Bad Ramer Jamer

I finally got off the fence and ordered my Pacbrake bag's from Larry. Just waiting for them to get here. Now I'm about to loose my mind over trying to decide what on board air system to get.

I pull a three car trailer, and my load is alway's changing as I'm delivering, and picking up car's. So I'm thinking I really like jfaulkner's set up. It has a leveling valve on the rear end that fill's or deflate's as the load change's. I think this would be ideal for me.

Now I just need to decide on the rest. I'm so confused on what to get, and where to mount it. With jfaulkner's set up, I wouldn't have to mount a switch/control anywhere inside the cab. I could mount the compressor and tank in my toolbox, but hate to loose the room. How are you guy's mounting them to the frame. Are you using clamp's, or drilling hole's.

If I go on the frame, I think I would need a better compressor, more weather proof. What are you guy's using.

Here's jfaulkner's set up. It's about the 11th post.

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...d.php?t=168421

Here's a leveling valve.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...223430276&rd=1

Can you guy's see any con's to using a leveling valve. I guess I could still be able to air up tire. Sorry if I seem so nieve. But I haven't laid eye's on anything yet, so I don't know what I'm dealing with.

pappyman

If you use a leveling valve setup the ride height never needs adjustment after its setup....but you need more then just the valve your looking at

The leveling valve is mounted to the frame you will need a adjustable rod from the valve to a axle mounting point....it is this rod that you adjust....just look at any big truck with air ride to see how its setup

I have air ride on my Mack Superliner I luv the ride it gives.....it also makes it ez to unhook a loaded trailer rather then cranking the dollys down I just rise the air ride crank down the dollys unlatch my gooseneck and deflat the air bags and drive out no more bustin my ars cranking down the dollys

Bad Ramer Jamer

I'm glad you mentioned this. I've been trying to think of how to make it work. I think I would have to raise the truck up beyond stock ride height about 3"-4", drop the leg's, unhook, then deflate.

1. I'm wondering if it would hurt the truck suspension to be raised that much.

2. Will there be enough travel in the bag's to do that. Pacbrake did suggest that I get the 4x4 bag's for my 4x2 considering what I was using them for. All though theyr'e rated the same, the 4x4's do have a little more travel.


With jfaulkner's design, there is nothing run inside the cab. I assume there's no way no manually inflate/deflate.

3. Could I put a manual switch somewhere at the rear of the truck.


4. If I use the leveling valve, can the bag's be aired up seperatly. If I have to choose from the leveling valve and the ability to use the bag's to drop the trailer, I'll skip the valve. But it sure would be sweet to have it all.

I'm guessing if I want to use this to drop the trailer, I'll need to use a fairly large compressor and tank, since the demand for air will be alot all at once.

5. How big of a tank will I need. I'm thinking 5gal. How big of a compressor. What do you guy's think.

Again, I don't have anything yet, so this is all in my head, and I've never dealt with anything like this before. So, forgive if I'm asking dumb question's. I'm sure I will see thing's more clearly once I start putting it together.

BarryG

I used an extremeaire compressor
http://www.extremeoutback.com/index....47.3288&pid=30

I then mounted my tank under the bed above the driveshaft from the bed crossmember. Using a couple pieces of barstock I had laying around above the crossmember with bolts to the tank, did not have to drill the crossmember just sandwiched the crossmember. I mounted the compressor off the framerail, pass side, under the bed in front of the rear wheel directly behind the cab. I used the holes that were already predrilled there for whatever reason from the factory. Had those not been there I would have gone to Home Depot etc got some 1 inch square tubing with all the holes drilled in it. Mounted my compressor to 2 pieces, then took two other pieces on the other side of the frame and bolted them together like a frame sandwhich above and below the frame. I also used some rubber between the bars and the frame to cut down on noise transference. The rubber came in 1sf piece out the plumbing dept at home depot. I placed it so that the compressor sat as high as possible up under the bed. I then fabbed a box out of some scrap sheet metal and diamondplate I had lieing around the garage. The box was fairly easy to make. It will not win any coolest design awards or anything but it works and no one can see it anyway. I just cut the pieces to size then bent them in my vise one for each side. I also drilled some 1/2 inch hole sin it for some airflow when it is running not sure of they are really neede or not. Screwed them together on the truck. I have to take them off/on in a certain order so that I can get to the screws but all in all it takes less than 15 minutes to get the box and compressor off. Not that you need to do that often at all, I sometmes take the box off enough so that I can get to the filter and clean it.

Cant help you on the airbags. I also ran a line to my air horn and a quick connect line to the bumper for easy access. It sure is nice being able to air up the tires after airing them down being on rough road or 4wheeling, trailer tires, filling the float tube for fishing or whatever else.

Deaver

I too am designing my On-Board Air System and am not much further along than you. I am in the process of adding a Pac Brake. I have Firestone Ride-Rites that I currently fill with a Schrader valve on the rear of my 3500. I carry a ~3000 Lbs Truck Camper and a Car Hauler with a Jeep on board.

