Bypassing slide/awning lockout.

[Oscarvan]

So we all agree on the departure procedure... (for those units so wired)

Start engine, let air build, retract levelers, shut down engine, retract slides, start engine.

Somewhere before or during while the engine is shut down remember to retract the awnings. If not, shut down engine one more time and retract. (It's the one over the door that always gets me....)

Soooooo, I would like to have a red guarded switch where I can override the slide and awning lockout. Also, I would like to be able to put the slides out on arrival while the engine is still running to keep voltage at max without first having to plug in or start the APU.....

It's most likely one single wire which sends ignition power to a relay and powers it open.... Simple to do, problem is finding which one.

Anyone figured out where it is?

(I know WHY it's there, so I don't need that pointed out. As I said a red guarded switch right in front of me would do the trick.....)

[silver]

Proper procedure

1) retrace awnings

2) retract slides

3) retract jacks, verify jacks came up

4) Start engine let air build up

5) hit jack retract one more time. Do not have to deploy jacks again, Verify you are aired up. Normally if a a fist will fit between tire and coach you are aired up.

Any other procedure you risk damage to the slides. To the person that started everyone on the wrong process you have done everyone a great injustice. If Forest River Diesel monitors perhaps you would chime in with the procedure.

[Oscarvan]

So you are saying that slides should be operated with bags deflated and levelers extended? I would risk damaging the slides otherwise? You mean if I drive the coach and then set the parking brake, shut down the engine and operate the slides still "on the bags" that would be bad?

This is counter intuitive. On top of that I have personally observed that the slides operate a lot less easily after the levelers have twisted the coach around.

Alas, let us not spar with opinions but turn to that all knowing arbiter of truth, to some the source of last resort, aye, the INSTRUCTIONS.

See, what I DO know is that in the Equalizer Systems, A DAYS Company, Auto-Level Operation and Warrantee Guide effective 2012, revised April 2013 it NOWHERE refers to depressing the ALL RETRACT button a second time to get the air to the bags....

Au contraire. In fact on page 6 under "Helpful Hints" it states, and I quote:

"If your coach is equipped with air suspension it is recommended that the coach be started and chassis air allowed to build before pressing ALL RETRACT. This will ensure adequate air supply to the chassis air valves"

It also says in the same offering of "Helpful Hints", and I quote again:

"Operate jacks first, then slide outs."

So I hereby posit amice that YOU are the one with the wrong process and the subsequent "great injustice" although I find the latter term a bit Shakespearian for the subject matter at hand.

Now, this is all tangential to the question I had...... How do I override the inibition of the slides/awnings with the engine running? Anyone? Buehler?

[I-RV]

One more thing to add to the procedure if you are going to put on tire covers; those that go around the tire:

It is a lot easier to put the tire covers on with the air bags still inflated and the slides in.
Hank

[pearly44]

Originally Posted by Oscarvan

So you are saying that slides should be operated with bags deflated and levelers extended? I would risk damaging the slides otherwise? You mean if I drive the coach and then set the parking brake, shut down the engine and operate the slides still "on the bags" that would be bad?

This is counter intuitive. On top of that I have personally observed that the slides operate a lot less easily after the levelers have twisted the coach around.

Alas, let us not spar with opinions but turn to that all knowing arbiter of truth, to some the source of last resort, aye, the INSTRUCTIONS.

See, what I DO know is that in the Equalizer Systems, A DAYS Company, Auto-Level Operation and Warrantee Guide effective 2012, revised April 2013 it NOWHERE refers to depressing the ALL RETRACT button a second time to get the air to the bags....

Au contraire. In fact on page 6 under "Helpful Hints" it states, and I quote:

"If your coach is equipped with air suspension it is recommended that the coach be started and chassis air allowed to build before pressing ALL RETRACT. This will ensure adequate air supply to the chassis air valves"

It also says in the same offering of "Helpful Hints", and I quote again:

"Operate jacks first, then slide outs."

So I hereby posit amice that YOU are the one with the wrong process and the subsequent "great injustice" although I find the latter term a bit Shakespearian for the subject matter at hand.

Now, this is all tangential to the question I had...... How do I override the inibition of the slides/awnings with the engine running? Anyone? Buehler?

On every trailer we have ever owned with jacks, we have always lowered the jacks first, and then extended the slides. When breaking camp, we do the opposite. The jacks are the last thing we take in. As for the argument that you will somehow twist the frame if you extend the jacks before the slides are out, this makes little sense. With all of the weight over the chassis with the slides in, there should be little frame impact when moving the jacks. In addition, if this is all it takes to torque the frame, then I for one think I have the wrong coach. Granted, I am new to the MH world and the additional problem of air bags to consider. I do agree that one should dump the air before any of this process starts. Assuming you agree, this is yet another reason to put the jacks down first and take them up last. I also operate the jacks while the engine is running. I want to ensure I have full air available before I start this process. As for the awning/ slide lockout, I have never seen a need for this as our camp checklist always pulls the awning in, then pulls the slides in, then starts the engine, then retracts the jacks. Your mileage may vary...

[Oscarvan]

You can HEAR the house twist when you auto level. And no, this does not surprise me. To gain absolute rigidity would require a structure well in excess of what we could power down the road. And, on a 20 foot slide a half inch is a lot. Go sit in the back of an airplane and watch the fuselage twist, or watch the wingtips for that matter. 13 foot travel on the tips of a 747. I know, not the same thing, but I can guarantee you that these Mohos are not rigid.

