Im not going to use solenoids for the air valves but instead use 4 air switches. Ive never been around an air suspension on a car except air shocks. Im wondering about gauges. Is there a need to have a gauge for each bag? The air line from the tank and the 4 lines for the bags will be brought into the dash. Should each bag have an equal amount of air or just set it level? TIA
i'm not an air suspension expert but, you don't "need" any gauges for it to work. if you plumb all the bags together you car will end up having alot of body roll and every time you take off or stop your air from the back will tranfer to the front or V.S. ......you car will look like a bobble head doll. if you dont plumb them all seperetly then atleast plumb per axle!
I'm not sure what you mean by solenoids vs. air switches, but whichever you use the gauges tell you how much air you have in each bag. That info is important so the car sits how you want it. It is best to plumb easy corner separately, because it will have excessive body roll side to side as well as front to back, if you don't. We have a bagged pick-up and the front takes more air pressure to get it where we want it then the rear does. Also the main air lines don't enter the cab, only the gauge lines. If you are asking these kinds of questions I would suggest you do a little bit of research. Suicidedoors.com sells kits and has a lot of info on there web site, diagrams, etc. and answered a lot of our questions. I think Custombuilder on here sells airbag stuff and can probably answer your questions too. Red
You really want to plumb each corner separately, or side-to-side air transfer will give you a LOT of roll - I've been there! A heavy stabilizer bar will help, but really doesn't cure the problem. Use two "dual gages" - which will read each side in one gage. All air ride suppliers have these gages. And each corner can need its own different pressure to level, depending on the balance of your car ( which is why you want a gage on each corner!!)
We install air bags at our shop(205 Rim Shop) What you need is a 10 switch box and they are only about $60 dollars. That is the part you mount inside your vehicle. With that box you can control any wheel , both sides and front and back. you dont necessarly need gauges but some people want them. If you use guages they will constantly move up and down as you hit bumps as the air pressure fluxuates. If you have never had air bags it is pretty easy to tell when you get it to the level you want without gauges. (just another fitting to maintain about leaks). Hope this helps. Thanks BOBBY FORD
^^You can't run a 10 switch box as stated above without electric valves.^^ I assume you're shooting for a bare bones/least expensive system. The manual air switches are fine, but you will have a lot of air lines to deal with, and as stated you should run at least three (one rear, separate front) manual switches. They will be a little loud inside unless you run the dump side back out of the car. Gauges aren't necessary for it to work, but are a huge plus for finding the amount of air pressure you like the car to ride/sit at. If I remember right you'll also be limited to 1/4 line = way slow.
Wow i am completely amazed at the answers to this post. 10 switch box are you kiddin me? What are you building a lowrider or a rod? as far as your questions you do not need gauges but they do help. also your least expensive route will be one manual for the front and one for the back. body roll will happen but it will not be as bad as what people are making it sound. We have built plenty of vehicles with only two manual valves that were safe daily driven vehicle that have traveled all over the country. running manual valves is really a plumbing pain, but in the beginning it is a little cheaper. just remember to dump the air outside the vehicle or you will regret it later. if you save your pennies get ahold of kustombuilder and order a kit from him. we have many many years experience with air and hydraulic setups. if you have any questions feel free to pm myself or kustombuilder.
Ive been dealing with air suspension for going on 9 years now. you can get manual valves such as those from MIC for 1/4", 3/8, and 1/2". My advice.......buy electric solenoid valves from AirLift, SMC, GC, Parker or Asco. Youll need at least 4 for a front/back setup. 8 to control each individual wheel. (i personally run AirLift's chrome Valves in everything i build for myself. im an NOT a fan of their airbags at all though. i ran into problems twice...even with their "fixed" batches) Ive run just about any valve you can think of....manuals suck. They are very prone to leaking. There are valves out there that have both up and down fucntions in them, but they arent too common anymore and arent really worth the trouble and prices. You will be better off running a separate valve for each wheel. As said before, it improves handling and stops air transfer that casues body roll. You do NOT need a 10 switch box. They are more of a pain in the ass than anything and do more than anybody needs. If youre just looking to go up and down, one switch for each set of valves works perfect. Gauges are not necessary to make a setup work, but are a big plus and are recommended. Once you find that "sweet spot" of ride quality and looks, take note of your pressures and you can easily ride there all the time. Your pressures will be different front to back. Theres more weight of front. Having different pressure from side to side does happen due to weight transfer from the driver and such. do not buy a damn thing from AIM Industries, airbagit.com, chassistech.com and all of their other spinoff shithole websites. They will screw you. Cheap parts, shitty service, been screwin people for years.
