Air Suspension question

" Then turn on the Cruise Control. Press the Set button on the steering wheel. This will increase the idle to about 1500-1800 RPM."

Yup, how to make friends in a campground

First several questions...do you have hydraulic stabilizer jacks or an air leveling system or both? Second, when parking, are you using two feet to move the coach? One on the go pedal and one on the whoa pedal?

When first starting the coach, turn the key and start it. Then turn on the Cruise Control. Press the Set button on the steering wheel. This will increase the idle to about 1500-1800 RPM. As the air pressure builds you'll see the increase on your gauges. When the pressure reaches 115-120 you'll hear the pressure relief valve expel. If you have an air leveling system, press the "Travel" button. Watch your gauges, they should drop to about 95psi or so and then begin to build again as your air bags inflate. Once the travel light turns green and you hear the pressure relief valve expel again, you're ready to travel.

Monaco recommends you have a fully aired coach before deploying or retracting the slides.

If you're using the air levelers, they will automatically dump the air and level the coach. After about 30 mins the computer will reactivate and relevel, dumping any excess air. Leave it on automatic. It knows what to do.

Your air brakes have no effect on your leveling. You will have two ride height valves, one in the front and one in the rear. You might want to have both checked if you think they're not operating properly.

I recommend you read up on the air system on your coach. There are certain checks you should do before moving your coach. The more you know about the function of your air system, the safer you'll be as a driver. Many States require you to pass an air system check before issuing a license. I think it should be mandatory in all 50 States...but that's just me.

Finally, while it's an old military video, (1967), it's very informative....Click HERE....enjoy your new rig....Dennis

Jim, so you're manually dumping the air (by use of the brake) when you park for the night? Is there any disadvantage to leaving it in auto and then lowering the jacks?

We have 4 jacks, one in each corner. I had it parked at the house for a week and noticed that it became un-level during that time. When I started it up today to take off, I noticed it was un-level (as soon as I turned ON the panel for the jacks but before I retracted them). If parked somewhere for several days, is it necessary to re-level every few days, or does this indicate a problem?

When do you guys turn on your engine brake? Should I use it from the time I exit the interstate? Will that keep me from dumping so much air driving through town and when backing into my driveway? My driveway isn't steep but I'm concerned I may have to re-grade it because of all the dragging.

Thanks again for all the great responses!

Be smart take the time and take a air brake course. They are not expensive and no one should drive a air brake system without a course. It is illegal in Canada.

I'm not sure how much your 2015 differs from our '08, but Knight and Ambassador were always "sister ships", tho I think a 2015 has more in common with a Fleetwood...

Regardless...
We have 2 air pressure gauges in the dash. "normal" is 115 psi. The low pressure alarm goes off at 65 psi. The suspension "air's up" at that 65 psi, and doesn't take long to come all the way up.
The coach is safe to drive once the low pressure alarm turns off, and the emergency brake will not release below that 65 psi air pressure.

Once you are over 65 psi, the system will achieve normal ride height immediately, and will maintain that normal ride height until / unless the pressure should drop below 65 psi.

The Monaco hydraulic power gear jacks have nothing to do with the air system, other than that raising the jacks does open the air dump valve.

Being habitually in a hurry, I generally stroke the brake pedal repeatedly (key on engine off) to release the air pressure, prior to using the jacks.

I always use manual. Used auto once, it took forever, jerked the coach around all over the place, and finally achieved level 6" higher than I'm able to do it in manual.

Does your 2015 still have the 3 legged jack system, with just one front jack?

Up on the front to just barely lift.
Up both rears to front/rear level
up one rear to level side to side.

With some practice, you get pretty good at it.

#3 - No, using the air brakes should not effect the air suspension ride height. Granted that while you're going back and forth, the engine will be more or less at an idle and therefore the compressor is not producing a lot of air, but you shouldn't be using a lot of air when moving that slow. It sounds like you're over using the brakes. Are you riding them or maybe stomping on them too hard when you stop to cause a large drop in air pressure?

Bill

There have been many reports of the suspension not airing up some times.
Usually retracting the jacks clears the issue.
I always watch the air gauges and let them build up before retracting jacks. (I think this is the key)
And I always walk around and check the wheel well clearance above the tires to make sure the suspension did air up,

dad2aprincess wrote:
We just bought a new 2015 Holiday Rambler Ambassador diesel. I'm not familiar with diesel engines or air suspension / air brakes and am getting different input from different people. Here are a few questions:
1.) How long should you let it idle to 'air up' before pulling away? I let it run 10 or 15 minutes before the first trip; it seemed like an awfully rough ride for the first half hour or so, like it was riding on the chassis.
2.) Should you 'dump' the air when you park for the night? There is a manual / auto switch and the salesman said to leave it in auto. I don't see any other place to dump air.
3.) Do the air brakes affect the ride height in any way? When trying to park inside my subdivision at night (doing a lot of pulling forward and backing up), it seemed to lose a lot of air, which lowered the chassis and caused it to drag.

Thanks in advance for your input!

You should have an air pressure gauge, never pull away until it is in the green, each coach will be different.

Both the brake system and the ride system get their air from the same place. but read the coach manual do what it says there.