Good write up Jim .

 

Thanks John...Still trying to figure out why I can't get that hole in the end of the Crescent Wrench handle to fit on those nuts though - what good are those things if they don't fit.!

 

Two years later, I shall finally be finishing this project! (I think?) Anyway, the remote compressor arrived today. Now to find time in the next two or three days to get it done. Book says it should take about an hour. So I'll revive this long lost thread for the purposes of finishing the project. FYI, the camper in the earlier pictures was burned by a Dodge Pickup. The moral of the story is don't allow a dodge to park next to you. #ad
#ad
#ad
#ad
#ad

 

Well, I finally got to work on getting the compressor in yesterday. #ad
That part right under "easy Installation" that says installs in about one hour...don't believe it unless you're a mechanical genius, installing it on a perfectly flat level accessible area and have done a dozen of them already. A hoist wouldn't hurt one little bit either.
Had to let it dry out a bit yesterday since I was working in the driveway. #ad
Lights, tools, outstanding organization and everything arranged in proper sequences....this might be the time to put in a plug for that bridge in Miami I have for sale.........

A bit of a warning. The instructions tell you to mount the compressor as close to the battery as possible. (Actually there were two sets of instruction and each varied from the other). Then the manifold has to be mounted within 24" of the compressor because of wiring harness limits. Mounting this set up under the hood near the batteries is not possible with the 20' of air line they include in the kit. Wiring harness from the manifold is what goes to the battery anyway. I got the idea that the instructions have not kept up to date with modifications to the equipment you are installing. When I laid out the wiring and the air lines along the side of the pickup, I knew right away something was amiss. So, I came inside, got on the computer and went to Air Lifts web site. Their own video demonstrating installation shows them installing it back on the frame under the bed. Looking a quite a few other You Tube video's from individuals, Air Lift, E-Trailer, SD Truck Springs. All showed similar installation. What was interesting was that I only found one that dealt with the exact same itineration of the kit I had.

First the manifold mounting bracket has to be installed. Being a good boy I followed the instructions! #ad
Well, that didn't seem so bad until I tried to mount the manifold on it. That's when I figured out that no matter what the instructions say, the manifold is best mounted on the bracket first and then secure the entire assembly to the frame. #ad
Then it was time to get the compressor itself into position. O.K., here again we have a slight diversion from the instructions. There were 4 self tapping metal screws in the kit for mounting the compressor. Videos showed them using these screws. I didn't like them. I thought the heads were too small for the mounting holes. Went garage and got some machine bolts, washers and nuts. Got back under the pickup and was checking for the wiring harness and relay for the manifold to make sure everything was going to fit. Low and behold, There was a pack of 4 bolts, 8 washers, 4 lock washers and nuts taped to the relay bag. Looked at the second set of instructions, and these are mentioned there...
#ad
Here I have a hole drilled for a hose clamp and the air compressor lead line curved around and run through it. All the instructions and diagrams state there has to be 1.5 feet of 1/4" airline running from the compressor lead hose (joined with a compression fitting) and the manifold. Most of the video's I watched didn't do this. They were using 6 to 10" lengths of air line. I went with the 1 1/2'. #ad
If you look close you can see the air line looping around behind and above the compressor heading for the manifold.

Then it was time to run the wiring harness, one power and one ground, up to the engine compartment and find a switch power source. #ad
Followed along inside the frame and then was able to go over the top of a rock shield and the gas tank to the opposite frame. Then up along the firewall to the relay/fuse box under the hood. #ad
#ad
Instructions said to mount the ground to a threaded terminal on the battery. I don't have that kind of terminal and I'm not going to switch the terminal out unless I absolutely have to. Used a big ring terminal and mounted the ground to the bracket and fender wall.


Then it was time to start running the air lines. #ad
Running from the manifold out to the air bags. #ad
#ad
#ad
#ad
#ad
You can see the Schrader valve. Leaving it in the system for an emergency backup. Slightly below and to the left at the frame member you can see the 3 way T fitting. The line running to the left goies to the air bag. Everything from the T fitting out was existing air line. All I had to do was splice the T fitting in with the new primary supply line back to the manifold hidden on the back side of the frame. #ad
Running cross ship above a shield, rear fuel tank and frame member then back beyond the rear tank filler spout #ad
to the area of the Schrader Valve. T'd in here the same as I did on the passenger side. #ad


