you dump the suspension. Another note, If you drop the air bags, you should feel the rv drop….

So on our Fleetwood Discovery what do the dual gauges read? Do they read air bag pressure or tank pressure? On our Discovery there is a switch below the steering wheel that drops the coach and the two gauges go to zero. Then below the driver's window, there is the leveling jacks panel that levels the coach. On our PDI we were told not to activate the levelers till the gauges read zero. It is a two-step process. On our Newmar, it is one step process and the pressure gauges don't drop.

 

[Richpatty]

I would read tank pressure….surprised anyone would say to take the tanks to zero…had never heard that.

 

[J&JD]

I’ve only owned two pushers. One was a 36’ on a custom chassis (Alpine Coach). My present coach is a 40’ DS. On both coaches, when the airbags dumped, you definitely knew it as the coach would drop substantially. Very little sound from the air bags themselves. The coach air tanks WILL NOT be affected by the air bag dump. On a Newmar coach there is no switch allowing you to dump the air tanks. There are lanyards you can pull to mechanically empty the tanks or you could pump the brakes until you exhausted the tank air (With the engine off of course).

 

[Gizmo]

I just went out to storage to check my Newmar Ventana DP coach and this is what I found.

I went out to the storage area and check the air pressure it was sitting at 10 psi and measured the front wheel wells and they were at 37.75 inches from the ground. The coach has been sitting since the end of July without starting the engine or having the jacks deployed or dumping the airbags

I started the coach and let the pressure build to 120 PSI and remeasured the wheel wells and now they are at 41.0 inches.

Hit the auto level then aborted and the air pressure gauge stayed at 120 PSI and the wheel well measurement went to 39.5 inches

Turned off the engine and pump the brakes till the air pressure went to 20 PSI and the wheel well measurement went to 38.0 inches.

I'm not saying this is the way supposed to respond I saying this is what my Newmar does.

 

[RandyB]

@bpaikman Yes, my Equalizer automatically dumps the bags upon cycle initiation.

I'd like to put a muffler on my Ventana LE air bag exhaust, it is so loud. My leveler (Equalizer) dumps the bags when an auto cycle is initiated. I then hit another button to abort the auto cycle but allow the air release to complete. Once I feel the suspension settle into it's low position I then manually level the coach with the jacks. Lower each pair to touchdown, then adjust as needed to level. I do not like the auto cycle. End result is always too high.

 

[Richpatty]

RandyB - I do the exact same thing…. And I agree that it is ridiculously loud….

 

[bpaikman]

On my Fleetwood Discovery, the dumping of the airbags was separate from lowering the jacks and when you dump the air both gauges will go to zero then you deploy the jacks. The Discovery had Freightliner chassis. The new Newmar will sit in storage for weeks before the air pressure drops on the gauges.

same with our Newmar, and it's 8 yrs old

 

[bpaikman]

I just went out to storage to check my Newmar Ventana DP coach and this is what I found.

I went out to the storage area and check the air pressure it was sitting at 10 psi and measured the front wheel wells and they were at 37.75 inches from the ground. The coach has been sitting since the end of July without starting the engine or having the jacks deployed or dumping the airbags

I started the coach and let the pressure build to 120 PSI and remeasured the wheel wells and now they are at 41.0 inches.

Hit the auto level then aborted and the air pressure gauge stayed at 120 PSI and the wheel well measurement went to 39.5 inches

Turned off the engine and pump the brakes till the air pressure went to 20 PSI and the wheel well measurement went to 38.0 inches.

I'm not saying this is the way supposed to respond I saying this is what my Newmar does.

VERY interesting- we'll be also measuring with a yardstick - departure, and arrival.... when we move to new campground just a few miles away on Sunday

 

[bpaikman]

Does pumping your brakes affect your air bag inflation?

not sure

 

[bpaikman]

I'm not 100% sure which way, but I recall my auto working differently depending on which selection the key was in, run or acc. One of the two would allow the auto button to release the air in the bags. I am in the habit now of hitting auto, then stop and let the bags deflate for a bit then restart. It seemed like the jacks would drop immediately and bags not fully deflate, thus causing the rig to sit a lit higher than it could. The start stop method allows me to get it dropped completely before I level. Your coach may operate differently, but worth a try on the key position....I came upon it by accident on mine.

That sounds like it would work in a similar way on ours, but why would Newmar design it this way...

 

[Scotttkd2]

That sounds like it would work in a similar way on ours, but why would Newmar design it this way...

Yeah, My thoughts exactly. It would also be nice if it was explained in the manual, but all mine says if I am recalling it right is that leveling requires key on in either position. Just the fun of RV life I suppose!

 

[Scotttkd2]

@bpaikman Yes, my Equalizer automatically dumps the bags upon cycle initiation.

I'd like to put a muffler on my Ventana LE air bag exhaust, it is so loud. My leveler (Equalizer) dumps the bags when an auto cycle is initiated. I then hit another button to abort the auto cycle but allow the air release to complete. Once I feel the suspension settle into it's low position I then manually level the coach with the jacks. Lower each pair to touchdown, then adjust as needed to level. I do not like the auto cycle. End result is always too high.

Yup, my process exactly.

 

[Gizmo]

VERY interesting- we'll be also measuring with a yardstick - departure, and arrival.... when we move to new campground just a few miles away on Sunday

Please do! You could see the coach going tower every time you pump the brakes and lowered the pressure in the tank. Maybe I have a stuck valve or something. I know my Discovery seemed to go a lot lower than my Newmar and they are both freightliner chassis.

 

[bpaikman]

OK! We left the park where we'd been nearly 3 weeks and had a chance to try out the various ideas. Ran into problems immediately because of built-in safety stuff. And I made a mistake which confused the issue (accidentally shut off the battery disconnect after pulling in the big slide, so I couldn't get the 2 other slides to come in, thought it was due to engine running,turned it off, long-suffering husband fussed at me, it all went downhill from there no pun intended.
>>>We had no porpoising.. Why? My theory is that we let it run so long before taking off that the air tanks were plenty full.
I think, in the past, we started off too soon, (When the alarm stops, at about 75, and we need to let it get to 110+.)
We'll be trying things again when w e leave Sept 14.
and btw, 3 more observations;
1. One air tank reached the halfway between 75 and 150 . The other stayed at 75, until we were on the road, then it reached 110 point.
2. The coach DOES drop down when leveling, but I didn't hear the air release.
3. I still hear the "ch" sound fairrrrly often, but as the Freightliner guy said, it's constantly equalizing, and will need to do it it more on uneven roads. (we're currently in the most remote county in the lower 48 - mostly good roads, but lots of up and down and curves).