Air lift 1000 install pictures?

[dgoulet]

Finally got my airlift 1000 kit yesterday! It's been raining so much this week I probably won't have a chance to attempt the install until the weekend.
My question is where to route the hoses? I'm planning to put the valve at the rear, attached to the hitch somehow. But I'm unsure how to run the hoses, since you can't be too close to the exhaust on the right side. Have you run into problems finding a proper route to be able to tie the hoses down with the zip ties provided? The company's website shows how to install the bags in the springs but not the routing of the houses for the sienna.

Last week I ran into a problem running my 7 way plug from the right side jack area going through the hole (by removing the grommet) I couldn't find a spot to tie the wires down to keep them away from the exhaust!!!

Does anybody have pictures of their undercarriage to show the route they chose to attach the hoses

Any advice is welcomed.

[robo5]

I will try to take a pic this weekend of how my 1000 goes up into the right rear. YES it runs close to the exhaust. "really" as long as there is "space" and clearance... I don't see a problem.

I did not want to drill holes for my "install" and i only use it for 10% of the time.

Some other members may have some different views(?)

[brian_bp]

Last week I ran into a problem running my 7 way plug from the right side jack area going through the hole (by removing the grommet) I couldn't find a spot to tie the wires down to keep them away from the exhaust!!!

Hmmm... the exhaust is on the right, and the original-equipment trailer light converter harness runs its wires out to the (4-way) socket via a grommet towards the left side in the bottom of the floor well (where the third-row seat folds). I ran the other wires for the 7-way socket from the engine compartment entirely under the floor (not through the interior), generally following the left frame rail, so I had no exhaust clearance issues.

[brian_bp]

Mine are Coil-Rites, not Air Lifts, but I think the situation is about the same...

I ran the two air lines (for left and right bags) entirely separately, each running back on their own side of the van then turning inward to meet at a bracket holding the fill valves. That put the right side line close enough to the exhaust that I considered that in my routing, but it wasn't a big deal and I have not had any problems. There's a lot of plastic down there, and I suspect that the air lines are not much more vulnerable than the various splash guards and the bumper cover.

I can't remember if there were enough ties in the Coil-Rite kit, but they're just common cable ties so I would have grabbed more if needed... I think there were just enough. There was only barely enough air line for my routing. I assume that all kits just get the same amount; after all, the very same kit is likely used for every vehicle which needs the same size of bags.

Sorry, no photos. I take a lot of pictures, but it's tough to get a good perspective under the vehicle without a hoist, so I didn't even try in this case.

[jh818]

I installed my Airlift 1000 this past weekend. Took me forever to figure how to run the hoses, but I eventually figured it out. I removed both rear wheels so I could see better and gave me more room to work with.

I threaded the driver's side hose from the bottom of the air bag, then up to the sway bar. The sway bar is hidden behind "axle" if you want to call it. It runs just behind the muffler. This "axle" would shield the hose from the muffler. I zip tied the hose until about a foot from the passenger side spring coil. There, I installed the T fitting. Then, I took the passenger side hose and ran it up to the sway bar like I did the driver's side and connect it to the T fitting.

Then, the third hose from the T fitting is ran up in the space above the passenger side spring coil mount where it attaches to the frame. There is just enough space to feed the hose through. Then I ran the hose up the brake line bracket, then up behind the shock absorber, then behind the wheel well and underneath the passenger side of the rear bumper. Right at the corner of the bumper, there is a rubber grommet that leads to the compartment where the jack is located. I drilled a hole in the grommet and fed the hose through (so I can use the grommet). There, I attached the schradder valve. The hose is just loose in the jack compartment. It is out of sight, but still functional. If I need to check the pressure or add air, I just open the jack compartment, grab the hose and valve and check/add air right there.

Hope this helps. I'll see if I can get pictures. Again, it was a pain to figure it out. I only had to drill a hole in the rubber grommet which I can easily replace if I need to.

[robo5]

jh818 that is the same grommet i went through. I also left mine loose in the jack compartment. SORRY i forgot to get some pics?

IF i remember(?) i have access to a hoist on the 13th. I will get some pics.

