Air Bag Control

[Matt400]

I ordered a set of PacBrake bags along with their paddle control switches, one to fill one to empty I guess is how it works, don't have em yet.

They do have a more high end control but its more than the bag kit is.

I am thinking I should have a gauge so I can fill while on the move.



Any ideas on adding one or using some other control with a gauge?

I don't need separate bag control.



Thinking I should just get one of these.

 

[JKloppe]

I would add the SRT pillar with a matching Ispro gauge. (from reading your link in your sig it looked like you only have overhead gauges) I used a 3 way solanoid valve to have tank and bag pressure on one gauge. I understand the FireStone gauge has two needles but it doesnt match the other gauges.



Its all about a factory clean look for me and thats why I took this route.

 

[Matt400]

Great idea!

I would add the SRT pillar with a matching Ispro gauge. (from reading your link in your sig it looked like you only have overhead gauges) I used a 3 way solanoid valve to have tank and bag pressure on one gauge. I understand the FireStone gauge has two needles but it doesnt match the other gauges.



Its all about a factory clean look for me and thats why I took this route.

Thats a great idea, how do you operate the bags?



Now that I found PB's accessory page I see what the order desk sold me is #10124 which probably functions the same way the Firestone control does except has independent left & right control switches & costs double.

This will need to have lines running into the cab. There HP10022 would have been a better choice leaving the lines outside the cab and operating both bags at the same time.



But at that price it seems you are pretty close to the Air Lift wireless control if you could just get the control without a pump??



With some more searching I also found an Automatic Load Sensor once set up just forget it as it airs up and down as needed.

 

[JKloppe]

I used Asco valves for up and down. I mounted the valves under the seat with push to connect bulkhead fittings to get air in, pressure out, and vent out. To energize solenoids I used two momentary buttons in the overhead console for up and down. I put my pricol optix 0-150 air gauge on the steering collum.





Plumbing lines in the cab is easy. Air lines are made to be in the elements. I like to keep extra wire in the cab.



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[wlowe]

I have the firestone airbags and I fill them manually. It's a pain because I have a slow leak on one side so I'm constantly digging out my compressor to fill them. I'm thinking about getting the controller kit shown in the links below. It's a new digital unit from Air Lift called Sureset. No air lines to run into the cab, it's all electronic with an LCD screen. Independent bag control and it automatically maintains the user selected pressure, plus it's programmed to maintain a minimum pressure of six psi. The cab control unit is small so it's easy to find a place to mount. I just wish they would sell the controller seperately so I could use a different compressor. Check it out:



Air Lift 25004 - Air Lift SureSet Digital Air Compressor Systems - summitracing.com



Air Lift Corp - On-Board Compressor Page\airlift7

 

[Matt400]

wlowe - What would be nice is a combination of the two. I could see times where I would not want the SmartAir trying to fill the bags. . example, you are set up in camp and want to fill an inflatable so need to turn the ignition on but the uneven ground your on has the wheel with the sensor tucked up. I could see the bags filling and changing trailer level.



I do like it though but would like to have a switch to shut the system off along with separate controls to manually fill & empty.

 

[wlowe]

wlowe - What would be nice is a combination of the two. I could see times where I would not want the SmartAir trying to fill the bags. . example, you are set up in camp and want to fill an inflatable so need to turn the ignition on but the uneven ground your on has the wheel with the sensor tucked up. I could see the bags filling and changing trailer level.



I do like it though but would like to have a switch to shut the system off along with separate controls to manually fill & empty.

Matt400, the system I'm referring to is the Sureset system which is not self-leveling like the SmartAir system. The Sureset system has separate bag controls plus it remembers the pressure setting and maintains it if a leak develops.



It would be nice to be able to incorporate an air tank into the system to fill inflatables without starting the truck. I'm not sure if the Sureset system can be plumbed with an air tank, I'll have to do some more research.

 

[Matt400]

the system I'm referring to is the Sureset system which is not self-leveling like the SmartAir system.

