Air Lift 1000 -- hose up or hose down?

I got a note from the post office that my package is ready for pickup, so I'll be installing these shortly. On-line pdf suggests the hose connection should be pointed down, at the axle end. But I came across a Youtube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H720Q-X_t4Q) of a fellow installing them on an OCC with the hose connection on the top. I think I prefer that, less flexing of the hose and less hose exposed.

Is there any reason not to route the hose out the top spring mount instead of the bottom?

I routed it out the top. Plenty of room in the spring mount.

Good luck!

I've still got to make the adapter to go from the factory lines to the big lines that come with the Airlift 1000 bags.

Ok, I went over the top. Much better, IMHO.

Installation was quick and easy but the manual leaves a bit to be desired. On p.8 it says min 5 psi, max 35 psi air pressure but p.10 says "when in doubt, always add air" and mentions 50-100 psi and a possible 50 psi differential for uneven loads.

They are about 6" in diameter, so 35psi would hoist 1,000 lbs each. Is that where the "1000" in "Air Lift 1000" comes from?

I put 15psi in there for now. It lifted the wheel well a good inch.

What they are talking about in the first case is "unloaded". 35 lbs plus 1,000 lbs would push the pressure way up. The burst pressure is a tad over 100 PSI (ask me how I know). As for the minimum, you need at least 5 PSI to keep the bags inflated and thus not get crimped between the springs (again ask me how I know).

Suggest you inflate to 5 psi, or enough to level the car, and only add air after you have loaded up the car.

Bill

Ok, I'll bite: How Do You Know?

1.  First installation was the first time I had ever encountered air bags and as such was religious about following the directions (ya I know, hand in my man card).  For some reason, the directions tell you to air up the bags before you load them up.  All was fine on the first camping outing.  Aired up the bags to around 40 PSI (instructions never mentioned the unloaded maximum pressure) and then hooked up the trailer.  Should have re-checked the pressure after loading but I was in a hurry.

Anyways, all was good except the rear of the car was still a little low (largest and heaviest tent trailer ever produced by Coleman) so on the return trip, I upped the unloaded pressure to 50 PSI.  Again in retrospect, I didn't check the loaded pressure.  Pulled into a gas station down the road from the campsite and encountered a severe dip in the roadway.  The first bag blew like a gunshot followed almost immediately by the second.  In both cases, it was caused by the bag being over inflated and protruding out through the coils in the spring.  Full compression and the coils pinched the bag and let all the air out, rather explosively.

Now had a tow vehicle riding on its suspension bumpers (weak rear springs) and the trailer hitch dragging on the ground.  Luckily my brother came to the rescue with his truck and got both the car and trailer back in one piece.

ALWAYS CHECK YOUR LOADED PRESSURE!!!!

2.  Second installation (got full replacement from AirLift) had a very small leak in the plumbing out to the rear bumper.  Needless to say, my inattention to the issue resulted in the bags deflating and the first big bump pinched one of the bags between the spring coils.

Un-installed the bags and went back to airshocks and got the auto level working again.  Problem solved.

Have bags on the truck now but also have a compressor and a low pressure monitor so the bags are always at minimum pressure.  Besides, leaf springs don't pinch the airbags.

Bill