I have 1 problem with the install reguarding the bottom plate? When i lift my van on a hoist, the bag itself is centered in the spring (set @ 15 PSI) now there is clearance at the top of the bag and the bottom of the bag. On a hoist the bottom "plate" is free to move around(as it not attached to anything) When the van is lower "I" have to make sure the plate is centered to prevent the "airline" from being damaged or crushed. YES this can be fixed with a couple "tie straps" to keep the bottom plate from shifting.

I may start "another" thread once i have pics(?)

[jh818]

Hey robo5, I wonder if you deflate the bags entirely before lifting the vehicle would help? This is how the bags are when you first installed them.

After I installed the bags, I wondered if it would have been better to insert the bags into the coil with the barbed nozzle pointing up instead of down like the instructions said? Also, put the protective disc on the top. This way, the air hose can just run straight up through the center hole of the coil mount and out through the space between that mount and the frame. You would use less hose length in the process. Also, the hose is not at the bottom where it could potentially catch onto something on the ground.

I think with the nozzle up, it would be a REAL pain to try to put the hose into the barbed nozzle.

Any thoughts?

[brian_bp]

Some of the same issues are coming up in Airlift bags--nice upgrade, and here's my comment from there:

I can't speak for Air Lift, but a Firestone technical support person told me that the disc included with some Coil-Rite models was there to protect the end of the bag from sharp edges in the spring perch area... nothing to do with the air line fitting. Mine have no discs, and they are supplied only for vehicles for which they are specifically required. The Coil-Rite fittings are nearly flush in the bag end, and presumably the Air Lift barbs protrude more, so the situation for the two designs might be a bit different.

There is a little gap on the side of the top spring mount (at least in a second-generation Sienna), so the air line can be routed out the top through that gap. One way to address the problem of making an connection is to attach the air line then feed it through as the bag is installed... and hope the connection never needs to be fixed.

I understand the concern about the air line coming out the bottom and being damaged; indeed, during some mild off-roading (driving down some path somewhere) I pulled the left line out of the bag recently. I doubt that the bag is damaged, as the Coil-Rite system uses push-in fitting sealed by o-rings. One reason for coming out the bottom is that when the pressure is very low and the suspension is fully extended (such as on a hoist) a bag with top-mount fitting could end up hanging by the air line; I don't know if that is a big deal or not.

[robo5]

jh818. Yes if i had to do it over again i may have done the top valve way. I am not about to take it apart again as it works fine(besides the bottom plate)

My lines do not "hang" that much farther down as i rerouted it back up through a hole in the lower spring "perch". I am not that worried about the lower plate too much(tie straps or even RTV silicon will keep it in place)

As far as deflating the bags? yup that may work. but i like the way they are centered up in the coil when lifted. To me that is where the bag should be. and if i deflate the bag everytime it will put stress on the bag to center up once the van is lowered on the ground and pressure is put back into the system.(maybe i think too much or don't think enough)haha


Also.. Thanks brian_bp for the insite!!!!YES i know these 2 threads are going back and forth as of now.

[topspy]

The 2 threads are quite similar and complement each other, but lets try to keep them as "separate" as possible to avoid duplication.....I know sometimes the discussions will reference statements in the other thread and vice versa.

THIS thread is for PICS of installs/descriptions.
(Air lift 1000 install pictures?)

The OTHER thread is for discussing the pros/cons/issues/advice/experiences with the Airlift Bags.
Airlift bags--nice upgrade
http://siennachat.com/forum/index.php/topic,397.0.html

8)

[powerslide]

I installed my airlift kit this weekend and I took the time to take some pictures to help others that are tackling the install themselves. First, the following tips are crucial to follow to make life easier:
1. Use REAL pliers. (NOT a leatherman or any other type of needle nose pliers) A wide head can properly grip all 3 prongs on the frustrating metal clips. I used my leatherman for the first 2 and after much swearing I recalled someone elses recommendation here to use real pliers. It was at that moment I had to face the music. My beloved leatherman is not real pliers.
2. Use soapy water or "bubbles" solution and a Q-tip (or the back end of a 1/8" drill bit) to lube the inside of the hoses just prior to putting them on the barbs. I had no problems getting hoses all the way onto barbs. The hardest part of getting the hoses on the barbs is not cutting up your hands on those sharp metal clips.
3. If you are installing barbs-up, like I did, attach the hoses to the bag barbs prior to inserting them in the spring.
4. If you are installing the valve in the fuel filler door and you are not experienced drilling though metal, don't start with a 5/16" drill bit. My drill bit wanted to drift all over the place before grabbing. I resorted to a 1/8" bit to make a pilot hole and this worked MUCH better. In hindsight, a size or two smaller may have been even easier.

