Using Airlift wireless control with on-board air system

This is a way to plumb the Airlift wireless airbag system into an existing on-board air system. Very useful when the Airlift compressor fails.
Air solenoid: amzn.to/2ZeDSoo
Airlift airbag system: amzn.to/2Zb1dXY
Viair single compressor air system: amzn.to/31FYffu
Viair dual compressor air system: amzn.to/2HaoC5G
Airlift wireless compressor system: amzn.to/2gpLu3z
90 Degree elbow 3/16 NPT fitting: amzn.to/3crR4hc
Straight-through 3/16 NPT fitting: amzn.to/38gqFjb
3/16 NPT hose: amzn.to/3aseb9R

[@dantheman6931]

Great vid! Welcome back buddy 🤙🏻

[@NicManGun]

thanks i have on board air system already as well and been wanting to do air bags too and have been contemplating on how to do it. really appreciate people that share thanks

[@user-fs1sc9yf9y]

Finally getting around to installing all of this. Everything is ordered and on the way, except the Viair compressor. Will be ordering it tomorrow.

[@thebuckey6684]

Whaaat? Wow, I have been scratching my head for months trying to figure this out and then stumbled onto your video. I have a dual compressor set up with a 150psi 5 gal tank. Did not want to run another compressor for the bags and did not wnat the main fill option to be manual. This video saved me a ton of time. Thank you

[@mattward330]

This is exactly what I am about to do. Glad I found this. Great job!

[@EpicCowlick]

It works great. If I had it to do over I would have simply started this way and tossed the little compressor.

[@RobertQuintan]

Oh men, every time I wanted to do something something on my truck and start doing research, the research always take me to your awesome videos 👍 FTE 🤟

[@EpicCowlick]

GO FTE!

[@justinhommel8556]

This is exactly the system I want. Thank you for putting this together.

[@EpicCowlick]

Happy to do it. It's really been great and continues to work 100%. Wish AirLift would offer this as an OEM option and save the trouble with the little compressor.

[@justinhommel8556]

@@EpicCowlick I sent them an email asking if I can get the kit minus the compressor. No reply. Worst case I have a spare 12 volt compressor in my garage.

[@scottsavage2141]

Thanks, this is exactly the fix I was looking for.

[@CFarmer]

Great video, Setting mine up tomorrow. Thank you for sharing!

[@EpicCowlick]

Glad it was helpful!

[@christiaanlutzer]

Thank you for making this video! I was just starting to research how to do the exact same thing when I stumbled on this video. You answered my question as to whether a 150psi tank could directly feed the manifold--I guess not.

[@EpicCowlick]

Technically, it's not the 150 psi that is the problem. I confirmed this with an AirLift engineer. The actual valve that is in the manifold is the same one used in AirLift's Performance line. It's rated up to 200 psi max. So holding back that pressure is not by itself the problem. You have to control the amount of air coming from the tank. That is easily controlled by reducing the size of the tube that feeds the manifold. So 150 psi at 1/4 inch tube is too much, 150 psi at 3/16 tube works great. It's only one fourth the amount of air at the same psi. It's still working great btw. I use it a lot and love how fast it is.

[@stevepessy]

That's exactly what I wanted to do! I have dual ARB set up with 5 gallon tank. I ordered airlift wireless one and didn't want to run there air pump. I was told it would not work but you found a work around solution. But he also told me is give it a couple of months they are coming out with a wireless solution for people who already have on board air.

[@EpicCowlick]

That's great news Airlift is going to provide a solution for folks like us. We've been asking for a long time.

[@RyanRed13]

Great vid thanks!

[@Montanez58]

So glad I ran into this video. I wanted to do exactly this because I have an onboard air system.

[@EpicCowlick]

It works great. Highly recommended.

[@THDC2015]

Love this video. Thanks for the help.

[@EpicCowlick]

Happy to do it. This is SO much better, faster and more reliable.

[@THDC2015]

@@EpicCowlick Yes the little compressor from airlift is not reliable

[@jerryknorr679]

Good video thanks

[@kckettridge]

I'm glad you made this video because I was just getting ready to install the same air compressor and in the same spot you installed yours on my '17 F-250. I think I'll install mine somewhere under the hood now.

