# piecing together your air-ride vs. pre-made kit



## formerly vr6 karl (Jan 26, 2003)

ive been looking on ebay, cruising the auctions piecing together a kit for myself but im not too sure on what exactly i need
obviously a compressor, tank, fittings, guages, the bags and shocks.....i have access to a tig and can weld bracket onto the shocks.
i guess the question would be, is it gonna be cost effective to piece it together on my own or just buy a kit and not have to worry about the fab part?

i got my eye on a 
pancake tank (8 ports/4 gal)
viair 480c compressor
koni struts/shocks
i dont know what brand bag to go for?

i seen this plug and play air management from chassis tech
all i would need is lines and the bags and tank after this??








_Modified by formerly vr6 karl at 12:57 PM 2-9-2008_

_Modified by formerly vr6 karl at 1:15 PM 2-9-2008_


_Modified by formerly vr6 karl at 3:08 PM 2-9-2008_


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## quagmeyer (Feb 7, 2008)

*Re: piecing together your air-ride vs. pre-made kit (formerly vr6 karl)*

well o nthe plug n play unit I asked kevin from AAC about them and he said they were junk. I am new to the air ride scene myself so I am trying to get all the info I can before I commit.


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## formerly vr6 karl (Jan 26, 2003)

*Re: piecing together your air-ride vs. pre-made kit (quagmeyer)*

me too.....why would this be considered junk?


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## [email protected] (Jan 26, 2006)

*Re: piecing together your air-ride vs. pre-made kit (quagmeyer)*


_Quote, originally posted by *quagmeyer* »_well o nthe plug n play unit I asked kevin from AAC about them and he said they were junk. I am new to the air ride scene myself so I am trying to get all the info I can before I commit.









did I say that. LOL.
Honestly not for everyone. but there is a market for it considering the biggest names all have them now. But honestly there not going to make everyone happy.


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## formerly vr6 karl (Jan 26, 2003)

*Re: piecing together your air-ride vs. pre-made kit ([email protected])*

id like to get all the air managment stuff so that it fits into the spare without making a false floor....i dunno if im living a fantasy. kevin, what are the pros/cons to a kit like the one i posted


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## [email protected] (Jan 26, 2006)

*Re: piecing together your air-ride vs. pre-made kit (formerly vr6 karl)*

Chassis tech is the dollar store of air ride. Its low quality parts. Do some searches on there products and service and see what comes up.
You can build a small economical set up, to fit in your wheel well. but buy parts that will last. Price isnt the be-all in decission making. 


_Modified by [email protected] at 8:46 PM 2-9-2008_


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## formerly vr6 karl (Jan 26, 2003)

*Re: piecing together your air-ride vs. pre-made kit ([email protected])*

oh i totally understand.... ill spend the extra $$ on something thats quality. what names should i be looking for? in terms of fittings and other components


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## [email protected] (Jan 26, 2006)

*Re: piecing together your air-ride vs. pre-made kit ([email protected])*

http://www.fullsizechevy.com/f....html
You can serch google chassis tech sucks, Aim sucks, **** chassis tech, etc.


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## Capt. Obvious (Oct 23, 2006)

*Re: piecing together your air-ride vs. pre-made kit ([email protected])*

Chassis Tech is the Wal-Mart of air suspension.


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## Susannah (Apr 28, 2005)

Talk to Joel at Eurojet, awesome guy. I got my bags shocks, tank and compressor from him inluding shipping for 1350 ish. (CND)
if you're doing front back side to side you'll want a manifold which you can get from streetbeatcustoms.com, a water trap, either 1/4 or 1/8 lines and the appropriate fittings, a digital air monitor (I choose Dakota Digital) and a switch box (again depending on if your going FBSS you'll need more switches. 
The size of the tank also depends on if you'll need two compressors, if you get a 5 G tank you may want 2 Viar 450's. I opted for the cheaper route one 3 gallon and one viar 480 compressor.
If you choose to hide everything in your spare wheel well (compressors can be noisy) you're going to want some sound deadening material as well.
Hope this helps.
P.S if you get a digital air monitor you don't need gauges which = less lines to run









P.S.S: Kevin you should be seeing me in the next couple of weeks to order some stuff from you, I'm the girl with the silver GTI








:thumbup" for ACC!


_Modified by Silver Snail at 6:04 AM 2-10-2008_


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## LAYINLOW (Sep 17, 2006)

*Re: (Silver Snail)*

the best thing you can do when it comes to buying an airride kit..is build it yourself....check all the truck websites, fbimini.com, suicidedoors.com, search around, there are so many out there it is ridiculous and as far as lines and tanks go, remember if you are only going to use the airride when you are stopped to drop the car a small tank is fine. But if you want to play with it at ALL, you are going to need a bigger tank then a 5 gal. If you run too small of line and you feel the car raises and lowers too slow you can try to bump the lines up to speed it up but, this will also cost you more money to upgrade. If you run bigger lines and valves and feel it is too fast you can always slow it down. The thing with airride is people tend to but things that companies sell and they in return are disappointed... search around before you buy anything i saved about 100 bucks just searching a couple places before i baught my valves, air line, pressure switches, watertraps...things like that


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## formerly vr6 karl (Jan 26, 2003)

*Re: (LAYINLOW)*

yeah, i know what shock/bag combo i want to go with and know the tank id like to use. i gotta go research the compressors....i only want a system that raises/lowers and thats it----no fancy stuff.


