P38A Air Spring Bladder Knowledge

[p m]

it is a bit of overstatement to call four shraeder valves a "system"
I have half of this system on my LWB. FWIW, Off-Road Warehouse sells a $50 ViaAir air compressor, that fits easily in the right rear quarter (inside or outside the body). I've installed and wired mine, so pumping up the rear airbags can be done by hitting a button.

A note for fans of CO2 tanks (like me): for a reason I cannot comprehend, CO2 percolates through rubber much faster than air. This has been reported to me by a friend of mine before PowerTank even existed; I didn't care much because I always have a 20-lb tank at hand. But it is an annoyance if you try to top off the airbags with it. Typically, with a CO2 charge, the airbags would go from 60 to 40 psi (lowering the rear end by ~3") in two days. When I was installing the compressor, I've deflated the airbags, and refilled them with air. 10 days later, the LWB still sits where it was.

I'd think one could use this air compressor in conjunction with the rest of EAS - to replace the tired OEM unit. It can run for 30 minutes, so you can disable all the pump motor safety features in the EAS.

 

[Pugsly]

it is a bit of overstatement to call four shraeder valves a "system"

agreed, perhaps "kit" is a better term. I'm sure the guy selling it is making a pretty good margin on it, but he took the time to chase down all the fittings, particularly the metric-to-SAE ones, so it was worth it from the convenience factor for me.

 

[p m]

I've got all these fittings in a local hardware store. I've used 6-mm plastic line (forgot the material - it is not polyethylene, something different), plastic snap-together tee, one barbed fitting to 1/8 NPT, one 1/8 NPT union, and 1/8 NPT schraeder valve. Total - about $15 in hardware. 1/4" polyethylene line is cheaper (11c a foot, vs 35c/ft for 6mm), the fittings _may_ be interchangeable.

As I got within an inch of buying a 93 LWB today, already converted to _softest_ coils, another thought came across - if you want coil springs, AND some benefits that EAS offers, you could use softest-rate coils with jeep cherokee' spec in-coil airbags. Won't get all the beauty of either, but it may get you somewhere between the EAS and 4" wood block. I don't think anyone's tried it yet - if I buy that 93, I may give it a shot.

 

[MikeD]

not to be a troll but.. argo.. he ripped your ass open on the 2nd post.. hah!!

oh and who the hell calls springs slinkies.. I personally would rather springs.. which are in almost every other vehicle in the world.. rather then an oversized balloon system.. honestly.. i'm not hatin.. but really.. my truck see's more then the freshly cut grass at a soccer field and needs a bit more reliability then the EAS system is ready to offer..

 

[agro1]

I've got all these fittings in a local hardware store. I've used 6-mm plastic line (forgot the material - it is not polyethylene, something different), plastic snap-together tee, one barbed fitting to 1/8 NPT, one 1/8 NPT union, and 1/8 NPT schraeder valve. Total - about $15 in hardware. 1/4" polyethylene line is cheaper (11c a foot, vs 35c/ft for 6mm), the fittings _may_ be interchangeable.

As I got within an inch of buying a 93 LWB today, already converted to _softest_ coils, another thought came across - if you want coil springs, AND some benefits that EAS offers, you could use softest-rate coils with jeep cherokee' spec in-coil airbags. Won't get all the beauty of either, but it may get you somewhere between the EAS and 4" wood block. I don't think anyone's tried it yet - if I buy that 93, I may give it a shot.

Yeah Peter...all those hardware store pieces sound very reliable....
Jeep shit in a LR ??? And you call me a hack ?? PA-LEASE.

 

[Pugsly]

oh and who the hell calls springs slinkies.. I personally would rather springs.. which are in almost every other vehicle in the world.. rather then an oversized balloon system.. honestly.. i'm not hatin.. but really.. my truck see's more then the freshly cut grass at a soccer field and needs a bit more reliability then the EAS system is ready to offer..

I call them slinkies, cause that's what they look like! And yes, my Defender is a coiler.

It's not a generic term for steel springs (which I agree that most vehicles have), but for coil springs - which most vehicles definitely don't have (mostly struts these days). Coil springs require a much more complex suspension system, since the coils do not locate the axle fore / aft or left / right, just up and down - you need a bunch of other stuff for that. (The reason that most big trucks are leafers is because it's just a lot cheaper.)

The heaviest duty road vehicles (semis) often have the air springs, because it provides a better ride. In fact, you end up paying extra to have your load pulled by an air ride.

I've taken my p38 into the CA/NV deserts for weeks at a time (carrying an extra 24 gallons of fuel and using it all), so the EAS has proven reliable enough for me.

 

[MikeD]

i was just stating that most passanger vehicles and SUV's make use of springs in general.. instead of bags.. i am definately aware of the semi application as well as other luxury vehicles..

my personal feelings when my rear bags deflated on a 6 hour drive to vermont.. was... fuck this.. i was going to live in a harsh winter climate.. where working outside on your car is similar to suicide.. and i didn't want to deal with bags deflating again.. and for about the same price as a visit to the dealer to have it fixed and cleared.. i could own a springed vehicle with a meaty lift..

but thanks for the reply

 

[Pugsly]

my personal feelings when my rear bags deflated on a 6 hour drive to vermont.. was... fuck this.. i was going to live in a harsh winter climate.. where working outside on your car is similar to suicide.. and i didn't want to deal with bags deflating again.. and for about the same price as a visit to the dealer to have it fixed and cleared.. i could own a springed vehicle with a meaty lift..

I find that the first really cold morning of the year will have at least one axle on the bumpstops. That rubber don't like the cold weather!

Last November, just before the RR came out from under the factory warranty, we had the EAS serviced maybe 4 times in as many weeks. I wanted to get as much renewed as possible while it was not me paying!

I'm sure I'll be on coil springs eventually, but I'm not ready to make that leap yet. When I'm ready to lift a little will be time...