# Accu-aired MK4 Golf TDI with Rocker Switch



## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

Thought I would share a timeline on the build, hope it helps a few doing theirs :beer:

The car static: http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?5119765-I-won-t-lie









So here are the goals:

1- keep everything hidden
2- maximize usuable trunk space
3- Maximize compressor noise reduction with Accuair Exo Mount and insulation foam
4- Easily removable wood frame
5- minimize frame weight

The toys (still missing the rear strut and Accuair Exo compressor Mount)


























The build should take me a month ish, slow i know but I don't have much time with work nowadays 

progress today: trunk cleaned up / come up with a frame design (two vertical boards in the spare tire, one holding the air management and one for storage compartiment) / assemble first frame support piece with curve for the driver side compartment door

ps: I'll be getting a donut spare tire for long trips and drive without one in the city since I'm covered with BCAA


























Got everything laid down, storage compartiment at the bottom like i said earlier and air management above with the Sub Amp sandwiched in between the two


























Installed the rocker switch, not my favorite location but one of the few places where the cable can reach behind. I trimmed a little too much on the edges but it can barely be seen once the switch in place so i'm pretty satisfied


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## reynolds9000 (Oct 16, 2003)

and that, is the beauty of the rocker switch.:thumbup: 

looking forward to more updates.


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## fasttt600 (Apr 12, 2007)

the only thing I suggest is place the manual button someplace more convenient. From time to time, i just want to raise the front/or rear. and you have to hit the button to get it in manual mode. It might be a pain if you have to open your door and take the fuse cover off each time.

I like the location of the switch, and your layout of the truck.:thumbup::thumbup:


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## SuperBacon (May 8, 2006)

what's that on your steering wheel?


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## fasttt600 (Apr 12, 2007)

can't you tell, his steering wheel is working out with his ipod shuffle on.:laugh:


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

reynolds9000 said:


> and that, is the beauty of the rocker switch.:thumbup:
> 
> looking forward to more updates.


The rocker rocks, saved $200, girlfriend won't be confused, no need to look at it like the touchpad. It's just more time consuming to adjust corners but I will rarely do that anyway :beer:



fasttt600 said:


> the only thing I suggest is place the manual button someplace more convenient. From time to time, i just want to raise the front/or rear. and you have to hit the button to get it in manual mode. It might be a pain if you have to open your door and take the fuse cover off each time.
> 
> I like the location of the switch, and your layout of the truck.:thumbup::thumbup:


Thanks, I haven't mounted the manual button yet but I want it to be easily accessed of course, I'll find a good spot for it today 

That remote thingy control my Iphone charger, love that thing, no cable to mess with, plug the iphone and click play, done ! :thumbup::thumbup:

It's the Kensington LiquidAUX deluxe model


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## fasttt600 (Apr 12, 2007)

hopefully your using that shag carpet for the false floor.


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## euro.lo (Oct 19, 2010)

maybe it's just my work computer, but none of those pics are working for me.


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

fasttt600 said:


> hopefully your using that shag carpet for the false floor.


hell no lol, IKEA is for homes...not cars 

Pictures are hosted by dropbox, some companie block that website, try again at home :beer:


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

My metal screws were too small to mount the sensor properly so I just did a quick grinder cut for the aluminum (no rust) extension. Hopefully I can finish the sensors setup this week end....SLOW PROGRESS LOL 

ps: thx to those who posted sensor placement pics here: http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthre...s-of-AccuAir-levelers-install(hopefully-a-MKV)

I used a shorter FSB bolt purchased at home depot: the OEM spec is M10x50mm


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## OffLineR (Oct 19, 2010)

After it gets some dirt that'll look oem.
Great job :thumbup:


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

Got the Passenger side sensor done today. I decided to mount it a bit closer to the front to avoid contact with the future notched frame hole


















Here how the sensor is fully extended and fully compressed on Raceland coilover, Hopefully the Airlift XL doesn't extend more or I'll have to cut a longer aluminum bar









I had to mount the sensor arm backward to increase the tire/sensor gap when the wheel was fully turned left.


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## Humungousbacon (Jan 26, 2009)

Subscribed opcorn: :beer:


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## OffLineR (Oct 19, 2010)

Looking great :thumbup:


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## MrMark4 GLi (Jul 26, 2010)

Bump


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

Waiting for the last shipment, hopefully next week eace:

ps: if i'm not lazy, i'll finish the air lines and sensors this week end :facepalm:


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## euro-mutt (Apr 29, 2010)

subscribed :thumbup: need all the insight i can get :laugh:


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## zrace07 (Jul 26, 2007)

Good stuff man, great progress.


