rebelMan

You have a lot of good info man. And the AirRunner kit is as bolt-on as any pieced together kit

His friends were probably using the FULL Easy Street kit

I should have my CarPC done before December, then i'm going to start buying the parts.

What i'm going to do, as another member suggested in another thread, is install everything a little bit at time. Unless i can take like 3~4 days off work just in case i need them all if something comes up. I could probably do it all in one weekend but i don't want to be in a rush. I'm going to wire up the switchs, mount them (or make a box idk yet), run the wires leaving some left over and use tie-raps to hold them under the car near where the valves will go. Mount the tank and compressor and plumb them together and install the pressure switch. Then after i get that for the most part done, install the rear or front bags, fittings, lines, valves. If i have enough time i'll do the rear/front depending on what i did first.

I'll probably be too excited to space it out that much and i'll get it done in a weekend, i'm sure i could with a friend helping me out. I can't wait.

RTon20s

You couldn't pay me enough money to put a Chassis Tech/AIM product on any of my vehicles. If the quality wasn't bad enough to scare you away their customer service and other business practices certainly are.

But like I have said before, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

There are two kinds of people in the world... those who have been screwed by Chassis Tech, and those who haven't... yet.

rebelMan

I've never even heard of them or a kit they offer for the xB/xA. I'm going to stick to my respecfully underpriced setup

RTon20s

Be thankful you haven't heard of them. If you want to see their crappy products just open up any Truckin' magazine. 75% of the magazine is their ad.

rebelMan

I'm probably too cheap to spend that much on it anyhow. I'd rather buy the stuff in pieces just because i'm not shelling out the whole ammount at once, makes me feel better ^_^

eight08xb

Dude a friend in LA had his car done by a shop that the kits we pesied together and it was only problems for him he actually took it out.. but after having a member get the air runner kit in hawaii and never had any problems that why i recomemnd air runner.. it come i a whole kit.. which might be easier for those that never had air ride before.. in sure you can peice together a kit for less. as for me taking to long that guy i was repleying to was anouther club member if SE.. they all know i do awsome work heer in hawaii and dont charge most of themmebrs labor for any work that why i do it on my own time.. if they dished out some cash i prob get things done faster.. like i said i am not no shop and i do have a life beyond Scions or customixzing cars so my members knwo that it take me a while to do stuff for them and they know that i know what im doing.. To win BEst of show many times with all my cars and to havae the highest hoppers in HAwaii all my work is perfected.

Sittin_Pretti_Box

If they have a shop install it... they would have known what they needed and how to do it... if not... I would gladly tell you every part you need, which I already have once on Page 2 of the Thinkin of baggin the box thread.

fusionscion

ok i truely am confused now..... ok so lemme start a list of what i would need for a full air suspension kit.....ok here it goes, please air gurus please help me, i am starting to piece together this kit monday....... here it is
front es struts
5 gallon 9 port chrome tank
ss bags
fbi brackets
viair 400 compressor
2 dual needle gauges, one for air pressure in tank, and one for in bags?
i am confused thus forward with valves, what size line, pressure switch, where does that go? how do i wire up lines and electrics for 9 port tank? water traps? anything else.... i really need help on this.... me and my buddy are going to install hopefully within a weekend when i get all the parts..... he is good with electrics and i am great with mechanical stuffs.... so ill fab up stuff to mount tank compressor, bags, ect,,, byut please help me out with anthing else i need.... go ahead make fun of how i know nothing about air suspension and stuff, i just want to take my time and isntall this kit myself to safe money.... i am gong to mount inside the car, the tanks and compressor.... and like i just need info on what type of connectors and relays and anything else i need to order.... please help me out gurus put together a full list for my coche..........thanks in advance..............peter

rebelMan

The 2 dual needle gauges will monitor the pressure in all 4 of your bags. What i'm going to do is have 1 dual needle monitor the front left and right bags, and the other dual needle monitor the rear right and left bags.

The pressure switch will go in one of the ports on the tank, and somehow have wires that hook up to the compressor to tell it when to kick on or off. Check Sittin_Pretti's thread, his picture will clear that up.

If you want a full FBSS (front-back-side-side) system, you will have to get 8 valves. Two for each bag at each corner. You will have 4 fill valves, and 4 dump valves. In Sittin_Pretti's pic you can see how that is done (although in the pic his is a FB setup, but you get the idea). I think their are some good diagrams @ www.bagginit.com

I'm going to be getting 3/8" valves because i hear that 1/2" will be way to fast filling up the bags on such a light car. With that all my lines will be 3/8" DOT air line (don't get lines from a Home Depot!)