[@EpicCowlick]

Yes, pretty much anywhere under the truck is going to allow water onto and into the compressor motor. It's interesting that the same setup on my 2011 F350 didn't fail in the six years I had it. The only difference was that the compressor was installed upside down, hanging under the bed. The install on th 2017 was right side up and further back and we know what happened to that.

[@kckettridge]

@@EpicCowlick I see others on KZbin who have installed in in various areas under the truck and think they will be replacing it as quickly as you had to. I'm a little extreme on anything I do to my vehicles, in that I try to make the installation look as factory as possible. I thought about installing the compressor behind the back seat but I really don't want to have to drill through the cab to run the wires and air line, then there is the noise factor. I'm looking under the hood again to see if I missed a spot to install it and the manifold. Even with the 6.2 gas motor, there isn't a whole lot of room under there either. Thanks again for posting such informative videos.

[@EpicCowlick]

@@kckettridge Hopefully the 6.2 gives you more room. The 6.7 takes up ALL the space and gets seriously hot under the hood. Airlift could solve this problem easily if they added a rubber O-ring and sealed the wire channel. Viair does that with their compressors and it doesn't matter where you mount them. I've always put those compressors outside the frame rail where they get a lot of water spray and no failures in 10 years. Regardless, I actually like this setup better without the little Airlift compressor. Much faster. Good luck with yours. The airbags are awesome.

[@kckettridge]

@@EpicCowlick well, I installed the Air Lift Air Bags and the 75000. I ended up having to mount the compressor and manifold on the drivers side, inboard frame near the fuel lines. It was a tight fit but that really was the only viable spot for it. There just wasn't any place under the hood to mount them.

[@EpicCowlick]

@@kckettridge It's a great system. You'll love it. You might want to consider some high temp silicone and just gob it over the seams and wire penetration through the stator body. That compressor will run for a long time if it can stay dry. Congrats on getting it done.

[@solowfrful]

Great video! I have an ExtremeFlow Belt Drive Compressor SERPENTINE BELT, from Extreme Outback to supply air for tools, airbags, air horns, etc. Its a great option producing 8 com, mount under the hood. I was really happy to see your video showing the Air Ride solenoid.

[@solowfrful]

My question is what size fittings did you use to connect the solenoid to the air tank & manifold?

[@EpicCowlick]

@@solowfrful 1/4 npt for the larger tube, 3/16 for the smaller.

[@solowfrful]

@@EpicCowlick Thanks, but the ports on the solenoid are too small to accept either. Wondering if I have the correct part

[@solowfrful]

I will contact Air Lift. Thanks for all your help. Keep up the great work and awesome videos!

[@EpicCowlick]

@@solowfrful Interesting. You might just try a local resource for air hoses and fittings. A shop that supplies over the road trucks.Take the solenoid to them and explain what you're doing and they should have the fittings in stock.

[@Bigjohndodge00]

I've stumbled on to your channel and really enjoy the content. I'm looking at putting in the dual viair and tank like you with some ride rite firestone bags. Also seen dual firestone auto mechanical load leveling kit similar to my semi. Max psi of the tank is 150 as well as the bags. The auto load levels will cut off when level before getting to 150, and then tank will shutoff at 150. Thinking about going this route to bypass a remote, switches, manifolds.... What do you think?

[@Cotton088]

awesome

[@ericobrien9795]

I have a bunch of the same stuff you have on your truck this is so great. If my little compressor goes out I will most definitely be doing this upgrade. I wish it would lower and lift the truck just a few more inches to hook and unhook a trailer easier. Amy ideas on that?

[@EpicCowlick]

There are full spring suspensions available for our trucks but they are expensive. They can raise the truck higher or lower it below stock height. If money is no obstacle, what you describe can be done.

[@ericobrien9795]

@@EpicCowlick money is an obstacle to a reasonable extent but for 17 to 20k I will figure something else out.

[@williecat0384]

Epic cowlick how do you like this truck vs your 2011? I have watched your videos since then and used a lot of these same improvements on my truck. U made great vids keep it up!

[@EpicCowlick]

This truck is a couple of notches ahead of the previous model. But that's not surprising. Engine is stronger, Ford solved some fuel pump issues, rear end is bigger, and on. That doesn't make the 2011-2016 any less, it just the constant improvements that come naturally. It's fun tweaking them with more capability. Air horns next!

