Self-Levelling Issues

[Blackadder]

I think we've finally decided to take the plunge and get self-levelling fitted to our Travelvan. But what sort, electrical or hydraulic? Which brand? I've read all the existing threads and it seems that hydraulic is the most popular and Doncaster seems to be the place to get it but I'm more than a little perturbed by the numerous reports of E&P rams "dropping". MaVe claim their system has a lock to prevent this. No-one seems to mention the electrical variety which not only appears to be cheaper but presumably is immune to "dropping"; is there a problem with these that I haven't heard about? Most hydraulic systems seem to be in the same ball-park price-wise so how do you choose? What pitfalls should I be looking out for?

 

[ian-speedy]

It's not an issue, it's a safety feature.
If you park up on ground that is not within the parameters that the system considers as safe to deploy on automatic, then you operate the system on manual, which is no big deal.
It's to stop idiots using the automatic on ground that's way out of level. It the passes the onus onto you the operator to use the system IF you consider it safe to do so.
You don't have to do it manually by eye as both the remote and fix control panel have arrows which if lit orange, point to the low side that needs lifting and when the centre dot goes green, you are level.

It become very simple and quick when used a few times in manual mode.

I'd like to think it would work on automatic on a plot like this , unless I'm one of the idiots you speak of !

I've had it working fine on land across the road from my house , and that was on quite a bit of a slope , the times it's done this , you'd think it was very flat and level.
I'm wondering if there is an issue with the sensors in the system

 

[ChrisL]

Mick at SAP told me to learn how to do it in manual mode because their would be times when auto would struggle, having said that so far I've been pitched on grass pitches some of which have been quite uneven and it has worked fine. Who fitted it for you if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Blackadder]

I can understand the system crying foul if the the vehicle decides it can't be levelled with the rams at full extension but Ian seems to be saying that he can level it under manual control (no mention of blocks being added). If the jacks have sufficient extension to get it level, I don't understand why it can't do it automatically. If I'd just paid more than 5 grand for a system that is advertised as offering automatic levelling I don't think it's idiotic to expect it to work unless the rams don't touch the ground on full extension - which doesn't seem to be the case here. Surely there's a fault somewhere?

 

[funflair]

When you level manually you always use a bit less ram stroke than on auto, or I do anyway.

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[ian-speedy]

Mick at SAP told me to learn how to do it in manual mode because their would be times when auto would struggle, having said that so far I've been pitched on grass pitches some of which have been quite uneven and it has worked fine. Who fitted it for you if you don't mind me asking?

It was fitted at Newport caravan centre , they had an offer on £5100 fitted , perhaps they're selling a faulty batch which is why it's cheaper
Hopefully E&P will come back with an answer tomorrow

 

[Two on Tour]

unless I'm one of the idiots you speak of !

Not at all, but they are out there and if it all when wrong on a steep slope on auto, then you can guarantee E&P would be slammed for not putting in safeguards.

I do however think that E&P have been over conservative on how much out of level that the auto says no.

 

[ian-speedy]

Not at all, but they are out there and if it all when wrong on a steep slope on auto, then you can guarantee E&P would be slammed for not putting in safeguards.

I do however think that E&P have been over conservative on how much out of level that the auto says no.

Have you looked at my photos above of the pitch ?
I don't think they could get chipping any more level , and it still doesn't work

 

[Two on Tour]

It was fitted at Newport caravan centre , they had an offer on £5100 fitted , perhaps they're selling a faulty batch which is why it's cheaper
Hopefully E&P will come back with an answer tomorrow

I travelled the 180 odd miles to have ours fitted at SAP due to their excellent reputation.
After the install, the hand over was very thorougher including a detailed examples of using the system and how to reset the system if it locks out and needs a reset.
Our neighbour next door but one had their E&P system fitted locally and although it was fitted and operated correctly, the attention to detail of the install was lacking and his handover was sparse and he was not told how to reset the system is he had problems, so maybe your handover was not as detailed as it could have been as I was made fully aware of the can's and can't does of our E&P system.

