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Old 10-17-2016, 06:02 PM   #1
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Monaco - Dump Air -> Level -> Slides out?

My prior coach was a 39 Fleetwood Discovery . When I arrived at a campsite, I would dump the air, then level, then put my slides out. This made sense to me since my slides were going in and out while the coach was level... I was talking to the prior owner of my Monaco today and he said i should dump the air -> put the slides out -> then level. Seems like the coach would twist a lot more that way... Maybe I'm wrong... Can somebody please enlighten me? Thanks
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Old 10-17-2016, 06:15 PM   #2
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My HR calls for 1)slides out 2)dump air 3)level (3 hyd jacks).
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Old 10-17-2016, 06:24 PM   #3
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Steve-

Your coach's owners manual discusses slide-out operations, beginning on page 100. Hydraulic leveling instructions start on page 206.

My reading says 1) aired up 2) jacks up 3) parking brake on 4) ignition off 5) slides out 6) dump air 7) jacks down. You should read it for yourself, though.

The process is the same for my coach, minus the air up/dump steps. I understand this is a "typical" Monaco process.
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Old 10-17-2016, 06:47 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by l1v3fr33ord1 View Post
Steve-

Your coach's owners manual discusses slide-out operations, beginning on page 100. Hydraulic leveling instructions start on page 206.

My reading says 1) aired up 2) jacks up 3) parking brake on 4) ignition off 5) slides out 6) dump air 7) jacks down. You should read it for yourself, though.

The process is the same for my coach, minus the air up/dump steps. I understand this is a "typical" Monaco process.
That's what my manual says. You'd think the process to bring the slide in would be the reverse, but my slide won't come in if the coach is not pretty level.
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Old 10-17-2016, 07:29 PM   #5
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My HR calls for 1)slides out 2)dump air 3)level (3 hyd jacks).
I have a 3 Jack system too. So in reverse: 1) jacks up 2) air up 3) slides in? What if you're on a slope? Just doesn't set well with me, but I read the same...
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Old 10-17-2016, 07:33 PM   #6
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My manual says slides in and out with air bags full. When leaving I start the coach and if the air bags lift the jack off the ground that is fine. Once they clear I start them up too. I can't retract the slides with the engine running. So letting the air build and raising the jacks works well.
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Old 10-17-2016, 07:43 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by StevieG View Post
I have a 3 Jack system too. So in reverse: 1) jacks up 2) air up 3) slides in? What if you're on a slope? Just doesn't set well with me, but I read the same...

Monaco builds the coaches with the chassis set at ride height, that is when the frame should have the least amount of twist. When you go to level you start to put uneven pressure to the different points of the frame, thus you could be level but cause some binding on the slides
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Old 10-17-2016, 07:54 PM   #8
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When you go to level you start to put uneven pressure to the different points of the frame, thus you could be level but cause some binding on the slides
I think this is what might have happened to me yesterday. The front road side slide was binding on it's way in... which is what prompted the question in the first place...

Thanks to all.
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Old 10-17-2016, 09:13 PM   #9
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it's that snowflake thingy again... seems many are diffeent so do check the manual for your coach (available online)

BUT, my manual is contradictory
To extend/retract the slide-out room, the ignition must be off, park brake set, jacks retracted and the motorhome supported by the air suspension (air bags). Do Not operate the slide room with the air suspension (air bags) deflated or when supported by hydraulic jacks. Damage to the slide room, the mechanism, or seals can occur.

SO !
key off
at ride height
deploy slides
THEN dump air
then level

in section 10 ours says:
Apply the park brake.
Place the gear selector in Neutral.
Lower the air suspension by stepping on the brake several times until system air pressure is below 60 psi. With the ignition on, push and hold the Air Dump switch to lower the suspension. This reduces the amount the jack will need to extend before making contact with the surface. (I just put a lil block under the air dump and it kneels right down!)
Start the engine. The engine must be running for the leveling system to operate.
Place the gear selector in Neutral.
Apply the park brake.
Press the On/Off button on control pad.
The system is now operational and the electronic leveling lights will become active.
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Old 10-18-2016, 08:53 AM   #10
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We have a 2006 Diplomat with 3 leveling jacks. I've spoken with several Monaco legacy techs about leveling. Several because I wanted to make sure we were doing it correctly and the manual wasn't clear.

The techs were adamant that the slides be extended at ride height. Our steps when parking and leveling are: set brake > slides out > level. I dump the air bags only when the leveling requires additional travel. When preparing to travel, our procedure is: start engine > bring air back up > raise jacks > slides in.

