http://www.airbagit.com/Air_Bags_s/23.htmis directly related to the pressure required to attain ride height. If the diameter is small, it will take more pressure to lift the weight of your engine. Use only the largest bag you can fit into the available space. If you do not have enough room, you should do whatever it takes to make room, even if it means redesigning your control arms, or trimming the frame. A heavy frontend will require more psi which equals harder ride, if it even lifts at all. A big block Chevy could take 160psi to get to ride height, and this is NOT good. A light Hotrod might only require 45psi. Spring Pocket Eliminators allow you to use a #2600 (7.25” bag on the front of most any Mini Truck or Coiled Sprung passenger car. Big Block cars and Trucks should install a #3800 bag (8.50” diameter) Less psi to lift = Smooth ride. In fact, it can get so smooth you will need heavier shock absorbers for ride control.
We have a large competitor that sells a 4” in diameter Air Sleeve, then they install an airshock in the middle, which GREATLY reduces the air volume even further. The result is that it takes too much air pressure to lift (if it lifts at all) and the result is a very choppy, rough ride.
HOW STRONG ARE AIRSPRINGS? Airsprings are used on 98% of all large commercial vehicles in the world, including all dump trucks and every 18,000 lb Tractor Trailers on the highway in every kind of weather. You probably do not realize that Lincolns, Cadillacs have had airspring options for over 50 years, not to mention Mercedes, Range Rovers, and Hummer H2’s. Our Airsprings are designed specifically for air suspensions for vehicles which require a much higher psi for safety margins. Most Airsprings are designed for mechanical manufacturing processes that do not require a safety margin over 125psi. Our Airbagit.com Airsprings are designed by Chassis Tech, and have a burst safety margin of up to 600psi, 5 times more than you will ever need. Your bags will never see over 200psi without compressed Nitrogen gas, so the safety margin is huge. A bag will never blow out if you make sure there is no body, frame, or other contact with the bag. Even if you were to lose pressure, you would still have the bag as a cushion.
HOW DO I FIND THE ”SWEETSPOT” ? The "Sweet Spot" is the perfect ride. Everybody’s “SweetSpot” is different. Some like to scrape the ground, others want high altitude. It is NOT the bag that determines the SweetSpot. It is the height and placement of the brackets. We set up every Air Suspension at 3” below factory ride height. So, if you want to drive at factory height, you would use a taller bracket, and if you want to scrape the ground, then you need to have a shorter bracket. One size does NOT fit all. In most cases, you can specify the height of your bracket when ordering. Our bags at 3” drop have a minimum travel of 6” up/down.
LAYING FRAME' WHAT IF I WANT TO DROP IT TO THE GROUND? How Low can I go? If your vehicle has struts, click on this link:
You simply cannot do it unless you cut/chop/modify. The Factory Geometry simply will not allow it. On Coiled Spring front ends, you must install Upper and Lower Control arms that allow you to layframe on the ground. You must be willing to remove any metal inner fenders, or truck bed that is in the way. The StreetScraper shown will put the backend on the pavement, and comes with triple bellow bags. If your vehicle has struts, then how low you can go is limited by the travel of the strut.
Most customers want to lower their vehicle, so in this case, we set up the factory Air Strut at 2" lower than factory, giving you a range of 3" to 5" drop. How low you can go depends on when the bottom of your strut hits the top of your tire. Some customers want to Lift their vehicle. In this case, we start at factory height instead of 2" lower, which allows you to raise up to 3" higher than the factory strut, and return to stock height for everyday driving.
WHAT DO I DO IF IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO INSTALL ANYTHING LARGER THAN 4” DIAMETER?
On many import cars, EXAMPLE: HONDA the available space is very tight. 4” on the front, and even less on the rear for most models prior to 2000. Cylinders have been a popular choice, but Cylinders ride rough because they do not have any flex, nor is the air chamber large enough to allow the air to expand or contract for a good ride. . We have solved this on most fronts with our new 4” diameterTriple Bag Front Air Strut whichis built with an offset to allow for clearance. Most Honda cars do not have enough room (2000 and prior) for anything but a cylinder on the rear. In this case, you can install an accumulater to allow the cylinder to “breathe” by Allowing the air to expand into the ½ gallon chamber and contract back into the cylinder when hitting a bump, or rough roads. more than doubling the air volume. A #2500 airspring has a natural frequency of 120psi, (Diameter, Height, and Configuration can vary the frequency) while a coilspring has a frequency of 80psi. To lower the frequency, you would install a 1/2 gallon Accumulator by teeing off of the cylinder with a ½” line that would breathe easier, resulting in a softer ride.
SHOULD I USE AIRSHOCKS OR BAGS/BRACKETS?
