Post by socal1200r on Feb 15, 2010 16:35:00 GMT -5
I know I mentioned this in some other threads in here, but figured now that they're on, I'll post some pics and general info. I ordered the kit thru "truckaddons.com", item # A13 59503, for around $185, which included shipping. It looks like they placed the order with Airlift, and their part number is 59503. Here's a pic of the kit:
The instructions were real easy to follow, and all the parts were there, so I was going to attempt the install myself. However, I couldn't break the lug nuts loose (no tire iron, just a 3/8" ratchet and 3/4" socket), so I decided to throw some business at a local Jeep shop. Good thing I did, because he had to cut the upper mounting bracket in order to clear a weld line on the frame. This pic was taken with my cell phone, so you'll have to excuse the quality. But it shows where he cut the bracket, just above the middle bolt hole, and you can barely see the weld line right above it:
Took him about an hour and a half to mount the bags, and I told him I'll take care of installing the air lines. So he got $90 for his labor, but the brackets are on there nice and tight, and the upper bracket is flush against the frame. So I got the MJ home, and worked on installing the air lines. I noticed there were two holes on each side at the back, one under the bumper, and another pretty close to it, that I could route the air lines through, and mount the air valve. I stopped at Lowe's and got some rubber grommets to put on these holes, to prevent the metal from wearing a hole in the air lines. The grommets are 5/8 OD x 5/16 ID, and the air line and air valve fits perfect thru them. I sprayed the grommets with ArmorAll, to make the install go easier. The air valves are towards the outer edge of the bumper, on the inside, so they should be out of harm’s way:
Here are some pics of the airbags from the inside. The air inlet at the top of the bag had to point towards the front, because of the bump stop on the frame. So I ran the airline under the bed, and in front of the bag, then looped it back towards the top of the airbag. I used some zip ties to keep the airline on the passenger side away from the exhaust, and on the driver side, just zip tied it to the wiring harness that was already there:
Once the airlines were installed, I had to inflate them to 10psi, and check the alignment of the bottom of the bags, to make sure they were centered on the leaf springs. After they were centered, all I had to do was tighten the bolt under the bag and that was it. It was interesting airing them up, because they jumped right up when I first put air in them, and when I checked the pressure, they were around 25 psi, so I deflated them down to around 10 psi, and they dropped right down. The instructions say to keep a minimum of 10 psi in them, and no more than 100 psi.
I bought a portable 12V compressor from Harbor Freight to use on these bags (and the tires too), which I plan on keeping in the truck. Only problem is I might have to change out the hose end, because it has one of those thread-on valves, which I’m sure I’ll lose some air when I go to take it off the air valve. A regular tire chuck would be much better, so we’ll see. Apparently, this portable compressor works this way: keep the engine running, plug it into the cigarette lighter, screw the end onto the air valve, THEN turn it on and watch the pressure gauge. Unless the end is screwed into something, when you turn it on, air will just run out the end:
So there you have it. This airbag helper kit should come in handy should I haul or tow anything heavy, and will keep the back end from sagging. The placement of the air valves will make them easy to get to, and by keeping them separate, I won’t have to worry about air shifting from one bag to the other under load. I was going to put both air lines into a single air valve, but was convinced to keep the air lines separate. So the only other parts I had to get were the 4 rubber grommets from Lowe’s, which cost $2. I’ll take it for a test drive later, and see if the bags make the truck ride any differently…
Oh, one other thing, the bags are mounted in FRONT of the axle, because of the shocks and e-brake cables behind the axle.
The instructions were real easy to follow, and all the parts were there, so I was going to attempt the install myself. However, I couldn't break the lug nuts loose (no tire iron, just a 3/8" ratchet and 3/4" socket), so I decided to throw some business at a local Jeep shop. Good thing I did, because he had to cut the upper mounting bracket in order to clear a weld line on the frame. This pic was taken with my cell phone, so you'll have to excuse the quality. But it shows where he cut the bracket, just above the middle bolt hole, and you can barely see the weld line right above it:
Took him about an hour and a half to mount the bags, and I told him I'll take care of installing the air lines. So he got $90 for his labor, but the brackets are on there nice and tight, and the upper bracket is flush against the frame. So I got the MJ home, and worked on installing the air lines. I noticed there were two holes on each side at the back, one under the bumper, and another pretty close to it, that I could route the air lines through, and mount the air valve. I stopped at Lowe's and got some rubber grommets to put on these holes, to prevent the metal from wearing a hole in the air lines. The grommets are 5/8 OD x 5/16 ID, and the air line and air valve fits perfect thru them. I sprayed the grommets with ArmorAll, to make the install go easier. The air valves are towards the outer edge of the bumper, on the inside, so they should be out of harm’s way:
Here are some pics of the airbags from the inside. The air inlet at the top of the bag had to point towards the front, because of the bump stop on the frame. So I ran the airline under the bed, and in front of the bag, then looped it back towards the top of the airbag. I used some zip ties to keep the airline on the passenger side away from the exhaust, and on the driver side, just zip tied it to the wiring harness that was already there:
Once the airlines were installed, I had to inflate them to 10psi, and check the alignment of the bottom of the bags, to make sure they were centered on the leaf springs. After they were centered, all I had to do was tighten the bolt under the bag and that was it. It was interesting airing them up, because they jumped right up when I first put air in them, and when I checked the pressure, they were around 25 psi, so I deflated them down to around 10 psi, and they dropped right down. The instructions say to keep a minimum of 10 psi in them, and no more than 100 psi.
I bought a portable 12V compressor from Harbor Freight to use on these bags (and the tires too), which I plan on keeping in the truck. Only problem is I might have to change out the hose end, because it has one of those thread-on valves, which I’m sure I’ll lose some air when I go to take it off the air valve. A regular tire chuck would be much better, so we’ll see. Apparently, this portable compressor works this way: keep the engine running, plug it into the cigarette lighter, screw the end onto the air valve, THEN turn it on and watch the pressure gauge. Unless the end is screwed into something, when you turn it on, air will just run out the end:
So there you have it. This airbag helper kit should come in handy should I haul or tow anything heavy, and will keep the back end from sagging. The placement of the air valves will make them easy to get to, and by keeping them separate, I won’t have to worry about air shifting from one bag to the other under load. I was going to put both air lines into a single air valve, but was convinced to keep the air lines separate. So the only other parts I had to get were the 4 rubber grommets from Lowe’s, which cost $2. I’ll take it for a test drive later, and see if the bags make the truck ride any differently…
Oh, one other thing, the bags are mounted in FRONT of the axle, because of the shocks and e-brake cables behind the axle.
