Air ride leveling valve problems

20094 Views 23 Replies 10 Participants Last post by jgbutler2004, 5 mo ago

bmoeller

Discussion Starter · Jan 13, 2009

Well, I posted this once before, but was recent enough the thread was lost in the mess.

OK, here's the deal. The dump valve was replaced last year (by someone else, so I don't know what they did), but things haven't been right since. The bag fill like they are supposed to, but, don't unload the air bags like they should. The valve exhausts air, but the suspension doesn't come down like it should. Just likes to drain the air tanks.

Switching the air flow on the "in" and exhaust ports doesn't help. Not sure if swapping the long screws to turn it 90* in the bracket will work or not? Taking the other one apart, I don't think so.

The new valve is no different.

Any ideas?

'95 Mack CH613. Almost 1 million miles on it.

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johndear720

· #2 · Jan 14, 2009

What dump valve are you using?

bmoeller

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jan 14, 2009

Oops. Misspoke. The LEVELING valve was replaced. It is a Hendrickson brand valve. Don't have the p/n handy. If I had a working camera, I'd take a few pics. SUPPOSED to be the right valve, per the VIN. They've been wrong before.

The dump valve is still the original, as far as I know.

bmoeller

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jan 14, 2009

Leveling valve looks like this one-

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Cooper443irty

· #5 · Jan 14, 2009

So the bags only inflate and will never deflate?

my97stroker

· #6 · Jan 14, 2009

i dont believe thats the correct valve,dont look like the one i use on my macks.

bmoeller

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jan 14, 2009

Cooper443irty said:
So the bags only inflate and will never deflate?

More or less, ya. We have to use the dump valve when unloading grain, same as on the trailer.

bmoeller

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jan 14, 2009

I suspect it might have been one like this-

But, it has been long enough, I don't remember for sure. Either way, in theory, it should still work, but IDK.

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Les2

· #9 · Jan 14, 2009

Get the 16AV4783 Neway/Haldex leveling valve. Its fast response.

bmoeller

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jan 15, 2009

The one we have reacts plenty fast. It just empties the air tanks, NOT the air bags like it is supposed to. :bang:

Cooper443irty

· #11 · Jan 15, 2009 (Edited)

2

My guess is the supply line and the line going to the bags is switched.

What you have now:

How it should be plumbed:

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johndear720

· #12 · Jan 19, 2009

What part number / kind dump valve? Is it after the leveling valve or do you have a dump built into the leveling valve?

bmoeller

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jan 19, 2009 (Edited)

The leveling valve is the problem, not the dump valve. The dump is before the leveling valve.

I posted a pic of it on the previous page. Don't have a p/n handy. It is a Hendrickson valve.

I did slip the arm off of the valve and flip it 180* to see if reversing the flow would change anything, but nope. So I put it back the way it was.

tc2

· #14 · Jan 20, 2009

Does your dump valve look like this?

If so, it must be plumbed in AFTER the ride height valve, or it will cause exactly the problem you are describing i.e. it must be between the ride height valve and all of the air bags. switching ports on the dump valve would also cause the same problem. Not running all of the air bags through the dump valve could also cause this problem.

bmoeller said:
The leveling valve is the problem, not the dump valve. The dump is before the leveling valve.

.

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bmoeller

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jan 20, 2009

I'd take a pic, IF I had a camera, but I don't.

I don't think that valve looks like what we have, but I'll have to take a peek at it the next time I see the truck. Might be a few days.

Cooper443irty

· #16 · Jan 20, 2009 (Edited)

Did you try switching the supply line and the line going to the bags?

From what you describe the valve is working fine: one position is neutral, one position fills the bags and one position drains the tanks. It is just plumbed wrong.

Cooper443irty

· #17 · Jan 20, 2009 (Edited)

I am not sure but I think this is the one. The lever arm and or valve body may be oriented differently, but if your look at the valve as show in the photo with ports at 9, 12 and 3 o’clock you can compare them.

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trucker_dad

· #18 · Jan 20, 2009

Most any leveling valve should work,just might be some mount/plumbing alterations nesessary.
Check that the supply,deliver and exhaust ports are all plumbed rite.:usflag

johndear720

· #19 · Jan 24, 2009

Does the valve look like this?
http://shop.easternmarine.com/images/product/thumbnails/sm_8651.jpg
If so, it goes after the leveling valve. Only valves I have used were pilot dumps and went between leveling valve and bags. Dumps the air out of the bags and blocks off the output from the leveling valve so it doesn't just vent. If this style was hooked up backwards I guess it would dump the leveling valve and not the bags thus emptying the tank.

shoot2retrieve

· #20 · Jan 24, 2009

Definitely sounds like a plumbing, oops!!

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