 

[Blackadder]

perhaps they're selling a faulty batch which is why it's cheaper

Surely not another "faulty batch"? First they won't stay in, now they won't come out - sounds like a hydraulic hokey-pokey
Please let us know what E&P say - and what the final solution is

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[Two on Tour]

Have you looked at my photos above of the pitch ?
I don't think they could get chipping any more level , and it still doesn't work

Looking at how far your front suspension is extended and the back end is settled, then there must be a reasonable slope would you not say ?

Maybe you do have a problem or the system was not set up correctly by the installer ?

 

[Two on Tour]

Surely not another "faulty batch"? First they won't stay in, now they won't come out - sounds like a hydraulic hokey-pokey
Please let us know what E&P say - and what the final solution is

Why would you be interested as E&P is obviously not the system for you going by your digs and comments.

 

[Badknee]

Ours work fine

 

[Blackadder]

Ooo, touched a nerve have I.

I suggest you read rule one of the forum and get yourself a sense of humour.

Why would you be interested as E&P is obviously not the system for you going by your digs and comments.

Back at you!

 

[Kev and Ju]

Only one system for me. HPC levelling system fitted by AS Air Suspension. A considered purchase but paid for itself on the first trip. No more dirty wet knees climbing under the van, skinned knuckles manoeuvring blocks, burnt out clutch plates climbing those yellow plastic ramps, badly fitting doors and cupboards, fridge not working properly, rolling out of bed and with your front wheels 6" off the ground on pitch quite an anti-theft deterant. Plus.......with the ability to raise just one wheel off the ground making it easy for a wheel change in the event of a puncture or getting stuck on soft ground and needing to put a plank under the wheel. Just pitch up and press a button. Superb!

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[Two on Tour]

Back at you!

Yes, got me, humour lose there. , but not a rule one breach, so I stand not guilty on that count me'lord.

Was that not a statement of fact or have I read you totally wrong and you gagging for an E&P system.

 

[Ditcha]

Our E & P,s are integrated with the VB 4 channel air suspension and levels much lower on auto after dropping all the air, never used auto on our last van that had just the jack's as always found it levelled much higher than using manual leading to a very high entrance step.

 

[ian-speedy]

Our E & P,s are integrated with the VB 4 channel air suspension and levels much lower on auto after dropping all the air, never used auto on our last van that had just the jack's as always found it levelled much higher than using manual leading to a very high entrance step.

Sounds good , what's a rough price on fitting air suspension?
After the heat of this weekend , I'm thinking about air con as well !

 

[Robert Clark]

Have you looked at my photos above of the pitch ?
I don't think they could get chipping any more level , and it still doesn't work

I’m wondering if the Auto Level position has become corrupted.

You could go into the settings and re set the level position (having first levelled manually to your desired position with a spirit level)

Then try Auto Level again

 

[ian-speedy]

I’m wondering if the Auto Level position has become corrupted.

You could go into the settings and re set the level position (having first levelled manually to your desired position with a spirit level)

Then try Auto Level again

Thanks , I'll have a look at the manual and see how it's done, they didn't explain that , only told me it was all set , showed me on auto and it worked then , explained that in manual I can lift it 2 wheels at a time , and it's set to pick up the passenger side to aid emptying the tanks .
I guess they didn't explain about resetting it as they thought it was set
Cheers Ian

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[Mickey1]

Only had ours a month and they do need getting used to, I believe reversing up a slope will cause it say slope too steep, or words to that effect, I went back to the manual more than once and now feeling much more confident with them.

Mickey.

 

[Ditcha]

Sounds good , what's a rough price on fitting air suspension?
After the heat of this weekend , I'm thinking about air con as well !

We paid £6k for the VB full air

 

[Two on Tour]

Thanks , I'll have a look at the manual and see how it's done, they didn't explain that , only told me it was all set , showed me on auto and it worked then , explained that in manual I can lift it 2 wheels at a time , and it's set to pick up the passenger side to aid emptying the tanks .
I guess they didn't explain about resetting it as they thought it was set
Cheers Ian

I reset ours to what I wanted as level to get our shower to drain, as the drain pug is at the rear of our shower tray, plus both Yvette and I need to be slightly head up to sleep properly.