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## Señor BigJuts (May 19, 2005)

subscribed, so far looking good, very clean .


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## Ben from RI (Jun 5, 2009)

in for more


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## [email protected] (Feb 19, 2010)

Nice work Mathieu,

Did you get my email about manual calibration?


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

Thx guys, coming along nicely, received the LOCTITE 545 yesterday, woot

Got your email Will, I'll do a manual adjustment, using the automatic feature might damage a tire/fender/axle i think, agreed :beer:


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## jimothy cricket (Jul 9, 2008)

great build so far :thumbup:


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## Jetta11J (Feb 20, 2005)

awesome shots on this build!! keep up the good work!


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

Driver side done, I kept the sensor closer to the center this time to prevent tire/sensor damage when turning


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

Since i've got no welding skills nor tools, I've decided to tap the hole (tap size 5/16-18 NC with 1/4" drill bit) 

Added some thread locker and black adhesive sealant, that thing won't come off now :thumbup: 

last shipment due next week, woot :beer:


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

Trimmed the fender liner (a little too high as shown below). I used two washers to keep the sensor mounting base flat. Pictured below is the suspension fully extended and fully compressed


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## OffLineR (Oct 19, 2010)

Good work :thumbup: 
That censor travel distance seems short though.


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## fasttt600 (Apr 12, 2007)

it's short, but it will still work the same. Better to be to short, rather than to long and snap a sensor. 
Keep up the progress:thumbup::thumbup:


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## OffLineR (Oct 19, 2010)

Sensitivity will be low but you are right. 
Better to be to short, rather than to long and snap a sensor. :thumbup:


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## AccuAir (Jan 12, 2010)

OffLineR said:


> Sensitivity will be low but you are right.
> Better to be to short, rather than to long and snap a sensor. :thumbup:


 Intuitively this statement makes good sense, but the reality with our sensors and the e-Level system is that as long as you have over 1" of travel, you will not see a noticeable difference in accuracy or performance. This is because the sensor itself puts out an infinitely accurate output by using non-contacting magnetic technology. The e-Level controller will then calibrate to the lower sensor travel and span the total travel to 100%. So definitely staying on the safe side of sensor travel is better than over extending the things


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

AccuAir said:


> Intuitively this statement makes good sense, but the reality with our sensors and the e-Level system is that as long as you have over 1" of travel, you will not see a noticeable difference in accuracy or performance. This is because the sensor itself puts out an infinitely accurate output by using non-contacting magnetic technology. The e-Level controller will then calibrate to the lower sensor travel and span the total travel to 100%. So definitely staying on the safe side of sensor travel is better than over extending the things


 thanks for the clarification Reno, I'm glad I didn't waste time  

Rear Driver side done, last sensor picture promised  

EDIT: OffLineR was right, the rear sensor travel is too short. After doing the auto calibration on page 2 the rocker switch showed a warning about that. I'll have to move the ball further in the rear. I'll post picture :beer:


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## OffLineR (Oct 19, 2010)

AccuAir said:


> Intuitively this statement makes good sense, but the reality with our sensors and the e-Level system is that as long as you have over 1" of travel, you will not see a noticeable difference in accuracy or performance. This is because the sensor itself puts out an infinitely accurate output by using non-contacting magnetic technology. The e-Level controller will then calibrate to the lower sensor travel and span the total travel to 100%. So definitely staying on the safe side of sensor travel is better than over extending the things


 Wow. 
That's awesome :thumbup:


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

Some Exo Compressor mount and rolling action today, FUN !  

Note: I re-arranged the compressor feet using a few washers to line up the holes and keep the EXO mount+compressor balanced (both side equally weighted)


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

Mounting board - CHECKED


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

Second Skin Damplifier Pro done eace:


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## Señor BigJuts (May 19, 2005)

how much of that did you pick up? and where? 

I should apply some while the truck setup is getting redone.


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

Señor BigJuts said:


> how much of that did you pick up? and where?
> 
> I should apply some while the truck setup is getting redone.


 I used 9 sheets of 1.67 sq. feet each ($100 CAD total) locally picked up at Hotrod Corner in Surrey BC, 

check out the dealer page on the secondskin website :thumbup:


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

another test fit before drilling and screwing. Also added an insulation foam layer on Compressor/tank vertical board


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## Santi (Mar 26, 2004)

This is the kind of build-ups people need to do, with lots of descriptions and pictures!! 

