[Archived]

Michael, I don’t have any experience with a Vantare so I cannot imagine how they managed to regulate the speed of the floor slide. If they followed the expected method the air to the slide cylinder would have a regulated pressure.

But If I was trying to diagnose a problem after verifying the aux pressure and regulator are such the slide should move faster I would do a few things to point me towards the problem. First, usually under the slide when extended you can see the attach point for the cylinder. I would disconnect the cylinder rod from the slide and manually move the slide in and out to verify it is not binding. Obviously if it binds it has a big impact on how it performs.

If it slides OK I would locate where the extend and retract air lines that attach to the cylinder go and verify they have no kinks or any thing that caused them to collapse to restrict air flow. That is easier said than done. I would also look for the last fitting prior to the tube that runs to the air cylinder. That fitting would be where I would connect shop air and see if the direct application of shop air at that point makes the slide move in and out faster. If the slide is not binding and shop air applied directly to an open unrestricted tube does make the slide move fast then the problem is further upstream.

There is no simple way to follow air lines unless the converter marked or labeled them. It usually involves cutting a lot of cable ties and even trial and error until the lines in question are traced. Bifocals don’t help much because following wires or small air lines in the steer compartment where you can’t even move your head is what you are going to end up having to do.

We feel your pain.

[Bob]

MICHAEL

I DON’T KNOW ABOUT A VANTARE, ON MY 2005 THOMPSON IT HAS A AUTO-LUBER IN LINE WITH REGULATOR, WORTH CHECKING TO SEE IF YOU HAVE ONE AND ADD OIL DARRELL

[JIM]

I have a Vantari it goes out fast and in fast i backed the regulator down to 65 lbs now it comes in super slow but out fast i would guess that air preasure comtrols the speed but an unlubed mechanism would cause it ti work harder and need higher air preasure im gona unhook as Jon said and see if it is traveling freely

[Ed]

Michael,

All good suggestions so far and I hope you don’t have to remove the cylinder. I had to take mine apart because the “o” rings were leaking air. Hopefully it’s the regulator or something easy.

Here’s what the cylinder looks like removed and IGNORE the mess:

[Michael]

No need to disconnect the cylinder from the slide if disconnection of the inlet air and outlet air is easier.

After that you can pull the slide in and out and it will pull the piston along with it.

Then if it is tight you can separate the slide from the cylinder piston to see which is the sticky culprit.

I say this because it is often easier that way. Getting to the piston at the attach point usually reuires the long arms of a Chimpanze or the thin body of a young child.

Squirt some air tool oil into the inlet port or line close to the cylinder while you are checking,

JIM

[Greg]

When you say you have bumped the aux air pressure to 120lbs, are you talking about the air that drives all the house cylinders like co-pilot floor slide, galley door, bedroom door, bed lift, etc?( Where did you get that value?) If so, I think that is quite high. Mine was set to 40 – 45lbs and the aux compressor was set to turn on at 60 – 65 lbs.

There should be another regulator for the sliding doors and bed lift. Mine is located behind a panel in the back of the linen closet, next to the vanity. You might want to check what pressure this is set to and that would give you a good idea of where the presssure should be.

I ask because I have a 98 vantare’ and although I periodically see a similar (slow) condition, it usually occcurs after the coach has been sitting. When in regular use on a trip, it behaves as expected. Usually at first, we have to assist the slide in extending. After a few cycles, no assistance needed.

I also suggest that you use the aux system water drain in the driver’s bay, to exhaust any trapped moisture from the system. You should have a valve at the bottom of the collector and it will purge through a tube routed through the floor of the drivers bay.

Start spraying and checking for leaks in the driver’s bay.

Good luck, hope this helps.

[JIM]

Don’t pull the slide close to fast , I did and bent the cylinder rod.

[Archived]

The 120 lbs statement was WRT the pressure the aux system was at on the cockpit dash gauge. The pressure at the regulator in the driver side steer compartment has been adjusted from 40-80 lbs and everywhere in between with no real effect on the slide. I purge the water out of the water trap all the time (same goes for the tanks that have drains and easily accessable), so little water there, can’t say that the prior owner monitored it properly (I purchased from a dealer in TN but the coach was originally from Fort Worth, TX).

It might just need to be lubed, as it will go out and come back in, just slow. I had disconnected the lines and pulled it out, and pushed it back in, and the small amount of resistance that I felt seemed to be what would be expected. This weeked I will shoot some Marvel Mystry oil in that line, disconnect the two lines that come out of the top of the solenoid marked stepwell, and use some shop air at 60psig and see what the slide does.

Thanks for all the great advice.

[needtocamp]

Additionally, while not a coach like yours, mine has a pressure regulator dedicated to the floor slide. Yours may have the same and you just have not found it yet.

JIM

[Archived]

Jim’s comment is a good one. It is not easy without drawings or some guidance, but if the converter installed aux air system can be sorted out it will prove to be a big help in diagnosing problems. It is just possible the regulator may not be for the floor slide.

It took me a while but on my previous coach I defined what air lines went to what components in the coach. Over time having that knowledge helps when chasing air leaks or diagnosing problems.

On the current coach so far all I have done is put individual shut off valves on the air lines originating in the steer compartment so I can isolate air leaks. Now I just have to figure out what doesn’t work when I shut off a valve to figure out what circuit is what. On the previous coach I had generator air bags, dump valve, gray water by-pass valve, bed lift, pocket doors, floor slide, among other things that were air powered and there were multiple pressure regulators so it was beneficial to at least have a means of starting to understand how the converter set up the aux air for the house.

[Paul]

My coach has a swivelling right angle device on it between the solenoid and the slide cylinder that you turn a screw on to increase or decrease the force of air into the cylinder. One for each line, since mine take a different pressure to slide out as apposed to sliding in.

[Archived]

One other thing comes to mind. Many Vantare’ owners experience the same thing. I had a conversation with Donny Meyers about this. If I remember correctly, he pointed to the fact that this aux system does not have a huge volume of pressurized air. A couple of things he recommended were:

1. install a small (1 – 2 gal.) reserve tank(s) for this subsystem, and

2. Add in shutoff valves for the generator air bags. Essentially get them to pressure and then trap the air in the bag. Also, this helps another problem with the generator. When the generator air bags deflate, very often, the generator comes to rest on the Vantare’ added-on adapter for the oil drain. This can fracture the adapter and cause the loss of generator engine oil. This is a safety measure in case you have a leak in your aux system. It prevents you from starting the generator with no suspension, unless the leak is in the generator air bags.

Hope that helps and good luck!

[Archived]

Instead of a shut off for the genrator air bags, install a check valve. I cannot ever remember having to bleed off generator air bag pressure so I see no down side. Would that work Ed?

[Archived]

Jon,

I don’t see why that wouldn’t work in the same manner as the check valve for the mini air lobes in the belt tensioning system.

[Archived]

The check valve on the belt tensioners is located immediately ahead of the pressure relief valve so the belt tensioners can relax to change belts.

I am not sure how the Vantare air bags on the generator are set up, but if it is like ours on a Liberty a check valve can be located ahead of the regulator. I’m not sure why Ed suggested a shut off valve.