450LXI Hadley system

[Doubledoc]

We have a Hadley air suspension system on our 2006 450LXI. During the recall that Hadley system for the front end was susposed to have been tied together so that there was even air pressure on both the right and left side while being driven, thus removing anti sway capability from the Coach. I have not experienced any difference in driving of the coach before and after the recall. It drives just fine.

How can I tell if in fact our Hadley system was tied together for the front end? Maybe our Hadley system is still operating as originally designed.

Originally Posted by Doubledoc

We have a Hadley air suspension system on our 2006 450LXI. During the recall that Hadley system for the front end was susposed to have been tied together so that there was even air pressure on both the right and left side while being driven, thus removing anti sway capability from the Coach. I have not experienced any difference in driving of the coach before and after the recall. It drives just fine.

How can I tell if in fact our Hadley system was tied together for the front end? Maybe our Hadley system is still operating as originally designed.

Find some level ground, get two 2x12x24" planks, lay them on the ground staggered to form a ramp, drive the right front tire up onto the ramp. Get out of the coach and listen to the air hiss as it evacuates the right front air bag and fills the left front air bag. Let it stabilize till there's no more hiss. Observe that the rear of the coach is level, as prescribed by the two height control valves (HCV's) on the rear axle. Observe that the right front tire is tucked into the wheel well while the left front tire has plenty of clearance to the wheel well. This will tell you that the front air bags are tied together.

What's this, David, no formulas? That is a simple solution to a complex situation.

Chuck
P.S. Sorry David, I just couldn't resist razzing you a little bit.

[dentmac]

Hi,
I'm not sure that test will give you an answer. The Hadley was designed to keep the coach level, regardless of loading of the side to side front end or in a turn.
Agreeing with that, then a functioning "Active air" would seem to do the same thing you indicate.

Perhaps having 4 people in the passenger seat area would work.
No active air= the side would be lower. The rear suspension would try to stay level and cause some twisting motion to prevent too much lowering.

Active Air= the sides would remain level

Ross,

What does Hadley use as a reference for "level"? My test assumes it uses the HCV's and that there's one at each corner? Hadley may use an average of the four HCV's in which case I'd expect it to either add air to the LF, RR air bags or remove air from the RF/LR bags. Anyone know if Hadley is capable of this?


Chuck,

I'm reaching for a formula! LOL

[dentmac]

Don't know but driving on the crowned road or pulling up to a curb and stopping yielded a level coach. It has been a while but there is a reset button 1st bay curb side , above and near the centre coach. This may be for levelers only - forget.

[Robert Britton]

Originally Posted by dentmac

Don't know but driving on the crowned road or pulling up to a curb and stopping yielded a level coach. It has been a while but there is a reset button 1st bay curb side , above and near the centre coach. This may be for levelers only - forget.

I would be happy with that…I like level
Refresh my memory Ross…what was the recall for, that seems like a nice system.

[Doubledoc]

If the unit re -levels then the air pressure rightside and leftside would be different until level was obtained. Maybe the tie together of the system was not physical but software. I don't know.

The recall involved an overloaded steer axle and an upgrade of the tie rods and new tires and moving the generator to the road side third bay amoung other things.

David's idea works but it requires the system to be operating as designed. Ours does just what David suggested. It levels fine and we get no sway on turns etc when driving, so I am assuming our Hadley system seems to work as designed. It does a good job after being recalibrated of leveling the coach when parked as well.

We have had a lot of problems which were solved on this coach. Maybe we should start a thread where 450LXI owners list the problems that have been solved so that others considering one of these coaches has a heads up on the issues.

[G_man]

Originally Posted by Doubledoc

If the unit re -levels then the air pressure rightside and leftside would be different until level was obtained. Maybe the tie together of the system was not physical but software. I don't know.

The recall involved an overloaded steer axle and an upgrade of the tie rods and new tires and moving the generator to the road side third bay amoung other things.

David's idea works but it requires the system to be operating as designed. Ours does just what David suggested. It levels fine and we get no sway on turns etc when driving, so I am assuming our Hadley system seems to work as designed. It does a good job after being recalibrated of leveling the coach when parked as well.

We have had a lot of problems which were solved on this coach. Maybe we should start a thread where 450LXI owners list the problems that have been solved so that others considering one of these coaches has a heads up on the issues.

Alan at Blue Bird told me that there are a couple of manual valves that tie the front air bags together so the Hadley system does not adjust and put too much weight on one of the front axles. They did this during one phase of the recall. This makes it basically the same as all of the 43LXi's except that you still have independent front suspension (two individual axles). It can be switched back to self leveling side to side but the worry of overloading one side on a side slope will be present. I'm going to leave mine as they set it. After a 1400 mile trip delivering my 43LXi and the same to return with the M450LXi I like the way this rides and handles. It seems smoother and handles fine with no sway or lean on curves.

[Doubledoc]

Rich,
My 450LXI drives just fine and I see no difference in the ride since the recall. I thought maybe our Hadley system had not been modified and was trying to find out how to tell if it had. We are pkeased with our coach but there were a lot of problems that had to be solved first.
Jim Colby