Keep it up!


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## Jetta11J (Feb 20, 2005)

this is coming together great.. love the detailed pictures:thumbup:


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

I've always enjoyed taking picture while working on my car, a good habit i'm sure  

thanks :beer:


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## MechEngg (Jan 13, 2009)

What do you do for a living? You should give it up and become a carpenter  

Looks good btw 

Why did you choose to mount things off vertical panels instead of on a floor panel? Do you think that it will lessen the vibrations from the compressors?


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

MechEngg said:


> What do you do for a living? You should give it up and become a carpenter
> 
> Looks good btw
> 
> Why did you choose to mount things off vertical panels instead of on a floor panel? Do you think that it will lessen the vibrations from the compressors?


 haha, carpenter?, you should see what my neighbor carpenter built at our place, stairs / storage house / etc..., my little project can't compare  

I run a freelancer IT consultant company and work as a full-time Infrastructure Support Specialist as well, doing a smooth transition from employee to employer  

Good question on the vertical board, I chose this design because the compressor EXO mount needed it and I wanted to maximize space usage in there. With a floor panel, there would be no room for a storage area like i have now. 

You'll see for yourself hoepfully this week end :beer:


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

Ran the air line and sensor wire for the rear driver side (thanks goes to kiarash for sharing his creative ideas) 

And started assembling the compressor/tank board


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

Valve mounted (I'll use some elbow unions for the 90 degrees angle air lines connection)


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

Driver side air line and sensor wire done (zip tie is temporary, i'll add a wire loom later on) 

Both go through the brake line grommet > Firewall grommet > behind dashboard > behind glovebox > lower trim > trunk


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

ECU mounted 

Still waiting on the last shipment to finish the front passenger side air line with elbow unions and complete the trunk setup (hopefully early next week)


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

Carpenting 95% done. Might give it a black paint if im bored this week. The valve touched the damplifier so the tank/compressor horizontal wood frame didnt need the upper metal stopper, I will secure the vertical board by creating a slot using damplifier on both side, but even without the wood frame feel sturdy (I'll take a pic of that later on) 

ps: the two horizontal frame are not really parallel because I needed to sqeeze the compressor/tank frame against the damplifier to prevent jiggling.


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## dubluv2003 (Oct 22, 2010)

Awesome so far. I am about to start the same project with the same set up. This is a huge aid. Ill stay tuned opcorn: and mas kudos! :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

dubluv2003 said:


> Awesome so far. I am about to start the same project with the same set up. This is a huge aid. Ill stay tuned opcorn: and mas kudos! :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:


Thanks, I'm glad that this build will help you 

good luck ! and take your time, do it right the first time :beer:


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## Clyde Smith (Apr 22, 2009)

:beer:


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## fasttt600 (Apr 12, 2007)

kilimats said:


>


I don't know if that really counts as a "true" grounding spot. great build so far. Keep updating:thumbup:


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

fasttt600 said:


> I don't know if that really counts as a "true" grounding spot. great build so far. Keep updating:thumbup:


O ya, should have cleared that up, the wiring stage will be at the end, so that ground connection will be wired to a true ground connector (most likely seat belt, will see) thanks 

Got the last shipment from Bagriders tonight, thanks Will! (only missing the rear strut shipped from Blinstein warehouse but it isn't needed to finish the build so i dont mind at all)

A little carpet gangbang action, enjoy :laugh:


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

kilimats said:


> Second Skin Damplifier Pro done eace:


The trunk floor damplifier had a very small impact on road noise reduction (that was my goal since the compressor is already dampen by the mount)

After driving a few times in the rain I noticed that most of the noise now comes from the rear wheel wells. I think I'll spread some Spectrum Sludge in there and if not enough, add a damplifier pro layer in the cabin


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

Fitting almost complete.


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## scott_eh4 (Jan 20, 2006)

nice install! 

(spotted: Granville Island Mingler :laugh: :beer


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

^ thanks, GIB FTW :beer: (my fav is winter ale by far, love the maple flavor)

Tank sealed and Accuair setup powered to make sure the ROCKER Switch worked and Compressor kicked in. All good :thumbup:

I'll have to clean up the electrical wires and last stage will be this week end: finish the driver side sensors + air lines and install the front/rear suspension, cant wait 

FYI: here is how the compressor relay is wired: http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?5245732-Compressor-relay-conenction-with-Accuair-gears


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

O boy, that Airlift drilling template was a PAIN in the *** to work with. Made a cardbox like others have suggested but the holes didn't really match with the strut screws (awkward to drill under there). So i Had to spend 20 ish minutes making the hole bigger, grrrr.