A water trap would be installed between your compressor and tank. I belive the viair's have a 1/2" SS braided line from them, so you would put a water trap on the end of that i'm assuming and run line from the trap to the tank.

qbqt

I have to agree, some kits do not come with everything, I mean the wiring and all the little things which make it a complete kit, mounting plate, etc. I don't have airrunner, but I have considered it. Nothing wrong with getting all the stuff yourself piece by piece, but sometimes time and labor and headache, especially for someone new just getting into airbags, the Airrunner kit might be the easiest to purchase AND install. Also sometimes doing things slow with a lot of thought is preferable, it is an important item that you need to have the safety factor considered. What if you need to carry your kid in your bagged box? Some folks take their time but do things right once and some people may waste time fixing quickies many times. Now if you did get AirRunner but still had many problems, then I would understand, but I havent heard anything bad other than price. People are welcome to correct me ... quality work takes time, especially when you are doing it for someone else, you could put the safety of the owner and their family at stake.

rebelMan

installing the bags is one thing i'm going to take STEP by STEP. Once i have all the parts, i'm going to lay it out on the floor of my garage just like i'd have it installed (i know it's not exact lol). I'm going to run over it a lot and make sure i have ALL the stuff i need before i start installing it. I was going to run all my switchs to the valves and run all the electrical stuff outside the car to the battery and test it to make sure it will all work, and to get my wiring right before i install it. I think it'll work out ^_^. I will probably just buy a premade switch box, if i ever wanted to install the switchs in the dash i can always do it down the road. Besides i want the switch box so i can adjust the settings outside the car to see where i want the height at. It'll be hard to do with the switchs inside the dash.

qbqt

If you are going to do it at home, you might want to get two hydraulic jacks, maybe a scissors jack, 4 jack stands, and some thick wood blocks to rest the tires on. Also for some safely installed air systems there is a tow strap like height limiter so that things don't unseat or to reduce the pull stress on the bag itself when the car is jacked up high by the frame. Just be safe, watch out those fingers from the wheel well. Injuries costs way more to fix than a car. Peace...

rebelMan

So once i have bags i have to be carefull when jacking up the car (From the frame) because when the wheels fully lift off the ground, the suspension's weight will put too much stress on the bags?

What is the wood blocks for?

I do need to get another jack and 2 more jack stands. I'll have it before i bag the xB. I think i might be bagging the rear first just because it's all i can afford right now...

qbqt

I only know this of other bags, the xb might be different since its strut goes through the bag, others that are just bags on other cars can try to pull the bag apart, so some use the strap limiter technique. Again I dont have a bagged xB(yet)

I use them so I can slam the entire car on blocks on all four corners and still have the wood blocks height provide clearance. This way the car you can work on the car without all the plumbing in place but have the bags installed. It helps to have wood blocks and some 2X4s around just in case something goes wrong and you need to jack up your car. Its hard to jack up your car when its hammered to the ground. If you drive up on the 2X4s one at a time you may be able to use a scissor jack to get it up, then a hydraulic jack.

Having all those tools gives you more options/safety and piece of mind, you may be able to "get by" at home but its difficult, this is why some people have a shop do it and they can easily use a lift or something.

rebelMan

thanks for the info, i heard about the wood technique (driving up on them to get more clearance). I have some wood around i can use for that. I wonder if anyone's ever gotten a flat tire from that.

qbqt

For the most part I dont drive up on the wood blocks, that might be dangerous by itself. I use the wood blocks to put under the tire, like a jackstand for the tire. I use 2X4s to drive up on and build up the height when I dont have an easy way to jack the car up or emergencies and such. Be safe...

RTon20s

What shop did the work on your "friend in LA's" xB and what parts did they use? Without this information, your post is useless.

And for the record, if one actually chose to they could by a complete Air Lift kit for well under $2000.

I wasn't aware that you were talking about doing work for friends on the side for no money. The way I read your post it appeared that it took you that long to do work on paying jobs. Even so, the time you mentioned still seems excessive.

Do you have a link to these other cars you have built? I would like to see some of your other work. And when you are talking about hoppers, do you mean air or hydraulics?

RTon20s

I would definitely recommend using four jack stands, minimum. It is really nice if you have eight. Four larger stands, and four smaller. The four larger are typically used to support the vehicle. The other four can be used to support things like suspension, or specific parts of the chassis as require. Most any brand is sturdy enough. I personally use the cheap orange and white ones from Harbor Freight.

The jack on the other hand, I would invest some money in. A quality jack, with a low profile is preferred for lowered and bagged vehicles. The good news is lots of people make them now. The bad news is, none of them are very cheap. Sears even has a nice aluminum one for $200. Summit and Jegs carry them as well. I would just steer clear of the Central Hydraulics jacks from Harbor Freight. Unless that was your ONLY option.

rebelMan

Thanks man.

Another question i have is about the electrical end. As of now i have my CarPC up and running, i think it pulls a lot of power through the battery because when i first tested it out (cranked the car) it took like an extra second to crank. Nothing big, but still noticeable. Of course this was after having the car with the key to ON (without the engine running) for probably 30 minutes total while running the head unit, speakers, and the PC. Then i tried to crank it.

Normally after my car has been sitting over night it cranks right up. What i'm concerned with is when i add a compressor into this. I know the valves probably don't take much energy, and they usually don't operate with the vehicle off anyhow. What i am concerned about is the compressor running with the car off. How often would i expect it to run under normal conditions? From what i "think", i would get in the car after the tank is full and the car has been sitting dumped for a few hours (or over night), and i'd raise it up. The compressor will probably kick on to build the pressure back up, and would probably be done before i get anywhere near close to my destination (over 3 miles it should right?). So when i get to where i'm going, i dump it, and the compressor *shouldn't* run if the tank is built up right? (unless there's a leak of course).

RTon what would you recommend to do? Should i just buy a better battery? What do you suggest? Thanks

Lance

Just wire your pressure switch to a 12v source that is only on when the ignition is on...