ride height leveler

[5150.4.67]

Has anyone tried using height control valves from truck/bus applications on their 'home grown' air bag systems?

[N2TRUX]

Not that I am aware of. Tell us more about them, sound interesting.

[5150.4.67]

They are basically a frame mounted rotary valve with an arm linked to the suspension which adds air when the suspension is loaded/compressed, and dumps when unloaded/extended. Much like air ride technologies ride height monitors, except these are purely mechanical.
Common to air ride semi's, air ride cabs, and buses. Some even have full dump capabilities, for instance a kneeling bus that allows passengers to load easily.
http://www.trailcoparts.com/catalog_files/262-264.pdf

"Automatically adds air to, or exhausts air from
air suspension to maintain a constant static
design height. Does not respond to short
duration dynamic changes in axle position. Can
be used in RH or LH application"

[73gmc454]

I used 4 of these type of valves on my truck, they seem to work good we'll have to see once we get it on the road how it does ,

[5150.4.67]

Cool. I think I'm going to use them on my future bagged project as well. Let me know how it goes, and thanks for the reply.
Jay

[73gmc454]

I think they work good , they dump and set the ride height the same ,only down fall is its up or down no in between, how does everybody set the ride height ? thats what lead me here !

[5150.4.67]

Usually just by air pressure...... I have not used ride height levelers yet, but thought they would work great.

[73gmc454]

cool thanks, I just wanted a fully adjustable ride height , we have installed them on big trucks rears at the shop and I forgot we even used 1 on the air ride on the bike we built http://hoppelfab.com/Hoppel%20Fab%20Chopper.htm , he rides it all over and even puts his wife on the back it just adds more air till its at the ride height ,

[SevenOne]

anyone find a link to a price on these valves?Ive searched with no luck....Sick bike also!

[73gmc454]

thanks, they are not cheap ,like $50-75 , they are on ebay and also you can get them at napa , I got lucky and found a ebay seller that had them for under $10 each I bought like 6 to have some extras, I looked and couldnt find anymore , here a pic of mine installed , it came with the arm , I bought rod ends and machined the link,

[vasquezmrysvll]

i work on city buses, we use these leveling valves and rarely ever need to change a defective one. usually only change the ones damaged by "road debris"

[5150.4.67]

Good to know!

[rpmgroup]

you can use a on/off valve before the leveler to shut off air supply and another valve on the bag side of the leveler, to drop bags. I have wired these to one switch for a customer to drop his truck at events. You could even use a second supply line and a 3 way after the leveler to raise and lower to any height.

[tino]

i replace this valves on the tractor / trailer but they work good

[73gmc454]

the leveling valves I used had a dump port on them so I used a selinoid valve with no release , so I hit the switch and it charges the dump line and I can turn the switch off and the air stays stays charged in the line , I just added another selinoid valve to the dump charge line to release it , it works great and the valves only have to be on for a couple seconds ,

[5150.4.67]

Ahh. Makes sense. Thanks for the post!

[mr48chev]

I have automatic leveling on the Cadillac that should be my daily driver and the valve is still on the rear axle out of the 76 Seville I used to have (I think that one was a the parts car). A simple valve with a lever that goes to the frame or floor board of the car but I have no idea how the things actually work. They operate air shocks but there isn't any reason why they wouldn't work with bags.

I'm not going to run bags on the 48 but am thinking about running an air bag style overload setup for when I carry the cooler and road trip gear in the back to maintain ride height the same all the time.