AIRLIFT, if you read this, please make a steel template that we can place at the top, that would avoid all this EFFIN mess, thanks !

other than that, it's getting there, I should be done tomorrow 

Shout out to 16v_HOR for the spike spreader tool idea, worked like a charm, the strut dropped in easy and we didn't bother grinding the paint (spreader tool FTL)

:beer: time


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## MechEngg (Jan 13, 2009)

Tons of pictures :thumbup:

I like some of your ideas about how to run the air lines, i was originally going to run them under the car but i might as well run them inside away from the elements, just makes sense. Thanks for the insight lol


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## Clyde Smith (Apr 22, 2009)

Good to see you figured out the line routing there :thumbup:

Just dealt with the fronts this evening myself...that template is surely a bit tough to work with, though the chisel method & some grease works perfectly for seating the strut in the spindle :beer:


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

^ Ya I wasn't feeling the air line exposed outside and drilling more holes. It was more time consuming but worth it IMO

Good point Clyde, the template killed me but the chisel saved me lots of time, all good 

Joined the sensor wires and kinda cleaned up the mess..kinda


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

Alright, I'm done eace:

I still have to adjust the rear sensor, the rocker switch is telling me the travel is too short. I'll do that in a week and manually adjust each bags until then (too tired). Also the raintray sensor wire doesn't fit nicely (see pic below), I'll drill a hole for it later

The Airlift XL handles like a dream, feels like my car is back to stock suspension, LOVE IT 

ps: looks like I won't need a notch, it's plenty low for my need :thumbup:


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## DUB0RA (Aug 10, 2007)

:beer:
Great job and thank you for taking so many pictures ive been following this thread very closely since the start. Can't wait to start mine


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## blue bags (Jul 1, 2009)

kilimats said:


> Alright, I'm done eace:
> 
> I still have to adjust one sensor, the rocker switch is telling me the travel is too short. I'll do that in a week and manually adjust each bags until then (too tired). Also the raintray sensor wire doesn't fit nicely (see pic below), I'll drill a hole for it later
> 
> ...



good job man, nice to see a detailed build. I wish i had the energy to take good pics when im working haha. As far as the notch, when you have other wheels on the car i think youll change your mind. cant really tell how crooked the car will sit with stockies on, whole different story


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

DUB0RA said:


> :beer:
> Great job and thank you for taking so many pictures ive been following this thread very closely since the start. Can't wait to start mine


no problem, before starting this project i still had some question about where everything mounted. I made sure to show everything in here to help others :thumbup:

BTW, if you got the accuair e-level, make sure to mount the rear sensor ball connector further in the rear, my rear sensor travel is too short so the auto-calibration failed, I'll fix that next week, no rush




blue bags said:


> good job man, nice to see a detailed build. I wish i had the energy to take good pics when im working haha. As far as the notch, when you have other wheels on the car i think youll change your mind. cant really tell how crooked the car will sit with stockies on, whole different story


Good point, I guess i'll find out when I try the summer wheel in a few weeks , thanks :beer:


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## DUB0RA (Aug 10, 2007)

kilimats said:


> no problem, before starting this project i still had some question about where everything mounted. I made sure to show everything in here to help others :thumbup:
> 
> BTW, if you got the accuair e-level, make sure to mount the rear sensor ball connector further in the rear, my rear sensor travel is too short so the auto-calibration failed, I'll fix that next week, no rush


I really wanted the e-level but went with the analog switchspeed kit from BagRiders with dual 444c and 2 watertraps. I have got some pretty good plans this season so i decided to go with analog and save some cash for more new parts. 

btw i know it won't long before i decide to upgrade to E-level :laugh:


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

what a nightmare!!! So the green/red light on the rocker flashes rapidly after the auto preset calibration meaning that the sensor travel is too short to complete the calibration, no indication of which of the 4 sensor though :banghead:

Spent hours tonight, trying different position, no progress, still the quick flash problem, I contacted Reno at accuair for feedback :banghead::banghead: I'm just glad the car can be driven without preset 

Also confused as to why other MK4 accuair owner got away with my original sensor placement, maybe it isn't a sensor travel issue afterall


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## najob08 (Apr 28, 2008)

I thought you said something about taking your time and doing it right the first time? :what: You really should have went with the full eLevel controller.