Then it was on to testing. Initially I kept coming up with an error for "Blocked". Book said there was an improper connection, leak or collapsed line. Used the portable compressor and the Schrader valve and found the passenger side was holding air and working fine. Air pressure would show up on the controller gauge. Started working on the drivers side. Couldn't get air in by either method. Soapy water didn't show any leak. Pulled the T fitting completely out. Trimmed the line ends to insure they were square with no angles to cause problems. Then I noticed the line to the bag was not sliding all the way into the fitting. Swapped the primary supply line end of the fitting with bag end. After some manipulation and with the help of some pliers I finally felt that second bump and the line went just a bit further in. Passed the soap test and all is working great. #ad
#ad


It's been a couple of hours and the bags are still at the 30 pounds I had set them at. So far so good. No more wet knees trying to get the jump pack air compressor hose onto the Schrader valve and loosing 5 to 10 pounds trying to disconnect it.

 

Nice write up Jim,
maybe you should talk to ken about this being an article

 

I don't have a problem with that if Ken wants to use it.

Checked the bags about minutes ago. Still holding at 30 lbs., right where I left them around 2230 last night. I love it when a plan comes together!

 

Fantastic project write-up, Jim. Sorry I missed out on the "live" project updates. Since it has been a few months now, how are you liking the system?

 

High Craig. It's been a while...How's the MooseMan from my wife's home state been doing?

I'm very happy with the airbag system! They level up the pickup and make it seem much more stable on corners and rough road. The airbags are doing the job and the remote compressor system is keeping me dry and out of the mud. The compressor system keeps the bags at the set pressure.

Since I started all this the Lance Camper (Post 1) got burned up at an RV Sales and Repair business and the boat (Post 1) was swapped out for the one in the current signature. The Bayliner 2252 Classic has roughly a 500 lbs. tongue weight as opposed to about 250 - 300 on the previous boats.
This camper is heavier than the Lance. The sticker GVW was less than the Lance, but I found out later Alpenlite is much heavier and they figured their sticker weight differently and (IMHO) a little deceptively.

With the heavier camper and heavier tongue weight on the boat instead of running the bags at 60 to 75 PSI under load, I now run them at 80 to the max 100. The remote system makes it very easy to adjust, is free of wires and portable.

 

Looking to add wireless air to my truck. So does your system automatically try and level the truck, or just keep the pressure at whatever you set it at?

The instruction sheet said automatic load leveling. I'm just looking for a wireless controller to air / deflate the bags as needed.

 

My system just has individual bag control or dual bag control. It will actually control up to 4 bags (2 front, 2 rear). I can set the left rear at 100 PSI and set the right rear at 50 PSI and the system will add or remove air automatically as needed. I never get that extreme, but there are some roads around here where the super is so steep you would think you were on the Monster mile race track. I have set the "yellow line" bag at 30 and the "shoulder" bag at 60.
To the best of my knowledge there is no automatic leveling on my system. The only automatic is the controller keeping it at the pressure that was set. There certainly was no level module nor mention of a level module in the kit. But...I did find something new the other day in regards to single or dual 1 psi incremental adjustments. It will be a smart arse and flash the front wheels every once in a while and give me a Failed Communication error. For some reason it isn't smart enough to remember I did not put front air bags on nor is the control module connected to anything in the front.

 

Thanks. What you describe is what I'm looking for (except for the communication error part with the phantom bags). In my mind, automatic load leveler should mean something different.

 

I took 'automatic load leveler' to mean something like on my car. They just do their own thing and I really don't have a say in the matter other than to drive them nuts when I put 400 lbs of pellets in the trunk for the pellet stove.

Edit: The instructions were to hook the power to a circuit controlled by the ignition switch. Makes sense. I'd hate to be out hiking and hunting a mountain side 15 miles from asphalt and come back to dead batteries.

So in regards to the Comm Fail Error, I think it is mainly because when the pickup is shut off for some time, the memory (if there is any) bleeds out and then when the power comes back on, it has to relearn what is connected to it. I don't recall seeing it more than once or twice within 15 seconds to a minute after turning the key on.

 

Jim, my Town Car has a switch in the trunk for when it sits for more than a day. And it WILL kill the battery if you forget to turn the bags off.

 

Interesting. I've never had anything that wasn't wired through the ignition key.

 

Hi Jim,

I've been hanging in as much as possible. I finished physical therapy with little to no improvement. I start an Aqua-Therapy, (basically physical therapy in a swimming pool), next week. Disability hearing in mid-July is keeping me busy with paperwork and coordinating with the lawyers. Not much else is happening.

Glad to hear you like the airbag system. Sorry to hear about the Lance. I have always wanted one of those.