2000 Newmar Dutch Star XE Need Separate Dump Valve For Front And Rear

[DutchStarCat]

Newmar Dutch Star XE need separate dump valve for front and rear

Hello folks I just purchased a 2000 39-40 foot Dutch Star with 36,000 miles (showroom condition) Freightliner XE Chassis with HWH 310 levelling jack controller/with air dump, Big Caterpillar 3126B(I think), Allison 6 speed Automatic, 7.5 Onan diesel generator (322 hours) This Coach had been stored inside a bus barn all of its life, so it still looks and drives like absolutely new. Now I would like to try to get it in my 80 foot concrete driveway, but it drags the heel of the big trailer hitch. I unbolted the massive lower hitch and had 4- 3 inch solid steel American made wheels welded on the bottom of the hitch bar. This looks like it will do the trick of getting the coach up the driveway, but I noticed that if the front suspension was dumped, then the back would rise up enough to allow the hitch to clear the street asphalt approach to the driveway. There is a large amount of clearance in the front height going up the driveway. I know to keep the wheels in the straight ahead position for as long as the front suspension is dumped, although even when dumped, the front suspension will still clear the front 22.5 Michelins in the front wheel openings. I had planned to mount a pair of (front/rear) momentary (on/off) dump switches, using the HWH 310 w/dump feature (white wires going to the dump controller terminal screw connector. I thought that I would apply 12 volts to the solenoids here (white wires). Then when I want to go up the driveway, I would get the front wheels 35 feet up the driveway, then slowly dump the air in the front (with assistant watching from outside) (making sure not to scrape under frame girder that protects Onan 7.5KW generator). When the back wheels are off the asphalt street and going up the incline of the concrete apron, I would let go of the momentary front air-dump switch to let the air bags fill back up to normal

height.

I think that this procedure is do-able without the use of any ramps, but I need to get your opinions, since many of you have done this before. I am a master mechanic and electronic technician, so you do not have to worry about me as a nubie to these kinds of tasks. I will use my FLUKE VOM meter to see whether the dump terminal screw provides the 12 volts or just relays it, when the HWH manual dash controller dump button is pushed and held down. I have the HWH 310 service manual.

Is this the best place to tap into the dump valve controllers? I only need to apply 12 volts to the front dump valve(s) for a few seconds...and then let it fill back up after I move up the driveway 6-10 feet.

What do you folks think about this momentary dump switch? Who has done this before?

Thank you in advance for your expertise,

LWilson (DutchStarCat) lwilson@rmemail.com

Fort Worth, TX

[wolfe10]

DutchStarCat,

Welcome to the FMCA Forum.

Can't help with your dump valve question, but you might check again on what engine you have.

The Caterpillar 3126 is a 7.2 liter. Cummins does have an 8.3 liter-- the C engine.

Brett

[dickandlois]

L.Wilson,

Hope the file I sent you helps understand the system configuration and operation.

Rich.

[DutchStarCat]

Thanks Rich,

The file was just what I needed to do a good diagnosis and modification of these dump valve circuits.

LWilson - DutchStarCat

[deenad]

In 2000 the DSDP came with either a FL chassis and CAT 3126 7.2 L 300 hp or, optionally, a Spartan with Cummins 330, 8.3 L engine

Cat has 860 ft lbs torque and the Cummins has 950.

In our 2000 DSDP we had the FL chassis and Cat, wanted more torque for the western mountains so we now have a 2002 DSDP with Cummins ISC and Banks kit.