That being said I don't think it's healthy for the sensors to have a lot of horizontal movement, your arms that connect between your beam and the sensor seem to be on too much of an angle. Mine are vertical in the front and the rear and I've never had a sensor fail on me. I mounted the rears where the brake line clips into the bracket and just zap strapped my brake line to the beam.


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

najob08 said:


> I thought you said something about taking your time and doing it right the first time? :what: You really should have went with the full eLevel controller.
> 
> That being said I don't think it's healthy for the sensors to have a lot of horizontal movement, your arms that connect between your beam and the sensor seem to be on too much of an angle. Mine are vertical in the front and the rear and I've never had a sensor fail on me. I mounted the rears where the brake line clips into the bracket and just zap strapped my brake line to the beam.


I hear ya but taking my time when I'm running in circle is hard though 

The full elevel touch-pad controller won't tell you which sensor is having problems like the rocker (Reno @ accuair said the next firmware revision should fix that though). 

Reno walked me through some easy troubleshooting steps last night to determine which sensor was acting up (mega prop to him for answering after hours:thumbup::thumbup. We used a voltmeter on the sensor wires and found out which one had less than one volt difference between highest and lowest travel. I'll follow up shortly with the fix


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

Turns out, there is a tiny dot on the face of the shaft that comes out of the sensor, that dot has to point toward the ball end of the sensor arm, otherwise the sensor can't read voltage properly.

When I installed the sensor weeks ago, I flipped the sensor arm on both front wheel sensor and the dot was looking elsewhere, I unbolted the arm and re-aligned it like pictured

Calibration now works, I can use presets at last , hope this helps anyone facing this problem :beer:


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

not really air related but part of my build

amp mounted :thumbup:


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## Dameon (Oct 6, 2008)

Ever get a response from Airlit on your squeaky XL bushings?


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

nebio_b5 said:


> Ever get a response from Airlit on your squeaky XL bushings?


good memory, I emailed them three times

1st email: went to junkmail as per chris @ airlift
2nd email (a week later): they received it and responded quickly saying they would follow up
3rd email (a week later again): they never responded to my 2nd email, just following up

Not happy with the response time so far, I might have to call them on Monday


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## whit_yo (Oct 6, 2010)

one of my favorite mods with a sweet air build thread? i can dig it :thumbup:


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

whit_ said:


> one of my favorite mods with a sweet air build thread? i can dig it :thumbup:


:beer::beer:

Finally got the strut swapped. Can't tell any difference from the cheappo raceland, o well


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## will6540 (Nov 15, 2009)

nice build man! This trunk setup is exactly what I want!! Hide everything but the sub. My kit should be here in the next couple of days!!!


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## MechEngg (Jan 13, 2009)

kilimats said:


> :beer::beer:
> 
> Finally got the strut swapped. Can't tell any difference from the cheappo raceland, o well


I noticed that my FKs were super short also compared to my new bilsteins. But i guess it really doesn't matter because the swing arm bottoms out before the shock anyways  

This way we just get more lift outta it because they are longer


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

will6540 said:


> nice build man! This trunk setup is exactly what I want!! Hide everything but the sub. My kit should be here in the next couple of days!!!


thx, hope my build help you out, good luck, i can feel the excitement :thumbup::thumbup:



MechEngg said:


> I noticed that my FKs were super short also compared to my new bilsteins. But i guess it really doesn't matter because the swing arm bottoms out before the shock anyways
> 
> This way we just get more lift outta it because they are longer


haven't thought about the extra lift, good point, is it worth the $160+ cost? maybe not though, o well


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## MechEngg (Jan 13, 2009)

kilimats said:


> thx, hope my build help you out, good luck, i can feel the excitement :thumbup::thumbup:
> 
> 
> 
> haven't thought about the extra lift, good point, is it worth the $160+ cost? maybe not though, o well


Well perhaps not, the only reason i got mine was because i was selling my coils as a full set so i needed some. And i hope that these at least last me a long time. After only 1 year in calgary winters they were starting to rust a bit and all the paint was flaking off. So for longevity i hope that the bilsteins are better quality


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

MechEngg said:


> Well perhaps not, the only reason i got mine was because i was selling my coils as a full set so i needed some. And i hope that these at least last me a long time. After only 1 year in calgary winters they were starting to rust a bit and all the paint was flaking off. So for longevity i hope that the bilsteins are better quality


yeah same here but i might just keep the old raceland as backup i think




blue bags said:


> As far as the notch, when you have other wheels on the car i think youll change your mind. cant really tell how crooked the car will sit with stockies on, whole different story


Turns out, the summer wheels don't need a notch too, flows perfect IMO


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

Covered the trunk with a noise insulating carpet, compressor noise is a bit reduced and trunk look a lot better now, the OEM carpet wasn't large enough to cover the wood frame on the edges before. 

