[DON]

I did manage to get the rear up on stands, but not very high. I think the problem has “reset” itself after leaving it for about an hour. I have no clue why. After resting, I managed to drive the bus rear tires on a triple layer of 2x12s double wide. When starting the engine and waiting for the suspension to come up, I could not hear the big leak anymore, and the height on the right side was a little higher than before. I did not push my luck and try to level-low higher, as I think hitting a certain high psi is what’s triggering this problem.

Once I drove on the 2x12s, I got 2 jacks installed in the back, but there’s still not a ton of clearance. I need to wait a while to slide myself on the ground from the back, until that hot engine has cooled down.

[Shelly]

My 97 when I 1st got it,It leaned to one side, But not all the time, It ended up being the air bags,How are your air bags? The right rear tag bag in a certainposition where the bag wrapped around it leaked , or maybe height control valve

[Andrew]

Thanks, Art. I’m going to replace all Norgrens and leveling valves on the rear this Saturday, in addition to the LL manifold up front. I’ll take a good look at the bags when I have it apart

[Donald]

Actually I’m just going to do all rear airbags now. Rather be safe than sorry. Just put in a rush order for all 6. Lowest price is actually from Prevost.

[Charles]

The coils on the 5 stack of most Prevost are 24vdc.

But some Prevost, like my 96 XL Liberty Classic, have 12vdc coils in all 5 positions except #3, its 24vdc.

Your Royale might be like mine? Check with a multimeter and/or Art will know. Also, there should be a label on all the coils (see pic).

Last I checked, Prevost Parts doesn’t list a 5 stack manifold w/12vdc coils.

For a 24v bus – 5 stack manifold is Norgren # D0043EP5W2 = Prevost # 641205, comes with 24vdc coils.

Here is my 5 stack setup, and maybe yours too.

12v #1 coil is for supply

12v #2 coil is for manually raising & lowering front

24v #3 coil is for the normal ”drive/travel” modefilte

12v #4 coil is for manually raising and lowering the back right

12v #5 coil is for manually raising and lowering the back left

12vdc coils are Norgren # 54452-02

24vdc coils are Norgren # 54452-03

all armatures are Norgren # 54462-31

[Jeff]

Thanks for the heads-up on the 5-port manifold. Before I take off the old one, I’ll be sure to identify any existing 12v actuators.

I did get the bus jacked up a bit more today and got the right side wheels off. If you’ve not had the pleasure of using the Milwaukee M18 fuel 1″ D-handle extended anvil impact gun, well I highly recommend it 🙂 What a joy to use such a competent tool to bust off all the lug nuts.

It was getting dark after I got the right side wheels off, so I did not get to closely inspect the bags or get to the left side. I guess it does not matter because they are coming off anyway. Early tomorrow morning I’ll remove the wheels on the left, and all my other parts should be here tomorrow. Prevost shipped overnight from three different locations, so Fedex charges might be breathtaking! Whatever the cost is, it’s less than the pain of a downed coach on our way across the country for our annual Huntington Beach Christmas trip.

[Bill]

Replace any push on air fittings with compression fittings If any, Pull off rear side landing lights and you can access front drive bag’s, also there is a Mac Valve for lifting the tag and I replaced it with a Norgren 3 port valve, With tires off replace both of the valves there, Passenger side rear 1 Norgren valve, Remember when you replace the front bags get the right ones, Ask Don Beard for correct part# the correct one is a little taller and will lift higher.

[Mike, 92 Country Coach]

Also make sure your dryer and Air system is clean before replacing valves, I replaced my old Dryer with a New Bendix AD9

[Chuck & Katrina]

Thanks, Art. I did order the bags you and Don used (we all have 40-footer with rigid front axle) , found in this thread: /threaddetails.asp?Category=Chassis&ThreadID=12249

Drive x 4 – Prevost# 630104, GY# 1R11-088(DoubleFlare)

Tag x 2 – Prevost# 630259, GY# 1R11-244(MaeWest)

I already ordered the tag lift valve. It’s the burkert one. If that is not the ideal one, I’ll go ahead on put it on now and replace with a norgren later.

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2000 Featherlite H3-45

2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Leesburg, FL

[Ken]

Correct steer bags are Prevost# 630259.