[@USMCBOSS]

@@EpicCowlick I'm currently trying to find just the parts I need to make this work I.e Manifold, water separator etc. I have on board air so I don't want to buy a whole kit. What would you suggest?

[@rhankejr]

Epic Cowlick: your video is very informative. thank you for that. I want to add a similar air spring setup to a 2019 lariat f350 we have. what specific brand did you use for your air springs kit? is it "Air Lift"?

[@EpicCowlick]

I've used Firestone before but went with the Air Lift brand this time. The internal jounce bumpers are ingenious and saved me when the compressor failed. Here's a link to the install video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/omO0iHalqrSFis0

[@bpowda84]

Hey Cowlick, glad I found your channel. I like your logical approach to solving problems. Question for ya. I’m debating an on-board air system for my F-250 that currently has airbags. I would like to have the wireless control as well. If I only choose one, which do you think would be more beneficial? The OBA system would give me air to re-inflate bags when I go to leave the campground, I would just have to manually do it. Maybe I can buy just the wireless manifold instead of the whole system and set it up like you did in this vid. Just don’t want to get stuck with the tiny compressor that comes with the Wireless kit. Love the vids 🤘🏼

[@EpicCowlick]

I've found that trying to piece a wireless manifold system together from parts will cost about the same as buying the whole thing and just putting the compressor on a shelf. There are plenty of options including controls in cab that are pretty cheap. The onboard air is the first step, figuring out which system to use to fill the airbags is pretty specific to individual needs.

[@bpowda84]

@@EpicCowlick thanks. That’s kind of what I was thinking too.

[@sungun5312]

This is a great video. I am curious though couldn't you just attach the solenoid to the air manifold with a 1/8inch pipe nipple to cause the same effect?

[@EpicCowlick]

There's many ways to accomplish this. At the end of the day, you just need to reduce the air flow volume and any restriction in the line at any point will do the job. Take a look at a few engineering documents on fluid dynamics and you'll see that flow volume decreases not only at the point of the orifice but is also affected by the length of hose. The numbers I used were based on 12 inches of vinyl hose/tubing.

[@christophercollins3190]

Do I need to run a 3/16 line from the air tank to the solenoid or just from the solenoid to the manifold on the air bag unit? Also, do you just connect the wires from the solenoid to the old compressor wires?

[@thisisatest4947]

I’ve been thinking about this exact setup for sometime and came across your video which was very well thought out. My only question is where did you get the remote for the airbags without having to purchase the entire kit? I have the HD VIAIR compressor and would like to be able to operate my airbags on the fly using a remote control inside my truck. Any thoughts on how I can achieve this without having to purchase the entire airlift kit?

[@EpicCowlick]

The wireless controller is one part of a three part kit. Controller, manifold and little compressor. You need everything in that kit except the compressor. Others have asked the same thing and it's apparently hard to get just those two pieces. And don't forget the connectors and hoses and wiring. Unless you find something used on Ebay or something, it's cheaper to just get the AirLift kit and toss the little compressor.

[@rikosuavesito07]

Great video that's funny I called air lift today and they told me it wouldn't work with a tank. Nice to see the solenoid worked. I do have a question how does it drain the air does it go right back thru the same line to the bag and dump it thru the manifold?

[@EpicCowlick]

The air tank has its own drain of course. The AirLift manifold (the part that sends air to the air bags) has an air dryer on the air coming into it. Notice the black cylinder with the pointy thing coming out of it. It must be installed vertically with the point drain oriented straight down. Any moisture in the air is removed and water droplets are expelled out the bottom of the dryer. This is a huge improvement AirLift made to their systems. The earlier versions didn't include the dryer and many-a-manifold failed due to water as a result.

[@rikosuavesito07]

@@EpicCowlick Thank you for the reply. Could another possibility be using my existing arb compressor and no tank. Just run air line from compressor to manifold as long as the manifold and it's relay are wired to any source of power? Or would the solenoid still be needed to tell the compressor to give it air? Or do I just turn on power to my arb through my aux switch inside and then go up or down on psi?

