MONROE Leveling System & Ramp on Alfred Becker Carevan

[dannos85]

Recently got a used Alfred Becker Carevan (Grand Voyager)
The rear does not drop down automaticly like on the Braun Entervans, It says on the back that it has a Monroe leveling system.
In the boot there is a tyre style valve with a pressure guage on it. Is that the only way to lift/drop this system?
Any Info would help.
The ramp does not deploy automaticly either, Any idea why its not working off the button? The key fobs x3 has a new battery in each, so confident thats ok.
At the moment I have to reach in for the hand held remote(bungee cable annoying type)

[Burgerman]

Call bekkers. But their vans are actually Rollx vans - at least they use rollx ramps, computers, floors, body parts, plastic trims etc. So it should work exactly like mine, which lowers ramp and suspension.

[Cal]

I have a Bekker Grand Voyager, also with the Monroe system. It's an air levelling suspension system which lets air out of the 'bag' to lower the rear end of the vehicle (quite disconcerting for people in the rear when they hear the 'whoosh' of air for the first time!). The gauge in the boot will be the compressor showing the pressure in the 'air bag'. To operate, you press the button on the Chrysler key fob (twice) to open the powered door (ramp side), you then use the separate ramp system key fob (which I assume you have?) to lower the ramp. The air is released from the air bag to lower the car as the ramp deploys. When lifting the ramp, the compressor starts pumping air back into the bag to lift the car. The annoying thing about this system is that you have to keep your finger on the key fob button (to either deploy or raise the ramp) - if you don't, or the signal gets cut off, then the ramp falls to the ground with a real clatter!. The air suspension is also really noisy when either releasing air from the bag ('whoosh!'), or when the compressor starts pumping air back in.

My experience with a Braun Entervan when holidaying in Canada a few years ago was that the power door opening, ramp deploy and lowering suspension was all done by a single press of one fob button. It also didn't use air suspension, I think it was some form of chain drive which compressed the van's suspension, putting it into a 'kneel' mode. I assume the Rollx vans use something similar?

I don't know why Bekker went with the Monroe system - I don't find it as elegant or user friendly as the Braun/Rollx setup. I've also had a few issues over the years with the compressor - for example, it sometimes gets stuck and wont shut off, continuing to pump air into the bag until you cycle the ramp (the air release goes off like an explosion!).

The Bekker van has been a great car for me, and was really the only option to give me the right hand drive version I require (the equivalent via Steering Developments or one of the other German converters was prohibitively expensive). However, I don't think they are up to the standard of the main converters in the US (Braun, Rollx etc.). Importing one of these would have been a cheaper option for me, and to their credit, Bekker tried to steer me this way, but the left hand drive wouldn't work for me, for several reasons.

Cal

[dannos85]

Thankyou for the reply Cal.
Its infomation i had no idea about, The previous owner had zero infomation to give me.
He was unable to manage with the horizontal steering device. the car has been sitting around on the guys driveway from new, so over time the documents & manuals had been lost.
All the keyfobs were dead, I have replaced the batteries in them & still no joy with the suspension or ramp dropping from the keyfob.
On the plus side the locking is fine and the electric doors work. The car is a 2006 model with only 1700 miles on the clock.
Alfred Becker have confirmed it is a Rollx van, but even they seem to be stuggling to volunteer any real infomation on the car that I presume they setup.

[dannos85]

Call bekkers. But their vans are actually Rollx vans - at least they use rollx ramps, computers, floors, body parts, plastic trims etc. So it should work exactly like mine, which lowers ramp and suspension.

BM is your lowering system AIR?

[Burgerman]

Nope. Same as the braun ones. A chain winches the rear down.

Which I dont actually use. Not steep enough to matter. I have considered shortening the ramp, and using it though.

[dannos85]

Any ideas, what company in the UK can convert mine to a chain type lowering system? if any?

[Burgerman]

Bekker? It uses the computer in the rear, so is a bit complicated to connect up. So any old garage will get confused.