The idea of Air Shocks really sounds and looks good, but are they right for your vehicle? Air Shocks only compresses to 10”, so if you want to go really low, then air shocks are not for you. Bags/brackets can compress as low as 3”. You are spending your money, take time to measure twice, buy only once! Also, Air Shocks reduce the air volume by approximately 30% to accommodate the shock in the middle of the bag, which in turn reduces your ride quality by 30% or more. We will sell you an Air Shock if you choose, but choose carefully. They look really cool, but the functionality is simply not there. WHAT IS THE CORRECT AIRTANK SIZE? This is a situation where bigger is NOT better! Unless you have the compressors to handle it. No matter what other compressor manufacturers tell you, 4CFM is the largest DC 12volt Compressor you can buy. The rule is 1 DC5000, or DC7000 Compressor for each 3 gallons of tank. A 6 0r 9 gallon air tank is OK, as long as you have the HP to fill it, but it takes a long time for one compressor to fill a larger tank. You will DRASTICALLY shorten the lifespan of your compressor, because it is overworked. If you are going to air up only one axle, (a towing package for example) a 1 gallon tank is just fine. Be sure to install a watertrap, and a drainvalve.
WHAT IS THE CORRECT COMPRESSOR? Thomas Air Compressors have had a corner on the towing kit market reaching back 20 years. The beginning of Air Suspension to raise and lower the driving height of a 4-wheeled vehicle dates back to 1996, when Joe Morrow AIM INDUSTRIES, installed Air brackets and bags on the front of a Pickup Truck. This is when it began, and no amount of research will show any different. Simply go back to Truckin Magazine, Circa 1996 and see for yourself….
The only compressor available for this purpose at that time, was manufactured by Thomas, and it was a 20% dutycylce. (this means it must cool down 5 minutes for every minute it runs. The duty cycle is how much time the compressor can safely run within a given period of time, expressed as a ratio. For example, a common duty cycle for compressors is 50/50, (most ViAirs are 50%) meaning that the compressor motor can run about half the time it is supplying air when you are “playing” with your bags... 50 minutes on and 50 minutes off. During the "on" time, the motor is pressurizing the tank. During the "off" time, your suspension is running on the air stored under pressure from the tank. If you are “playing” and draining the pressure off too fast, the compressor engine must run at more than a 50/50 rate which will lead to overheating and significantly shorten compressor life.
We simply do not believe in underpowering an Air Suspension system with a “toy” compressor that weighs only 6lbs. We advise only a 17lb 100% Dutycycle compressor such as our DC5000, DC7500. They are all 100% dutycycle, which means they can run all day, all night without having to rest. When choosing a Compressor, do not cut corners. Start out with the largest compressor in the beginning, rather than be sorry later. Compressors are the most abused component of any airride system. Sure, the compressor will pump up as high as 250psi, but you will shorten the life drastically. Imagine blowing a balloon up.... 120psi, no problem, but after 120, back pressure will puff out your cheeks. As backpressure increases, the pump works harder to make small gains. The magic number for a compressor is to shut off at 135psi. If you require more psi to lift your vehicle, your bag diameter is too small. This is where you would consider installing a 2nd, or even 3rd compressor to share the workload. You never will have a problem with a compressor if you use 8 Gauge wire, and install a 100% dutycycle solenoid, and a sensible 110on / 135off pressure switch. NEVER, run a compressor with the engine off, or on the bench, without a Positive charge. You will burn it up immediately!
MY COMPRESSOR TRIPS CIRCUIT BREAKER AND WILL NOT RESTART This happens when you restart the compressor at a psi over 135psi. What happens is the head-pressure has not bled off and there is too much backpressure on the piston. To solve this, you need to have a pressure relief valve to bleed off headpressure, or simply crack the fitting to create a small air leak until the compressor breaks in. Don’t worry about your tank bleeding down, that is what a check valve is for.
HOW TO CHOOSE A PRESSURE SWITCH Choose a sensible pressure switch that is in sync with your compressor. Choose a 110on, and 135off switch. Choosing a higher psi switch only means you intend to abuse your compressor. If your vehicle takes more than 145psi to lift it, then you should consider the maximum abuser: Compressed Air!
WHY DO YOU NEED A CHECK VALVE? Check valvesare installed between the tank and the output line on the compressor. This keeps air from escaping from your airtank and bleeding back through the compressor piston, resulting in loss of air to your bags in the morning. It is directional, be sure to install with the arrow pointed towards the airtank.
HOW DO I CONTROL THE SPEED OF RISE AND DROP?
Speed Control Valvesmount on the outlet port of your valves before the air flows to bags. They adjust with a twist of your thumb. Only one is needed if using 4 3-position ARP valves mounted on the white manifold shown further below. You will need 4 if you are using loose 2-position valves. Slowdown Valvesmount on the Exhaust port of your valves. They adjust with a small screwdriver. Only one is needed if using 4 3-position ARP valves mounted on the white manifold shown further below. You will need 4 if you are using loose 2-position valves.
D.O.T. AIRHOSE - WHAT SIZE AIRLINES SHOULD I USE? There are two reasons to use 3/8" or 1/2" airhose. First, 1/4" moves air too slow. Did you know that ¼” airline is not nylon reinforced? 3/8" hose allows the air to move faster, and 1/2" hose allows air to move even faster.