[@EpicCowlick]

@@rikosuavesito07 I'm sure any other compressor would work. It just needs to be 12v. The manifold doesn't know what's attached to it, it only sends 12 volts across those two wires when the PSI drops below the set limit. So it could be anything including a different brand compressor. I wouldn't expect it to power a large compressor though. It's probably only sending 5 or so amps. If you need more power, just add a relay and use the manifold positive compressor output as one of the two source inputs on the relay.

[@gregparrott]

Thanks for the video. I watched your installation video for the 'Air Lift' system on a 2017 F-350. I have four questions. 1) At 0:11, you show water's effect on the motor and suggest using a solenoid. But how did you prevent recurrence? Where was the new motor placed or otherwise protected? 2) At 7:00 it visibly shows that the air bags are made by Goodyear, not AirLift. Did you switch air bags, or complete AirLift systems, or something else? 3) After you showed your push-to-fit couplers leaking (5:08), did you replace them with compression ferrules? 4) What is your source for the chart at 2:07

[@EpicCowlick]

The original little compressor is replaced with a solenoid. No motor, brushes or things to fail. The solenoid is plumbed into the air tank which if charged with two separate compressors. The solenoid has no way for water to get into it from the outside. The AirLift airbag is made by Goodyear. You can go back and watch the airbag installation video on this channel.

[@brentandlinz06]

Great video! I have a viair 200psi system on my truck. I have airlift bags with a manual tire valve to fill them. I also have an analog airlift gauge with a switch and deflate valve that I want to incorporate. It looks like the solenoid is only rated to 140psi while my tank pressure is 200. Any idea on how to “step down” the pressure from the tank to the solenoid?

[@TeuvoJones]

You can add a pressure regulator in between the tank and the valve and set it to 125 or so psi. In your case you can stay with the 1/4 inch hose all the way through.

[@danielp1449]

Thank you for the video! I have the Air Lift 5000 analog system on my truck, but I want to install an air tank for accessory use such as airing up tires. I have the analog gauge in the cab where I control the air bags. I plan to install the pressure gauge and quick disconnect for the air tank somewhere in the bed of the truck. Is there a relay/solenoid I can install on the tank that is controlled by my in cab gauge for the air shocks only? So when I need to level my load, I can air up the shocks in cab to a certain pressure, and later use an accessory hose from the tank to air up tires and such.

[@EpicCowlick]

You can run several systems off the AirLift tank. The tank has four ports (one of which should be used for the overpressure valve) and you can use T connectors to add extra access where needed. I did that in this video. You can send air lines into the cab to manually inflate and deflate the airbags as well.

[@isaactjones]

Sorry about the compressor! But that's a cool workaround. Is there a way to seal up the compressor from water?

[@EpicCowlick]

You could try some liberal RTV sealant but there's still penetrations where wires and bolts come into the motor side of the compressor. This compressor must never be exposed to water and probably very little dust.

[@InsertGenericNameHere]

I've seen you use the white goop and the orange teflon tape for thread sealing. Which do you like more?

[@EpicCowlick]

Great question. I started using the goop more and more lately and it seems to seal better. Teflon tape for stuff I don't care about and thread sealant when it matters more.

[@rvchipster]

Greetings again. I hav a Airlift bag system and a Viair 200psi single compressor with a tank. I just ordered the Gen2 Airlift command center. Like many others, I don't want 2 air compressors on board. Did you try the solenoid set up first with the larger tubing? I saw on a different Airlift vid that said the supplied compressor with the kit is 100psi. I'm worried my 200psi will blow it. Any advice? Thanks n advance.

[@EpicCowlick]

The original little compressor was 150 psi. It had to be to be to get the tank to 150 psi. I didn't try the 1/4 line first as I had already read about the over pressure issues. The manifold is rated to 200 psi but the valve i used in this video is only rated to 150 psi. I wouldn't run a 200 psi 1/4 inch line into it. It's possible that a 3/16 hose coming out of the tank at 200 psi would work and might be worth trying.

[@jasonwindom2981]

Fantastic video! Thank you. Quick question. Can you please confirm this to make sure I am tracking correctly? 1/4" line coming from the air tank to the solenoid (straight 1/4 fitting) and then 3/16 fitting and line from the solenoid to the 3/16 fitting on the air filter? Or, is it a 3/16 line all the way from the air tank with 3/16 fitting on the air tank itself? Basically, how many 3/16 fittings are required? Love your videos, thank you.

