[Andre]

Gil, by main tank drain valve I presume you mean the fill / drain valve on the rear passenger side post. It is possible that has some built up crud that is inhibiting flow. It might need to be removed so the line can blow itself clear. It is not uncommon to purge some oil along with moisture when opening that valve.

It sounds like the protection valves / check valves are working, but if so, there should be no way aux air pressure, regardless of what pressure it is can impact the dryer.Have you tried fanning the brakes to get the primary and secondary pressures to zero? Then running he aux compressor to see if you hear escaping air? To verify aux air is not backflowing?

I don’t know how your coach is equipped, but behind the tag axle is a Prevost installed pressure regulator that has a few items that come off the inlet and downstream side of it and its related valving. The regulator is supplied to provide air to the transmission retarder. From that point air also runs to the belt tensioner pressure regulator. Can you be hearing that instead of the air dryer which is forward of the drive axle? Could you hear an air leak associated with the tag axle three port valves located up on the frame between the drive and tag?

It sounds like you need to be beneath the coach while someone runs the system through the various pressures.

[Andre]

Height was an issue for me where I live and couldn’t deal with the 13’6″ tall.

[Andre]

All,

Travel Locks for ZipDee window awnings, will not work on an awning that cover the slideroom, unless you get out the ladder everytime you want to run the room out and unhook the lock, We had the same issue with our Affinity, years ago, and solved the problem. Later seeing that Vantare and other plastic coaches had a trim plate, or right angled piece of metal creating a wind block just under the awning roller tube. this keeps the wind from coming up the side of the coach to the awining roller and forcing air to bow the tube letting air up under the tube and unfurrowing the awing fabric into a parasail.

Problem with the whole design, there is too much fabric and not enough spring tension since installer/designers are making the slideroom awning to double duty. One, for protecting the slideroom roof from debris, and the other after flipping the lock levers, allowing more fabric to unroll for a wimdow awning.

Asside from doing the wind diversion plate at the bottom of the awning tube, we were considering, trimmimg the awning down reducing the fabric mass to only cover the slideroom and forget the window shading part. Then winding the springs in the tube tighter, it would less likely billow out.

Also, annother benefit to awnings over the slide room, it keeps the slideroom roof cooller. But in heavy rain, you may have to get up on a ladder a push excess pooled water off of it. Its all a trade off,

[Andre]

Tom,

Thanks for the input. We are thinking about this with full timing in mind. 2 slides is a “would really like to have” from the space stand point and keeping the wife happy. But, the reality is, I am sure we could make do with no slides if everything else we wanted was on the coach. Available bay storage could possibly out weigh the slides, especially taken purchace cost into account.

[Andre]

Andre,

You may find that with the giant bay storage, you may not even
need slides if you’re looking at the early H’3’s. A slide would sure
make full timing much better, not sure what type of use your thinking
about. I would stick with a Prevost slide personal y, but there are
many out there with Valid and HWH and you really don’t hear a lot of
problems like the plastic coach world.

As Diane pointed out several times, do not buy an H without OTR
and that’s good advice. As to the IFS, whatever you look at in
the years you stated will likely have the IFS. Check that out really
good, rebuilding the front end on an IFS bus is pricy, just ask me.

In my opinion, the 365’s for tag and steer would also be a plus.

[Andre]

Andre,

I believe Prevost allowed buyers to select a solid axle or IFS and only recently (last several years) made all with IFS. I wouldn’t worry about which type axle it has. Some will say the reduced turning radius of the solid axle is a drawback but until I got my current coach I had solid axles and I would easily accept one again due to its simplicity and lack of needed maintainance.

I suspect the change to 365 tires was an early to mid 2000 year around 2003 to 2005 but a lot of owners made the change just like a lot of H3 owners changed the front ends to use the single piece windshields instead of the two piece upper and lower windshields.

I would presume Prevost started installing slides around 2000, but prior to that and after that some converters were installing their own slides (Vantare comes to mind with HWH and Marathon with Valid? slides). Even after Prevost made their own slides some converters continued to install their own, and some coaches had slides installed after conversion such as Excaliber was doing. Regardless of service history I suspect in the long term Prevost will support the slides, but I am not sure long term product support will be available for non-Prevost slides. Others may disagree, but I believe some original slide producers are out of business.

If I were in the market for an H3 I would assemble my list of preferences. Regardless of model year there are some things we insist on and those things tend to narrow the search. OTR is a must. A private toilet is a must. A Prevost slide is a must. Just those requirements narrow the field of choices so what you choose as “must haves” starts to define what you will settle on. Once you have your list complete you are likely to sacrifice some lesser requirements to make sure you get the most important things on your list.

[Andre]

Happy Easter to everyone…

A new bus barn, now that’s a serious Easter Bunny present. You did the right thing going 60′ long, I did 50 and wish I had added another 10′. Not a big deal with the 40 footers, but the Liberty just fits enough for me to walk around the front and back sideways.

I need a garage stretcher….

[Andre]

Harvey,

You paid a 100 bucks for what? Just kidding, welcome aboard we’re glad your here and you found the right site. Hope to see you posting often, you might even get a correct answer.

[Andre]

When you copy text from another source outside the site, you can paste here by using Ctrl V instead of paste. I have just got used to Ctrl C to copy and Ctrl V to paste. Within the site, you can use copy and paste like Jon stated. I can’t tell you why, something to do with the forum program, it’s beyond my pay grade.

[Andre]

Always! 🙂

Oh wait………..

I also did the recommended fill the pumpkin and tip each side with a 6 inch drop for 1 minute. Just to be sure. Then recheck the fluid level in the pumpkin.

[Andre]

I understand Vangauard is opening 1 in St Louis and another in Georiga somewhere has anyone heard anything about those yet the one in Phoenix is always booked nice people

[Andre]

No way to pinpoint where it’s coming from?

[Andre]

Georges Chech your battery cable ends to be sure they are tight and clean. If they are not getting a good connection the start up could act like a dead battery. If the doesn’t work ,make sure the battery is fully charged.

Don’t rule out a bad battery even though it is new. Last summer I replaced my 4 chassis batterys and this last week had 2 with bad cells. Luckely the parts store replaced all 4 for free. Rick

[Andre]

Those Cruise Air controls are for AC only and there is no heat capability from those units.

[Andre]

I won’t worry about it and just keep the starter engaged a bit longer. There are plenty of other things to chase on the bus. Thank you all,

Gerald