A couple of points to consider

Air Bags do not require a lot of volume however do require pressure. I run 60 LBS in my bags to level my configuration when fully loaded. I use the Kilby on-board air system mounted on my Jeep to fill or re-fill my bags when needed. A Bicycle pump will also work as we are not talking a lot of volume. As part of my new “System” I wish to be completely self sufficient

Compressor: I am looking for a 100% duty cycle compressor. The one included with the Pac Brake “Kit” is only 25% as I understand it. It is a smaller series ViaAir. ViaAir also makes a 100% unit being the Model 450C. The 450C also has a higher CFM Rating. The ExtremeAire is also a candidate worth considering. I am also considering the Kilby System (If I get a Green light from the Minister of Finance )

Tank Size: Keep in mind when filling a tank you need to consider recovery time to fill. A Tank can be over sized quite easily if the compressor in front of it is not up to the tasks at hand. You have to consider what kind of pressure you need to maintain for a given use and is the use a constant draw or a static demand. Air bags for example you basically fill once and they stay there or until the next time you need to adjust. A PacBrake is more of a constant draw verses the Air Bags. Refilling Tires is much like the Air Bags but obviously require more volume. Using an Impact Gun is certainly an constant draw. The tank included with the standard Pac Brake kit is 1/2 Gallon by the looks of it. Again quick recovery verses volume

I have decided on 2.5 Gallon tank as most of my intended uses are more pressure related and I am looking for a quicker recovery time and it should be easier to “Hide” in terms of mounting

I am not familiar with the use of a leveling valve but intend to look into it.

I am still deciding where to mount the individual components so I can’t provide my final thoughts. You need to consider the environmental effects on the compressor as part of your consideration. Can it stand the elements? Otherwise, set some room aside under the hood or other safe place

These indeed may not be answers for you but these are the considerations I am pondering

Bad Ramer Jamer

Well here's some thing's for you to ponder. Check out the remote stuff. I may have to rethink everything.

http://www.truckspring.com/air-systems_365.html

Deaver

I looked into their stuff earlier. I don't think they offer all of the components for my total applications. The remote items are cool, but not needed in my case. I only adjust my airbags when loaded up and don't really have a need to change the pressure "on-the-fly" as you may need to. Their compressors are not 100% duty cycle which I feel I need (want)

They may indeed have some options for you.

Take a look at Firestone's catalog (Not dial-up friendly)

Click Here

Thanks for the thought though

Harold-Pacbrake

Depending on your requirements Pacbrake offers 100% duty cycle compressors and larger tanks. http://www.pacbrake.com/index.php?pa...ir-accessories

Jfaulkner

If you want to manually inflate or deflate the bags you can either buy a leveling valve with a manual dump. (which uses an air switch to activate it) Which is what comes OEM on just about every air ride semi tractor. Or use an electric solenoid valve and run a wire to a switch. Which is what I use as the rear axle dump valve on spread axle semi trailers to drastically improve maneuverability, and on air lift axles. They're anywhere from $40.00 to $150.00 depending on orifice size. As far as tank size I went with 5gal due to the size and mounting location, however the other truck I did this same setup on I only used a 2gal tank because he wanted to keep the spare tire. I mounted the tank on the outside of the frame just in front of the rear axle, drivers side. It all depends on what your planning on doing with it. Your not going to run air tools with it unless you go with an engine mounted compressor. But you can fill tires or use a blow gun with my setup but I've never seen a 12v compressor that is going to keep up with an impact.
I went with this setup because I know it works. Its on just about every semi on the road, so why not a pickup. That and I don't want to screw with anything. Some people like the air gauges and switches and separate right and left bag pressures, but I just want to hook and go. I can hook up any trailer, load it and go. No air hoses, no checking to see if it's level, no deflating bags when unloading. Simple is better, it doesn't matter if I put 50lbs on the trailer (or in the bed) or 10,000lbs. It always rides level and returns to level when unloaded, completely automatic.

bigdave

I really like the looks of those remote kits for their simplicity if nothing else. I would never use a leveling valve on this type of application where your load is always changing and so are the road conditions which makes it nice to be able to adjust pressures. I have also had loads on my truck that the bags would never be able to level because of their geometery with the suspension and the size of the bags. Remember, big trucks use leveling valves to maintain a very close ride height because of the drivelines involved with tandem drivers. When they use air bags with a leveling valve it allows the truck to ride decent with light loads unlike a spring ride truck does.

Bad Ramer Jamer

I'm confused. Are you saying use a leveling valve, or don't use one.

I guess what I need to decide next is weather or not to fill the bag's together, or seperate. TJ from Pacbrake think's since I have a gooseneck, I would be ok with filling them together. What's your guy's thought's.

Russ Roth

The older semis used to run separate fill and leveling valves but they have not done that for years. I guess that might be why some of them used to lay over so much in a corner.
Some guys fill them separately but I never could see a good reason to do that. I have bags on my '67 PW and fill with one valve and it works very well for me.

TAS

20# CO2 tank is my on board air set up. 4x4rockshop.com's where i got it from. Mainly for my jeep but it works for the truck as well.

bigdave

I'm saying you don't need a leveling valve and you would be fine to fill both bags together, sorry if I confused you.

Bad Ramer Jamer

Ya,,,thank's for clearing that up. I guess I'm easily confussed these day's.

I'm going to skip the leveling valve. I talked to Lance at Viair. He's the head of R&D. He said all's I need is the constant duty kit, wich has 1 450c compressor. He said anything with 2 compressor's is over kill. I could spend the extra money if I really wanted, but here's what recomended.

http://viaircorp.com/10007.html

Now I have to decide on a fill and dump valve. I think I may still want to air up seperatly just for one reason. I read on the site somewhere that a guy put a little more air in one side to allow for the crown in the road. Believe me,,,my truck really suffer's from this.

What are you guy's thought's on either the electric selonoid's, or the pnuematic valve's. What's the pro's and con's to each. Best I can figure the air is about $100 cheaper. Any thought's. Here's the one I'm thinking of.

http://www.pacbrake.com/files/produc...it-picture.jpg