[@EpicCowlick]

Your first scenario is what I did here. 1/4 npt up to the input side of the solenoid and then 3/16 npt between the solenoid and the manifold. The solenoid itself is rated to handle 150 psi at any volume so 1/4 npt to the solenoid is ok. The 3/16 npt is required prior to the manifold to decrease the volume of air arriving at the manifold. You can certainly run 3/16 hose entirely but the longer the length will result in decreasing air volume due to friction losses. One of the best things about this setup is the speed the airbags inflate. They're fast but not too fast.

[@jasonwindom2981]

@@EpicCowlick Awesome! Thank you for replying so quickly. One more follow up question and I'll leave you alone :) The new 2nd gen WirelessAir does not have the air dryer/filter connected to the manifold, but directly to the compressor (which I won't be using with this set up). Are the two air dryers/filters from the tank dual compressors enough, is there another workaround for this, or should I just go with the 1st gen to be safe? Again, thanks for your videos. They are so helpful. I did the surgical tubing on all of my rattling doors (2019 F-250) and it is so quiet in the cab now. It brings a tear to my eye :) I can't stand random rattles and noises on a $65,000 truck. I hope everyone is staying healthy.

[@EpicCowlick]

@@jasonwindom2981 We're well, thanks. I'm not up to speed on the 2nd gen model. I'd guess there are some improvements in there somewhere. Surprised to hear there's no air dryer. AirLift had a lot of problems with previous versions that didn't include one and I was glad they added it. Hopefully they're not taking a step backward. You can always call or email them to see what they say but I would just make sure a dryer is between the tank and the manifold somewhere. Brand shouldn't matter so long as it gets the job done.

[@TrueLoneReaper]

@@jasonwindom2981 I'm looking to do the same thing with the 2nd generation, did you get it working with replacing the compressor with a solenoid just as @EpicCowlick did with the gen1?

[@mballak3]

@@TrueLoneReaper Has anyone got this working with the Gen 2? Thanks

[@deadliestcatch_toddstanley]

I also have onboard viar dual system. I want to add the Air Lift 5000 rear air bags to my RV and want to be able to add air individually to each spring for load balancing, so need a dual path. I love the idea of the wireless but hard lined is fine too. Im new to air bags and trying to figure out if the Air Lift system comes with a controller for in cab air or if I have to buy one separately and if so which one? Loved the video!

[@EpicCowlick]

Interesting that you're putting airbags on an RV. I'm assuming a single axle with custom brackets. Regardless, AirLift makes a controller like you describe. The simplest of all setups is to run each airbage line to a place where you can install individual schrader valves and manually fill them one at a time. It would make side-to-side leveling really easy as there's about 3 inches of lift in a bag,

[@deadliestcatch_toddstanley]

@@EpicCowlick It will greatly help with weight distribution side to side. Mostly because I have a huge battery bank on the passenger side over the right dually's. Airlift makes a kit, Model: 57202 that fits perfectly on my workhorse W24 chassis. I really want to be able to air up or down from inside the cab. I like your tweak you have in this video. I may try and do something similar although I'll need an air solenoid capable of 200 psi because my onboard system is a Viar 485c dual compressor system. I suppose I could do as you have done with two Air Solenoids and a wireless system like yours

[@EpicCowlick]

@@deadliestcatch_toddstanley AirLift has a Performance line (airliftperformance.com) where you can buy individual components that are rated that high. They're a bit more expensive due to the lower sales volume but it's good to have an option.

[@jehlybean636]

Any reason why you went with the WirelessAir and not the AirOne? I can't seem to find a reason to get individually adjustable sides. Thanks!

[@EpicCowlick]

Supposedly if a single source of air is used to inflate both bags, the air can travel back and forth between them and it creates a rocking back and forth issue? But I've never had a reason to inflate bags separately either. I've just always used the Wireless air kit and haven't tried the AirOne.

[@robertkreb9307]

Eric great video but I didnt see where to connect the solenoid wire?

[@EpicCowlick]

Solenoid has two wires. One to ground the other to the 12V coming from the manifold which powered the compressor. It is wired in the exact same place as the little compressor was.

[@PandasAndrew]

Which wire is the negative or does it matter

[@brentandlinz06]

@@PandasAndrew if they are not labeled it doesn’t matter.