More detail on the mod here: http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthre...ods-Thread&p=73304497&viewfull=1#post73304497


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## reynolds9000 (Oct 16, 2003)

A little less spacer in the back to get it a little lower and it would be perfect. :thumbup:


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## Niagara_V_Dub (Sep 25, 2007)

So how did you like damplifier? And did you ever put on the sludge? I was thinking about adding this to my trunk before I do my airride install and to made the bass sound a little better, and to quite down my exhaust so that my wife can hear me on my bluetooth, instead of hearing what rpm I am turning.


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

reynolds9000 said:


> A little less spacer in the back to get it a little lower and it would be perfect. :thumbup:


 I might worry about the parked stance some more in a little while, I didn't expect it but i rarely air down, I enjoy the confort a lot more than the new achievable stance  



Niagara_V_Dub said:


> So how did you like damplifier? And did you ever put on the sludge? I was thinking about adding this to my trunk before I do my airride install and to made the bass sound a little better, and to quite down my exhaust so that my wife can hear me on my bluetooth, instead of hearing what rpm I am turning.


 It's hard to do a side by side comparaison unless I've got a similar car without the damplifier, IMO it was worth it, I'm pretty confident that without it the whole trunk would resonate more with the vibrations. I haven't tried the sludge yet but bought some noise insulation under coating at canadian tire and will try it out. the sludge seems a bit too think to fit under the fender.


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

Always hated hearing the accuair adjust height and power the compressor on EVERY time the key was turned. Especially with the TDI that require a delay at start up to let the glow plug warm up, the compressor would kick in during this warm up and it would be killed as soon as I the engine started (a second or 2 later :banghead 

So here was a simple OEM looking fix, wire up the ignition wire to the EURO switch, now it only turns on when the parking light are ON and best of all, no key action required :thumbup::thumbup: 

another nice touch imo, having the accuair shut off while cruising with passengers, nothing worse than having the whole cabin filled with compressor noises for 2 min after the e-level makes a microscopic adjustment :facepalm:


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## MechEngg (Jan 13, 2009)

Couple questions Matt,

Which wire did you hook up to the euroswitch? Did you take the ignition on power (AKA 75x) that goes to the E-level ECU and hook it up to the output of the euroswitch?? Seems kinda funky that your airride control system won't work or adjust unless you have your lights on. 

Would it just be easier to use an appropriately sized capacitor inline so that it just delays the time that the ECU reads that the ignition source is on (AKA 20 seconds after the car is turned on the capacitor is finally charged and sends the signal across to the ECU)?

EDIT: Or wouldn't it just be easier to have a kill switch located somewhere instead of having to turn the compressors on/off. The only reason why i dont think your setup will work is the following situation, you are out at night with your friends, you NEED your lights on, so your euroswitch has to be on therefore the compressors will fill like normal. There is none of this turn it off if you don't want to hear it glory at nighttime


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## Rat4Life (Oct 14, 2004)

interesting,every accuair setup i did,no mater switch speed or e-level has a delay about 10 sec after your ignition is on to kick on the compressor.


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

MechEngg said:


> Couple questions Matt,
> 
> Which wire did you hook up to the euroswitch? Did you take the ignition on power (AKA 75x) that goes to the E-level ECU and hook it up to the output of the euroswitch?? Seems kinda funky that your airride control system won't work or adjust unless you have your lights on.
> 
> ...


