T-valve for airbag helper kit

[socal1200r]

Just got the Airlift airbag helper kit for my MJ. It didn't come with a T-valve, so I could air up both bags at the same time. I went to a local auto parts store, Lowe's, and Home Depot, no luck. The lines are marked "1/4 OD", if that helps any. Does anyone know of a place that might have a Schrader T-valve for these air lines, or am I going to have to air them up one at a time?

 

[DJM/78]

HVAC plumbing and supply shops or Professional body and paint supply stores carry all kinds of connections for high pressure

fittings and valves . T-connectors and shut offs as well .

[socal1200r]

Found a suitable part on Napa's website (MBI 11053), but it doesn't have a Shrader valve. None of the Napa stores around here has one in stock, so they referred me to a fleet supply place. They had them in stock, with the push-lock fittings, so it looks like I'll be using one of those.

 

I could make it work though, in that I'd have to cut one of the Shrader valves off, leaving a few inches of airline on the other end, so I could attach it to the bottom of the "T", put the Shrader valve thru a hole in the bumper, and that will be my single source of air for the bags. Then cut the other Shrader valve off the other line, and then I'll have two airlines with open ends. The airbag ends have those push-lock fittings, and this fleet supply "T" has the push-lock fittings as well, so I should be good to go.

 

The Napa part was $5, but wasn't push-lock. The fleet supply part is $8, with push-lock fittings, so besides having them in stock, the push-lock fittings on both ends should be pretty easy to do. I'm going to try and get this part on Mon, and get the airbag kit installed sometime next week. Once I do, I'll get some pics and post them.

[HOrnbrod]

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380191489289

[socal1200r]

If that T fitting had a Shrader valve at the bottom, with the two "arms" being push-lock fittings, that would be EXACTLY what I'm looking for. But so far, the only thing I've found is a T fitting just like that one, with the three push-lock fittings...

[Wildman]

I know what your think on this, but the problem with making one source for filling the air bags is that when you do that, say, going around a curve, the air from one bag will shift to the other bag, making the pressure 'unbalanced' That's why there is a separate fill for each bag, to keep the pressure to that one bag stable, on each side.

 

If you have a sizable load on the truck, when the truck is sitting on unequal ground, the lower side will have less support (pressure) and the high side will be over pressurized.

[socal1200r]

That might make sense in theory, but I've never heard of such a thing in real life, as far as the air passing from side to side, depending on the load or terrain. Anyone else want to chime in on this?

[HOrnbrod]

I agree with the Wildman. The air volume is fixed in the system. When you make a hard right turn say, the the centrifugal force will compress left bag, and the air will move over to the larger right bag, exactly what you don't want. You want the left bag compressing and the pressure trying to "push" the vehicle back upright, not lowering the pressure by going to the larger right side. All air bag/shock systems I've seen have separate fills for each side. Some guys even put a little more pressure in the left bag to compensate for the crown in the road.

[aemsee]

I had air shocks on my 71 Torino. With one fill for the pair. It did exactly what wildman said. And I wasn't really hauling stuff either :).

[HOrnbrod]

You could put check valves in each leg, or even inline ball valves, and have one fill. Open them up to air up both bags, then shut them off to segregate the system. :cheers:

[Wildman]

I had air shocks on my 71 Torino. With one fill for the pair. It did exactly what wildman said. And I wasn't really hauling stuff either :).

 

That's how I learned about air shocks with my '73 El camino, and Why it had separate fill valves :D

 

A check valve wouldn't work, because you would not be able to "deflate" the bags, But, a peacock would work, even for just one line, it would shut off the air supply between the two :brows:

[JeepcoMJ]

use a compression T of that size, and cut the schraeder end off of the lines, long enough to use that in the center of the T

 

easy.

[HOrnbrod]

A check valve wouldn't work, because you would not be able to "deflate" the bags, But, a peacock would work, even for just one line, it would shut off the air supply between the two :brows:

 

You could deflate them with an icepick? I stand corrected on the check valve Bob-man. Didn't think of the need to deflate them. :cheers:

[socal1200r]

use a compression T of that size, and cut the schraeder end off of the lines, long enough to use that in the center of the T, easy.

 

That's what I've been trying to say! The T has push-lock fittings on all three ends (two arms and the bottom). Cut the Shrader valves off the ends of the airlines, but leave enough on one of them to connect to the bottom of the T. This would be my single source of air for both bags. At that point I'd have two airlines with open ends at both ends. Put two open ends into the arms of the T, and the other open ends into the fittings at the airbags, and it's done. However, that won't negate this issue of air moving between the bags under load. Seems that the only EASY way to prevent this is to just have separate airlines for each bag. I'm not looking forward to having to air up and check two valves instead of one, but with how infrequently I expect to be needing them, it's a tradeoff I can live with, IF it will keep the air from moving from one bag to the other.

[Wildman]

 

I agree......it's not like you going to be airing up and deflating the air bags 3-4 times a day.......are you :dunno:

 

Once you set the bags in place, and pump them up to 10 pounds, you might not need any additional air until you add that huge load into the box, so the 'inconvenience of filling up each bag independently should not be a problem.

 

Plus, you have the option of adding additional pressure to one side, for like when one of your BIG friends rides with you :D

[jpdocdave]

how much was the kit?

[dasbulliwagen]

I like the idea of having a ball valve put in line with one of the bags. Turn the valve on, fill both bags to your desired pressure, then shut the valve off to prevent crossflow. One schrader to get equal pressure to both, and preventing crossflow, just see if your supply place has an inline pushlock valve, and you can just cut it in place! Easy!

[socal1200r]

how much was the kit?

 

I got the kit from here:

 

http://www.truckaddons.com/Catalog/subp ... ontrol.htm

 

It was $182, shipping included. One of the local 4WD accessory places was listed as a dealer for Airlift, and they've worked on an XJ I used to have, and they're the ones that installed the WJ LCAs on my MJ. I asked them for a price on this kit, and their price was almost double! Not sure why, maybe the one they were quoting me had an onboard air supply or something, that's the only justification I could see for their kit being $350.

 

I plan on buying a portable 12V compressor, and changing out the end to a regular tire chuck. I did a search on Amazon for a portable compressor, and none of the inexpensive ones I saw (under $50) had a tire chuck on the end. I have no desire to go all high tech and put an onboard compressor with a controller in the cab, so a portable compressor should work just fine, and keep the costs down.