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## Santi (Mar 26, 2004)

*Re: (formerly vr6 karl)*

when i started my air ride kit was a chassis tech kit, it was used and not very good quality jsut by looks. 
I've changed everything on the kit besides the front struts. I plan on doing changing that too for custom shocks and UVAIR bags, but that'll be later. 
Pieceing a kit together is not hard as long as you know how air ride works, a lot of people dont even understand how it works and expect to wire up a kit and think it'll work 100% perfect. Which usually doesnt happen, there is leaks and lil' stuff, but its easily fixable. 
All bolt on kits dont go low enough, they usually use dampening adjustable struts that dont allow that, and their bag brackets are too high up cus they think people are gonna run them on stock wheels, or idk.. ask the people that make it. 
If its bolt i'd say go w/ HPS or Mason tech. But your gonna pay big $$$
If not piece a kit together, [email protected] has a lot of the things you need, if not everything. 
I'm running viair compressors, SS tank, SMC valves, FBI digi gauge, EAS switch box, uvair rear bags, chassis tech front struts. 
Is not about money, but about functinality. and you should be able to hide eveyrhting in the spare tire well. if anything the compressor can go in the tool/emergency kit compartment.


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## vw-supreme (Jul 10, 2003)

*Re: piecing together your air-ride vs. pre-made kit (formerly vr6 karl)*

i have heard many times that the Viar 480 kompressor is the best for normal using.. wich valves and lines you prefer for a normal using at a MK2 Golf?? i will used these system only for parking and sometimes driving in the summer for events. not for jumping... here in germany they told me that the 480 Viar Kompressor, a 11,5l tank is the popular setup.. but the other is nothing told about... many create his own setup with several dealers and parts.. but what is the best to use?? i cant find any informations from guys or sites... the prices are expensive in germany for a stupid analog setup... ;-///


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## Santi (Mar 26, 2004)

*Re: piecing together your air-ride vs. pre-made kit (vw-supreme)*

Viair compressors are good quality, 480s are plenty for a 3 gallon tank (11.5l). SMC valves are awesome, very popular and very good quality. 
Air wont make you jump, unless your running 1/2" lines which are HUGE. I wouldnt run anything bigger than 3/8s. 
Making your own set-up is the easiest and cheapest way to go. 
-480 compressor
-3/8s air lines
-3/8's SMC Valves
-11.5l tank
I dont know for gauges and switches you want to use. Idk what europe has in that department.


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## vw-supreme (Jul 10, 2003)

@santi
i still interested in the digital gauges and should i use switches too for that?? i dont have seen any digi gauges live in aktion or something like that.. 
you told me, "making your own Setup" what do you mean directly?? is it cheaper to buy and collect all these seperatly??
how many or how long of the air lines i must use?? (need) and how many SMC valves i must use? i´m very pleased about help in all the way.. i´m a big fan of it and a newbe...
here in europe only the analog gauges and switches mostly to use... i dont have seen here any digital gauges...


_Modified by vw-supreme at 6:53 PM 2-11-2008_


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## Santi (Mar 26, 2004)

*Re: (vw-supreme)*


_Quote, originally posted by *vw-supreme* »_@santi
you told me, "making your own Setup" what do you mean directly?? is it cheaper to buy and collect all these seperatly??


by making your own kit, i mean put it together, piece by piece. Try FBI Rides, or Dakota digital for digital gauge. and switch box will be separate. unlike an auto pilot like easystreet. 
Switch Box in ebay to give you an idea (click me)
Digital Gauge (click me)


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## vw-supreme (Jul 10, 2003)

ah here in germany we have a Funk switchbox.. and several switches at the dash for manual controlling.. but we dont have here a digital gauges to see and control the pressures... mmh ok, i have understand you words.. some parts are cheaper to get at several dealers right?







what do you think how many i must use of all for a complete setup?? any ideas? 
i have read at some sites: 
a 450c Viar kompressor makes 180PSI
a 380c Viar makes 200PSI
?? these i dont understand....makes me courios...


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## Santi (Mar 26, 2004)

*Re: (vw-supreme)*


_Quote, originally posted by *vw-supreme* »_some parts are cheaper to get at several dealers right?







* what do you think how many i must use of all for a complete setup??* any ideas? 
i have read at some sites: 
a 450c Viar kompressor makes 180PSI
a 380c Viar makes 200PSI
?? these i dont understand....makes me courios...

How many what?? 
and yeah it'll be cheaper to search and find a cheap part from different places than one place, but if you buy a lot from one place they might give you a discount.


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## Shurls (Jan 25, 2005)

*Re: (Santi)*

I used Chassistech, never had any issues. I used 1/2 line as well. This was before they offered the air management kit's. 
It handled like **** on air, and every single MKIV I have ridden in that was on air handled like ****. It was comfy for cruising though. 
Here: 








































































Never had any part failures, and with the Bonrath drop Strut Bushings, the subframe was on the ground. It was a good kit, and only cost me $900. I just hated that it didn't handle like my Weitec Coilovers. I decided to remove it, sold the Kit for $1400, and bought my 18" Schmidt TH lines. Recently sold the MKIV, and since my MKII just has an 8V, I think I might install air on it, but I don't think I will unless I go with HPS. I rode in an HPS MKV, and it handled extremely well, only issue is it was only 1/4 line and took forever to drop and get to ride height. Slow kits suck. 
$900 got me front air stuts and rear bags and brackets, compressor, 8 valves and 2 manifolds, 5 gallon tank, all the line, fittings, wiring, and Computer monitor and Playstation controller, everything NEW. I became a dealer, and they were offering a set for all the new dealer's for the year. It was a one time only price. Retail was $2295. 

_Modified by Shurls at 10:27 PM 2-11-2008_


_Modified by Shurls at 7:34 AM 2-12-2008_


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## 98a4 (Sep 17, 2003)

^^ Looks like poop at drivng height. I hate what air'd car drop it parked then drive 4x4


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## Shurls (Jan 25, 2005)

*Re: (98a4)*

That's not driving height in the last picture that is just all the way up. You could drive it way lower than that.


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