Air Suspension specifications?

[DieselDan]

Hey guys,

I am working on building a setup for my car that will allow me to use a reservoir tank and a separate, larger vent solenoid. The way I currently have it is a brass T installed in a gutted spare air drier(this modified drier would be installed in place of the stock drier when the system is installed), one side has the solenoid that would open to allow air from the reservoir tank into the air drier, then distributed to the 4 bags. The other side of the T is a vent solenoid. I tapped the T into the very bottom of the drier to allow any moisture to fall to the bottom, and be vented by the vent solenoid. I have a tank for the trunk and a manifold made up that will show the amount of pressure in the tank, and the pressure after a regulator that is installed on the manifold. It would show air pressure system side. The manifold on the tank also has a fitting on it that would allow me to connect an air hose to fill a tire or fill the tank via shrader valve.

I have made a control box that allows manual control of the bag solenoids. An on/off switch for the computer, basically a remote trunk mounted switch. A switch that opens the vent solenoid, and a switch that has 2 positions. The switch is tapped from the compressor run power circuit. Position 1 will allow the compressor to function as normal. Position 2 will cause the fill solenoid for the reservoir tank to act as the compressor.

The system as a whole can function as it would normally, getting air solely from the compressor or reservoir tank. OR, operating manually, via the switches. Aside from manual control of the vehicle height, I want to use the compressor to maintain the pressure in the reservoir tank. I currently will operate that part manually, but plan to later install a electropneumatic switch that will kick the compressor on when the air tank pressure falls too low.

My questions are these:
Does anyone know what pressure the factory compressor can put out reliably, without straining it. Second question is, what is the system pressure when raising the car? I think I have heard 60psi before, but I do not know for sure. I will set the output pressure of the tank to whatever that pressure is, should make the car raise at the speed it normally would, because I have also read that if the car raises faster than it should, the car will fill/vent/fill/vent/fill/vent. Last question is, can air flow backwards through a regulator? I want to know, because if I use the compressor to replenish the tank, the air will need to flow backwards through my regulator. If it can't I will have to plumb a one-way check valve in parallel with the regulator.

Anyway, I may post pictures of what I have made, but I want to get the system working first. Thanks for any help anyone can provide!

 

[chris2523]

if i was going through all that, i would not use the factory pump. there are better aftermarket choices for that. especially trying to use it to fill a tank. i do not believe it is designed for extended run times. the cars computer only gives it 90 seconds. even leaky bags causing it to run off and on keeping the car up can burn them out.

i heard chickens car with dual pumps will over pump and then vent when its fills.

i also don't believe air will run backwards through a regulator.

sounds cool though. i have thought about a similar system for my car, i would use a small air compressor with a power inverter in my trunk. then run hose to where the compressor used to be, and install a solenoid. car commands pump power, opens solenoid, car air bags fill.

 

[unity]

Yup, much better compressor choices. I had planned to change compressors. I was going to trunk mount and use the stock lines. Just reverse them. All in all, pretty easy to do. And being in the trunk would reduce noise/weathering issues.

 

[DieselDan]

Bumping for Friday night...

 

[ford nut]

I just put a schrader valve on my front bags and when the front is low....real low its at 60 psi. my tire gauge only goes to 60 psi so at ride height i am guessing it would be at 80 psi
under 100 psi because that is were my compressor in the garage is set at.
I also know that the stock compressor can put the car in 4X4 mode.

So yes the stock compressor can handle the psi...but it will fault out after 90 seconds which tells me it shouldn't run too long.

I am guessing as long as the tank you using is the same or less then the volume of all four bags combined the stock compressor will handle it.

The worst thing that would happen is you will burn it up and then you will have to go aftermarket for a compressor.

Just do yourself a favor and install a schrader valve and a 12 volt switch to open the solenoid at the bag.... so if something goes south you can pump up your bags.

 

[isaiah3g]

I would REALLY like to see some pics, this sounds like a neat setup. Sadly my little brain can't quite comprehend what your saying...