[@timpayne431]

Do you have any Amazon links for the fittings that you used on both the manifold dryer and the air solenoid?

[@EpicCowlick]

Sure can. The video description has been updated with the links. The main search terms to find the reduced size fittings and hose is "3/16 NPT DOT brake fitting" or "3/16 NPT DOT brake hose".

[@zenozeno8765]

Why the solenoid? will the 2 gallon air tank damage the air manifold, or are you just worried about over shooting psi in air bags? I am asking because i just ordered this kit and your idea sound good!

[@EpicCowlick]

The solenoid is in the same place in the circuit as the compressor was. The manifold sends 12V over that line to run the compressor to fill the bags. The manifold does not know that the compressor is gone and has been replaced with an air solenoid. It only knows that the air pressure in the airbags is increasing and it stops the current when the preset pressure is reached. The smaller hose is used to reduce the volume of air that goes to the manifold. It is not designed to handle that amount of air so a smaller hose is needed.

[@zenozeno8765]

@@EpicCowlick Thank you

[@stephenshin7114]

great info exactly what im planing. did you run the standard 1/4 hose to the solenoid and run the 3/16 from the solenoid to the manifold?

[@EpicCowlick]

Exactly. The solenoid can handle the volume, the manifold can not.

[@stephenshin7114]

@@EpicCowlick awesome thanks, i just order the fittings, hornblasters dual compressor 8 gal tank the air lift manifold etc. haha thanks for the help

[@EpicCowlick]

@@stephenshin7114 8 gallons! That will get the job done!

[@stephenshin7114]

@@EpicCowlick do you know what the psi i should run into the manifold? im getting a pressure regulator so control that.

[@EpicCowlick]

@@stephenshin7114 I talked to an AirLift rep who got the word from one of their engineers. He said the valve in the manifold is the same as their Performance line which is rated to 200 psi. But you have to remember that 1/4 inch NPT at 150 psi will flow way too much air. You'll to experiment with it but if you're going to stay 1/4 up to the manifold, you should probably start at 100 psi and see if that's too much. You'll know if the manifold has to exhaust air immediately after letting air through to the air bag.

[@michaelrausch6950]

What compressor do you have that held up well and fit well in the vehicle?

[@EpicCowlick]

I used a Viair single compressor system on the previous truck and went for a Viair dual compressor system on this truck. Those compressors are sealed and have held up very well over the years. Install videos are on the channel and links to the systems are in the video description.

[@northerniltree]

That OEM air compressor without a gasket is an engineered failure. Rather than waiting for the eventual internal corrosion and failure of that component, why not just seal any water intrusion areas with RTV silicone or equivalent? Who wants to re-do any install more frequently than necessary?

[@lgvids3710]

I am planning on putting an airlift 5000 system on my new truck and want to have the air tank like you have, will this solenoid work for a 200psi tank with dual compressors? Any tips before I purchase all the parts?

[@EpicCowlick]

Air Lift says the valve and the manifold is rated to 150 psi. I've seen an unregulated system like you describe and the volume/pressure of air hitting the manifold causes the manifold to over-pressure the the desired setting pretty fast. It cycles above and below the desired psi several times. The manifold will then exhaust the over-pressure sometimes below the set value and then allow more air in which will over-pressure again, etc. It eventually settles down and finds the correct pressure but you can tell the manifold is taking abuse. You can add a pressure reducer prior to the valve to keep it below 150 to stay safe. In my case, the tank psi is never above 150 psi so I didn't have to do that. The 3/16 line from the valve to the manifold is an easy solution to controlling the volume of air hitting the manifold. My setup is working very well and there's no reason to think it is being overworked in any way. You will love it when your system is finished. Fast and reliable.

[@lgvids3710]

@@EpicCowlick thank you! I may do the 150 psi tank setup just to be safe!

[@EpicCowlick]

@@lgvids3710 200 psi is a good thing when it comes to filling tires. If you do the math you'll find that a tank at 200 psi has 1/3rd more air in it than one at 150 psi. Filling a deflated tire is just a bit quicker when the tank starts out at the higher pressure. With my dual compressor 150 psi system, I can fill a 37/12.50/20 from 20 psi to 65 psi in 3 mins 45 seconds. If it started out at 200 psi, it would probably take 3 mins? Something like that. If you're going to spend the money on the higher capacity system, just make sure it includes a pressure regulator that can be installed on the line that feeds the airbag system. Otherwise, just go with a dual 150 psi setup like on this truck and it's pretty awesome. Link is in the video description.

