[not.ramos]

Hello everyone,

I just ordered my Air Lift Performance 3P Kit and now I want to do my research so I can measure twice and cut once. For those of you that have an air suspension set up, do you have any tips of tricks regarding this kit? Also, post pictures of your trunk setup so I can kind of get an idea of what I want to do. Will be making an in-depth how-to and unboxing video later on. Maybe even a write up.

Any and all information would be appreciated.

UPDATE:

I did not take too many pictures, it is kind of hard when you are super focused on doing the damn thing. All in all, it probably could have taken me 2 days, but with being a full-time employee, full-time university student, and having to spend time during the holidays with the family, the hours were limited and stretched out. Air Lift does a lot of the thinking for you and even provides a really in-depth manual on the front, rear, and management installation. Here is the link for F30 RWD (scroll down to the Download Manual option):

https://www.airliftperformance.com/v...es-f30-5-bolt/

Instead of a installation guide, I'll provide some pretty helpful tips.

Get one of those big 256 piece tool set from Home Depot so you have all of the necessary tools, here is the link: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-Me...8MTS/203541462

Get an impact wrench too, it'll save you so much time and effort.

TEFLON TAPE AND THREADED-PIPE SEALANT IS YOUR BEST FRIEND. BE GENEROUS WHEN APPLYING IT!

TRUNK

Start with the trunk and get that set up, that way you can still drive around if you need to daily your F30. Measure twice and cut once. I ended up cutting into the OEM trunk liner. Try pushing the trunk all the way back and measure it and give it like 1" from the seat. Set up the compressor and management close to the tank considering you have enough (but limited) air lines. On the sides of the tank, assuming you have an end port tank you will have pretty perfect spacing with the compressor steel braided lines. For the filter, I recommend using the filter bracket and place the filter a little bit off to the side from the tank because it will hit the bottom of the trunk liner. One of the benefits with the ALP 3P management is that you can orient it with the lines facing towards or away from you. I found out you can remove the face plate off and still have the ALP logo facing you. In the OEM trunk liner, you can pop out the little net inserts and use that as a means of running the lines underneath the liner, do the side your management is on.

STRUTS

This is the "hard part". Start with the fronts. If you haven't taken off struts before - check out this helpful video to do that:

To install the struts, just slap the fitting on, use teflon tape and a threaded-pipe sealant. Take heed of my advice and raise the fronts maybe another 2 inches to give you better clearance. I ran into the issue of having my front struts be at 100 psi for ride height, where they should be at 35-50 psi according to ALP for ride height/driving pressure. It'll make for a pretty bouncy ride, my "air out" is at 25 psi. Measure it on both sides and be as accurate as you can!!! I took off my wheel well liner and gave myself enough slack so that when I air up and down and the leader line won't get tugged. Also, be sure not to pinch the liens and run time in the inside of the wheel well so that you don't pinch any lines when you air out. Run the lines through the side skirts since they're hollow. Be sure when you are running the lines not to place them next to screws that hold the wheel well liner in place or you'll pinch the line.

The rears are the easier than the fronts. 65% of the time you'll be messing around with the fronts. The rears are easy and self explanatory, ALP will provide everything that you need. Well, almost everything. They forgot to send me the spacers connecting the toe link to the hub so I had to go to Lowes and purchase a $6.24 set of 25 washers. I don't remember the exact specs but I just took the bolt with me and found washers that were snug on the bolt and big enough to match the washers on the manual description. The tricky part is installing the centering spacer thing that goes underneath the rear air bag.

AIR LINES

How I ran my air lines was from the struts, to the side skirts, up the wheel well, and then I drilled a hole in the trunk by the little storage compartment and into the management. Make sure to run the lines away from the exhaust too. Luckily with a muffler delete you have a lot of space to avoid the exhaust. I then ran the lines under the pull away liner and through the little net inset hole and under the tank then into the management. Avoid kinks or tight fits. Make sure the lines are running as "fluidly" as possible or you'll run into issues later on.

MANAGEMENT

This takes a little while but it is super easy. Look at the "map" ALP provides you with. Follow each line and you'll be fine honestly. There isn't much to say about this part.

Great, you've gotten this far and you're pretty much done. Before you start putting everything back together and taking your car off the stands/lift - check for leaks. Plug in the battery with everything connected and let the compressor fill up the tank and watch the tank psi. Watch for leaks. When there is a leak, you'll hear it or you can use the soapy water method. I used Windex and sprayed the fittings and when it starts bubbling up there was a leak. Unplug the battery and add teflon tape, sealant, and tighten as necessary.

When checking for fitment issues, go down 1 psi at a time and listen closely and feel how the car reacts to airing out. If you want, try to to place something on top of the tire and go down and check it frequently and consistently to figure out when the tire hits the top of the wheel well or the screws that hold in the liner. The last thing you want to have happen is air out at a show to flex #LifeOnAir and have your tire deflate. My wheel set up is really conservative, 235/40/18 with 15 mm spacers in the front (you'll need the spacer with this to clear the front air bag) and 255/40/18 in the rear. My specs is 18" x 8" ET 35 front and 18" x 8.5" ET 35 rear. You can air out the rears to 0 psi and have no issues, the fronts will but sitting on the fender with -1 degree of camber. Be considerate and careful when setting your presets for the air out.