AIR FITTINGS
If assembling your own kit, and are like most people, you pay attention to the cost of the bags and the brackets, and ignore the cost of the air fittings. I will absolutely PROMISE you that if you neglect buying the fittings from us when you buy the bags or brackets, you will pay more than triple the cost at your local supply house. I do not care if you buy wholesale from them, even our retail cheaper than your wholesale. Plastic fittings work only up to 120psi. Metal Push-Tubes work only up to 150psi. Use only COMPRESSION fittings if going over 150psi. They cost a little more, but do the job right the first time. Plan out your system on paper, then buy the proper fittings for the hose & valves you select, and order them at the same time you order your bags/brackets/valves. You could easily spend $100 at your local supplier, but spend less than $40 with us.
WHAT MAKES VALVES GO BAD?
When you hear about bad or sticking valves, there is ALWAYS a cause. Any valve that does not exceed its’ limitations will give you years of service.
Here is what you need to do:
1. Do not exceed the valve rating for any reason.
2. You must install a WaterTrap coming out of the tank and before the Valves.
3. Consider UPGRADING to a Stainless Steel tank.. NO RUST !! We will be offering Stainless Steel beginning aprox Sept 15th, 2009.
4. Most failures are caused by the installer. (even experienced installers) They are careless with the sealant they use and it gets into the system. Teflon Tape is the best, but take care no to cause the tape to overlap the air passageway, because it will find its’ way to the valves. Most valves are damaged over time from rust forming in the bottom of a steel airtank.
AIR MANAGEMENT SCHRADER BICYCLE FILL VALVES
ALWAYS ! Use a Schrader Valve to "TEST" fit and for travel before running your airlines, or welding brackets in place. (tackweld first) then install bag with a Schrader Valve) Never leave home without 4 Schrader Valves for emergencies. Screw into your airbag ports, and fill at any service station. If you are on a tight budget, you can go with the most basic Air Management System, and then Upgrade when you find the $$$$. Simply install a Schrader Valve (bicycle valve) at each corner and you are done. Total Air Management cost is about $35, including the airhose.
AIR MANAGEMENT MINI-PUSHBUTTON VALVE ASSEMBLED AND READY TO RUN ¼” AIRLINES
What you see above is the entire Air Management kit for a complete FBSS 4-Corner air system. Just add a DC2500 compressor for $169, and a relay, run ¼” airlines to each bag and you are done. Nothing else to do. Your vehicle will still travel up/down in less than 3-4 seconds, which is faster than factory air on a Mercedes, H2, or Rolls Royce. And you save a whole lot of money. $169.000 for all 4 wheels complete
PLUG N' PLAY
Plug and Play Air Management. Everything is done for you. Large compressor/3-position valves/Speed Control for up-down/solenoids/relays/Steel leaderhose/2 dual gauges with 4 readouts. All you have to do is mount the airbags and plug in the airlines. Ground and Battery cables are provided complete with all wire ends. SAVE 16hrs of FUN AND AGGRAVATION
DIGITAL GAUGES
Digital Gauges are read-only devices. They read each corner independently, and also read the pressure in your airtank. Available in 150psi, or 300psi option.
SMART-RIDE PRESETS
Smart-Ride Presetsbring your vehicle up to your preset psi settings upon startup.
4Links for CARS AND TRUCKS WITH FACTORY LEAFSPRINGS
100% Bolton for most Trucks, Cars are mostly Weldon Triangulated 4Link systems
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 2-POSITION & 3-POSITION VALVES?
There are so many Valves on the market, which ones should I buy?
Air Valves have come a long way in the past 10 years. 10 Years ago, they were used mostly for Machine Tools and operated in a lower pressure range of 75psi and 1/4" airflow orifices. The smaller the orifice, the easier it is for debris to get stuck in the passageways. We have completed our development and testing of our new AIR-ENGINE V-8 Hybrid. This valve has 1/2" NPT ports with an AMAZING 15mm (5/8" ) Orifice to move the air. It is like breathing thru a 5/8" straw as opposed to a 1/3" straw.
Everyone knows that Brass Valves are the most dependable Valve on the market. So we took 8 Brass Valves and machined them to fit on a air distribution manifold with 4 Cylinder Blocks with 5/8" Orifices. They take either 3/8" or 1/2" Airline fittings and hose. Then we wired them together with a Molex Plug which just plugs into our Wiring Harness. The most important thing about the AIR-ENGINE is that there is NO PLUMBING or WIRING to do. It is all done for you. Take note that the AIR-ENGINE shown has 4 Digital Senders attached to it, which means all you have to do is Plug in a Digital Gauge, or SMART-RIDE which are both shown below.
The image above shows the AIR-ENGINE installed inside of a Plug & Play. The Digital Gauge is available in both 150psi and 300psi shown below. Senders are pre-installed and just plugs in to the AIR-ENGINE.
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