Slides on Newer Birds

[Lloyd Chaffin]

David, just read my last post to you after you helped me today. For
some reason it doesn't sound right to me and I just wanted to make
sure you know I meant to say Thank You! It sounded condescending to
me after I read it again but surely wasn't intended that way. I
really am grateful for the information and have done both the things
you suggested. Thanks again and look forward to getting help and
trying to give help on the forums in the future.

Lloyd Chaffin
2004 M380

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Lloyd Chaffin"
wrote:
>
> Thanks David, right when you think you have figured something out
> there is always someone who has a good insite and some great
> information to help. I have already adjusted my air seal pressure
> down to 12lbs, was at 23lbs. Can't wait to try playing with your
fix
> for the Aux compressor at the races this weekend. I have always
been
> bummed that it has never worked right. By the way I am seriously
> thinking about having the HWH Active Air system installed on my
coach
> and that should replumb a buch of stuff and maybe fix some strang
> problems I am having with my air systems. Or maybe I will add some
> more stuff to go wrong! Ha
>
> Lloyd Chaffin
> 2004 M380
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, David Brady
> wrote:
> >
> > Hi Lloyd,
> >
> > Regarding the aux air compressor not pressurizing the
> > system, many of the older birds have the same issue.
> > Try this: when leveling your coach and before you turn off the
> > ignition but after everything else is set, try turning the susp
dump
> > valve back on for about five seconds before you turn off the
> > ignition. This changes the air flow circuits and should allow
> > the aux compressor to pressurize the system. It's worth
> > a try. This info is from Bennie.
> >
> > I've always wandered why more 380/450 owners don't
> > speak up. On the one hand you may be granted more
> > factory favors by remaining silent, on the other, banding
> > together on a public forum will certainly pressure BB to
> > step up to the plate and provide real solutions. Thanks
> > for the clarification on the types of failures you are seeing
> > and on the complexities of the systems on your coach.
> > Wow, very enlightening. I now better understand your
> > frustration. Your systems are quite a bit different from mine,
> > but the wanderlodge community is a real hands on set of people,
> > and can probably offer solutions for many of your issues.
> >
> > Over inflating a slide seal may actually cause leaks. If you
> > consider that the seal is say 40 ft long and 1" wide even at
> > 10 psi it exerts 4800 lbs of force on the slide. This can deflect
> > the sides of the slide causing the gaps between the slide and
> > the coach to enlarge. Also, when installing the air seal, special
> > attention must be paid to the corners. The HWH instruction
> > sheet details this, but many installers ignore the instructions.
> > If not installed correctly, the corners can crimp which allows
> > a gap for water to enter, and over inflating can actually make
> > the crimping worse. Install a pressure gauge and turn the
pressure
> > down.
> >
> > Best of luck,
> > David
> >
> > Lloyd Chaffin wrote:
> > >
> > > David thanks, that is some good information and I thought we
might
> > > better start another thread since I got so far off of RIV. My
> seals
> > > have always leaked when it rains. A new seal made it somewhat
> better
> > > but still leaks. Wendell at Fort Valley actually raised the air
> > > pressure in my seals to 25lbs because I complained about them
> leaking
> > > and he said that is all you can do. He said that would not hurt
> them.
> > > After getting your post I will go check my pressure and make
sure
> I
> > > turn it down to what you suggest because keeping it high has not
> > > helped my leaking issue.
> > >
> > > You are very very lucky to have the HWH slide. Count your
> blessings.
> > > Our slides where designed and built by Bluebird. The bedroom
> slide is
> > > run by a 12V electric screw motor which needs 120V to work. Yes
> that's
> > > correct. They put a 120v to 12v converter on the bedroom slide
to
> > > make it work so you must have "shore power" to move your "12v"
> slide.
> > > Go figure. The living room slide works off of air pressure and
> needs
> > > over 100lbs of pressure before it will move. So when you get
> ready to
> > > move your coach in the morning you must start the engine and
air
> up
> > > the system while waking people up just to put your slide in.
Yes,
> I
> > > have a 120V Aux compressor but it will not air up the system
with
> the
> > > suspension dumped. It just runs forever and never airs up but
if
> you
> > > start the engine it airs right up. Fort Valley says that's
> > > normal.Both slides have separate computers with "software"
> involved
> > > along with several different sensors, air activated and electric
> > > locking pistons, and a few other goodies to make either slide
> work.
> > > The computers often get confused and have to be rebooted. The
> > > hardware and software that run the slides was not made by
Bluebird
> > > and is very difficult to get or fix. Shall I go on? That's just
> for
> > > starters.
> > >
> > > Yes, David I really like my M380 or I would have gave up on it
> > > several months ago. It does drive like a dream and is very well
> built
> > > frame and suspension wise (I never even mentioned the ALUCIBOND
> > > issues whish is another whole story). I know I sound like a
> > > complainer but I have really spent over 2 years working on my
M380
> > > and taking it back and forth to Fort Valley. I
> > > think I have earned a little venting time. Believe me I have
> wanted
> > > to talk to other owners who have gone through this but there
are
> not
> > > a lot of M380 owners to talk to but I do have a couple good M380
> > > friends and yes they have had hell too getting their coaches
> fixed.
> > > Yall have problems too but at least there are a bunch of people
> > > to talk to on the older coaches. I may be wrong but one reason
> why I
> > > am talking now on this forum is because nobody seems to know
what
> > > happened with M380's and LXI 450's. We have been kind of a quiet
> > > group mainly I think because we all had so many problems that we
> > > didn't want to talk about publicly in fear that we may never
get
> our
> > > coaches fixed. Some comments have been made like "greedy"
and "not
> > > supporting CCW". Even though I didn't buy my 380 new I still
> > > purchased
> > > a almost new (had 7K miles on it) Bluebird when I could have
> bought a
> > > Prevost or something else. Don't you think that maybe the 380
and
> 450
> > > owners pumping millions of dollars into CCW buying these
coaches
> has
> > > possibly helped keep them a float? Just a thought. Would CCW
> already
> > > be defunked if nobody bought a 380 or 450? So why does CCW
> > > treat us like crap? Again I feel so sorry for the 450 owners
> because
> > > there problems surpass mine by far. My heart goes out to them.
At
> > > least I can use my 380 now and I'm only out 10 to 15 thousand
and
> > > hundreds of hours getting mine fixed (Under Warranty). Some of
> these
> > > people's coaches are still sitting and can't be used with no
fix
> in
> > > sight. The only reason why I'm not in that boat with them is
that
> I
> > > couldn't afford a 450 when I purchased my 380 or I would have
> bought
> > > one and my dream coach would be parked at Fort Valley too.
> > >
> > > Thanks for the technical tips and I am going to go check my seal
> > > pressure right now and turn it down. I haven't given up yet and
> > > thanks for letting me vent some!
> > >
> > > Lloyd Chaffin
> > > 2004 M380
> > > Haslet TX
> > >
> > >
> > > ----------------------------------------------------------------
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> ------
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>