FMKustoms Posted March 4, 2007 Report Share Posted March 4, 2007 Sounds like a pretty good deal. ART makes some great parts. And it should ride pretty good also. Just find the psi that feels like the best ride and set it to that when you are driving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAGGEDBIRDS.com Posted March 4, 2007 Report Share Posted March 4, 2007 don't worry about the cornering. You will keep your swaybars. Trucks are not a good indication how a car is going to behave. With the ART you will be fine. I am not sure what kind of air system you got into but you could put each corner on a separate set of valves so the air doesn't bleed side to side when you corner. Quote 1st SMD "System of the Month" Feb. 2007 Zapco Studio 500 (2) Zapco Studio 300X Zapco Studio 204 (2) (2) FI 12ssd's w/ copper coils DLS Iridium Tweeters DLS UR2.5 MidRange FI. N.7 Midbass JL Audio TWK 88 Mechman 370A Elite Alternator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
703autosport Posted March 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2007 Well I finally got the kit, minus the bags that the friend of mine that I bought them from is going to help me put in this week for free... since I dont weld and he needs to tack weld the bottom plates in. The system isnt even an art set-up it was just in a cool ride box. Its got firestone bags, a viair 350cc compressor, 7 gallon chrome tank, 3/8" lines, and he made two "custom" valves (whatever that means). I trust that he knows what hes doin since hes been installing airbags and hydrolics at his shop for a long time. For now I only want front and back, but I intend on upgrading as funds permit later on. The only thing that I dont like is that he has to weld, I really wanted a true bolt-on kit so I could easily upgrade in the future to airstruts and shockwaves or back to my eibach suspension if I dont like this set-up but I guess I can cut the plates out later. Do you guys think I got a decent deal for $1200 including him helping me put the bags in? Im also looking at ordering FBI's digital gauge with 5 sending units($124 shipped with an extra sending unit) or Dakota Digital ones(about $220 + shipping)... Is there a differance between the two/is the Dakota worth twice as much as FBI's? Is it worth going digital for the money or is it better just to go analog and get a single needle gause for the tank and a dual needle for the front and back? sorry for the long post and all the questions but Im a noob at airbags. Well here are a few pics of my car and what I did yesterday, Im going to finish up today with everything so all we have to do is install the bags and connect them. Let me know what you guys think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FMKustoms Posted March 4, 2007 Report Share Posted March 4, 2007 I am a big fan of Dakota myself. I just think its a better look. I am not too sure who makes the one from FBI. As far as the price of $1200.. Thats seems high. That viair 350 on a 7 gallon tank is not going to be fast to fill at all. The rule of thumb is one compressor for every 5 gallons. What you have is alot of tank for that compressor. Not real sure on the valves you have, can you post a pic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
703autosport Posted March 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2007 Im going to get a second compressor... the tank he gave me is from his astro van with dual comp. he ordered a black 5 gallon for me but it wasnt delivered by friday and I needed to put it all in this weekend. This might be a stupid question but can I run two different compressors? Another friend of mine has one that he will give me for free, he says its just like mine but I havnt seen it. I dont have the valves yet he built them at home and didnt have them at the shop. I do like the looks of the dakota gauges better but their twice as much and down the road im switching to the air ride digital controls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FMKustoms Posted March 5, 2007 Report Share Posted March 5, 2007 Yea if you plan on switching gauges then i would go with just needle gauges. As for the compressors just make sure that if one compressor is a 150psi rated then you run them both at that and you will be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big P Posted March 5, 2007 Report Share Posted March 5, 2007 (edited) Your air tank on the one compressor is going to have a fill time of about 10 minutes from 0 to 145 psi i use the same set up backed up with a nitrogen bottle. You don't normally want to mix and match compressors because a stronger compressor can add extra resitance to the smaller compressor. If you run 2 mis matched compressors make sure you have working check valves on both compressors. if your looking for performance your going to want to have control on all 4 bags not just front and back. To do this your going to need a fill valve and a dump valve on each bag. when you use just a single fill and dump on 2 both bags. You will corner and the bag on the outside of the turn will compress causing all the air to goto the inside bag creating more dive I trust weld in bag brackets way more then bolt in. If the guy installs every thing for you or does the hard stuff then you got a good deal. Instillation can cost more then the parts alone. Ive had friends use both FBI and Air ride techs and Dakota digital gauges with good results so I guess with that choice it would be which one you think looks better and price. Edited March 5, 2007 by Big P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
703autosport Posted March 5, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2007 thanx for the info, I think Im gunna go with the fbi gauges. Big P, have you had any problems with burning up the compressor for having to run it for so long? As for the performance... Im gunna see how it feels for now, ill drive less agressive around corners and if I can get a pair of matching valves or find a good deal on a set of 4 then Ill change it myself. He's pretty much doing all the work to put the bags in with my help, I know my way around my suspension though... Iv torn it all down a few times allready and will probally do most of that work. I finished everything that I can do untill we install the bags, hopefully we can get them done this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big P Posted March 5, 2007 Report Share Posted March 5, 2007 I work the shit out of that pore little comp haha its about 4 or 5 years old the only thing that sucks is i air up and im out of air and I gotta listen to the thing for the next 5 or so minutes. I have a 7 gallon fbi tank. I put my comp under my bed away from water and such it gets lots of air flow to. If your going to have yours in the trunk you should try and use it 50/50 in other words if it fills for 5 minutes then it should be off for 5 minutes. a vent or air flow wouldn't hurt ether Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
703autosport Posted March 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 Well plans have changed again, Im not putting any guages in right now and I added an adjustable pressure switch for the compressor so I dont have to worry about leaving a manual one on when Im playing loud music. I went up to maryland to a shop and the owner has two used digital control/display units from dakota digital... Model numbers DHC-2000 and ARC-1000, both retail for $800-$900. I can choose which one I want for $350 and Im leaning towards the DHC-2000 but would need to buy the senders for it still. This also means that I have to go without gauges for about a week since I wont have the money till the 14th. Which would you choose of the two dakota units? Im also allready looking at adding 4 more valves to make the kit a 4-way instead of a 2-way system but need to know if my tank is sufficient with only one 1/4 port and one 3/8" port at either end of the tank... would I be able to split each 3/8 port to run the front left/right lines to one and the back left/right lines to the other? I would also then have to run the compressor line, tank sender, and pressure switch to the 1/4" port but dont know if the comp. and pressure switch can be together... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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