Community Forums

Mississippi · 04-27-2015, 11:52 AM

Got the new to us 2013 Anthem home and it is about 2" too tall to get in the garage door. Is there a process to dump air while backing up to get under the door jamb? Just dumping the tag is not enough.

MRUSA14 · 04-27-2015, 12:19 PM

With the engine off, and lined up ready to go into the garage, activate your jacks. One of the first things that happens will be the air bags will dump. As soon as the airbags dump, cancel jack extension and retract the jacks. Now you start the engine and drive forward promptly. You must do it without delay, as the airbags will be filling themselves again as soon as you start the engine. Once the bags are dumped, you cannot turn the steering wheel and must drive straight ahead, otherwise the front tires will damage your fenders. You can do the same thing again when you are ready to back out of the garage.

IMPORTANT: I don't know if this process will reduce your height enough or not. Before you do it, you should dump the air as mentioned above and then carefully measure your height while the air bags are empty. Then add an allowance for the rise in air bags that will be taking place while you drive into or out of the garage. Based on these factors you can then decide if this procedure will be safe to utilize in your circumstances.

P.S. You can also gain an inch or so by letting air out of your tires, being sure to re-inflate them as soon as you leave the garage. If storing for a long time I would re-inflate them in the garage for the storage period, then deflate again to back out of the garage.

loisjop · 04-27-2015, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mississippi

Got the new to us 2013 Anthem home and it is about 2" too tall to get in the garage door. Is there a process to dump air while backing up to get under the door jamb? Just dumping the tag is not enough.

Keith, I really believe when you put the jacks down and the air dumps if you cancel the jacks and MANUALLY retract them the chassis will not air back up. I would check it first, but I believe I'm correct! Noel

Gordon Dewald · 04-27-2015, 12:56 PM

This seems to be fairly risky. If the bags fill up you are risking damaging the door and the roof.

IMO it would be worth while trying outside before attempting entry to the shed. Start the coach, dump the air and then drive ahead whatever distance you need to. Then measure the height.

The air dump might work fine but it may be less costly to just have the door heightened. You would have to buy another door panel and extend the tracks (or buy new), the springs could be adequate and only require tensioning.

Nothing like driving in and out stress free so you can pay attention to the sides and not worry about the roof.

MRUSA14 · 04-27-2015, 12:59 PM

Gordon you are correct. It should be tested carefully ahead of time, and if the door can be raised it would be a better solution

brobox · 04-27-2015, 02:35 PM

Zman had the same question and I believe he got it to work. http://www.irv2.com/forums/f278/dumping-air-188064.html

Mississippi · 04-27-2015, 03:59 PM

Thanks for the quick response. I will sit on flat ground and see how this plays out before I try it at the door. I plan to meet with my contractor about just raising the door height about 9 inches.

MRUSA14 · 04-27-2015, 04:23 PM

Good move. It will make your life much happier (and your Anthem's too!).

1mainiac · 04-27-2015, 07:30 PM

If you do as said and use the jacks to dump the air do not use auto retract. Raise the jacks manually the coach will not air up and you will not be able to turn. once the coach has been dumped it will remain dumped until it is up to air pressure and you use auto retract. When you level the jacks send a signal to the dump valve which is pushed to the dump position and will remain there until it gets a raise signal from the jacks and has correct air pressure. The raise signal only comes during the auto retract cycle.

MRUSA14 · 04-27-2015, 08:21 PM

Thanks, 1Maniac. That's good information.

TerryO · 04-28-2015, 06:30 AM

I believe the 2013 is the same as our 2012. The key is to have the engine turned off when you deploy the jacks AND OFF when you retract the jacks. By having the engine off the air valve will not close and will not fill the suspension. It will not rise after you start. It has nothing to do with retracting manually or automatically. This is why you see the posts of people taking off and having a bumpy ride or tearing up their fenders. They retracted with the engine off. Don't ask me how I learned this during the first month of owning our Entegra.