Diesel pusher height, lower the height with air suspension.

[zman-az]

Looking a a Winnie journey diesel pusher. Literature says height is 12'10". My shop has a 13' door. Is this height based on the air bags full and if I need a inch or two can I lower the suspension to get it thru the door?

[antsinmypants]

I have a 1203 journey dl, it has a dome on the roof and the only way I could get it in my 12 foot door was to blow the bags, but I found out soon as you release air brake the home rises, only way I could trick it was to lower one leveling jack just enough so jack down light comes on then you can release brakes and pull into garage very slowly.

[mdprince]

Ray - I think what your coach does is pretty standard. (mine is the same)

I would guess that one would have to pull right up to the door (open it), set the brake, cut the engine, then dump the air, wait a few seconds and start the engine, put it in gear and pull into the garage. My coach takes several minute to air up. ymmv

[RayChez]

If the coach has air conditioners on the roof THEN yes the coach should be pretty close to the measurements they gave you. On my coach with the Neway Freightliner the air bags start filling up right away as soon as the engine starts whether it is on Park, Neutral or any gear. Even with the air brake set it will inflate the air bags as soon as that engine rev's up.

[zman-az]

Like the link about going thru the door, almost did that with my vista. Thru the door up and it came back down a foot or so, just enough where I could not see when I pulled out. Heard funny noise and hit the door but stopped in time where I only caused a small crease in the door, rv was fine.

[zman-az]

RayChez wrote:
I really doubt your Winnie Journey is 12'10" unless you have a dome on it, because Winnie's have the air conditioners on the rear compartment. All the Journey motorhomes I have seen anyways. If it does not have a dome your coach should be around 12' high. Mine measures 12'10", but I have two air/heat conditioners and a Kingdome on top of the roof.

New journeys now have roof ac's because new emissions used the space where the AC was on the older models.

I would love measure but it is tough to get exact measurments. Because this is so close I may be able to dump the air and then back straight in before it complety airs back up, that is if I even need to do that. Hopefully Winnebago errored on the high side with their measurments and I can just drive in.

I was hoping that there was different ride levels you could set the rv at, like some of the automobiles out there. I guess that is not an option.

[slickest1]

I would just measure it myself and be sure.

[dubdub07]

Mine starts to inflate as well, as soon as you put it in gear.

[Executive45]

More answers:

Here

[RayChez]

I really doubt your Winnie Journey is 12'10" unless you have a dome on it, because Winnie's have the air conditioners on the rear compartment. All the Journey motorhomes I have seen anyways. If it does not have a dome your coach should be around 12' high. Mine measures 12'10", but I have two air/heat conditioners and a Kingdome on top of the roof.

[gatorcq]

Depending on the year and frame. MOST air bag suspension system has a OOPS mode. Meaning once in gear and starting to roll it raises automatically.

My rig is a Freightliner XC chassis.

[FIRE_UP]

zman,
While you can lower the height of the coach using the air bags, depending on the make-up of the system, it may begin to re-inflate them, the minute you release the parking brakes, not sure, might be something either someone else needs to chime in on or, verify. One more important fact. When some diesel coaches are lowered due to deflated air suspension systems, the front wheels tuck up fairly high into the front wheel wells. When that happens, and, if you were to drive the coach and turn the front wheels (to steer it), some have experienced severe body damage 'cause the front wheels hit the fiberglass.

Again, this may need to be verified on the particular coach you're thinking of buying. If, it's one of them that could experience body damage during turning or, steering, with low inflation of the bags, but, you can drive or back it in a straight line to either back it in or, drive it out, then you're good to go. Good luck.
Scott

[zman-az]

Thanks for the replies. My approach is level but gravel.

[dons2346]

The height listed is the ride height as you go down the road. You can lower the height to get through your garage door but the speed of the coach is limited. The reason being the severe angle of the driveshaft from the trans to the rear end. It does put a strain on the U-joints

[Groover]

The height is based on the air bags being at normal ride height. You can move the coach with the air out but you are sitting on the bumpers so the ride is very bumpy and you have very little ground clearance. If you have a paved smooth approach it should not be a problem. I have forgotten to inflate my air bags a couple of times before moving the coach on some not so smooth surfaces and have not suffered any ill effects so far.