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Old 07-04-2018, 02:43 PM   #1
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Bucking Bronc Berk

I had a bad situation this afternoon (July 4th) and want to see if any of you have had this happen. After three days of camping we packed to head home. As we pulled out of the site, it felt like we were driving over a washboard of ruts. When we started to exceed 15 MPH, the shaking and jumping was almost uncontrollable. We pulled over, recycled the air brakes, turned the Berk off and restarted, shifted thru several Gears, and anything else we could think of. Nothing helped! We returned to the campsite and called anyone we knew for possible ideas. Fluids levels are good, all wheels turned, engine rpm was steady, etc. As we drove back to a site to wait for a service department to open, we slowly ran over several speed bumps but things felt normal again. We road tested it and it worked well and we decided to drive home. Have any of you experienced this or have any idea what was wrong. My only guess is that the air brakes stuck and didn’t fully release until we hit those speed bumps. We have recycled them 6 or 8 times with no effect. Any ideas on what caused it and should I have it services...but what?
Thank you for your help.[emoji22]
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Old 07-04-2018, 04:56 PM   #2
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Join the club. Almost every new Berk owner has experienced what you describe. It is caused by you air bags no being inflated before you start out. There are many posts on this forum on the subject. You need to have air pressure built up before you retract your levelers. Then restart the engine, let the bags inflate and check that all the bags have inflated before you head out.
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Old 07-04-2018, 05:12 PM   #3
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For me retracting leveler jacks one more time does the trick
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Old 07-04-2018, 06:03 PM   #4
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I let my air pressure build up, then retract. Once they’re all retracted I do the retract button again. Second time always does it and I can watch and feel the coach rise. I always go around and put my fist between the tire and top fender well just to make certain that it raised before taking off. Nearly always have to do that routine and it’s always worked for us.
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Old 07-04-2018, 06:39 PM   #5
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yes, it's the suspension air bags that have not inflated, which keeps your coach sitting on it's chassis foundation, rather than the air bags, which is what creates a smooth ride.

It happened to us once too, and a little unnerving, but for some reason the air bags just didn't get the 'message' to inflate! Stopped the coach, pulled the air brakes, 'pulled' the 'Lower' lever to deflate the bags, and then back to 'AUto' to inflate them.... seemed to solve the problem.

but, yes, it will be a VERY bumpy ride if your air bags don't inflate properly!
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Old 07-05-2018, 10:30 AM   #6
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...and I’ve been told that if you go too far you can do some fairly costly damage. I can’t imagine going too awfully far based on our experience with it, but I think it has been a time or two.
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Old 08-11-2018, 10:01 AM   #7
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I found pretty early on with my Berkshire that I had to raise all Jack's and while they are raising start to motor in order to get the airbags to inflate.
If I raise the jacks and wait to start the coach until jacks are all the way up the bags won't inflate. I will then need to hit the raise all Jack's button again to get the coach to inflate the bags and raise the coach to ride hight.
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Old 08-16-2018, 09:42 PM   #8
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As per the manual you should have air pressure built up before you retract the levelers. The controller will send a two minute "close" signal to the suspension air dump valve allowing air to enter the suspension system. If there is no air pressure at that time the suspension will not inflate.

There should be no need, ever, to do any kind of trickery. Start engine, wait for blow-off (the first PSHHH meaning that the air has reached about 120psi and the blow off valve releases some) and THEN, and only then hit the "All Retract".

It does not hurt to walk around at that point and verify visually that the suspension has inflated. You're looking for 4" or so under the mud flap, and a vertical fist should easily pass between the fiberglass and the top of the front tire.
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Old 08-16-2018, 09:45 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by formerFR View Post
yes, it's the suspension air bags that have not inflated, which keeps your coach sitting on it's chassis foundation, rather than the air bags, which is what creates a smooth ride.

