USING AIR BAGS/LOAD SUPPORT WITH YOUR HORN KIT

Adding Load Support

Getting Started

For anyone unexperienced in the air suspension world, adding bags to your vehicle can seem like a challenging and lengthy process. Thankfully, companies like Air Lift and Firestone have made this easier than ever to install with their direct-fit load support kits. In this article, you will learn the process for using the HornBlasters Air Management kit to air up your bags.

Components

For this guide, you will be using the HornBlasters Single Path Load Support Air Management Kit.

This kit features Air Lift's Single-Needle Single-paddle dash panel, which allows you to directly inflate/deflate the bags from the cab. No wiring required, this unit only requires two air lines. This kit also includes a 1/4" NPT run tee fitting, a 1/4" PTC Union Tee, and a 1/4" NPT x 1/4" PTC fitting.

Dash Panel

Start by checking out the panel gauge first.

The back side of this gauge has an inlet/outlet fitting to bring air into the panel and out to the air bags. The gauge has a small bulb pre installed that can be wired to a +12v power source. Route the opposite lead to a ground. You can use a toggle switch in between the ground bulb connection and ground connection to turn it on/off.

The front of the gauge features a built-in paddle valve which will inflate/deflate the bags as you move it up and down. The gauge to the left of the valve allows you to keep an eye on the bag pressure. This unit is very simple to setup and most of your time will be spent deciding on the best place to mount it.

Fittings / Air line

The Air Management Kit comes with the necessary fittings and air line needed to connect this panel to the bags and the air tank.

If you have already installed a horn kit or onboard air system on your vehicle, chances are that every port on the tank is already being used. A 1/4" run tee fitting is included for this reason, so that you may tee off one of the existing ports and add another fitting for the air management kit. The image below shows how can use the tee to add another fitting to a single port.

If you have a port on the tank that is not used or is plugged, you can simply remove the plug and plumb the supplied 1/4" NPT x 1/4" PTC fitting in place.

Plumbing

At this point you can go ahead and plumb the panel to the tank, and back to the bags.

The red arrow indicates the direction in which air from the tank will flow into the paddle valve. This air line routes from the tank into the barb fitting directly on the back of the paddle valve.

The blue arrow indicates the direction the air will flow out from the panel to the bags. Connect a 1/4" line to the barb fitting that is tee'd into the gauge, and route this back to the bags. You can use the supplied 1/4" union tee to run a line out to each bag. Ensure each line is cut flush and straight for a proper seal.

Connecting the backlight (optional)

Start by locating the light itself. The light has two terminals that protrude from the back. Using an 18ga wire, route one of these terminals to the frame of the vehicle as a ground. Route the opposite terminal to an on/off switch of some sort, or route this to a key-power source. If you opt for the on/off switch, route one end of the switch to power, and the other to the backlight. When you supply power to the light, it will turn on and illuminate the display.

Finishing Up

Be sure to check each connection from the tank to the panel and from the panel to the bags for leaks. Start the vehicle and let the compressor fill the tank up. Use the paddle on the front of the panel to inflate the bags to the desired PSI. Ideally, you would do this at night and let it sit overnight. If it is empty the next morning, there is likely a leak somewhere that needs to be addressed. You can find these easily with some soapy water, or Windex. The bubblier the soap, the better. Spray down the connections where your airlines connect to the barb fittings/tank and check for bubbles. Re-cut and re-seal air lines as needed.