A caution about dumping the air and gaining additional travel for leveling: After dumping the air bags for extreme leveling side-to-side, I have placed enough pressure on the windshield to fold the rubber weather seal under an edge of the glass in the upper corners. I was able to return it to the correct position but have been very very cautious since.
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Old 10-18-2016, 05:05 PM   #11
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To depart, I modify the process. Start engine and allow the suspension to air up. Turn off the engine. Raise the jacks. Then retract the slides. This sequence eliminates the initial jerk/bounce as the jacks start to retract.
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Old 10-18-2016, 05:25 PM   #12
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Steve,

You obviously did not do a search on this subject, because it has been discussed a lot and everyone has different ideas. So this is sort of like stomping on an ant hill.

I strongly suggest (as has been mentioned before) that you follow the instructions in your manual. For our Beaver it is clearly stated that you put the slides out with full air then level. I read other opinions and it cost me a cracked/dislodged tile mid-ship, and a severely torn weather seal on the driver's side slide-out.

When I had the unit jacked up with the levelers while I was replacing the torn slide seal I could easily see why my coach needs to be at full ride height before moving the slides in or out. The house on our rig torques around when it levels and the gap was certainly not equidistant top and bottom.

All is good now. But, I certainly move the slides at full ride height both in and out. And only level when all 3 slides are fully extended. My seal has never come close to tearing nor has my repaired tile even twitched since.

So, follow whatever your coach documentation states.

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Old 10-18-2016, 06:02 PM   #13
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Quote:
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Steve,

You obviously did not do a search on this subject, because it has been discussed a lot and everyone has different ideas. So this is sort of like stomping on an ant hill.

I strongly suggest (as has been mentioned before) that you follow the instructions in your manual. For our Beaver it is clearly stated that you put the slides out with full air then level. I read other opinions and it cost me a cracked/dislodged tile mid-ship, and a severely torn weather seal on the driver's side slide-out.

When I had the unit jacked up with the levelers while I was replacing the torn slide seal I could easily see why my coach needs to be at full ride height before moving the slides in or out. The house on our rig torques around when it levels and the gap was certainly not equidistant top and bottom.

All is good now. But, I certainly move the slides at full ride height both in and out. And only level when all 3 slides are fully extended. My seal has never come close to tearing nor has my repaired tile even twitched since.

So, follow whatever your coach documentation states.

Bob
Agree..I've got jacks and the 10 airbags. My manual is a combination of "all the above" so I called Oregon and depending on the coach and year there are many different kinds of slide mechanism used. For me it's ..

1. Level at ride height engine running or on shore power (electric pump pulls high amperage and will fail if at low power).
2.Monaco told me to never level with jacks. Slides are "flush floor" typed riding on pads not rollers.
3.Once level then deploy slides. This may be different with roller slides. Once level and slides out the Valid system allows me to raise or lower the coach to adjust the entry steps.
4. Reverse process when leaving campsite.

I'm one of the ants and have answered these types of post many times, to many maybe.
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Old 10-18-2016, 07:55 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob&AnnaMari View Post
Steve,

You obviously did not do a search on this subject, because it has been discussed a lot and everyone has different ideas. So this is sort of like stomping on an ant hill.

Bob
Not to pick on you specifically Bob, but you're wrong here. I did an IRV2 Google search on this subject and read several threads on this topic. I also briefed my way through the 308 pages of the 2006 Monaco Knight manual...

Before I posted the thread, I would have bet that the major responses were going to be consult your manual and/or do a search...

IMO, 1) the folks at Monaco could have done a much better job in the manual at clearly explaining the procedure to open and close the slides and level. 2) After owning a Discovery for several years, the Monaco process of putting slides out and leveling just doesn't make sense to me. I'm not fighting it, I'm trying trying to understand it... Windshields popping out and floor tiles breaking are not a problem I've ever had to consider until now... I would think that putting your slides out and not being level, you'd have a better chance at binding a slide than if you were level.. But I guess not in this case...

As far research, even in this thread, there are multiple variations of the "proper procedure". Read 5 threads and you become more confused than ever...

I've posted a few times myself on here over the years and like you see the same questions being asked over and over. First thing I also want to say is "do a search" as this topic has been beaten to death. So I get it... But all too often, even if you do a search, you see multiple answers to a particular question and just have to ask it again hoping you'll get a response that makes you feel this is the right answer.

If Monaco says slides out, dump air, then level that's what I'll do. Then leaving I retract the jacks (or inflate the bags) then retract the jacks, and then put the slides in. Neutral and parking brake are the only two parts that are the same as Fleetwood.

With all that said, thank you for responding again to a topic you've had a lot of experience with... The advise did not fall on deaf ears!
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