Community Forums

EngineerMike · 10-03-2007, 08:04 AM

Got a call just now from Dave Campy @ WRV about an issue w/the Hydraulic Cooler portion of the 08 redesigned radiator stack. They are sending me parts for a retrofit.

From what I gather either the HC alone or the HC & return line to the hyd oil tank represent a pressure restriction in the loop, and the HC splits a cooler line. I should have asked what the mileage was on the two units that failed so far; I've got 1,700 on mine to date.

The fix they are sending is a pressure relief/bypass valve (and presumably bypass line) on the HC input side and a larger return hose on the output.

This would only affect units with the new radiator design, which I beleive are restricted to 08 rigs. This isn't the HWH hydraulics; its the radiator fan drive, power steering, service brake boost hydraulic system. Should you experience a sudden drop in hydraulic pressure, please remain calmly in your seat and oxygen masks will drop from the ceiling

Anybody know a good chassis shop in Reno?

EngineerMike · 10-03-2007, 08:04 AM

Got a call just now from Dave Campy @ WRV about an issue w/the Hydraulic Cooler portion of the 08 redesigned radiator stack. They are sending me parts for a retrofit.

From what I gather either the HC alone or the HC & return line to the hyd oil tank represent a pressure restriction in the loop, and the HC splits a cooler line. I should have asked what the mileage was on the two units that failed so far; I've got 1,700 on mine to date.

The fix they are sending is a pressure relief/bypass valve (and presumably bypass line) on the HC input side and a larger return hose on the output.

This would only affect units with the new radiator design, which I beleive are restricted to 08 rigs. This isn't the HWH hydraulics; its the radiator fan drive, power steering, service brake boost hydraulic system. Should you experience a sudden drop in hydraulic pressure, please remain calmly in your seat and oxygen masks will drop from the ceiling

Anybody know a good chassis shop in Reno?

kraig · 03-01-2010, 11:38 PM

On my 07 Apex, I have the same 08 radiator as you have. I bought this from the dealer and was still new. It did not have a pressure relief and it did blow the cooler before delivery. The dealer put a used one to get the coach to me. The dealer did have a new one built by AKG and shipped it to me with a bypass valve and hose. My question is, this in my garage and I can open the slide to get to the engine compartment to see the hoses. To me it appears that the bypass should be installed to the rear of the coach with the bypass hose going to the front. I am using 1/8 neoprene between the stacked sections, and seal it with aluminum tape, fill it with with Rycon Preminum ISO 46. I only want to fix this once, does any one have any other suggestions?

Kraig
07 Apex

EngineerMike · 03-01-2010, 11:57 PM

Kraig- I'm not sure if we are talking the same issue because of the size line you are quoting. I have a crude 8.5x11 the factory sent to Cummins Rocky Mountain in Reno that did the mod. It has a schematic of the layout, and if you need I can crawl under my rig to verify the way the hoses were routed. The kit came w/two new hydraulic lines about 2" o.d. plus a 65psi inline bypass valve and some fittings (all the large diameter). This applies to the new layout w/the Chelsea PTO off the transmission and the new horizontal stacked radiator w/the horizontal bolt-together seams between the various coolers. All the new line/fitting work took place from the front of the radiator stack and back; nothing went to the front of the coach. When I talked this out w/Frampton (or maybe it was Mark Harrah?), he said my rig was the last one per their records that needed this fix. All others (total coach count was 13 or 14, and only two others had left the factory IIRC with the others caught during assembly or before leaving the mfgr) had been done but mine. They had just moved one chassis from the chassis bldg to the coach bldg and blown the cooler in the process, so they called me on the road as we were still on the road home from the factory PDI. Let me know if you need the drawing- EngineerMike at Vagabondwater dot com.

dgerstel · 03-02-2010, 09:24 AM

Kraig,

Is the area you are sealing with the 1/8 neoprene, like that shown below?

