Hey Farmer,
I run my own shop building custom air ride suspension for what started off with low riders and has morphed into 4x4 trucks as well.
As few things to consider when building your system:
First and foremost, I am not here to steal business from PSN supporting companies! Support them as they support the site!
Compressors:
The weakest link in the system by far.
Depending on if you want to run a tank or not, I would look strongly at a 150psi rated compressor rather than a 200psi rated. Reason being that the 150 psi compressors have a slightly higher cfm which equals quicker fill times.
Next, a general rule of thumb is 1 compressor per 5 gallon tank. This is just a bit of a starting point if nothing else.
Compressor wiring is major killer of performance. 3 things to note here:
1. Use a #10 or larger wire for EACH compressor.
2. Try to stay away from car audio wire. It's nice to look at but the insulation may not stand up to the abuse of the heat, rocks, mud, snow, cold, road salt, etc. I use welding cable that is U.L. or CSA approved.
3. Ensure a good ground. Keep the grounds short and clean. Once you find a location (frame rails) scrape the paint off enough to make sure that the whole surface area if the connection makes contact. Once the wire is bolted down, use a under coating style spray to re-seal the exposed metal to stop rust.
If you plan on using your air system a lot, look into dual compressors. Not only will you have a back up compressor but your fill times will be almost cut in half.
Drain the tank or tanks often or use water separators.
I have used just about every brand of compressor out there over the years. The 2 that I have had the least amount of issues with are Viair and Thomas.
Viair works very well for bigger systems and have products that span the whole spectrum.
Thomas, works well for smaller systems with cost in mind.
I hope that this is a bit of help.
Feel free to pm me or email with questions :
dragnflymini@yahoo.ca
Jason