[Archived]

When we bought our 1999 XL45 in May of 2014, I thought I had excessive play in steering wheel. 72,000 miles. Mentioned this to the late Peter Campbell while ETLC in December of 2014. He said I needed a 3 axle alignment. Had that done at Prevost Jacksonville the next month. The tech picked the Coach up with a frame lift from underneath, not wheel lifts. Walked me to front tires and showed I had excessive play in the tie rods. Replaced those.

Then did alignment. Drive axle was WAY off. It drove like a different coach all together.

[Bill]

I’ve used them with good results.

[Chuck & Katrina]

I was just there a few months ago. I was towed into the site and they were able to fit me in even without any kind of appointment. I did have an appointment since I was in the area for the following week. I returned and had the air bags replaced and a wheel seal repaired along with some other basic maintenance done. The only downside it this is the 2nd Prevost shop I have asked to find a rapid air leak in the aux. system and both have failed to resolve the issue so I still lean to the right after less than 12 hours and the aux. compressor has to be shut off as it runs every 15-20 minutes for a minute or so.

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2000 Featherlite H3-45

2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Leesburg, FL

[Art]

We have used Prevost Fort Worth almost exclusively for chassis work since we bought the coach five years ago. They have done good work for us, and I don’t hesitate recommending them.

[Chad]

Bill, you might check your slide cylinder over your steps. Any pocket door cylinders. And you might turn valve in compartment under driver sest that shuts off chassis air from house system to help isolate. Also, if like ours, the auxiliary tank had pin holes on the underside from rust caused from moisture over the years we had to replaced.

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1984 96" with 8V92TA

(remodeled Liberty Coach)

Greenwood, MO

[Archived]

Thanks for the suggestions. I know that my converter compressor is OK as I can shut the output air and it will hold 130# forever. I am a full timer so have no access to the underside of the coach safely. I have to depend upon someone who can put it on a lift to check the tanks and valves. I think i have tested the step slide (it has shut offs in line) but I will double check. Nothing else other than the door air lock uses air when parked.

[al]

Bill, I would not use Prevost for auxiliary air issues. They are converter specific to my knowledge . Like Chris said you can check air steps and other air related areas. I have been chasing those leaks for years . Some I just live with and others I work around . Good luck

[Todd]

I had Prevost chase air leaks in my ’88 and they got me into a position where I could set level for weeks on end. They can do it, it’s just hard to get them to get serious about it.

I just installed (finally) a check valve in my converter air compressor and hope to work through that and the known local connections in hopes of finding something, but I suspect it’s a valve related to the right rear air bags which have a fast and steady leak.

[Bill]

how many hours to get there ? So they chased leaks and learned as they spent your money ? No thanks I will work thru my own converter issues thank you very much . No offense but no way i would allow a tech who is trained on 2020 Prevost to chase down a 22 year old converters systems .

[Jon]

In Fairness to Prevost, I have been the victim of Prevost techs learning on my coach and making costly mistakes. But they stepped up to the plate and corrected their mistake at their cost. Plus when it’s done Prevost stands behind their parts and labor for 1 year (even on a 21 year old coach). Hard to find in today’s world.

Chuck

[Jim/Chris]

Strange response there Erika but I was already there and they did find “a” leak, just not “the” leak.

Where you go and how you work on your coach is entirely your option.

[Andrew]

If we want to start a serious battle among owners fixing leaks is a good place to start.

Regardless of the vintage Prevost it is a certainty it will have leaks, if not now, certainly in the future. While it is a given the older the coach, the more likely, it is also a given that newer coaches with push in fittings can become a leaky nightmare.

Regardless of the skill level, age of the coach, or any number of other factors nobody chasing leaks is going to have an easy job, or be able to do the leak detection using a single method. It is a time consuming, tedious job that requires an understanding of the coach systems, both house and chassis. Just by isolating a single system the job gets easier, but there is nothing wrong with picking every fitting or device in sight and seeing if they all leak regardless of what part of the air system they are part of. There is no one single good way just like there is no single leak detection method.

If the leak detection is system specific, such as brakes or suspension the process can be more focused and not as complex, but it still takes time and some leaks are almost impossible to find. Soapy water sprayed on fittings and other potential leak points is quick and easy. It is a pretty good way to find a lot of leaks. But sometimes you can hear a leak and using a stethoscope you can pin point its location.

But some leaks require an ultrasonic leak detector.

Some may even require some disassembly. As an example a leak in the bottom metal “can” on air bags is not likely to be found unless you perform some mechanical work, like removing the air bag and inflating it under water, or opening the fitting supplying air, attaching a pressure gauge, a valve and a means of introducing air to see if the gauge shows a leak down.

This is not to say stupid people getting paid to find leaks are OK.I have watched “mechanics” squirting large amounts of soapy water on brake chambers of a bus with the parking brakes applied. I suppose when the cows come home they might see an air bubble.

My point is, if you do not do your own work routinely, if you do not have a basic understanding of the bus pneumatic systems (Prevost and the converter) turning you coach over to Prevost or anyone to find leaks it is important to know sometimes you are lucky and the leaks can be easily found. But if you are not lucky you can have a wallet draining experience.

I would rather eat bees than chase air leaks.

[Jim/Chris]

Living full time in the coach makes leaks that cause a lean very frustrating so getting them fixed is a priority. The auto leveler will only let air out of an air bag until it finds level and then let more out and then more out until the bags are empty and you are still leaning (unlevel ground). If it would only inflate the offending air bag instead it would be great. Since it does not, even the aux. air compressor cannot keep you level and it like would run too often anyway.

We had Prevost work on our air leaks in our ’88 and it would sit level for weeks on end (after multiple attempts) right up to the day we sold it. I am still hopeful that someone will take the time to find the offending valve, tank or line causing this leak so I can spend more time enjoying the time we are parked and less time starting the engine again and again just to get enough air to level up.

[Bill]

Are you giving the mechanic a blank check, or are you putting him on a budget?

Air leaks have no predictable path for identifying them. If you are lucky it is cheap. If not it is expensive. One thing I wish folks would understand is if the suspension system is 10 years old, as an example quit looking for leaks. Just replace the air bags, valves and fittings and that is a cost you can nail down.

[Mike/Lisa]

I’ll do what’s necessary. we have new air bags and compression fittings so I suspect that it’s a Norgren somewhere but Jeff at ETLC was not able to identify the problem either. I only get a few days per year where I have both free time and someone with knowledge and equipment so I have to give it a shot when I can. How or why I use my checkbook is not important in this conversation.