[@lgvids3710]

@@EpicCowlick okay thank you! I appreciate your guidance!

[@lowellmatthews8279]

I just added air springs to my Sierra 3500 to smooth out the ride while towing my 5th wheel. Can I add the wireless air compressor system and the onboard air with one system? In other words can purchase the Air lift wireless air system and just add a 3 gallon air tank and call it a day? I can use system as normal to fill my air springs and add a quick connect to the bumper to fill my tires. To me buying the Viair and the Air Lift is overkill. How can I accomplish this with just one kit?

[@EpicCowlick]

The Airlift compressor is tiny and would take forever to fill a tank. It may not even be rated to run long enough to do it and being driven by the manifold pressure, it would not know when to run. Not even sure how to pull that off. There really is very little overlap between the two systems when plumbing them together. The only redundant component is the AirLift compressor and that needs to be replaced by the valve used in the video (or something similar). The Viair system is a completely separate system in and of itself and does provide many benefits beyond just inflating air bags.

[@odenfire1819]

Why use a solenoid. Isn’t the control Valve in the manifold closed until you command the bags to be inflated.

[@EpicCowlick]

The manifold will return an error if it does not detect a proper load on the compressor circuit. The solenoid is a quick way to accomplish that.

[@MrMelon16]

Couldnt you just use a manual speed controller instead of changing line sizes? (not a regulator, a speed controller effectively reduces line diameter) and keep the lines 1/4 for easy repairs?

[@EpicCowlick]

Whatever works. It's all about air volume control.

[@user-fs1sc9yf9y]

Great video! I already have Airlift airbags installed. Looking at wireless compressor kits. Is it possible to just purchase all items separately needed for a wireless. system (like Airlift 72000) Would like to be able to start with a Viair compressor & tank from the beginning and NOT have to buy complete Airlift 72000 compressor kit unless that’s the only way. Thanks

[@EpicCowlick]

With onboard air, you won't need another compressor for the airbags of course. The best part about the 72000 system is the wireless controller and the manifold that keeps the bags at a preset pressure. There is still lots of value in those pieces even if you skip the little dedicated compressor and use your Viair air tank. Have you seen my video on how to do that?

[@user-fs1sc9yf9y]

@@EpicCowlick Yes I did see your video. That’s why I asked IF all the pieces from the 72000 can be purchased separately. If it would be cheaper than buying the whole 72000 kit, then I could buy the Viair compressor and tank and hopefully be able to do exactly what you did. I really like the idea of being able to adjust the airbags on the fly. Thanks

[@EpicCowlick]

@@user-fs1sc9yf9y Gotcha. I guess you can check ebay/amazon for the a la carte pieces. I've replaced my wireless controller once because I left it on the bumper and lost it. That alone was over $125. You'd need to find the manifold and relay wiring and whatever else. You might be able to save some $$$.

[@user-fs1sc9yf9y]

@@EpicCowlick Yeah I will check and see. If not I will just buy the 72000 and if it takes a dump, then go with Viair and a tank and (try) to duplicate what you did. Thanks again

[@user-fs1sc9yf9y]

You wouldn’t have the individual part numbers by any chance would you? I could not find all the parts or any part numbers except for the wireless monitor. Thanks

[@peepeesmelly1]

My question is can I tap into my already existing set up ?? I have the viar 444c with a 2.5 gal tank , will they sell just the manifold and wiring ?

[@EpicCowlick]

You can probably find the parts individually but trying to piece-meal it probably costs more than the kit. The Airlift 72000 wireless system has everything but the air solenoid, the two 3/16 NPT fittings and a short length of 3/16 hose. Just toss the little compressor or use it for something else. I've seen another guy do this without adding a 3/16 section of hose and the manifold has a hard time getting to the preset pressure. It overshoots then exhausts then overshoots then exhausts...

[@peepeesmelly1]

@@EpicCowlick do you know of any issues using the set up with the dual path manifold and wireless air set up and newest remote ? I saw that they had some sort of diagnostic communication and I'm afraid that removing the compressor from the kit and replacing it with the solenoid would cause a fault ..

