Community Forums

tsherren · 11-21-2022, 03:28 PM

Hello,
We have a 2005 Newmar Kountry Star. It has an HWH 325 Hydraulic Leveling System.
Unfortunately, the 325's circuit board has failed. Following the suggestions of many folks on irv2.com, we contacted Paul Maddox in AZ. Paul was super helpful. We sent him the circuit board box, which he examined and found that it needed to be sent back to the factory to be rebuilt, as HWH has no replacement circuit board boxes in stock.
Now HWH is telling us that we will likely not get the box back before February.
This is a real problem because we go to FL for the winter.
Has anyone got any suggestions as to how we can level and stabilize the coach without leveling jacks for our three month stay in FL?
We tried putting blocks under the jacks and then dumping the air out of the airbags, but the problem with that is that the coach rolls forward when the air dumps and puts a lot of stain on the jack mounts when the bottom of the jacks cannot slide on the wood blocks.
Has anyone ever faced this problem and what can we do??? Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Rob_M · 11-21-2022, 03:46 PM

Just dump the air and drive up on whatever boards it takes to get it level it is pretty stable when it’s down on the bump stops. I don’t use my Jacks unless I’m way out of level.

edge68474 · 11-21-2022, 03:47 PM

Watching

alank · 11-21-2022, 05:25 PM

Try putting chocks on a rear tire, then release the parking brake, then dump the air so the jacks set on blocks. I think you’ll see much less coach movement. The same procedure can be done with chocks on a front tire, coach movement may be even less.
If you’re parking on a cement pad this will be fairly easy. If you’re parking on dirt or rock, it’s nearly impossible to determine when the front blocks are a height that is parallel to the rear blocks. If thy are not parallel with the rear blocks, they will induce a twist in the chassis when the air is dumped.

tsherren · 11-23-2022, 12:38 PM

Thanks, fellas. Very good suggestions. I think that I am over-thinking this whole thing. Should be able to work it out when we arrive in FL.

DicknBambi · 11-23-2022, 02:17 PM

If you were real lucky maybe you could find a coach like yours and borrow a control box to set it up. When you are ready to leave just open the manual valves to raise the jacks up. Enjoy Florida and have a safe trip

Dick

Country Road · 11-23-2022, 06:09 PM

I like the idea of dumping your air and driving on boards, preferably 3/4” plyboard so they don’t crack. It may take several shots to get it close but many of the older RV’s didn’t have a leveling system. Have plenty boards.

Dutch Star Don · 11-24-2022, 10:55 AM

Once you get to your site, dump the air and let the coach air all the way down. Each air bag has a "stop" inside that will basically makes the chassis sit on the axle. You may get lucky, if it's a level site and be level when aired down. If not, guestimate what you need for wood and drive the coach on. DO NOT make any turns as the front wheels will tear up the fender wells.

Since your control board is gone, you'll probably have to pull the air dump cables to empty your tanks and get all the air out of the system.