Air assist with or without compressor

TCG

TCG

Joined
Jul 6, 2017
Posts
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Location
Salford Priors
Funster No
49,363
MH
Autotrail Delaware
Exp
2016
hello you good people - you have pointed me towards Dave Newell - all booked in
now the next question is do i go for the basic kit without the compressor of go full system to include the compressor.

do you need to adjust the air level in these things or just leave them preset.. really keen to receive some guidance, not to fussed about spending the extra 500 squid. but also dont like wasting it un-necessary
 
I just have the basic kit, think going for the compressor is a waste of money.
 
We included a compressor on our AS Alko system and have used it several times to gain rear end clearance, we also had a very slow leak on one side when it was first fitted so was glad to have it, you can also experiment with pressure until you are happy or pump it up/let it down according to load.
 
If you run with pretty much the same load , a compressor isnt really needed. If you are worried about needing to blow up for some random reason then just put a small 12v compressor in your tool box A built in comp is more for full air susp
:)
 
I had a system without a compressor. You use a bike pump to raise the pressure when needed. I ran mine for three years before selling the van. Never had to touch the system or inflate it, held pressure all the time. I would think a compressor might be a waste of money. I certainly wouldn't get a system with one.

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A foot pump will easily put 3 or 4 bar in the system,if you need that much, more like 2 or 2.5 bar.
 
No compressor here either. Simply not worth the expense for the amount of times it has been used on my previous vans. Just the gauge and manifold here and quite happy
 
Maybe it's because I like gadgets I always have a compressor fitted on our AS Air Suspension, we are currently on our third one!

I also like to be able to adjust the pressure on the run .. this is sometimes to raise the rear end slightly when boarding ferries or crossing high road humps.
 
icantremember said:
Maybe it's because I like gadgets I always have a compressor fitted on our AS Air Suspension, we are currently on our third one!

I also like to be able to adjust the pressure on the run .. this is sometimes to raise the rear end slightly when boarding ferries or crossing high road humps.
Click to expand...
.....or to get it level when the jacks font do the job:rofl::rofl::rofl:
 
I’m boooked in with Dave Newell this month too for front springs and rear air. I’ve not ordered a compressor but would use my tyre inflator if I needed to change pressure
 
Hi
No compressor for me either.
I keep a cheap small compressor near the guage and stop and adjust as I need to. Only time this was done with some urgency was soon after I fitted it and felt, too harder ride, I had too higher pressure in it. I often adjust before moving sites as I do use the air suspension for some, slight, levelling.
You get to know what pressure is right for your situation. I have slightly higher pressures on the offside as there appears to be more weight on that side.
I would not bother with the compressor and fancy (toy) controls.
Kind regards
p-c
 
No compressor for me either. I have a 12v ring rac900 compressor so didn't feel the need to have another. (y)
 
Have just fitted the VB kit from Ebay. Purchased a cheap 300psi compressor from Amazon (£9.00). Took 45 seconds to get to 4 bar.
So I think at the most that is all you need. Intend to use the 'bags' to assist in leveling when stopped, so hand to be able to re-inflate before moving off.
I checked the level of the wheel arch on each side, and found I needed more pressure on the (R) to level things. Do others run their van like this, or equal pressure?
 
Dave fitted our first systems with a air compressor and it was great but soon found you don't really adjust the pressures all that often.

When Dave fitted assistance air to our next motorhome as we had a compressor I got Dave to fit it. We have not really changed the pressure since installation.

I would definitely not bothered fitting a air compressor if I did not already have it.

The air bags are not that big and I am sure a push bike pump would get any changes you requires pretty quickly.

Also if you then decide at a later date to have an air compressor it's a pretty quick fix. (y)

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Any chance you can send the link for the compressor you purchased
physio49 said:
Have just fitted the VB kit from Ebay. Purchased a cheap 300psi compressor from Amazon (£9.00). Took 45 seconds to get to 4 bar.
So I think at the most that is all you need. Intend to use the 'bags' to assist in leveling when stopped, so hand to be able to re-inflate before moving off.
I checked the level of the wheel arch on each side, and found I needed more pressure on the (R) to level things. Do others run their van like this, or equal pressure?
Click to expand...
 
icantremember said:
David, for your info the jacks run on hydraulic fluid, NOT holy water!:LOL:
Click to expand...
I thought that you actually paid extra for the holy water option.

By the way, is holy water supposed to sizzle when you splash it on your hands? Asking for a friend...........
 
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No compressor on mine, and I wouldn't bother fitting one to a future van either, personally. In my case the basic basic kit was pretty much 2 schrader valves (tyre valves) linked directly to the air bags - I went one up on that and connected the air bags to a single pressure gauge that I fitted in the cab step, that was worth doing I think. You then have a single fill point through that gauge, with valves to the two airbags.

I carry a cheap 12v compressor that I can use for the air suspension or the tyres, that does the job fine. I don't find a need to vary the pressure in the suspension for travelling - only time I tend to mess with it is if I'm parked for a while on pitch with more slope than ramps will cope with, then I'll use the suspension to get the van more level.

Only once on a Scottish ferry did paranoia at the angle of the ferry ramp cause me to pump the suspension up to the max to get more ground clearance!
 
Use a bicycle pump.(y)(y)(y)

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Bicycle pump is all you need as you don't have to put that much air in it to raise the pressure so IMV a compressor, unless you use it to level the rear frequently, is totally unnecessary.
 
Compressor almost essential if you have hydraulic levelling jacks fitted as you have to let most air out of bags before deploying, unless you want to get bicycle pump out every time you move.
 
I have Hydraulic levellers and I use a cheap ring tyre compressor to refill my airbags.

John.
 
Would probably depend if you stay in one place for long period or like to move often.
 
I think it depends on why you are having the air suspension fitted. If it is for ride comfort on a normal chassis then I agree that a fitted compressotr is not necessary you woll not be changing the pressure often enough to warrent the cost. However if it is being fitted to lift the rear end to prevent grounding when boarding ferries etc. with a lowline chassis then the convenience of an on board compressor is worth it, being able to raise and lower the tail from the cab is so easy.

So consider what you are fitting it for and the use you are putting it to before making the decision. What ever you decide you should not be disappointed with the results.

john

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We have just had the VB Semi air fitted with a compressor.

The road in front of our drive has a proper camber and the drive has a slope to start with, so we have raise the back end each time we drive on when fully loaded.

So for us it has proved very handy.
 
Interesting to see the instructions from VB - is this the same for all air assist systems I wonder?

Note!
● Never inflate the system to a pressure of more than 3.5 bar if the vehicle is to be driven faster than 5 km/h. If the vehicle is still not level at this air pressure, reduce the load.

● If the vehicle is to be driven slower than 5 km/h, the air springs can be inflated to a maximum of 6 bar.

● Make sure that the air springs always have at least the minimum air pressure of 0.5 bar.

● The air pressure of the left and right air springs must not differ by more than 0.5 bar.

● Never pump too much air into the air springs. Driving with excessive air pressure in the air springs can damage the vehicle
 
by way of an update, had them fitted today by Dave Newell...jobs a good un
 

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