National Air Ride Seat Install.......

[mwilson]

If I don't get this thread underway another week will pass ..... so it begins..

Only a few pictures to get started but every journey starts with a single step, a fuzzy picture or something like that......

I am still awaiting the console bracket kit, finally got the issue resolved and National is supposed to ship me the correct part today at no charge....I remain skeptical where three weeks have elapsed but we shall see.

I have done the install in stages but will attempt to place these steps in a logical order rather than the maniacal way I had to do it as a result of limited time and having to help get the Dealership ready for an open house tomorrow.....do as I say, not as I did.....

 

[mwilson]

So the first thing I SHOULD have done was deal with getting the air into the cab. I have driven the truck around for a week without any air in the bags and that really does not showcase the seats in any fashion.....

Last night the stars and moon lined up long enough for me to get a bay for the evening. So after traipsing the length of the building just about 17 times I produced a 1" hole saw,, more 1/4" air line, brass fittings and last but not least a Bulkhead fitting. I appreciate the use of a bay but it is frustrating when the majority of my tools are 63 miles away and the whole evening turns into an Easter Egg Hunt just to find the simplest things...

Bulkhead Fitting.....

This is what it will be when assembled down through the floor. I may find some 1/4" Synflex to 3/8" pipe thread 90 degree fittings so to eliminate the bushings...couldn't find any of those here last night and I was going to have air regardless...

Gathered up my courage, measured about 10 times and then drilled a 1" hole up through my floorboard. Trimmed the foam and black insulation that is under the rug and cut a 1" circle in the carpet itself with a utility knife. As you can see it placed the top of the bulkhead fitting flush with the carpet plus shows no cut edges.....That's what I was looking for...

This is the assembled fitting and air line topside. Fits nicely under the left side seat adapter and it's out of the way. You have to get at eye level to see it now and once my Maglight goes back in place it will not show at all. To get at it just remove the four seat mounting bolts and slide the seat assembly ahead. Easy Peezy...

 

[BigPapa]

I figured you for some of the DOT Push-in fittings, Mike.

 

[mwilson]

I have a bunch of the plastic push-in fittings in stock but in 3/8", 1/2" and 5/8" sizes. Didn't have squat for 1/4".....

I may change them out later on, still a work in progress for sure...

 

[BigPapa]

We use a lot of 1/4" on the buses. Air door, seats, stop signs, crossing arms, etc.

 

[mwilson]

And the most frustrating part is that I am ultimately responsible for all purchasing and stock levels so if there wasn't a particular fitting on hand I can only kick my own a** as a result.........and yes, that was mentioned several times today by the pundits manning the parts counters out front....

 

[Wayne M.]

I figured you for some of the DOT Push-in fittings, Mike.

That's funny right there! :-laf
Those look DOT - definetly not Home Depot stuff.

 

[Wayne M.]

I'm wondering, for those who don't have any on board air (like me), what's the possibility of using a small Co2 bottle with a regulator?

 

[mwilson]

I think he meant the DOT approved plastic fittings rather than the DOT brass fittings....new trucks as you know are covered with the plastic ones now. The beauty of them is you can slide the collar and release the line instead of grabbing a wrench...

 

[mwilson]

I'm wondering, for those who don't have any on board air (like me), what's the possibility of using a small Co2 bottle with a regulator?

I don't think so, my experience so far is that they take quite a bit of air to get you to ride height. Granted with no leaks the seats will stay up but if you get to messing with the lumbar and such I don't believe a tank of air would last long....

 

[mwilson]

Ok, now removal of the old seats. We all know that four nuts holds the seats to the factory bases. I've had mine out a dozen times that way. So got those off and out of the way...



Passenger side removed..

Drivers side removed..

 

[mwilson]

Now something I had not considered was the power seat electrical. There is a connector right under the front of the seat track which unplugs BUT the harness also contains the wires for the seat belt latch switch and the power for the console...both of which I wanted to retain...


I will come back to that later on.

 

[mwilson]

So now to remove the rest of it....the console sets close to the floor and my fat hands are not going to fit in order to reach the mounting nuts. Remember this is a Megacab so I have ductwork under there and vent grilles in the rear. So after careful study I removed the rear vent facia and slid the plastic duct connector under the front tray. It is designed to do that. Removed the eight seat track mounting bolts and tipped the whole works back into the rear floor boards. Then I removed the console nuts and left the console standing upright. Still there right now....







Ductwork retracted...

Console and seat bases tipped back...

 

[Motorhead]

I'm wondering, for those who don't have any on board air (like me), what's the possibility of using a small Co2 bottle with a regulator?

Some of the seat manufacturers have an option of a small compressor that air powers the seat. Knoedler does.
Nice write up so far M Wilson.
I spent a half an hour on the phone today with a real knowledgeable person at Knoedler seat in Canada. She sent me a bunch of info and drawings.

 

[Wayne M.]

I think he meant the DOT approved plastic fittings rather than the DOT brass fittings....new trucks as you know are covered with the plastic ones now. The beauty of them is you can slide the collar and release the line instead of grabbing a wrench...

Yes we have em brass (Parker) but I'm sure plastic fits into the bridge formula.

 

[BigPapa]

Talking about these:

 

[mwilson]

Now I was able to easily remove the console to seat bracket nuts and take both L & R seat bases out of the truck. Left the console right where it landed on it's backside...




Console still sitting there right now....no brackets yet, remember....#@$%!

Man, do I miss my cup holder...

Right side seat bracket out on floor.....

 

[mwilson]

Now that I have absolutely no place to sit why not tear my brand spanking new leather seats apart to add the heat pads....Sounds like a great idea.....Why not......

 

[Motorhead]

Mike, Membership requirements for this site DIDN'T ask if we were "SANE!"

 

[RBridenbaugh]

McMaster Carr has a wide selection of Low-Temperature/High-Pressure D.O.T. Push-to-Connect Tube Fittings for Air in 1/4" tubing sizes.

Among them is a "Through-Wall Straight Connector, Tube-to-Tube" (aka bulkhead connector) that I used to route my PacBrake air supply into cab under the drivers seat to the dual air bag control that I mounted under the seat frame and then lead the air lines back out and into the air bags on the rear axle.

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