Dp set up questions

[Scooter363y]

I recently upgraded from a super C to a diesel pusher. I have some questions on the campground set up.

With the super C it was on spring suspension but after about a month the jacks would go soft (1 would have a half inch gap)

On the dp (2004 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 40) the setup video doesn't say anything about letting the suspension down. But I noticed that after about 3 weeks the coach settles. One of the problems that I have is the drain/sewage hose. When I first set up it has enough slope for the waste nastiness to drain properly. After about three weeks it settles and the slope doesn't work so well. I've been told that this is not a bad time frame for the air leaking off.

I have several options I'm thinking about.

I use 2x12" square wood blocks under the jacks to protect the concrete pad. Should I use a combination of these and plywood to shim under the jacks so there is very little space between the jacks when retracted?

Or I was thinking about installing a small air compressor to keep the air suspension pressure up

Also I was thinking about using mechanical supports under the frame in addition to any other option.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated

[bdpreece]

Suspect your 04 should be the same as my 08 HR. When I picked mine up new the dealer walked me through the leveling process.

1 . Set parking brake turn off engine and deploy slides
2. With key in the on position dump air from suspension by depressing the air dump switch while pumping
brakes air gauges should near zero.
3 Deploy leveling jacks.


Reverse the procedure when leaving,



We can stay for a couple of weeks and except when the ground is soft and the jacks sink into the dirt we never have to re-level.

[rrtribble]

If you don't want the unit to gradually lower you need to manually lower as Brian just explained. Once lowered you'll not have to worry about it getting lower on concrete.

Learning is always fun as you'll discover and this site will help you with just about everything.

Best wishes - Richard

[ky bob]

Very nice looking coach , Congrats
Here is my set up procedure...….

1) Place coach in Neutral
2) Set the parking brake
3) Chock the wheels
4) Dump the air.
5) Lower the leveling jacks ( My coach leveling system says "engine must be running for proper operation" ) {see note below}
6) Turn off engine
7) Extend Slides
8) Connect to park electric and water
9) Turn on overhead ac's if necessary
10) Open refrigerator, retrieve a cold beer, sit back & Enjoy !!!

*** I never extend the slides until I know the coach is level. If coach is not level,
there is a possibility the slides will not be square as they extend and can cause
lots of trouble.

That's just the way I do it, I am sure others have different procedures.

Enjoy your coach

Bob

[Scooter363y]

The procedures are in this video that I found on the internet
Owners manual not real clear

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QMpYvD...fauxfullscreen

Thanks
Scooter

[TXTiger]

As ky Bob said but I plug in my shore power before letting out my slides that way but the time my slides are out the EMS has verified the electric is ok and the relay opens allowing power into the rig. Also I don’t bump my head on the slide while hooking up the electric.

[Ivylog]

If the pad is level just lower the rig down (dump the air) and let it rest on the pads/stops inside the airbags. After dumping your tanks jus raise the hose up to drain it.

[Dutch Star Don]

Scooter.....You're DP is designed to be lowered and leveled. Since you said you're new, I'll start with the basics on your coach, hopefully you won't be offended. Your coach came with a three jack system from Monaco (HR). When you arrive at a campground, pull into your spot and park. Exit the coach and connect your water, sewer and power. With the coach still aired up, extend your slides. Extending your slides at this point is something some will argue, but really isn't the point of this post.

Here is a biggee with your coach. Dump the air until the coach completely settles. Once it's dumped, you extend the front jack first until it touches the ground. This is a critical procedure for a Monaco three jack system. It helps protect from cracking the windshield. Once the front jack is down, then lower the rears and adjust the three until the coach is level. By having the front jack down first, the coach pivots on the jack and is less likely to stress and crack the windshield.

The reason why you lower the coach is to get the front step low to the ground. Second, with the air bags empty, your coach is more stable, as the jacks don't have to lift as far. You're really sacrificing how your coach is suppose to be setup, just to give more slope to the drain, not a good trade off.

