Air suspension systems work with your existing leaf or coil springs to effectively solve the issues caused by stiff steel suspensions. Many years ago, air suspension systemswere mainly for buses and trucks, but air suspension systems are now advanced enough to help a wide variety of customers – from those towing and hauling heavy loads or RVs – to those looking for some additional street cred with a lowered stance. Air suspension systems typically consist of air springs (also known as sleeves, bellows or air bags) and an air line system, sometimes connected to an on-board air compressor system. Air pressurizes the air springs and raises the chassis from the axle.

So why would you want to choose an air suspension system for your vehicle? For those interested in load support, air springs are the only product that is fully adjustable and provides BOTH leveling capacity AND improved ride comfort. Adding steel springs to your suspension will give your vehicle increased load support, but the extra steel adds stiffness to your suspension which considerably decreases ride comfort when riding empty. Installing a rubber jounce bumper will also give your vehicle added load support. However, many drivers report very uncomfortable, harsh jarring when riding on rough roads.

Only air springs give you load support that is adjustable for YOUR specific load. Add air when riding loaded to ensure your vehicle is level for a safer, more comfortable ride. Deflate the air springs when riding unloaded for optimal ride quality. When weight is properly distributed to all four tires, it results in: better braking, less sway, better steering control, better headlight aim, a smoother ride and less bottoming out.

For those interested in a lowered stance, full air suspension systems provide unmatched ride and handling capabilities and deliver the lowest drop on the market. A state-of-the-art compressor control system allows drivers the versatility of cockpit adjustable ride height, something that you definitely can’t get with the common coil-over suspension.

DOES THIS APPLY TO ME?

You might want to keep reading if you’re planning on attaching push-to-connect air fittings to a sleeve (like with RideControl series air springs) or if you’re using bellows-style applications (such as LoadLifter 5000 series air springs). Or if you’re just curious about air fittings, in general. It never hurts to learn a little something, or refresh your memory if you’ve got this stuff down.

HANG ON—I’M NEW HERE. WHAT ARE AIR FITTINGS, EXACTLY, AND WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?

In the world of air suspension systems, air fittings are the pieces that connect air lines to the other components. For example, air fittings could link an air line to an air spring, connect an air line to a compressor, or even connect air lines to each other.

In air suspension systems, air fittings matter. Under- or over-tightened fittings, mis-threaded fittings, or improperly connected fittings can cause the entire system to fail. That’s not ideal. You might as well install and tighten your air fittings following the guidelines below, so you can trust those fittings to do their job.

SO HOW DO I TIGHTEN AN AIR FITTING ?

Luckily, tightening an air fitting is actually pretty simple. Follow these two steps for success

1. Screw in the fitting until it is finger-tight, then
2. use a wrench to give it another one-and-a-half turns.

DON’T FORGET—ONE LAST TIP!

When you’re cutting air lines, make sure to make a clean, square cut and perform a leak test. It’s a simple process that could ultimately save you time and money, and will give you real peace of mind. Learn more about cutting an air line.

There are several components that make up a complete air ride suspension system: air springs, air line, valves and fittings. Air fittings are the components that connect one item to another (ex. air line to air spring, air line to air line, air line to compressor, etc.). As a leader in air suspension innovation, PACE PNEUMATICS was one of the first to provide push to connect air fittings in air spring kits.

WHY PUSH TO CONNECT?

Push to connect fittings are ideal for pneumatic systems for several reasons:

• Positive retention: tugging on the line causes the fitting to grip harder preventing leaks
• Quick to connect or disconnect: attachments and detachments can be made in a matter of seconds
• No special tools required: no crimping, soldering, or additional parts needed
• Completely reusable: can be detached without destroying the reusability of the fitting

INSTALLING WITH PUSH TO CONNECT

To ensure proper performance, quality and dependability of push to connect fittings, be sure to install the air line correctly:

1. Cut the air line with a hose cutting tool. This will ensure a clean square cut without deforming the air line. Angular cuts, flattened or out of round air line is a major cause of leaks at the fitting.
2. With the fitting secured in the air spring (finger tight plus two turns), push the air line into the fitting while applying a slight turning motion. As with most things, a little lubrication (soapy water solution) on the air line will reduce the effort required. You will hear/feel a definite “click” as the air line seats past the O-ring against the tube stop.
3. These fittings are completely reusable with no special parts or tools required. To disconnect the air line from the fitting, simply push the air line into the fitting, pull the collar against the body of the fitting and pull the line straight out.
4. Finally, keep in mind that the insertion depth to seat the air line will vary depending on the material and size of the fitting. You will typically find a combination of brass and black nylon bodied fittings in air spring kits. 

WELL, THERE’S THE EASY WAY.

All you really have to do to let air out through the Schrader valve is press down on the valve core. To do this, you can use the back of a barrel style air pressure gauge, or just the tip of something pointy. A key will work just fine. Note: as a part of this method, you might consider buying an Easy Button.

THE SLIGHTLY-LESS-EASY-BUT-JUST-AS-EFFECTIVE WAY

For a more dramatic approach, you could just remove the Schrader valve core altogether, by using a valve stem core remover tool. The tool comes in varieties for just about anything with tires—bikes, motorcycles, airplanes, segways, you name it. The valve tool unscrews and removes the core from the Schrader valve. Since the core usually holds air in, removing it means that all air is released from the system. This solution would likely be used if you needed to replace the core entirely—if it had been leaking, for example.

Some variations of the remover tool can be screwed onto the valve core, and act as an extension to the core itself; the extension, however, makes it easy to start and stop air flow from the valve for easy adjustment.

WHY BOTHER?

It’s crucial to always keep the minimum recommended air pressure (5 PSI) in your air springs. Since you are probably not constantly towing and hauling—or, if you are, the weight of your load probably varies—you’ll need to adjust the pressure in the air springs to cope with everything from the lightest to the heaviest load. When you don’t need the extra support, it’s best to let some of that pressure go. Incidentally, adjusting the air pressure also makes for a more comfortable ride for you…soeverybody wins.

In a nutshell, you should know how to relieve a Schrader valve because adjusting air pressure will prevent any unnecessary wear and tear on your air springs, so that they can last the entire lifetime of your vehicle (and beyond). We push our springs to the limit to ensure longevity and great value for you, the customer…do your part, and keep an eye on that air pressure so the springs last a lifetime.