[@EpicCowlick]

@@peepeesmelly1 I'm not familiar with any changes to the remote. It was easy to figure out that the solenoid would work in place of the compressor because the compressor has no logic circuits inside of it. It's a simple 12V brush electric motor. The solenoid needs a continuous 12V supply just like the compressor so it would be very difficult for the manifold to detect any difference even with a diagnostic check. The remote/manifold combo I have can detect a leak and an occlusion (and of course the change in psi). It also displays a failure in communication but that is only between the remote and the manifold.

[@peepeesmelly1]

@@EpicCowlick Thank you so much for helping me with all these stupid questions lol.. Just trying to get all my ducks in a row before dumping $900 on the whole kit and fumbling around to install .. Just one last one ( hopefully ) With the solenoid in place of the compressor , it just had to be grounded and then tapped into the harness for the manifold where the compressor would be ?

[@EpicCowlick]

​@@peepeesmelly1 The solenoid connects to the red and black wires that power the compressor. The solenoid is not polarized so it doesn't matter which black wire connects to the red or black. No need to tap into the harness, just use the wires that would have gone to the compressor. Good luck with it!

[@MatgyverATX]

Where did you get the 1/4 npt to 3/6 elbow push connect. I cannot find them anywhere even online. You even mentioned they were DOT certified. I only found the compression and they are leaking like crazy.

[@EpicCowlick]

I had the same trouble finding them online. I ended up at a local commercial trucking supply company that supplies semi truck brake lines and parts.

[@MatgyverATX]

Thanks. I actually found the ones you posted and order those. It works great! Thanks for the video. I installed the Generation 2 Wireless One which after contacting Airlift they said it wouldn’t work. Works great for me! Just have a leak in the 3/16 fittings because all I could find locally was a compression fitting and I didn’t like them. Hope the new push ones I ordered work. Thanks again!

[@MatgyverATX]

So I got the new 3/16 push connectors in from Amazon. No good. Still leak. I’m going to keep working on them to see if I can get them to not leak but not promising. The issue I’m running into is the new WirelessOne from AirLift has a 1/4 push connector but you can’t remove it like you did to replace it with a 3/16, so I have to go from a 1/4 on my solenoid to 3/16 for the tube then back into a 1/4 push connector so I can put a 1/4 tube to fit into the manifold. Do you think if I kept it just a 1/4 it would be too much airflow? My max airflow is 120 psi.

[@EpicCowlick]

@@MatgyverATX You sure can try the 1/4 line all the way through. The problem is that if the manifold gets too much air it will shut and exhaust the overpressure. It ends up in a cycle of overpressure - exhaust- over-pressure - exhaust until it gets close enough to the desired pressure that it completes. It's also potentially damaging to the valve in the manifold. There's a guy on youtube who did this and just ignored the overpressure/exhaust cycles and didn't worry about them. I never found out how that worked in the long term. In your case, who knows? It may work without any problem? It's not hard to plug in 1/4 all the way through and see how it works. If you want to get creative, you might try to figure out a way to restrict a 1/4 inch hose in some way. All you're really trying to do is to create a smaller space for the airflow so less can get through at any given pressure. Maybe a 1/4 to 1/4 hose connector of some kind? Just thinking out loud. One last thing that may help is to use a proper hose cutter instead of a knife as I did in the video. I was able to get rid of one leaky connection by just making sure I had a super square and clean cut before pushing it into the quick connector. Google "plastic tubing cutter" and you'll see several options for cheap.

[@MatgyverATX]

Yeah I’ve got a hose cutter that cuts a clean cut. I’m going to try again and see if I can seal it up. I also thought about 1/4 tube with a regulator but they tend to leak sometimes. I’ll keep playing around and see what works.

[@screamindemon811]

Kind of surprising that there was that much water penetration, surprised it isnt sealed up a little better but not much you can do about it that's a manufacturing issue that someone in engineering dint think of didnt think would be an issue, very good work around, it's just a shame you had to implement one to get it back to snuff. Uh Oh...looks like Justin is going to horn in on Michaels helper status...lol

[@EpicCowlick]

AirLift could seal it up. It's probably just a cost thing and they don't want to spend the $$. And yeah, little Jackson is always happy to help gpa!