When you're ready to depart, start the coach and when it starts to air up, you'll feel it lift off the jacks. At that time, retract your jacks. If you retract your jacks first and then air up, you'll get a sudden and unnecessary drop of the coach as the jacks retract.

Once you're aired up, retract the slides and then disconnect your shore cords. It's much easier to do this with the slides in and having the power cord attached while opening and closing your slides, gives them a little extra power.

[Jandringa]

I have herd the leveling and slide process a couple different ways but on my 2006 Camelot clearly states in the book to dump air, deploy slides then level, as stated above front jack first. Right, wrong or indifferent that’s what MY book says.

[Gary RVRoamer]

If the jacks are deployed and all are in contact with the ground, how does loss of air pressure let the coach drop further? The jacks are still supporting the frame, right? The only way the coach could settle further is if one or more jacks is not already supporting the frame.


I'm not arguing against dumping the air - it's good to get the coach closer to the ground before deploying the jacks. However, a buddy of mine had a 2004 Endeavor and it had no factory air dump switch - he had to add that himself.

[Scooter363y]

Thanks Don,
I will try that next time I camp. I will be back down south the first of November for a long (6 month) stay. After reading your procedure and talking to the people I know this seems to be the most agreed upon procedure.

I bought my rig from a private party. I. Got little to no instruction on the rig. So any help is appreciated.

The waste hose situation will have to be addressed. I travel with a 20ft enclosed trailer. So I pull rather far into my site. This makes my waste hose run a little longer than average. I put a strait 3" extension then two 45 degree adapters that puts the outlet horizontal near the outside of the motorhome. I put the hose with supports (slunky) . With this I barely have enough slope to ensure that the grey water flushes the nasties all the way out. I never had a problem with my former rig (kodiack super C) as it set really high. And of course any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Happy RV travels
Scooter

[96 Wideglide]

Originally Posted by Jandringa

I have herd the leveling and slide process a couple different ways but on my 2006 Camelot clearly states in the book to dump air, deploy slides then level, as stated above front jack first. Right, wrong or indifferent that’s what MY book says.

I'd be shocked if it does!

Monaco has recommended for a long time that slides should be deployed while chassis is aired up at 'travel height'.

[Dutch Star Don]

Scooter….for many years, all Monacos came with the SaniCon sewer system. Does yours have it and you're not using it? On my 2005 Diplomat, it had a SaniCon with the 1" x 20' hose. It was the first time I had a macerator dump system and LOVED it. No hose to disconnect and store, no need to rinse the hose and easy to operate. The hose is always connected and stays in the wet bay with a cap on it. You simply drag the hose to the sewer, remove the hose cap and stick it in the drain hole. Open the grey tank valve and it drains via a small bypass hose on the SaniCon. When ready to dump the black, just pull the valve and turn on the SaniCon. If you want, close the grey, dump the black and then open the grey and flush the hose with the grey water. That's it. Many who poo poo the SaniCon system have never had one. They claim they loose the whoosh affect of opening a 3" drain...fallacy. They also claim it took too long for the system to drain, yet they always neglected to add the amount of time it took to pull out 3" hoses, attach, clean and store again. The SaniCon hose easily stretches to 20'. I carried a second 20' hose, but never needed it.

Fast forward to about a year ago. SaniCon came out with their new turbo model. I can now dump a 40 gallon tank in under two minutes. I have my SaniCon wired to a second switch inside the coach and electric drain valve, also wired to the inside of the coach. I can open my black tank and drain it from inside the coach, a great feature.

[ftodaro]

I don't know what your manual says you should follow that but as a general rule you want to dump the air first to get the rig as low as possible, then level the rig.

If you try to level before you dump that would not make sense to me as you want to start out as low as you can so that you have range to level. Lastly IMO it also makes sense to extend the slides last, its much easier on the slide to go in and out on a level plain rather that one that is offset. So I dump, level and extend.