Ride height valve?

[timjame0719]

Hey everybody. I am going through some things before vacation and being new to the Spartan Chassis and DP I have a couple of questions. I have a 96 American Eagle Coach 40VF. I have two air leaks that I need to fix (air system looks fairly easy to deal with). Below is a pic of the first air leak violator...I believe it's a ride height control valve and it's in the rear. It's leaking around a small hole in the side of it and the blue plastic cap. If that is what this is...does anybody know how to figure out which one to order and from where? I can't find a whole lot in the way of numbers on this thing but it's also a bit hard to see on top of it. My second question is I have the power gear leveling system (semi auto). I have no power to the touch pad. I read the trouble shooting info and checked the wires at the control box and they seemed ok. I replugged it all in and all of the sudden the pad had power and the jacks went down/up. An hour later I went to check them again and the power was gone. I wiggled the wires and unplugged/replugged them in again and this time no dice. Does anybody have experience with this issue to tell me if I may be looking at the crazy expensive new control box/touch pad or just a loose wire? Thanks for all the help!

[ga traveler]

I had a 345 Airstream with air suspension. I bought the valves from a truck supply business. Never buy parts from a motorhome manufacturer, if you can help it. They always charge more than anyone else.

[timjame0719]

I just called Hadley and sent him this pic....waiting to see what he says. I have truck businesses around here if he can't help me. Thanks!

[timjame0719]

Well I checked and it's a ridewell #7423. It has one line going into it on the front and one line going out of the top with fittings. I ordered a new one and the replacement was a ridewell extreme universal valve. Problem is, that valve has one supply line going to it and two suspension lines going out of it by shark valve type connections. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I just don't think you can turn this universal from two lines to three and actually have it work right? My set up on this 96 American Eagle/Spartan chassis looks like there is a block valve of some sort on the axle that channels the air to the bags but the valve has the supply line going into it and the valve contols the output coming out of the top line making it a two line valve. Anybody had this experience? Do I just have the wrong new valve?

[pyroman175]

Make sure the house batteries are on for the jacks to work, I made the mistake of turning off the disconnect and my jacks would not work. I would think they would be controlled by the chassis power... just a thought

[Mr_D]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pyroman175 Make sure the house batteries are on for the jacks to work, I made the mistake of turning off the disconnect and my jacks would not work. I would think they would be controlled by the chassis power... just a thought

I think you posted in the wrong thread, nothing in the OP's post mentions jacks, he's asking about the air ride height control valves.

[timjame0719]

Ok, I did some looking into it and this is what I was told (for anybody with the same issue). They do not make the Ridewell #7423 anymore and it's replaced by the Ridewell Extreme. The kit comes with a plug. So, you basically have to run the supply line into it, and discharge line to the suspension distribution block and plug the third discharge line. The only concern I have without looking at it, is my old valve has threaded connections and this new valve is a shark type push in connection. I'm hoping once I cut the line, the line will 1. have enough left to fit into it and not be too short 2. be the right diameter to fit snug into the fitting. I will let you know how it goes....

[timjame0719]

Regarding the power jack issue....I'm fairly dissappointed that Power Gear won't talk to you. When you call they refer you to your closest RV dealer by way of a recording, then hang up on you. Of course I called my dealer and they don't know much about Power Gear. They can only tell me to bring it in....course I can't bring it in with an air valve leak and no power steering! I'm still working on those issues....sometimes my job really gets in the way and hinders my time to fix things! My touch pad on the jacks are all over the place. Twice it has come on and operated perfect....for two full days the "jacks down" lights lit up anytime I turned the coach on but if I pushed the power button on the touch pad, the lights went out until I released the power button but no operation of the jacks occurred. The only question I have for my dealer was I know I have 12V+ going into the control box, but only 8.7V coming out and to the touch pad. Should I have 12V coming out also? This would help me better trouble shoot it.

[samert111]

Tim,
What you need is a KN2700 replacement valve. Check your local NAPA or go online and search for them. I replaced all 3 of mine.

Here is a link to one.

Height Control Valve products, buy Height Control Valve products from alibaba.com

Your setup on the rear sounds just like mine. 1 Valve controls both rear air bags but I don't recall mine going thru a distribution block first. There was an air line from either side of the valve going to each air bag. Just plug off the extra ports.

This should be a direct replacement. Your original valve is designed to respond immediately to changes and the new ones like they sent you have a delay feature to probably save air.

As for your Power Gear jacks. If you leave the power on too long the system will shut down and you need to power down the coach for a few minutes and it will reset. Not sure if this is your problem but I think I have the same system on my 96 American Tradition and that is the only problem I have ever had electronically.

[Mr_D]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_D I think you posted in the wrong thread, nothing in the OP's post mentions jacks, he's asking about the air ride height control valves.

OOPS, I must have misread the post or the OP added it later.

SORRY!!

[timjame0719]

Steve,
I called around and ended up getting the fitting to drop it down to 1/4" at my local fitting/air line truck supply place. I installed the valve with no trouble until I powered it up. Here is my newest issue.....the way my system appears to be set up is I have my 3/8" supply hose coming from the front of my coach and going into my new ride height valve. I have a 3/8" hose coming out of one suspension port and blocked my other port. Here is where it's interesting. The suspension hose goes from my ride height valve to a distribution block. From there it is split into two lines (one for each rear bag), a dump line, and another hose that goes to the front of the coach for unknown reasons right now. That unknown line has pressure going TO the distribution block almost like another supply line. When that pressure builds, it activates a shut off valve in the block and will not allow the input line from my ride height to be open and send air into my rear bags. Why in the world would this be an issue when all I did was take one valve off and replace it with this new one (same hoses to same locations with the exception of one fitting to go from 3/8" to 1/4")? Litterally the rear bags begin to fill but seconds after they start to get firm this unknown line from the front into the distribution block has enough pressure to push against the valve and close it off not allowing any more air into the rear bags. Odd!!

[timjame0719]

ok...the line going into the distribution block with a power valve is coming from the master air cylinder. It won't allow my coach to fill at all because my jacks are screwed up and it thinks my jacks are down when they aren't. Nice...one problem after another. Now I need to figure how to trick the system because I don't have time to fix the jacks before I leave but need the air ride system to work....

[samert111]

Tim,
In the jack fliud reservoir there is a float switch that will give the system a jacks down signal if the fluid level is too low. If your fluid level is OK then you can trick the system by bypassing the float switch with a connector between the 2 wires. Maybe the float switch is bad and causing your jack problems. I've read where they can go bad.

[samert111]

Tim,
I've downloaded the Power Gear Service Manual into the files section here under the Towing, Hitching, Leveling catagory. It includes a troubleshooting section. I guess the moderator has to approve it before it's available but if you send me your email address I'll send you a copy. It's about a 2.5 mb PDF file.