It happened to us once too, and a little unnerving, but for some reason the air bags just didn't get the 'message' to inflate! Stopped the coach, pulled the air brakes, 'pulled' the 'Lower' lever to deflate the bags, and then back to 'AUto' to inflate them.... seemed to solve the problem.

but, yes, it will be a VERY bumpy ride if your air bags don't inflate properly!
This is a Berkshire forum. There is no manual suspension air dump on the Berks. (Except mine, but that's a mod).
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Old 08-24-2018, 09:09 PM   #10
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There should be no need, ever, to do any kind of trickery. Start engine, wait for blow-off (the first PSHHH meaning that the air has reached about 120psi and the blow off valve releases some) and THEN, and only then hit the "All Retract".
One minor step to be inserted here Oscar...turn the engine off THEN hit all retract
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Old 08-25-2018, 12:25 PM   #11
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This is a Berkshire forum. There is no manual suspension air dump on the Berks. (Except mine, but that's a mod).
while true, many of us on these forums come from a simple right-side link to 'topics' of interest, not necessarily a specific coach forum, so we are only seeing the latest replies to a specific need or concern...

while the Berks might only have automated bag inflaters, I see the value, as you apparently have, in the manual ability to inflate and deflate them yourself, at will, when the situation applies... I am so used to the manual method, I would not desire any loss of ability to do it myself.
I can lower the legs with the bags inflated, or I can deflate them first, to allow me to sit lower before the legs even start, which means the legs have less travel and the coach is sitting lower. I'm sure the object is the same for the automated systems, but it requires a little bit different methods to accomplish it, if it's even possible to level without the bags deflated.

travel, enjoy.... get me one of those BERKS!

(btw, I've delivered a Berkshire as part of my driving experience from the factories to dealers - this one in south Knoxville, and the Berk drives very nice. I felt like I was right at home in my Palazzo, but the name on the outside was different!)
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Old 08-29-2018, 11:22 AM   #12
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One minor step to be inserted here Oscar...turn the engine off THEN hit all retract
I am getting conflicting information on whether the legs WILL retract with the engine running. Some say they don't, mine do just fine. I don't see any reason not to if they will.......but as always I could be missing something.
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Old 08-29-2018, 05:34 PM   #13
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Ours will retract with engine running, slides will not. Equalizer stabilizers.
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Old 08-29-2018, 05:49 PM   #14
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Ours is a 2018. While plugged in and jacks down, slides in I start the engine to build up air. The equalizer system yells at me for a few minutes. Once the air is at full, I turn off the engine and retract the jacks. Then start the engine and let the air bags fill. Disconnect power and wheels up.
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Old 08-29-2018, 06:10 PM   #15
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Ours is a 2018. While plugged in and jacks down, slides in I start the engine to build up air. The equalizer system yells at me for a few minutes. Once the air is at full, I turn off the engine and retract the jacks. Then start the engine and let the air bags fill. Disconnect power and wheels up.
Actually, I believe it's your low air warning that's yelling at you.
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Old 08-29-2018, 07:21 PM   #16
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Ok. All I know is that it’s not my wife
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Old 08-29-2018, 07:55 PM   #17
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Ok. All I know is that it’s not my wife
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Old 08-30-2018, 08:46 AM   #18
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Old 08-31-2018, 10:07 AM   #19
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I am getting conflicting information on whether the legs WILL retract with the engine running. Some say they don't, mine do just fine. I don't see any reason not to if they will.......but as always I could be missing something.
Oscar,

It must be the Air mods you have done. My "Stock" Berk will absolutely not allow me to retract with the motor on (or for that face extend...which is good...that would be a serious safety hazard! 😉
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Old 09-01-2018, 02:30 AM   #20
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Oscar,

It must be the Air mods you have done. My "Stock" Berk will absolutely not allow me to retract with the motor on (or for that face extend...which is good...that would be a serious safety hazard! ��
Nope, this worked before the mods, and still does with the mods "off".
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