Ride height valves mystery

[Meurigd]

While working on the two rear ride height control valves on my coach, I just discovered something that does not look right. On each valve, the brass bracket that holds the valve to the frame rail is bent. But if you were to put both valves next to each other on the workbench, in the same orientation, then each plate is bent in the same direction, and by the same amount. So what that means is that when they are mounted on the frame rails, because one is right and one is left, then one valve body is angled upwards and the other downwards. I cannot see any way that those brackets could have got bent accidentally while going down the road or anything. There is nothing strong enough anywhere near where they are mounted which could have exerted that much force to bend those stout plates, and the ride height linkage is not strong enough to do it either, and it is too coincidental that each bracket is bent by almost exactly the same amount. So the only conclusion I can come to is that the mounting brackets were bent on purpose, either by Freightliner during manufacture of the chassis, or by Winnebago later. But if they were doing that in order to get a higher or lower ride height setting or something, surely they would at least have used the built-in adjuster on the valve operating arm, which seems to be there for just that purpose. But the adjuster on each arm is set at dead center. I would have expected each adjuster to be maxed out in one or other direction before resorting to bending the mounting bracket ! And why one up and one down ?
If you are not familiar with these valves then you probably have no idea what I am talking about. But if there is someone on this board who knows what is going on here I would sure like to hear from you. I've got two new valves ready to install, but this bent bracket discovery has me scratching my head. (The brackets on the new valves are straight and true). I will be calling Freightliner in the morning, but in the meantime any knowledgeable input would be greatly appreciated. PS - if I can figure out how to upload a photo to this board I can show you the valve and bent bracket. Check the photos tab.

Meurig Davies '07 Itasca Meridian 36G

[cbeierl]

Any chance of a picture?

[Meurigd]

OK, I just uploaded a photo to the photo page above. Click on the "Photos" tab at the top of this page, then on "Motorhomes"

Meurig Davies '07 Itasca Meridian 36G

[wagonmaster2]

With your coach being fairly new what happened that you have to replace the valves?

Wagonmaster2

[Meurigd]

Originally Posted by wagonmaster2

With your coach being fairly new what happened that you have to replace the valves?

Wagonmaster2

Rather than repeat the whole story here, please read my previous posting below "Freightliner air suspension system problems"

Meurig Davies '07 Itasca Meridian 36G

[Meurigd]

Originally Posted by Meurigd

While working on the two rear ride height control valves on my coach, I just discovered something that does not look right. On each valve, the brass bracket that holds the valve to the frame rail is bent. But if you were to put both valves next to each other on the workbench, in the same orientation, then each plate is bent in the same direction, and by the same amount. So what that means is that when they are mounted on the frame rails, because one is right and one is left, then one valve body is angled upwards and the other downwards. I cannot see any way that those brackets could have got bent accidentally while going down the road or anything. There is nothing strong enough anywhere near where they are mounted which could have exerted that much force to bend those stout plates, and the ride height linkage is not strong enough to do it either, and it is too coincidental that each bracket is bent by almost exactly the same amount. So the only conclusion I can come to is that the mounting brackets were bent on purpose, either by Freightliner during manufacture of the chassis, or by Winnebago later. But if they were doing that in order to get a higher or lower ride height setting or something, surely they would at least have used the built-in adjuster on the valve operating arm, which seems to be there for just that purpose. But the adjuster on each arm is set at dead center. I would have expected each adjuster to be maxed out in one or other direction before resorting to bending the mounting bracket ! And why one up and one down ?
If you are not familiar with these valves then you probably have no idea what I am talking about. But if there is someone on this board who knows what is going on here I would sure like to hear from you. I've got two new valves ready to install, but this bent bracket discovery has me scratching my head. (The brackets on the new valves are straight and true). I will be calling Freightliner in the morning, but in the meantime any knowledgeable input would be greatly appreciated. PS - if I can figure out how to upload a photo to this board I can show you the valve and bent bracket. Check the photos tab.

Meurig Davies '07 Itasca Meridian 36G

OK, I called the Freightliner Help line this morning, and it sounds like the help guy there may have figured out as to why the brackets on these two valves are bent. Apparently, some chassis' that they build, or previously used to build, or some such thing, use a ride height valve that has no adjustment screw on the arm, like the Haldex valve does. (He mentioned the other valve brand name but I have forgotten what he said). And the way that they adjusted that valve, if it needed to be adjusted, is to simply bend the mounting bracket to the correct angle to get the correct ride height. So he could only suggest that the worker who installed the ride height valves on my coach may have been familiar with the other type valve, but maybe was not familiar with this Haldex valve, or maybe was familiar with it, but couldn't be bothered to use the adjustment screw on it (?), or whatever......, and so he just bent the mounting bracket.... ( ! ). At this point in time, who knows ? But that sounds like a good enough explanation to me. I explained to him that because that guy did that, he stripped a screw thread on the valve, and caused an air leak, so my air suspension system has been leaking, probably since it left the factory, and the compressor on my coach has probably been working harder than it should have been, ever since, etc etc.... No comment from the help man on that, and I did not push the point. The heck with it. It's fixed. (however I did get him to make a note in the computer against my VIN that this problem had probably been caused during manufacture).
So, the bent valve bracket case is closed as far as I am concerned. I have now fitted two new ride height valves on the rear of my coach, adjusted them and set the ride height correctly, driven the coach a few miles and rechecked the measurement (OK), and the system seems to be airtight. No air leaks from anywhere that I can detect, and as I type, the coach has been sitting aired up for 7 hours now since I shut the engine down, and it has not settled at all.
Case closed.
If anyone is interested, after airing up, the ride height is measured from the underside of the frame rail to the center of the lower bolt of the shock absorber, both for rear and front adjustment. On my coach (36ft XC chassis) the measurement is 10 1/4" (+/- 1/4") for the rear, and 10 1/2" (+/- 1/4") for the front. As per Freightliner information today.
End of story. Thanks for your patience..... <grin>

Meurig Davies '07 Itasca Meridian 36G

[KIX]

Glad you finally figured out why the brackets were bent and better yet got it all fixed.

[Meurigd]

Thanks. Me too. I am happy !