Here's a quick walkthrough. I had decided to put the fill valve behind the fuel door (Pic 1). I had considered other locations, but living in New England, I was concerned about longevity of anything drilled through plastic surviving winter slush, ice, and those frozen dingleberries that accumulate under vehicles. Next I considered the storage compartment where the jack lives, but most of the time I would need access to adjust the pressure, I would have a full rear cargo area and a hitch rack full of bikes. Doable, but definitely an inconvenience. So fuel door it was. I pulled the wheelwell interior panel to see what I was up against. Pretty straight forward. Mostly clips where you can just pull. The bolt that secures the bottom of the 3rd row seatbelt was pretty stuck. I had to really haul off on it and turns out it had penetrated the gummy lining of the wheelwell and the tip of the bolt had rusted. I drilled my holes (1/8" pilot and 5/16" finished) and installed the valve. I missed the perfect spot by about 1/8" too high. I was having an interference problem with the black plastic valve cap and the structural rib in the fuel door. It closed without the cap on, but I got out the dremel and used a sanding drum to take a little bite out of the rib to allow the door to close with the valve cap on. Next, I ran the hose down through the two holes in the wheel well rib (Pic 2). I found a perfectly located grommet (Pic 2, lower left) that is higher off the ground and on a vertical surface to drill a 5/16" hole through and run my hose. Once on the bottom of the van, I ran the hose through another hole (pic 3) and up to the top of the spring housing. Above the top spring housing is where I chose to locate my Tee (pic 4). Next I pulled off the driver side wheel and installed the driver side bag with about 6-8" of hose already attached. In hindsight, I don't think I needed ot pull the wheel. I didn't bother pulling the passenger wheel. I really needed to access the spring from the inside, so outside access didn't really help. I installed the passenger bag with the remaining length of hose attached to the barb. One note on getting the bags inside the springs. The top folds over easy enough to pass through, but the middle gets wider than the inside of the spring. I found that instead of trying to wrestle the wide flat part, if I focused on getting the bottom half of the bag through the spring I could swing it down and the bag would become free to move a little better. I ran the hose out the top of spring housing (Don't forget the discs at this point) and forward to wrap around a black bracket and along the rear swaybar. There is a honkin' piece of metal that surrounds the swaybar on three sides that will protect the hose from any exhaust heat. Over to the driver side, around the same black bracket and back to the T. No problems. The total install took almost 4 hours, but I spent a good amount of time planning and taking pictures. If I were to do another, 1-2 hours would be plenty of time. All in all, I was very happy with the outcome. Works great, looks great. Thanks to all in this and other threads that offered up advice that helped me with this install.

[davedz]

Posted in wrong thread last time...now I have a pic.
I ran my hose underneath the rear seat storage area, direct to the DPS hitch. Used an eye bolt to hole the valve by the wiring connector.
Pardon the dirt. I removed the fill valve cap for the pic.



..dz..

[robo5]

Here is some pics i took today.

Overall look from the behind.



How i routed the hose.



routed the air line into the rear axle beam.



another shot.



The grommet that i used to route the line into cabin.

[robo5]

I had some problems when i hoisted the van due to the protectors whould move around so i siliconed the protectors to the bottom.



This is how it lined up after.

[M3 Pete]

For those of you who put the bag's fill barbs pointing upwards, where did you put the discs? The instructions say put them on the bottom, but I think they suggest routing the fill lines at the bottom as well.

Any issues with having them staying seated that way?

robo5 - did you just put a bunch of silicone on the bottom of the disc and set it down onto the spring perch?