As for the rest of your reasoning, I once again refer to the instructions.

[pearly44]

Originally Posted by Oscarvan

You can HEAR the house twist when you auto level. And no, this does not surprise me. To gain absolute rigidity would require a structure well in excess of what we could power down the road. And, on a 20 foot slide a half inch is a lot. Go sit in the back of an airplane and watch the fuselage twist, or watch the wingtips for that matter. 13 foot travel on the tips of a 747. I know, not the same thing, but I can guarantee you that these Mohos are not rigid.

As for the rest of your reasoning, I once again refer to the instructions.

Would love to have a Freightliner rep weigh in on your assertion of "twist" in the frame. I think you're on the wrong track with that thinking, but I will leave it to the experts to convince you.

[dan-nickie]

I'm not so sure when we all agreed upon that departure procedure.

But I believe pulling a fuse will disable that protection. I found it while trying to to use the front television while driving. Afraid I can't recall which fuse it was at this time.

[silver]

If the frame and coach twist up to 1/2 inch as you claim how do the floor tile stay down without cracking? Inquiring minds want to know.

[dan-nickie]

See top of page 7.
http://equalizersystems.com/wp-conte...Georgetown.pdf

[silver]

Originally Posted by dan-nickie

See top of page 7.
http://equalizersystems.com/wp-conte...Georgetown.pdf

Thanks Dan, Good Reference

[silver]

Originally Posted by Oscarvan

Now, this is all tangential to the question I had...... How do I override the inibition of the slides/awnings with the engine running? Anyone? Buehler?

Simple answer to your question is snip the activation line on the control relay. It is not hard.

[dan-nickie]

Our pre-eminent dramatist silver has been redeemed. :-)

[Oscarvan]

Originally Posted by dan-nickie

Our pre-eminent dramatist silver has been redeemed. :-)

Maybe.

What we have now is contradictory publications from the manufacturer....

[dan-nickie]

Originally Posted by Oscarvan

Maybe.

What we have now is contradictory publications from the manufacturer....

Probably wouldn't be the first time. Can you link that document that has the helpful tips to operate Jacks first and then the slides?
Are those tips in their arrival or departure procedure?
I know we all want to do this right based on manufacturer recommendations.

[Phil57]

If you retract the jacks first and the Moho is not setting level how does this effect the slide operation? It makes no sense to risk having the Moho not level when opening the slide. If you were setting in a perfectly level site I would say who cares go for it as it makes no difference.
Oscar you are contradicting yourself. As you said the Moho is built on airbags but the factory floor is very level. A campground however is anything but and could cause the frame as you say to twist. If that's all true you risk jacking the slide by operating it in a non level state.

[silver]

Originally Posted by silver

Proper procedure

1) retrace awnings

2) retract slides

3) retract jacks, verify jacks came up

4) Start engine let air build up

5) hit jack retract one more time. Do not have to deploy jacks again, Verify you are aired up. Normally if a a fist will fit between tire and coach you are aired up.

.

To explain step 5 in my procedure above. When I was at Camp Freightliner back in 2009 they had a chassis there we would have demos on. Bill Cote (hope I have the name right) explained that when you start the engine there is a 90 second window for the air bags to fill, He would demonstrate this. He often revved the engine to 2500 rpm to insure the air would build up in the ping tanks within this 90 second period. (I am not suggesting we rev our engines at startup) Hitting the retract jacks button with the jacks control panel sends a message to the Freightliner chassis to resets this 90 second window. This gives the chassis another chance to air up. Every time you hit retract the jacks send a command to the chassis to reset the 90 second window. It is a feature of the jack system.

If there is air in the ping tanks on start step 5 would not be necessary. I do it for safety sake.

Further I do not like to have my jacks down when I start the engine in case I get distracted (you know it happens) and go to move the coach forgetting to raise/retract the jacks. They say the coach will not move with the jacks down but I for one do not want to test this feature. If wrong the consequences could be expensive as well as leave one stuck.

I go one step further and go out and verify the jacks have retracted rather than believing the jack panel. This is recommended in the jacks manual.

[silver]

Originally Posted by dan-nickie

Our pre-eminent dramatist silver has been redeemed. :-)

I am working on my Broadway play

The Berkshire from route 666.

[dan-nickie]

Originally Posted by silver

I am working on my Broadway play

The Berkshire from route 666.

[Oscarvan]

Yes, attempting to drive away with jacks down would get noisy. Even worse would be having one down partially, and having it catch on something at speed.

I've had them only partially retract and stop in very cold weather (Cold thick fluid must have made a pressure sensor think they were done). So indeed I do the "One fist" check on the wheels to verify air in the bags, and then I look under the thing to verify legs up.

So for kicks and giggles I followed your procedure this morning and retracted before starting while still on the legs. (Bags empty from previous day's auto level). As I have experienced before the kitchen slide AND the bedroom slide were noticeably slower to retract and the motors were audibly working harder. Yes, we were still plugged in and had plenty of juice. (The big slide moves at 100mph without any effort under any conditions..... Why can't they all be like that?)

Now I don't know what to think anymore.