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03-29-2011, 02:04 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
National RV Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,875
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Air bag problem and resolution.
We started out for Vegas yesterday and drove for about 1/2 block noticing a rough ride. I pulled over and looked under the coach and found the front air bags deflated. I called Freightliner in Gafney and a tech walked me through restoring the ride. He had me put the jacks down and then retract. I did this and went back out and looked, the bags were fully inflated.
My Tradewinds has an auto dump for the air bags, I do not have a manual control and this was also verified by Frieghtliner after I gave them my VIN. So a solenoid had stuck and the way to unstick it was to cycle the jacks which tell the solenoid to open.
How many other Tradewinds owners have the auto dump? Others I have talked to seem to have the manual systems.
__________________
2001 National Tradewinds 7370 300 Cat
2011 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport
Officially fulltiming. The Journey Begins
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03-29-2011, 07:26 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
National RV Owners Club
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 2,157
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That's odd, our's are the same year just 2 feet difference and they gave me a manual release.
__________________
Joe & Angie
Shih Tzu's Cookie & Rocky
2001 Tradewinds 7390 2011 CRV EX-L Navi w/ RoadMaster FuseMaster
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04-09-2011, 09:50 AM
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#3
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Hollister, CA
Posts: 27
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How does the auto dump operate? I have a 2001 Caribbean (basically a short tradwinds) and I also do not have a manual dump lever. I don't know if I have an auto dump feature. To get the air out of the bags I have to extend the leveler jacks and wait until I hear no more air exiting. But when I lower the jacks back down to level the coach from the lowered position with the bags empty, they fill back up from the tanks. To keep the bags empty, I have to manually pump the brakes to get the tank down to where the alarm sounds, raise the coach to expel the air out of the bags, lower the coach back down, and then level. This can't be the way its supposed to be done. To add to it when I get to the camp ground and do this procedure, everyone looks and watches me like I'm crazy. My manual only refences "lower the suspension by switching the lever". If anyone has suggestions, I'm up for any. I looking for a way to add a manual lever to lower the airbags without emptying the tanks. Sorry for such long post.
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04-09-2011, 06:43 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
National RV Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 421
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Hi Dan we have the manual dump valve just above the jake brake switch, I'm unsure though, if my bags did the same thing as yours would I just cycle the dump switch to activate the bags? I have deployed my Jacks without dumping the air bags in the past not sure if it's a huge deal or not?
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2001 National Tradewinds 7372
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04-09-2011, 10:18 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
National RV Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,875
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Slow ride
How does the auto dump operate? I have a 2001 Caribbean (basically a short tradwinds) and I also do not have a manual dump lever. I don't know if I have an auto dump feature. To get the air out of the bags I have to extend the leveler jacks and wait until I hear no more air exiting. But when I lower the jacks back down to level the coach from the lowered position with the bags empty, they fill back up from the tanks. To keep the bags empty, I have to manually pump the brakes to get the tank down to where the alarm sounds, raise the coach to expel the air out of the bags, lower the coach back down, and then level. This can't be the way its supposed to be done. To add to it when I get to the camp ground and do this procedure, everyone looks and watches me like I'm crazy. My manual only refences "lower the suspension by switching the lever". If anyone has suggestions, I'm up for any. I looking for a way to add a manual lever to lower the airbags without emptying the tanks. Sorry for such long post.
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Ours dump air when the jacks go down and inflate when the jacks go up. Pretty simple process.
__________________
2001 National Tradewinds 7370 300 Cat
2011 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport
Officially fulltiming. The Journey Begins
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04-09-2011, 10:21 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
National RV Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,875
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thewellz
Hi Dan we have the manual dump valve just above the jake brake switch, I'm unsure though, if my bags did the same thing as yours would I just cycle the dump switch to activate the bags? I have deployed my Jacks without dumping the air bags in the past not sure if it's a huge deal or not?
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I think most folks dump the air then lower the jacks. That way you don't have to raise the coach as far to level. With the auto dump it's dumping the air as the jacks go down. I have no control over the air in the bags.
__________________
2001 National Tradewinds 7370 300 Cat
2011 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport
Officially fulltiming. The Journey Begins
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04-09-2011, 10:58 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Fort Myers, FL
Posts: 177
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I found I have to turn my key switch to ACC. If I leave it in the run position the bags re-inflate right away!
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2007 National RV Surf Side 29ft
Fort Myers, FL
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04-10-2011, 10:07 AM
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#8
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 78
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Auto dump
I also had the auto dump and inflate on my 2001 LTC with no switch until last year. I would lower the jacks to dump the air and the only way to inflate the air bags was to release the parking brake. I thought the method for inflation was very unsafe! I tried several times over the years to have National or Freightliner change this system. They both said it was correct and I could have it changed for $750. I decided to use the system as built until last year when I had a problem with inflation. I found that the air bags would not inflate because the Power Gear control board was a problem and I would need to replace it at a cost of $500. I discovered that I could install an on-off-on rocker switch and wires for about $15 and no more automatic dump or inflation.
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04-27-2011, 03:44 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
National RV Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 232
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Dan,
Mine has a 2 way release. I can either dump manually or select auto. I usually just leave it on Auto.
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10-01-2011, 06:52 AM
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#10
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Junior Member
National RV Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 14
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Just pulled into the campground. Wife went to register. When she got back I released the parking brake and suddenly the coach went down. I made it a short distance to the campsight. Tried a few times to get the bags to inflate but with no success. I have a 2001 Tradewinds 7390LTC with a manual dump.
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