Air assist suspension (1 Viewer)

[Eric Clarke]

Can anyone give advice on air assist suspension for an Autotrail Tracker EKS on a Fiat Ducato 2300cc 2011
Not sure if there are different ones for different BAR settings.
Thank you in advance
Eric

 

[Al n Val]

hi Eric

do you mind if I also asked about air for the rear of my tag axel Comanche 2018 rather than starting a new thread

I’m looking to fit it or have it fitted, not to help the ride as it’s great already, but to lift the back end when reversing onto a sloping pitch as my new bike rack is digging in

Let me know if you rather I didn’t to prevent spoiling your thread and i’ll remove my post

Al

 

[tonka]

For my 2012 Apache 700 I just bought a kit off ebay. Diy fitted.
Pressure is adjustable either by manually using a foor pump or you can go with a compressor.. Personally i didnt bother with a compressor as once you blow it up thats it really unless you do need to raise it more.
However the compressor prices seemed to have dropped and not so expensive..

This is what i bought and i know quiet a few Funsters also bought the same..
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-...0001&campid=5338547443&icep_item=184386403545

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[Hirsch]

For my 2012 Apache 700 I just bought a kit off ebay. Diy fitted.
Pressure is adjustable either by manually using a foor pump or you can go with a compressor.. Personally i didnt bother with a compressor as once you blow it up thats it really unless you do need to raise it more.
However the compressor prices seemed to have dropped and not so expensive..

This is what i bought and i know quiet a few Funsters also bought the same..
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-...0001&campid=5338547443&icep_item=184386403545

I see what you did there.

"Compressor prices have dropped"

I like it. Not bad for a baggie

 

[tonka]

I see what you did there.

"Compressor prices have dropped"

I like it. Not bad for a baggie

Yes and just like west brom they could go up again. Boing boing

 

[Stacetop]

Sorry to semi hijack ....I am also looking to fit this. I’m currently booked in to have a driverite one fitted. I have been given options of no gauge so just use a pump with one on or upgrading to a Bluetooth or digital monitor? Either way I would need to manually pump them up so thinking just to check them with the pump periodically? Can anyone with a similar set up also let me know their thoughts!?
thanks

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[Landy Andy]

I went for pump, and digital display. I wasn't sure to pump, or not, but then thought, would I like to alter it during use.
Now having the ability to, I often adjust it. Sometimes I alter the pressure to level van, higher the pressure for motorway driving, lower it for lumpy bits, raise the back of the van for certain tasks, such a boarding ferries, I also dump the air out when parked at home to keep the water off the roof

 

[Stacetop]

Oh that’s much posher than we intend. I haven’t been given the option of a built in pump just a manual one without gauge or manual with. I can see why it would be better to have a pump.

 

[Landy Andy]

Think I paid about £350-£400, and fitted it myself. Very pleased with it. Much much better driving characteristics, and raises the rear which is nice for saving the rear valance. Three inches higher at 2.5bar.

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[Simon Meadwell]

Does it improve the ride, ie stop the banging and crashing through the suspensio. Our new to us A class seems to have hard suspension. For payload sv tech recommendations are air on rear and bigger springs on front will these smooth out the ride?

 

[PeteH]

I am curious?. Are any of the foregoing on Alko chassis?. I ask because when I had the last M-H. it was, (Ducato/Alko) and I was advised the Air could not be fitted?. (rear).

As for ride, Ours came to us with Rear Air, Mercedes Chassis, and I just keep it at about 1bar (14psi)ish to give some comfort to the ride. Only the "toad" goes on the hook. I obtained the full build spec; for the Base Vehicle, and they where fitted with uprated suspension and anti roll bar Ex factory, plus several non standard items for the Convertor (Rapido) to plug in to.

 

[Stacetop]

We are looking to up plate and have the fiat chassis so can have the air bags. We hope it will also provide stability. Ours apparently already has heavier front springs.

I just need to decide how to use the bag system or what features would benefit us?

I wasn’t given the option Landy Andy has, just manual pump with or without a display.

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[Simon Meadwell]

I have been quoted for air on rear for both Ducato and Alko chassis as didnt know which was on the van we proposed to but so presume you can fit air to both.

 

[Blue Knight]

We are looking to up plate and have the fiat chassis so can have the air bags. We hope it will also provide stability. Ours apparently already has heavier front springs.

I just need to decide how to use the bag system or what features would benefit us?

I wasn’t given the option Landy Andy has, just manual pump with or without a display.

Try it with 2-bar to begin with and then adjust up/down thereafter. It made a huge difference to our previous van with its long rear overhang and big garage.

 

[eurajohn]

For the tag axle (Alko) it is possible to have air assistance but nowhere so easy to fit or budget priced.

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[Al n Val]

So has anyone any ideas to do a Alko (Fiat) Tag axel as in cost, time to fit, difficulty.

I’d like gauges and a pump for ease of use btw

cheers

Al

 

[eurajohn]

Info on the equipment here <Broken link removed>
Idea of price here Glide rite

 

[Al n Val]

Info on the equipment here <Broken link removed>
Idea of price here Glide rite

thanks John

it’s a bit steep for a tag price wise when you can find a single axel diy kit for £279.
I’d consider a grand but £2.5K is steep for me

Al

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[dipsie]

We have the full Airide system, pump/gauges on our Auto Trail V Line (6.36mtr) . We run ours PVC at close to it’s max weight so that was one of the reasons we went for “ air assist”.
I cannot say that at 30-35 psi that it is anymore comfortable but the van feels more stable in winds or passing heavy trucks at speed. The biggest bonus is when pitching up, depending if you are on a slope the ease of levelling, not much side to side due to the solid rear axle, but from 10psi “ standard height “ to 60+psi an increase of some 3-4 inches can be achieved. We have not used our levelling ramps in the last 20 months since the installation.

BernieT

 

[Eric Clarke]

Thanks for your help. that's has made up my mind to go for it. Now I have to find which is the right one to choose to suit my wagon. You recommend airide Other Recommendations please.
Eric

 

[IanRJ]

thanks John

it’s a bit steep for a tag price wise when you can find a single axel diy kit for £279.
I’d consider a grand but £2.5K is steep for me

Al

Could you state where you found an Alko kit for £279?

Cheapest I found was the Dunlop for Alko at around £1200 for the kit plus fitting.

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[Al n Val]

Could you state where you found an Alko kit for £279?

Cheapest I found was the Dunlop for Alko at around £1200 for the kit plus fitting.

sorry if I mislead you here Ian but I was just referring to any diy kit of which their are loads, the Alko ones seem to jump up massively don’t they, probably because if they can charge that much they will

I been trawling the internet and it’s looking like a £2-3K job for my tag axel which i’m not prepared to pay, well not yet anyway

 

[TerryL]

We (or rather Dave Newell did) fitted a Dunlop rear-assist kit to enable us to upgrade the weight. He fitted a manual system with a single gauge but separate lines so I can adjust each side separately if I need. It's basic, simple and only needs topping up very occasionally. After experimentation we now run at 50 psi fully loaded and the van is markedly more stable. The only downside is that I've noticed that after parking up for around half an hour the back starts to rise a little, making the van prone to nose-down attitude. A variable, pumped, system would help with that but I can live with it.

It's done nothing, though, about the harsh ride, that's down to the cart spring suspension fitted to the Fiat camper chassis. I believe tyre pressures to be of more influence in that respect - been a lot of threads about tyre pressures and the easiest solution is to consult an expert - in our case the tyre manufacturers (Continental - beware Michelin usually say 80 psi all-round which is far too high IMO) or there is a good website, Tyresafe I believe, that can give guidance.