I agree with everything NRchopshop said but I think you should consider running gages, if you are planning on driving your car much. When you get the front end aligned, set your car at ride height, and remember your air pressures. When driving just set your gauge back to or close to same reading. If not your front tires will wear out prematurelly, the geometry changes on your control arms when they move through their travel changing caster/camber, just my opinion, Good luck.
manual valves are a HUGE pain in the ass and as slow as the day is long. for what i can sell you an Airlift Crafter Pack for it's not even worth dickin with a manual setup. i can get you into a full 4 path (8 valves) system COMPLETE for about $800. retail is $1550. now sure what you'll have into piecing together a system with manual valves but i bet it'll be up near that easy. especialy when you consider the quality of the components. this kit is made up of all high quality stuff including a 100% duty electric compressor. check out the HAMB classifieds or the HAMB O'Dex for my ad and more details on that kit. as for gauges. i'd run em. it's just helpfull to know where your suspension is at and they add very little cost to the package. as for the Airlift bags. once apon a time they did have problems with bags but it has gotten way blown out of proportion and all those concerns were taken care of loooong ago. i've been sellin and installing Airlift parts for damn near 10 years and workin on Air ride suspensions for about 14 years.
I know what you mean now by air switches, we run solenoid valves. We got Easy Street dual needle gauges with the kit we bought, but changed to Viair gauges when we finished the interior. The Viair gauges were a little more expensive, but look better, they don't stick and are more accurate then the others. What thirty7slammed said about the front end alignment at ride height and remembering the pressure settings is very important, for tire wear and safety. We heard the same things about AIM and the others, too JMHO Red
Well as usual sometimes when you answer a post there is always someone who trys to cut someone down as some of the guys have done here about my answer. As I stated with the 10 switch box, you can make your car do anything you want it to. You actually only use 8 switches to do all the things I said and a 10 switch box gives you two extra switches if you need an extra one when you have a failure and that comes in handy if you break down in Podunk somewhere, and when you are setting it up it doesn't cost that much to have the flexability of using 8 switches. And like someone said they are 3 position. Up hold( or center) and down. Im setting my 53 chevy and my 51 merc to be flexable enough to do what ever I want them to do. We have had very ,very few customers who have turned down an 10 switch box for almost the same price as smaller boxes when they are shown what you can do with one. Good luck with whatever you decide. Oh, by the way, you didn't mention what kind of vehicle you were baggin but if it is a hot rod then mabe you just need to keep it simple. up down front and up down rear! Viair is the way to go!
Mine was done by a local guy by my work. He set it up with 2 switches. The front share pressure and same with the back. I found this setup much more cruisable, for lack of a better term. I have been in like coupes that had seperate switch per bag and it does'nt feel as comforatble of a ride..., but that could only be self preference. Anyhow, I added a couple pics. Monster Notch, 7 and a half gallon tank, two compressors , and 2 switches. Still on leafs, 4-link is next. Hope this helps somehow. Peace, Chevnut
Hello, this is BOBBY's son and he asked me to try to explain the whole system and how things work, so i will try, Here goes. your compressor will will fill a air tank,5 gal. or so (peronal choice is yours) lines will come from the tank, to a 2 electric air valve set up(one valve to fill the bags [lift] and one valve to empty [dump]) it will end up being shaped like a "T" (valve at one end, T fitting with a line to the bag, and then your "dump" valve at the other end. you say you want control over each wheel so you will need 8 valves total one for each bag, Now what the 10 switch box does is it gives you so much control and the ability to do a few more thins by combining a few swithches together, its pretty much like this 1. RF 6. FRONT 2. LF 7. REAR 3. RR 8.LEFT SIDE 4. LR 9. RIGHT SIDE 5 SEE SAW 10. ALL So yo can do what ever when ever, hope that clear up some confusion and didnt cause more
i've set up and ran all different types of bag suspension set ups and can say that i would definitely run electric valves. You dont have to run independent switches but i would at least run independent in the front. Some cars like to lean and b/c of the air shifting when cornering. As far as guages i highly recomend having them. Its very important to be able to keep an eye on your suspension. That way you know when your at ride height, if its leaking and any other problem that my occur (as far as tank pressure not really). The switch box would work well but would look like complete shit. like putting 24s on a 32 ford......but hey its ur ride not ours.
Just buy a mini trucken magazine. it will solve all your questions or go on the s-10 fourm I think it is s-10fourm.com
in response to roach "The switch box would work well but would look like complete shit." you can still do some trick flush mounting with it or build your own "box" or "panel "and just use the switches and wiring, i usually get a clear one, take the switches out paint it the color of the car or interior and the re install the switches, it dos tone it down some
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