Yrs ago, when I was changing my airbags, Prevost tried to sell me # 630260, but members here helped convince me otherwise. No regrets.

[Art]

I spent all daylight hours Saturday and Sunday changing the 6 rear air bags and the 2 Norgren valves that isolate the front pair of air bags from the tag air bag, the drive leveling valves, and the level-low manifold. I did not change the valve that actually activates the tag, as it was a Norgren already, and I was not sure if replacing with a Burkert was a good idea. I also did not get to the two 3-ways on the bulkhead just ahead of the drive axles. Can’t be certain, but they looked fairly “new”.

The dates on the air bags ranged from 2015 to 1995! The front drive ones (next to the leveling valve) were from 8/95 and I assume are original. The middle ones has push-to-connect fittings, so I replaced those with compression (Swagelok). I first mounted all bags on the top, then aired up them w/ level-low slightly to get them to expand, then wiggle them a bit to settle in the mounting holes.

With the wheels off I was able to confirm the tag operation worked. Both wheels lifted as expected, and I was able to hold air in the 4 drive axle air bags.

I think I figured out why I did not have the same ride height on either side of the rear. The rod length was different between both leveling valves, but also the left/driver valve itself was mounted pointing a bit downward. The mounting holes have enough clearance that it’s really easy to not have the level pointing perfectly horizontal when mounted. The rods are now the same length for both, so hopefully I have proper and consistent height between them.

In spite of changing the level-low manifold, I still do have the actuation “up” of the left rear cut out sometimes. So, I guess it’s not a problem with the pnumatic part but perhaps an electrical connection. All relays where 24v.

I did not plan on doing the front air bags currently. hey do hold air fine. Once I am back from my trip, I’ll do those. about 6 months ago I did replace the 2 and 3-way Norgrens near the level-low as well as the leveling valve.

I suspect my problems were from the front-drive air bags, which were the ones with 8/95 date code. I think they spring a big leak at higher pressures, and this is why when either lifting the tag or using level-low caused problems. When lifting the tag, all of the weight in the rear would need to be held by 4 bags instead of 6, so the leveling valves would need to let in enough air to boost them, probably by 6/4 = 50% more psi to maintain correct height. This would cause the bags to leak and the coach would sink and the leveling valves continue to provide air with no resolution.

I was completely exhausted yesterday at sundown. Doing this on dirt is not fun. My new driveway should be good to drive over soon, so hopefully this is the last time I need to do repairs on dirt (at home). The timber-frame barn build should be starting in January!

Thanks to all of you for your help! I probably wont know for sure if everything is fine until Thursday, but I am feeling a lot more confident about the coach before doing this work.

[Andrew]

Good job, when you replace a Norgren take it apart and look at it inside and see if it is clean or gummy, You will see if old owner maintained dryer?

[Chuck & Katrina]

Andrew:

On the bright side, you didn’t have to get your new concrete driveway dirty.

Chuck

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2000 Featherlite H3-45

2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Leesburg, FL

[Kent]

I got the wheels on and tested the coach in my yard (I get to drive on the driveway, and therefore other places, on Friday). A little background info: In order to get the coach on the jack stands, I had to drive up on 3 layers of 2×12’s, so about 4.5″ lift, plus lifting as high as I could go on te level-low, then I had to use my air-over-hydraulic jack to raise the coach a couple more inches to get the jacks on the second “pin” under the coach.

In order to get the coach off the stands, I already had the 2×12’s removed, and all I had to do was just level-lowed up to about 120 psi and the right jack stand was easily cleared, and the left needed about a 1/4″ help from my jack. This was without the 4.5″ of added height of the 2×12’s. Never before have I been able to raise the rear of this coach so high.

I tested in drive suspension mode and the left and right are within 1/8″ of each other -I can live with that!!! I also tested the tag. The tag lifted just fine, the rear dropped initially as I expected it would, then the leveliing valves kicked in and raised it to about 1/8″ of its normal height within a couple of minutes. I had at least an inch of clearance bewteen the tag tires and the ground.

[Jon]

3000 mile round trip went fine. I definitely still have some aux air leaks, but air suspension itself seems to be fine. First time towing a trailer as well (about 9500 gvwr w/ car) and also went fine.