Community Forums

Jackduncan · 07-27-2010, 07:18 PM

Can someone help me on my 2004 coach, my brother-in-law and I are new to the coaching life and are having problems with our slides opening. Is their something you have to do in order to open the 3 slides on the alpine 40? The gen door opens but the 3 others will not. We found out that we had to have the key on in order for the gen door to open, who new.

Old Scout · 07-27-2010, 07:56 PM

Turn on HWH hydraulic pump--one click only [from Red October] not two clicks or the jacks/auto leveling will engage. Gosh, I ve always wanted to say that.....Did you ever resolve the issue you were having with the wax valve on the radiator? Any chance there is someone in your area that owns an Alpine?--the buddy system for new RV owners works great.

Jackduncan · 07-27-2010, 08:44 PM

Where is the HWH pump and how do I turn it on? The wax value is on order and will take about 12 weeks to get it from the UK. SUCKS

I want to thank you for all your help you have been great. DDo you have a number we can call you, you can e mail it to me jduncan0265@aol.com if you don't mind us calling you.

Dale777 · 07-27-2010, 09:19 PM

Jackduncan,

The HWH controls are in the center console below the center of the dash that pulls out. Pull out this console. With the ignition key on aux, press the upper left button once to turn on the HWH controls. Each slide has its own rocker switch to control EXTEND and RETRACT. Press and hold EXTEND until the selected slide is fully extended.

Dave Fernandez · 07-28-2010, 01:51 AM

On some Alpine you can not extend the slides unless you first extend the Jacks. With the ignition key in the Accessory position (on) press the HYD button twice on the HWH panel which will dump the air from the suspension and extend the jacks and the HWH will turn its self off. Once the jacks are down press the HYD button again and you should be able to extend the slides. The Gen Slide on the newer Alpines are electric not Hydraulic like the older Alpines.

Old Scout · 07-28-2010, 07:42 AM

Slight mod to Dave's input--the two bedroom slides operate independently of the jacks, however, the jacks must be down/leveled [two clicks of the HWH "on" button] before the main room slide will extend [main room rocker switch is next to the HWH control pannel/bedroom slide switches are in the "medicine" cabinet in the bathroom]. Assuming you drove the coach home/to the Cummins guys and it didnt overheat the engine {or did it?}, I still think your wax valve is ok. Any chance the Cummins guys reversed the hydraulic hoses when they reinstalled the valve?

Jackduncan · 07-28-2010, 08:34 AM

Yes it did overheat driving it home.

bcbowers · 07-28-2010, 06:31 PM

Since you're a new owner, let me share one good piece of advice on the hydraulic slide outs. Hold the button down a few extra seconds after the slide appears to have reached it's EXTEND or RETRACT point. This procedure makes sure that the hydraulic actuaters equalize on a given slide. This procedure is particularly important if the slide gets caught on something (like the awning cover). I managed to jam a small trash can under my bedroom slide and had to manually coerce it until the actuaters equalized.

Cinequip · 07-30-2010, 04:44 PM

Agreed. I extended our living room slide and caught our Woodall's as it settled. The slide would not retract with one side against the book. I had to rip the Woodall's out piece by piece by piece to even everything up.

Renipladlo · 07-30-2010, 05:09 PM

I believe the manual states to always extend the hydraulic jacks before you extend the slides. No I have never had one jam up, lucky me. If you don't have an onwers manual, you can get a fellow member here with the same year coach you have to make you a copy and mail it to you - then I sugges you sit down and read it cover to cover. Learning your coach by just pushing buttons is not in my opinion the best way to lear how it operates. Attend one of the ACA rallys and there will be any number of folks who will help you learn how everything works. Lubricate the gen slide rollers and the threaded shaft about every six months, with light machine oil. More often if you live or camp in real dusty environments.

Also, do the same thing for the electric step, doing this maintenance about once a quarter, because of the same reason. The step relay is up behind the passenger side of the dash board, make sure you pull the fuse for the step or turn off the master switches, as you can lose a finger when the step opens or closes up on you.

TRAKKER · 08-01-2010, 01:01 AM

On our '07 34' the slides operate without the key on but the jacking system requires the key on. If I level the coach first, the LF jack pushes the slide up enough to bind and tear the rubber roof with a bang. I always start the slide at least partially out and then level. Off jacks first then retract.

Jim A · 08-01-2010, 07:47 PM

Jack,

The '04 does indeed have an electric gen slide, like Dave mentioned. Completely separate system from the room slides.

Both the coach battery disconnect and the chassis disconnects need to be turned on to lower the jacks. The HWH control box runs off of the chassis battery (with the key on) but the pump runs on the coach batteries. The room slides operate with only the coach battery turned on. I am not sure if the jacks need to be down or not in order to operate the slides. I never tried it. I always level first, and always bring the slides in before raising the jacks prior to departure.

EngineerMike · 08-01-2010, 11:50 PM

Jack- In case you didn't get a manual w/the coach, you can download it from the ACA Tech Library. You'll find it under Owner's Manuals, in two pieces- the written manual and some handy Schematics. Nice to have in the coach till you get to know your way around better. There is also a bunch of other interesting stuff on other coach parts & systems in the Library.