I don't find that on their site, maybe its old stock Summit is selling and has been replaced with this one. I wouldn't mind going that route if I could find it without the compressor, would even be better if they offered a lower cost 2 bag unit vs this 4 bag controller.

 

[ENafziger]

I don't have mine installed yet, but I went with the Dakota Digital readout. You can read up to 4 bag pressures and a tank pressure, and it uses sending units so you just run wires into the cab instead of air lines.

Well, and I didn't have room for any more gauges

Post pictures of your setup when you get it done!

--Eric

 

[Matt400]

The auto-level idea seemed good at first but I have an auto sliding hitch and I could see making sharp turns causing the bags to inflate & deflate as the trailer moves back and squats the truck.



I am trying get Air-Lift to give me a part number for the 72000 kit without a compressor.

So far they just said when you order from one of their vendors to ask for a 72000 without the compressor but that doesn't work cuz everyone I talk to wants a part number in order to quote a price.



The good news is its available that way just gotta find out how much it is and go from there. I have seen the 72000 with the pump online here for 340. 00 which is a good price but I don't want to buy a compressor if I don't have to.

 

[JKloppe]

Different pressures in the rear bags might be a bad idea?

 

[Matt400]

Just seems like wasted energy & equipment use with them changing for simple camping / parking maneuvers.

 

[Matt400]

JKloppe, thanks for sharing those pics and what you did. Looks like a nice clean job, like it all belongs.

air in, pressure out, and vent out

That confused me, why not one NC valve to let air pass from tank to bags & one NC valve to vent the bags?

 

[ENafziger]

That confused me, why not one NC valve to let air pass from tank to bags & one NC valve to vent the bags?

Some people will adamantly tell you that keeping the air stream separate to each bag greatly reduces sway... and others say it doesn't matter. I chose to keep mine separate.

--Eric

 

[JKloppe]

Matt400- I do have two normally closed valves, the third is a universal operation 3 way for two pressures on one gauge.



air in = supply

pressure out = fill bags

vent out = drain bags



Eric

The sway theory makes sense, never even thought about that.





I have not forgot those of you who have asked for part numbers, I will get them asap.

 

[Matt400]

Some people will adamantly tell you that keeping the air stream separate to each bag greatly reduces sway... and others say it doesn't matter. I chose to keep mine separate.



--Eric

True, I had just read that here in the plumbing notes. Makes sense in corners, you could get air transfer between bags.

 

[Matt400]

I used Asco valves for up and down.

Can I ask. . where did you source those from?

I may need to source just one that is normally closed for what I am working on. I have tried a few sites and see a ton of Asco valves but not ones that resemble what you have there.



The closest I found was this one but the voltage is wrong. I assume what you have there is 1/8" pipe in and out with 12vdc. The push fittings were sourced separate?



edit as an option I did find part number 5077T11 at McMaster-Carr that can be ordered in 12vdc for $51. 00 bucks and is stainless steel for all weather use to mount outside the cab.

 

[Matt400]

I used the AirLift wireless kit and installed a NC solenoid in place of the compressor since I have the PacBrake, all works good.

 

[wlowe]

The auto-level idea seemed good at first but I have an auto sliding hitch and I could see making sharp turns causing the bags to inflate & deflate as the trailer moves back and squats the truck.



I am trying get Air-Lift to give me a part number for the 72000 kit without a compressor.

So far they just said when you order from one of their vendors to ask for a 72000 without the compressor but that doesn't work cuz everyone I talk to wants a part number in order to quote a price.



The good news is its available that way just gotta find out how much it is and go from there. I have seen the 72000 with the pump online here for 340. 00 which is a good price but I don't want to buy a compressor if I don't have to.

Hey Matt400, did you get the Air lift 72000 kit without the compressor? If so, where did you get it and how much was it, part number?

Thanks,

Bill

 

[Matt400]

I tried but couldn't so sold the compressor on e-bay.