Bouncing Birdie

[Ralph Fullenwider]

Hi Kurt:

The symptoms sound like the plastic diverter paddle inside the ride height
valve broke. When the Coach goes positive it will lose air in the front
bags when it should be filling because of a hair line crack, then when it
goes neg it closes the crack and fills to the O-Bal point. This will cause
some effect of the bouncy feeling as well because the air springs are
softer due to lack of air but not totally down. You can remove the valve,
open it up and check the plastic diverter paddle in side that is hooked to
the arm, bet you will find it damaged and replace it.

Safe travels,

Ralph & Charolette Fullenwider
'84 FC 35 "Ruff Diamond"
Duncan, Oklahoma

At 05:41 AM 9/24/2009 +0000, you wrote:
>Several weeks ago I made a run to IL from Tn and back. I encountered a
>problem I've not heard about or experienced.
>
>On the highway I crossed an overpass with a rather abrupt transition. The
>coach hit hard and my drivers chair bottomed out. Not to unusual. But this
>time the suspension warning light & alarm came on. I pulled over as soon
>as I could to check out the problem. Everything appeared normal and within
>a minuet or so the alarm went out on it's own. I guessed that perhaps the
>bump had compressed the suspension enough to activate the alarm, maybe it
>was a real big bump.
>
>It happened several more times that day, with it occurring in know
>stretches of interstate, that have never posed any such problems in the
>past. With it getting progressively worse. Small bumps would get the coach
>porpoising.
>
>Stopped several times, I dumped and aired up the suspension several times
>to see if it was working and she aired up fine until the next bump in the
>road . Any ideas???
>
>I'm thinking it's the air valve for the front suspension. Maybe the
>actuator arm is bent, broke or the valve itself is malfunctioning. I'm
>hoping it's not much more.
>
>Any help would be great.
>__________________
>Kurt Horvath
>95 PT 42
>10AC
>
>