I never found it useful to leave the accuair on while cruising, all i care is to have my height checked maybe twice a week or whenever the load change (passenger/camping/etc). So i'm totally fine leaving it OFF most of the time 

I actually considered the timer relay idea first, bought one on ebay (Omron H3Y-2)










but couldnt get it to work after talking to the manufacture tech support. Reno @ Accuair also wasn't sure how to go about it so i just gave up the idea and went for the euroswitch mod, yes the orange ignition wire is being used and yes you're right, i won't be able to leave the management off at night since i need the lights but thats not a huge deal for me, the main reason i did this was for

1- not letting the accuair autoadjust the height on uneven surface while starting the car (totally pointless imo because after a few seconds of driving it revert the adjustement it made :thumbdown
2- not cutting the power source on the compressor while starting the car
3- being able to turn on the management without the key inserted

I guess i could add a hidden on/off switch to leave the accuair OFF while the light are on. another to do thing on the never ending things to do for this car :laugh:

*If you know a time relay that would work with accuair, let me know, i'm still interrested *



Rat4Life said:


> interesting,every accuair setup i did,no mater switch speed or e-level has a delay about 10 sec after your ignition is on to kick on the compressor.


Mine is delayed too (a bit less than 10s i would say) but that's never enough to let the glow plug heat up and let me start the car


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

Added some air tools this Sunday.

A blow gun for random cleaning and a tire inflator. Thought it was a good idea to add an adjusting valve but not really afterall, i was under the impression that the PSI could be set permanately but it only decrease PSI while the tool are used, kinda pointless for my application, oh well, i'll use it as a shut off valve i guess 


















Took this picture because some were wondering how Loctite 545 looks after removal and how easy it is to clean and reinsert, I had no problem cleaning it with a wired brush, no leakage after install :thumbup::thumbup:


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## MechEngg (Jan 13, 2009)

What you want is a pressure regulator  It only lets whatever set PSI to travel through it, perfect for air tool applications

http://www.princessauto.com/worksho...condary-accessories/8185050-1/2-air-regulator


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

MechEngg said:


> What you want is a pressure regulator  It only lets whatever set PSI to travel through it, perfect for air tool applications
> 
> http://www.princessauto.com/worksho...condary-accessories/8185050-1/2-air-regulator


learn something everyday, good to know they make one. I might keep the one i have afterall, the air tool I used don't really benefit an adjuster imo.

thx for sharing ! love princess auto, so cheap and so many hard to find tools there :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:


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## Billburt (May 2, 2006)

holding on to this one...thanks bro for actually putting some form of DIY up...i plan to do a full one when I do my next mkiv install


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## 95jetta17 (Jan 21, 2008)

good stuff


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## arethirdytwo (Apr 4, 2007)

Those real wheels man... only thing I cant get down with.


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

ordered some flow control to possibly resolve an issue where the Accuair management makes pointless adjustement, more detail http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthre...ing-too-many-adjustement-how-about-your-setup

and picture because i have time being sick at home :banghead: (I'll test them this week end hopefully)


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## ryanmiller (Apr 13, 2006)

i had the white version of those flow controls, they all leaked after a year or so of service :facepalm:


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## babydubz (Dec 13, 2007)

awesome DIY! going to be helpful when I do mine as well. Just wondering if you got those fittings and flow regulators locally? I'm from the lower mainland as well


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

ryanmiller said:


> i had the white version of those flow controls, they all leaked after a year or so of service :facepalm:


why are you ruining my night 

What PSI were you running ?

finger crossed the black version is a better version of the white. I'll email the manufacture about it, thanks for the heads up :thumbup:



babydubz said:


> awesome DIY! going to be helpful when I do mine as well. Just wondering if you got those fittings and flow regulators locally? I'm from the lower mainland as well


glad it will help

Here is where i got mine: http://www.valleyhydraulic.com/store/pc/Push-To-Connect-Inline-Flow-Control-3-8-Tube-492p3485.htm

You might skip brokerage fee if you place the order over the phone and ask to ship via USPS or fedex (UPS charged me $21 upon delivery :banghead: order total was $61 only with shipping)

Or talk to Will @ Bagrider, he has some too but a bit more expensive, those might not leaked like mentioned above 

Forgot to post those, late fall shots


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## groundupjetta (Feb 1, 2010)

Looks killa

Sweet build bro :beer::thumbup:


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

Myliljettatoy said:


> Looks killa
> 
> Sweet build bro :beer::thumbup:


:beer::beer::thumbup::thumbup:

Installed the airflow today, redid an auto calibration and re-calibrated my presets, now lets see how it behaves 

Something i wasn't expecting, I slowed down the deflation approximately in half but the inflation remained about the same speed, thats due to the difference in pressure between the TANK & BAGS i think.


