All Apex's were built quite a while before the radiator system was changed to the one like Mike has, it has its components stacked horizontally, one on top of the other from the bottom up. All of the coaches built before the "smog" motor, have the radiator, CAC, oil cooler, etc stacked vertically, from side to side, like in the photo. The advantage in the new design, is that each cooler gets cool air to it, instead of the heated air from the cooler stacked in front of it. There was only one earlier coach that was retrofitted with the "smog" motor, as the certification coach, but I am quite sure that it was not an Apex.

kraig · 03-07-2010, 11:42 PM

Dale- My May 2007 Apex sounds like it similar to Mike's. It is not like your picture. It has smog engine, Chelsea PTO, horizontal stacked sections. The only difference is the horizonal hydraulic cooler is over 5 feet long and the inlet is on the rear and the outlet is on the front. It had no bypass valve and blew the the cooler. Now I have new cooler, with a pressure relief valve with a bypass hose around the cooler. All I am doing with the 1/8 inch neoprene is putting it between the stacked sections to help seal it and not have sections bolted with no cushion. Then I am going put aluminimum tape over the seams. All WRV was stick a piece weatherstrip part way down the middle. I have a picture, but I can't figure out how to post it here.

Thanks
Kraig
2007 Apex

dgerstel · 03-08-2010, 08:19 AM

Kraig,

Just goes to show, that it is hard to know what and when WRV did changes. I had never been aware of any Apex's with the "smog" engine. May be it was an Apex that was retrofitted. Did you buy it from Jimmy Doyle? He is the one that had that coach.

EngineerMike · 03-08-2010, 07:30 PM

To post photos, check instructions in Post #7 on this thread.

kraig · 03-08-2010, 10:55 PM

I didn't get it from Doyle. I bought it new with a certificate of origin from WRV. I am the first titled owner. RV Motors in Dalton GA owned it until Sept 2009, until they went out of business. Day Brothers RV was the second dealer, bought 5 Alpines. I have been around trucks and equipment all my life, and it doesn't appear to be retrofitted, everything looks original. Whatever, I own it now, so I will work out the bugs.

Kraig

dgerstel · 03-08-2010, 11:36 PM

Jimmy Doyle, was RV Motors in Dalton, GA. I am sure that your coach is the only Apex with a "smog" motor. Retrofitted is probably the wrong word. It was a new coach, built at the factory, it just started as a regular Apex. I also think that a lot of the changes made on the "smog" coach are an improvement. I am sure that you will enjoy it.

kraig · 03-09-2010, 10:29 AM

Sounds like I got one of a kind. I am sure it will be fine.
Thanks
Kraig

kraig · 03-09-2010, 08:15 PM

Mike
You know by now, I have the horizontal stacked radiator with cooler. I got the cooler installed okay, but my question is about the bypass relief valve and line. I have about the 2" OD inlet and outlet hoses ok, but the relief valve is 75PSI (bought locally from the dealer) and a smaller bypass hose (1/2 pipe ID from the pressure relief valve) I am wondering if I should change out the fittings, put in 65 PSI, and larger hose which sounds like you have? Does your drawing show hose sizes?
Thanks
Kraig
2007 Apex

EngineerMike · 03-09-2010, 08:27 PM

Kraig- the file link is below (also available on the ACA Tech Library page under Chassis & Brakes)
My large diameter bypass valve was stamped 65psi. If you need me to crawl under the rig & check where stuff went, PM me and we can talk. Mike

kraig · 03-10-2010, 12:03 AM

Mike
I looked up the file link and I see I will have increase the size of my inlet bypass hose to 1 inch. It appears to be an inline pressure relief valve (vender number C16205-65) which I will have to find. Is the pressure relief valve somewhere in the middle? Then it appears I will have tee into 1 1/4 return hose. I may have to upsize that back to the filter. I would appreciate if you could check your coach. I am not great on computers, so how do I PM you?
Thanks
Kraig