# MK3's: Any tips and tricks to share about install?



## YNO WGN (May 27, 2005)

Getting ready to setup my mk3 jetta, I'm not a noob to air ride, but it's not very common on mk3's, so install information is not as readily available. Just looking for tips and tricks... anything to look out for, anything to make the install easier?


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## scottybones (Jan 5, 2008)

ABS grommets under rear seat bench make a good place to route rear air lines to bags (depending on where your mangement is). Also, it is fairly easy to hide valves under the rear bench seats ... I've got my VU4 under there.

Make sure yoy route your rear airlines in a way that will always avoid contact with the exhaust and wheel/tire. Using the exisitng brake line/ABS routing along the rear beam helps. 

Also watch out for spinning bags up front. For some reason my Airlift bags spin freely along the body of the shock. Sometimes this spinning causes my leader lines to get wrapped around the body of the shock. Not good. I find myself having to unravel this on almost a weekly basis ... a tack weld could solve this.

That's all I can think of at the moment ...it's pretty much a straight suspension install with some wiring haha.

Was there anything in particular that you had a question about?


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## YNO WGN (May 27, 2005)

scottybones said:


> ABS grommets under rear seat bench make a good place to route rear air lines to bags (depending on where your mangement is). Also, it is fairly easy to hide valves under the rear bench seats ... I've got my VU4 under there.


I'm planning to run bulkheads through the body to the bags and will likely run the rears right through the wheel well to keep the line minimal back there (will tuck extra line away inside the car to keep the front and rear lengths similar). aside of the tank, I plan to have the management in the spare tire well.



scottybones said:


> Make sure yoy route your rear airlines in a way that will always avoid contact with the exhaust and wheel/tire. Using the exisitng brake line/ABS routing along the rear beam helps.


What about the fronts? I will run the passenger side with the brake lines, but the drivers side the fuel lines tuck into the frame rail, at that section how are you keeping the line close to the body. Initial though was to run eyes along that section of frame rail, but i'd hate to put a screw through a fuel line... 



scottybones said:


> Also watch out for spinning bags up front. For some reason my Airlift bags spin freely along the body of the shock. Sometimes this spinning causes my leader lines to get wrapped around the body of the shock. Not good. I find myself having to unravel this on almost a weekly basis ... a tack weld could solve this.


i'm trying to wrap my head about this... does your bottom bag mount not bolt to the frame attached to the strut? (see pic below)












scottybones said:


> That's all I can think of at the moment ...it's pretty much a straight suspension install with some wiring haha.
> 
> Was there anything in particular that you had a question about?


Mostly, about line routing and power routing. Is there a good spot to run 0/1 gauge through the firewall?


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## MechEngg (Jan 13, 2009)

YNO WGN said:


> i'm trying to wrap my head about this... does your bottom bag mount not bolt to the frame attached to the strut? (see pic below)


This typically happens when people run B.O.C setups with no fixed bottom plates. I can't imagine a good air strut having this problem at all.


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## scottybones (Jan 5, 2008)

YNO WGN said:


> What about the fronts? I will run the passenger side with the brake lines, but the drivers side the fuel lines tuck into the frame rail, at that section how are you keeping the line close to the body. Initial though was to run eyes along that section of frame rail, but i'd hate to put a screw through a fuel line...


I ran the lines to the front bags and wiring internally within the cabin of the car along the drivers side floor, under that plastic piece the runs lengthwise with the body of the car. From there the lines emerge via one of the many grommets in the firewall ... IIRC I think I used a grommet that wasn't already occupied. 




YNO WGN said:


> i'm trying to wrap my head about this... does your bottom bag mount not bolt to the frame attached to the strut? (see pic below)


Yeah my bags have that bracket too, but still spins. Go grab the body of the shock with one hand and the bag with the other hand, you should be able to spin it ... unless the updated they design so it doesn't spin anymore.

I know I'm not alone with this issue


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## Vee-DubbVR6 (Jul 31, 2007)

that's a little crazy - good to know tho! :thumbup:


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## euro+tuner (Feb 1, 2007)

MechEngg said:


> This typically happens when people run B.O.C setups with no fixed bottom plates. I can't imagine a good air strut having this problem at all.


scottybones is running Air Lift slams, I can attest to his spinning bag.


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## MechEngg (Jan 13, 2009)

euro+tuner said:


> scottybones is running Air Lift slams, I can attest to his spinning bag.


Wow I would not have expected that at all. Good info to know


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## YNO WGN (May 27, 2005)

I'm still not seeing the logic Behind this... I tried to spin my bags, and couldn't, but I don't see how it's possible... The leader line is threaded into the red bottom plate, which is held in place by the 2 button head screws running through a frame that is welded to the strut body... What the hell is spinning? If the bag itself is spinning independent of the red bottom plate, ok... But that would not twist the leader line? 
I pretty much derailed my own thread, but this is intriguing.


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## Twilliams83 (Jan 25, 2011)

mine spin too steve. havent looked at the bottom plate so i dont know what exactly is spinning. but if i grab the bag itself i can spin it around haha. Christians did the same.


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## euro+tuner (Feb 1, 2007)

Went out and grabbed some shots of scottybones strut. Pardon the grime. You can see everything pivots as one, minus the shock/ strut body itself.


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## YNO WGN (May 27, 2005)

Ahh I see it now. Guess I'm going to throw a couple tacks on them before install. Thanks guys!


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## robs05_srt (Nov 7, 2012)

Dont mean to thread jack but... I am also in the mist of installing air in my mk3. Does it really make a big difference if the length of the airlines for the front and back are different lengths? Does the fill time of the bag really change that must to notice?


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## Jetta_MK6 (Jan 18, 2012)

robs05_srt said:


> Dont mean to thread jack but... I am also in the mist of installing air in my mk3. Does it really make a big difference if the length of the airlines for the front and back are different lengths? Does the fill time of the bag really change that must to notice?


Really depends what system your running. The v2 had a mode that sets everything I would assume the accuair does also just not sure never ran it. Manual would be your concern with fill times but using needle valves will help that issue even itself out.


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## YNO WGN (May 27, 2005)

robs05_srt said:


> Dont mean to thread jack but... I am also in the mist of installing air in my mk3. Does it really make a big difference if the length of the airlines for the front and back are different lengths? Does the fill time of the bag really change that must to notice?





Jetta_MK6 said:


> Really depends what system your running. The v2 had a mode that sets everything I would assume the accuair does also just not sure never ran it. Manual would be your concern with fill times but using needle valves will help that issue even itself out.


yeah, if you're using manual or analog, or even a digital setup with an "all up" and "all down" button you would want to keep your air line lengths as close as possible, especially side to side. Front to back might fill and raise/lower at a different rate than the front, but I find it's best to start out with the same length and then trim as needed.


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## Cherry Fox (Mar 9, 2006)

You install in Mk3 completed?
I have qestion about rear shock install....


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## YNO WGN (May 27, 2005)

Fronts and management are complete, but I'm still waiting for the rears to get here.


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## robs05_srt (Nov 7, 2012)

What wire/fuse did you tap into?


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## YNO WGN (May 27, 2005)

Tapped into the turn signal fuse using an add-a-circuit.


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