EDIT: turned out those flow controls adjust ONE way only, I had to have two per lines to fully control the dump and raise speed, I'll just do the rear for now and maybe get a two way flow control later on for the front


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

Got my first winter side effect today, the accuair pressure sensor froze overnight, the ECU couldnt read the tank pressure on my morning commute (it ran the compressor for a minute and shut it with a flashing error code). Sensor worked fine on my way back in the evening after being parked underground all day. I guess I'll try adding some antifreeze this week.

No problems with valves thx god, I know my tank+water trap is doing its job.


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

Sometimes the answer is right in front of you...

I you read my previous post, you'll see that i struggled to find a solution to avoid having the compressor kick in while waiting for the glow plug to heat up, I tried connecting a timer relay between the accuair orange ignition wire and the car but that never worked even though the relay was 12v compatible, I then connected that same wire to my OEM euro switch so that the air management would only be powered if parking light was ON, that worked out quite well but still not perfect because i usually leave it off during the day so I had to turn it on EVERYTIME

Today i realized that i could wire it to the stereo deck, I always have the radio ON so I know i'll always have the accuair on by default but when i need to heat up the glow plug or carry passenger (who don't want to be scared/bothered with compressor/valve noises) I'll just click that OFF radio button :heart::heart::heart: simple, free and PERFECT


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## MrKrinkle (Mar 29, 2007)

Stellar writeup man.

I'm about a week away from buying this exact setup except I'll be getting the touch-pad and not the rocker switch.

If you could do it all over again, would you go with the E-level system? I rarely have people other than myself in my car, and rarely load it with anything other than a case of beer  so my question is the E-level worth the extra $700? 

Thanks man.


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## jettaaddictionII (Sep 3, 2011)

hey, where did you get that thread sealing loctite? i was looking for it at home depot and when i asked the guy about he didnt know crap. i imagine its easier and cleaner look then teflon tape.


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

MrKrinkle said:


> Stellar writeup man.
> 
> I'm about a week away from buying this exact setup except I'll be getting the touch-pad and not the rocker switch.
> 
> ...


Hey thanks, It all depend on how much you care for "set it and forget it". Even if you don't change your load often, you'll still end up checking your height a lot without e-level (leaks/temperature fluctuation/your mind playing tricks lol). If i could do it all over gain ? E-level no questions asked ! (actually a must for my wife who drives it sometimes)



jettaaddictionII said:


> hey, where did you get that thread sealing loctite? i was looking for it at home depot and when i asked the guy about he didnt know crap. i imagine its easier and cleaner look then teflon tape.


Answered here, imo it seals better but can be messy if you decide to unscrew the fitting later on


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## MrKrinkle (Mar 29, 2007)

kilimats said:


> Hey thanks, It all depend on how much you care for "set it and forget it". Even if you don't change your load often, you'll still end up checking your height a lot without e-level (leaks/temperature fluctuation/your mind playing tricks lol). If i could do it all over gain ? E-level no questions asked ! (actually a must for my wife who drives it sometimes)


Excellent. Thanks.


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## son of planrforrobert (Dec 21, 2009)

kilimats said:


> I used a shorter FSB bolt purchased at home depot: the OEM spec is M10x50mm


Specifically, it's an M10x1.50 bolt (there are three different M10 thread pitches available) :thumbup:


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## kilimats (Mar 5, 2006)

she's been totalled , partly my fault for choosing a shop with high labour rate (Insurance says its too late to chose a different shop and buying the car back is not worth it) 

RIP, I'll miss you :heart::heart::heart::heart::heart::heart:. 

I'll probably move on to a Touareg TDI, a baby is being planned with the wife so a bigger car will help. 

for those who wonder what happened: http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?5678103-Grateful-everyone-is-safe 

Thanks to everyone on this forum for the help/support/feedback/comments, appreciated cheers :beer:


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## MechEngg (Jan 13, 2009)

kilimats said:


> she's been totalled , partly my fault for choosing a shop with high labour rate (Insurance says its too late to chose a different shop and buying the car back is not worth it)
> 
> RIP, I'll miss you :heart::heart::heart::heart::heart::heart:.
> 
> ...


 Sorry to hear, always hard to lose your baby. :heart:


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## Billburt (May 2, 2006)

Wow super sad to hear man! 


Sent from my TI 83 plus silver edition using tapatalk.


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## Niagara_V_Dub (Sep 25, 2007)

WOW that sucks!!!! How did you get that on video?


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## BlackRadon (Oct 1, 2006)

wow, glad your alright mang! you didnt get it back to part out did you?


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