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Lifting Tag
When we 1st bought bus almost 6 years ago the air system was in poor condition, In the 1st year or so I replaced Air bags-Norgren valves-AD 9 Dryer- For tag lift there was a Mac Valve on rear passenger side on frame that I changed to a 3 port Norgren valve, All Tested well. In the last years I have never had to lift tag before so yesterday I connected My shop air to rear port on bus and 1st set to drive mode then flipped lever air released tag lifted and in a few minutes bus lifted up, tag was well of the ground. Is it correct on a 45 ft the tag does not leave the ground? Mine is a 40 so it lifts off ground a couple of inches. If I was to have to lift tag to park some where do you wait to move bus till tag is off ground?? I thought If I ever got a flat I could lift tag and use a tag tire for a spare, But I’ve read on Forum that at a certain speed tag drops??
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8 Replies
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I do not know if the tag axle drops at a certain speed, but when the 45 foot coaches were first produced the tag would drop automatically. I know Prevost made changes over time because on my 97 it was equipped with a pneumatic/hydraulic system that would prevent the rear of the bus from dropping if the tag was lifted.
I believe tag axles did not always clear the ground. First a motorhome chassis has (had) a lot of rear overhang so with that overhang and the tag lifted it might have cleared the ground if the rear did not drop. The rear may have gone to the driving height if enough time passed and the weight at the rear was not excessive but that was dependent on who did the conversion with some heavy in the rear and some heavy on the steer axle. The X3 now has entertainer coach rear overhang so those models are likely to clear the ground with the tag.
I have had 45 foot coaches since 2004 and I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I lifted the tag.
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Yes I’ve never done it either, but I know it works, Probably would not hurt it once in a while to exercise it? Is that true a 45 ft won’t clear the ground?
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Good Morning Art,
My 2006 year model H3-45 chassis tag will not clear the ground, yet if I wait a few minutes (such as while checking in at a campground) I can see that only the center of the tag tire touches the ground. Can clearly see it partially raises, yet never completely.
One friend with a 1999 year model H3-45 could raise his off the ground. -
I guess even if it’s not off the ground in tight turns it’s still better dragging tag tire with little pressure then full pressure. Do they make 40 ft H3’s buses? I only know XL coaches
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I life my tag about as often as Jon Wehrenberg does. One of the very few times I lifted the tag was leaving my driveway at the old house (Grafton) with a coach full of people. As I transitioned from the driveway to the town road the driveshaft loop hit the pavement, didn’t wait long enough for the coach to come back up. Once I have the coach pad installed at the current house, I’m thinking that lifting the tab might help get me into the “coach’s spot” easier as the new property has curbs on either side of the street whereas the Grafton house on a town road with modest sized gravel shoulders which I used much of.
When we bought the coach, early on we discovered that on the driver’s side tag lift lever pivot bushing was seized up. Tech at Prevost Jacksonville told me this is common when the coach is serviced by a “truck shop” because they commonly miss the zerk fittings on the tag axle pivot points. He greased it good and the coach has only been serviced by ETLC and a local Prevost seated coach since. Maybe its loosened up. I’ll have to see.
So … if you lift your tag be mindful of what you’re driving across with the tag lifted because as soon as you lift the tag the back of the coach will probably drop quickly and stay down until the drive axle bags can lift the coach back up again which takes a while.
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I had the same problem my passenger side was froze up, I used a puller, pulled it off the bushing grease hole was not lined up, Pulled out bushing put some lock tight ot it and put it back in lined up.
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Our 45′ XL lifts the tag an inch or two off the ground right away. I use the tag lift often to get in and out of the driveway (we live on a narrow private lane). I don’t worry about tire scrub because I’m never going to wear out a set of tires before they age out, but I need the turning radius sometimes.
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So I’m trying my new 20 Ton jack stands, Looking at air schematics, Ever time I think I got the air system figured out I learn more , Looking at schematics so when the tag is lifted up it looks like the tag brakes are inactive. Normal drive mode with the tag down, the Inversion valve #20 is (NO) normally open supply air from Primary tank passes through inversion valve to both control interlock valves #28 & 29 and brakes work. Lift tag inversion valve get control air closes both Relay Interlock valves no brakes on Tag.
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