Resetting level is just a case of following the sequence of steps set out in the manual, but what I would say is set what you want as level before you follow the manual instructions unless your happy at what a spirit level shows as level.

The reset I was referring to in my previous posts was when you remove the 20 amp fuse near the hydraulic pump for 30 seconds and then replace if the system has locked you out.

 

[royw]

I heave the E&P along with VB rear air suspension, I do think its great. but i do end up manually levelling more than auto as i often find the warning light appears on auto. I do however like the system just wishing it was a little happier on auto. This was on the vehicle when we bought it, when i change i will have it added again.

 

[Steve and Denise]

It was fitted at Newport caravan centre , they had an offer on £5100 fitted , perhaps they're selling a faulty batch which is why it's cheaper
Hopefully E&P will come back with an answer tomorrow

There is an adjustment in the sub menus that is not normally accessible by the public this could be set a bit more to suit your needs,
Incidentally the length of a van makes a big difference on this setting.

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[Blackadder]

Was that not a statement of fact or have I read you totally wrong and you gagging for an E&P system.

I'd like to say I still have an open mind but sadly I'm just plain undecided. The significant question in my original post was "what pitfalls should I be looking out for?" This applied equally to all systems. Well, a number of them have come to light and those involving the equipment rather than the installer have mostly involved E&P. I suppose that's to be expected as the E&P sample size seems to be bigger but that's no consolation if you're the unlucky one.
After changing far too many front fork oil seals during a lifetime on motorcycles I admit I'm not a big fan of any device that relies on seals and oil so I was hoping lots of people would tell me good things about the TESA system; electricity I understand and trust (and, given an AVO can sometimes make emergency repairs myself). Only one recommendation but it was very positive. Which begs the question, if it works that well, costs a grand less and is easier to fit, why isn't everyone using it? I get the impression that people just don't know it exists thanks to poor marketing by Roadpro? If a dozen funsters all posted that Frank in Burnley (other northern towns are available) had done a fantastic job of installing the TESA and it worked amazingly well, would more funsters go there instead of following the numerous existing (and no doubt justified) recommendations for E&P? Or is there a hidden snag I don't know about - yet?
Whichever system, it's a sizeable investment that I can't afford to get wrong (and add to my mistakes!). Am I any nearer to making a decision? No

 

[Foxycow]

I know it's a big ask but does anyone have or know where I can get a secondhand control panel for a 2014 HPC Hydraulic system? The one I have fitted was damaged by an auto electrician.

 

[Hettie's Crew]

I know it's a big ask but does anyone have or know where I can get a secondhand control panel for a 2014 HPC Hydraulic system? The one I have fitted was damaged by an auto electrician.

Have you tried asking Cath and Phil at AS Suspension in Warrington, they may be able to help or point you in the right direction.

AS Air Suspension

AS Air Suspension UK Ltd. The No1 Air Suspension for all vehicles, ALKO & Non ALKO chasis. If you're not happy with the ride of your motorhome or you keep grounding at the rear then air suspension is what you need, Just read our testimonials. It will make your motorhome feel like a new vehicle!

www.as-airsuspension.co.uk

 

[icantremember]

As per Hettie's Crew , AS Airsuspension near Warrington .. otherwise it would be the HPC factory in the Netherlands.

 

[Sunlovers]

Well, I am now truly getting torn in different directions with regards to how to best make a decision on this matter for our new van. Having been quoted for the E&P system, which needs to take up locker/garage space as I'm told it won't fit underneath the van thanks to the way Carthago mount their tanks etc, I discover that other C-Tourer owners have had theirs underslung by SAP & Courtside and with no clearance issues arising. Surely if it can fit under their vans, why not ours? Then someone throws in the TESA electric lift system which is not only cheaper, but has the advantage of being able to fold up neatly when retracted ..... sheesh, it's not easy trying to decide what's the best route forward here.

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[Hettie's Crew]

This is our HPC system fitted in the side locker floor, in a purpose made box, by AS Suspension in Warrington. No loss of storage space as they also made a board to cover the locker floor.