When Do You Ride High?

[Training Wheels]

On the last leg home of a trip last week, I crossed a small drainage dip going into a station. I know about entering at an angle, but thought the depression was not too deep. I heard a crunching sound and figured it caught my air dam as it came out of the dip.

Not so. Upon further review, I found the tailpipe for my Aqua Hot squished flat and bent rearward. It apparently was flattened against the outside DS drive tire but sprung away 1/2" so I never heard its rubbing the tire. I'll have to cut it off and see if the muffler seal was broken. If not, I should be able to have an extension added to make it all better.

I feel certain if I'd stopped and taken the time to fully raise the coach on its bags, this would not have occurred. I've never taken the trouble to do this. I figure when I go rumbling along the Southwestern desert floors, I'll do it then.

MY QUESTION IS do any of you discipline yourselves to raise the coach to full height during your travels? If so, what standards have you developed to know when to do it? I've noticed there are more often no places to pull over and get my act together. So, stopping and taking the time to let HWH raise the coach might be dangerous.

This reminds me that, "Good judgment comes from experience; and experience comes from bad judgment".

Jerry

[96 Wideglide]

I generally raise mine when getting on and off ferries, and once when I came across a well marked raised railway crossing. I'm sure the railway crossing would have removed my AH exhaust.

[greg4444]

It seems to me the coach raises pretty quickly. I once had to raise it to go through a culvert (we were in a caravan, led by state troopers, evacuating a flooded interstate in East Texas this past spring). I really had no time to think about it, and really no choice, I had to raise it, and by the time it was my turn to go through the culvert, I was high enough, went through like a champ. I think it raised up high enough in 2 minutes or less. Once through I lowered back to normal ride height. I was pretty impressed with it, seems like a good system. Anyway, don't be bashful about using it.

[Mr_D]

Haven't needed it yet but should give it a try going into my driveway.

[IASM]

one other thing I forgot to mention. If your going to raise you want to do it with full air tanks. I discovered once when I went to leave in a hurry and the air pressure was enough to release the brakes but not that high and I made contact. I found that the rig raised way to slow so now I don't do it until I hear the air convener go off.

[Gordon Dewald]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

Haven't needed it yet but should give it a try going into my driveway.

I have noticed the air control but same as you have yet to try it. Next time I start the coach will give it a go.

[Training Wheels]

If, and I donno if it can be, the default traveling height was adjusted higher, would there be any downside to doing so? Probably have an adverse effect on designed center of gravity; but I wonder . . .

Jerry

[IASM]

The default ride height is set based on the suspension. If it were set to high bag and shocks would have to be made longer and the front would not stay aligned since bouncing up and down would change tow angle. cg would not be a factor

[dons2346]

Originally Posted by Eagles

If, and I donno if it can be, the default traveling height was adjusted higher, would there be any downside to doing so? Probably have an adverse effect on designed center of gravity; but I wonder . . .

Jerry

A lot has to do with the approach angle of the drive line to transmission. It is possible to put extra strain on the U joints while raising the coach ride height. That is the reason there is a speed limit when the coach is raised to the max

[pumper9x9]

A little aside if your front air valve goes out and the coach will automatically level. You can raise the coach to what looks like the right driving height and then pull the fuse in the L front compartment and drive at reasonable speeds to some where where it can get fixed. I know it works on the systems with 3 air valves but I can't testify to it working with 4 or more valves.

[jimterryan]

When I read this post I thought it referred to driving in Colo, Calif, Ariz or Nevada

[Smitty77]

Originally Posted by jimterryan

When I read this post I thought it referred to driving in Colo, Calif, Ariz or Nevada

Gee, and I was thinking of when this year for halloween, I had suspenders on and the puled those pants up, WAY UP, high!

Good input above. One other tip I picked up on the CC Yahoo Group from I believe it was owner Mikee. Our 04 Allure, and I assume all coaches, have a minimum/maximum road height. To assist with porpoising avoidance (Before the Road Kings solved that for us.), I had the chassis align and asked the tech to set the height to maximum range of road height. (It's not a great deal, but every little bit helps on road clearance.)

And one of the things I had my wife practice, was getting used to raising the coach manually to allow for 'Just in case' situations... We practice this once a year.

On our last 6 month trip, I raised the coach only one time, and probably really did not need to do so.

Best to all,
Smitty

[Papa G]

I raise it every time I go in and out of parking spot at home due to driveway slope. Works great.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by jimterryan

When I read this post I thought it referred to driving in Colo, Calif, Ariz or Nevada

WA too!