# DIY: simple ride height controller



## martin13 (Apr 20, 2010)

a few days ago this thread was started http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?5172129-Build-your-own-pressuryte-system

i was quite intrigued by it and decided to try and build one of the devices discussed in the thread. the way mine is set up, when i turn my key on it opens the valve to the device and lets air through to the regulators. i have one for the front and one for the back. the regulators then let air out to each of the bags. they are connected where my gauges would normally go. you could put a tee in and keep your gauges but since the regulators i used have built in gauges i didnt feel this was necessary. i also hate clutter inside my car and i wanted my stock ashtray back instead of having gauges there. i had to replace the 1/8" gauge line with 1/4" because thats all i could find locally. to be honest i think the 1/8" line would have been far too slow to air up the bags so its probably better that i went with 1/4". 





































this total project cost me around $130. one thing i would like to note is that in the original discussion of this, the original diagram and the one i made above both had check valves in them. i ended up not buying any check valves because i realized that if i used check valves 2 things wouldnt work:

1. leaks would not be detected by this system
2. if i inflate my bags above what the regulators are set at, the regulators cannot bring it back down to ride height on their own unless i go back down below what they are set at.

credit to Jester2893 for the original thread :thumbup:


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## Jester2893 (May 2, 2008)

Looks good man :thumbup: . Glad to see it all worked out for you. So I am interested to see it works without the check valves. No problems or anything with no check valves? This is interesting to notice that without using check valves you gain the ability to deflate to your set pressure as well.


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## martin13 (Apr 20, 2010)

Jester2893 said:


> Looks good man :thumbup: . Glad to see it all worked out for you. So I am interested to see it works without the check valves. No problems or anything with no check valves? This is interesting to notice that without using check valves you gain the ability to deflate to your set pressure as well.


yeah it seems to be working so far without the check valves. ill keep u posted though :beer:


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## rjones1214 (Apr 24, 2009)

So how exactly are the air lines ran for this?
Do you still use your normal valves and switches? Do you still have the same control?


I'm very interested in this and having a quick ride height setup would be awesome. I would probably wire in a switch just in case.


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## LOW36 (Jan 18, 2008)

Interesting...


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## rjones1214 (Apr 24, 2009)

After looking at this and the old thread it looks like the hoses coming out of this plug into where the gauge fittings are on your normal valve setup. So this is an addition for a normal management system that simply gives you a set height when the valve is activated. :screwy:


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## VRtotheSix (May 12, 2008)

Kudos. Still fuzzy on how it works.


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## Jester2893 (May 2, 2008)

Yes this is an "addition" to the management. Basically you have your switch box as normal, but you add this into your existing system and you have the ability while the switch is in the on position for the car to raise to the pre-regulated height (this is done with the regulators), so you don't have to sit there and play with the buttons, you turn the key and if the systems switch is turned on as well this is will raise the car to your driving height. Turn the switch off and then you can play with the switch box like normal.




This is a cheap variation to all the expensive digital kits that have the ride height on start option and such only this for an analog gauge management setup. :thumbup:


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## rjones1214 (Apr 24, 2009)

That's what I finally figured out. This is awesome!!! :heart: :laugh:

I will have to talk to martin13 about maybe making me 1 for a 4 valve setup.


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## Jester2893 (May 2, 2008)

rjones1214 said:


> That's what I finally figured out. This is awesome!!! :heart: :laugh:
> 
> I will have to talk to martin13 about maybe making me 1 for a 4 valve setup.



Thats what Ill be doing. Check the link in his first post and scroll through until you find his diagram he made. Instead of having a tee at each end you just do two PTCs and just tee them into your 2 lines instead.


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## VRtotheSix (May 12, 2008)

Def gonna look into making one. As far as airlines hooking up hows that go? gotta diagram?


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## rjones1214 (Apr 24, 2009)

Yeah I know how to set it up for a 4 valve setup. I would want to get a metal T fitting for the gauge hole so I can still run gauges while having bigger(1/4") fill lines for this setup.

Making this for a 4 valve setup would be much simpler with less fittings so it would be even cheaper


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## Jester2893 (May 2, 2008)

VRtotheSix said:


> Def gonna look into making one. As far as airlines hooking up hows that go? gotta diagram?


Depending on 4 or 8 valve setup you will need either 2 or 4 "ptc t's." For a 4 valve setup you would just take the two t's and put them either into the front and rear line going to the bags or the two gauge lines either one. For an 8 valve setup you will need 4 tees and yous just tee into your front left, front right, rear left, rear right or your 4 gauge lines. :thumbup:


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## VRtotheSix (May 12, 2008)

Jester2893 said:


> Depending on 4 or 8 valve setup you will need either 2 or 4 "ptc t's." For a 4 valve setup you would just take the two t's and put them either into the front and rear line going to the bags or the two gauge lines either one. For an 8 valve setup you will need 4 tees and yous just tee into your front left, front right, rear left, rear right or your 4 gauge lines. :thumbup:


It's gonna be a 4 valve.


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## martin13 (Apr 20, 2010)

rjones1214 said:


> So how exactly are the air lines ran for this?
> Do you still use your normal valves and switches? Do you still have the same control?
> 
> I'm very interested in this and having a quick ride height setup would be awesome. I would probably wire in a switch just in case.


air lines run from each regulator to where the gauges would connect. i no longer have gauges in my car but you could definitely run this with gauges if you wanted. you would just need a PTC tee fitting. yeah i just wired it to ignition so it comes on when i turn the key but you could definitely put it on a switch instead. 

for a 4 valve setup you would simply put a single ptc fitting coming out of the regulator instead of a tee that goes to 2 lines


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## Sc0pe (Apr 18, 2014)

Sorry for bringing back this thread from the dead, but I'm very interested in running this particular setup, as it allows me to retain a relatively factory appearance up front. Since the solenoid (1/2", I assume) is plumbed inline with the regulators via tee fitting, does that mean that you could technically have air flowing between both of the valves?

Here's a diagram I've drawn up to sort of help explain what I had in mind:


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