Happy modding! Let me know if there is anything I can help with as far as the install and setup goes.

[obert]

Looking forward to your review and I hope a how to do. This is something I want to do in the future.

[F30Drew]

This was how i had my set up. I moved on from the air ride though. I had 0 complaints. It seemed that the front suspension couldn't "slam" the car, fender wouldn't tuck tire as i thought. so i got custom work on the front strut to make that happen. I didn't have air lift though. When i bought my kit ... air lift wasn't an option yet.

[not.ramos]

Originally Posted by F30Drew

This was how i had my set up. I moved on from the air ride though. I had 0 complaints. It seemed that the front suspension couldn't "slam" the car, fender wouldn't tuck tire as i thought. so i got custom work on the front strut to make that happen. I didn't have air lift though. When i bought my kit ... air lift wasn't an option yet.

Damn! That's so clean. How did you run your air lines to outside of the trunk?

DM me on Instagram, I'm trying to figure out some stuff

[F30Drew]

Originally Posted by ramos.33f

Damn! That's so clean. How did you run your air lines to outside of the trunk?

DM me on Instagram, I'm trying to figure out some stuff

we drilled a cut into the side of the compartment there if you look the 4 air line hoses are going from the management out to the 4 struts. i will DM you.

[F30_Sean]

Let me know when you install bro! I wanna come over and help so it will be easier when I do mine

[not.ramos]

I’m not going to lie, I was super focused and forgot to take detailed pictures but I will post them accordingly and do my best to make it clear

[ricardofors68]

Pics my good man. Might go this route as well.

[alexng72]

Interesting post man! Thanks for your time writing this up. I've bought my airlift for months but too hesitant to do the installation. I'm a full time student and working too. Hopefully i can start it sooner after i read this post.

[not.ramos]

Originally Posted by ricardofors68

Pics my good man. Might go this route as well.

I have to get my wheels fixed, my car is stuck at my buddies shop at the moment unless you’d love to see the Big O Tires van they lent me lmfao. When I get it back I’ll take some good pictures

[not.ramos]

Originally Posted by alexng72

Interesting post man! Thanks for your time writing this up. I've bought my airlift for months but too hesitant to do the installation. I'm a full time student and working too. Hopefully i can start it sooner after i read this post.

Honestly, if I were you I’d wait until after finals during your break. Give yourself 3 days and be consistent with how much effort you put in so you can get it done. As I said, the hardest part for me were the front struts. I did a lot of the thinking for you, it’s just a matter of sorting the tools out and rallying up a few friends who are down to make frequent food, tool, part-source runs tbh

[BNTLY]

Originally Posted by ramos.33f

Honestly, if I were you I’d wait until after finals during your break. Give yourself 3 days and be consistent with how much effort you put in so you can get it done. As I said, the hardest part for me were the front struts. I did a lot of the thinking for you, it’s just a matter of sorting the tools out and rallying up a few friends who are down to make frequent food, tool, part-source runs tbh

Any pics of your setup? I’m looking to do this soon.

[Overshotgolem]

Where are the pics lol I’m looking to get the air lift 3S any advice or should I get a different brand ?
This. Are the ones am looking into.

https://www.airliftperformance.com/v...:threadjacked:

https://www.bagriders.com/air-ride-k...-ride-kit.html

[not.ramos]

Originally Posted by Overshotgolem

Where are the pics lol I’m looking to get the air lift 3S any advice or should I get a different brand ?
This. Are the ones am looking into.

https://www.airliftperformance.com/v...:threadjacked:

https://www.bagriders.com/air-ride-k...-ride-kit.html

Personally, go ahead and spend the extra few hundred dollars and 3P. It's what I have been running for the last two years. IMO Air Lift is the best air suspension on the market.

DM @royalstance on Instagram and tell him Brandon sent you!

[not.ramos]

Originally Posted by BNTLY

Any pics of your setup? I’m looking to do this soon.

I'm currently re-mounting my setup but I had my tank, compressor, and management so I'll edit this post when I get around to taking pictures of it. But I have it mounted on the OEM trunk floor liner. It's pushed all the way to the back. You still retain the hidden storage compartment usability too!

Here is a setup that I mounted and wired for a fellow forum member/friend of mine on his F30 (Air Lift 3P, 4 Gallon 5 Port Face Polished Tank, (1) 444c VIAIR Compressor, 1/4" Lines).

Tuck the USB wire under the rear seat and under the trim and running it through the foot well and up behind the dash. Run the harness behind corner trim, and run the battery fuse line under the surrounding floor liner in to the battery well. As for the air lines, drill a 1.5" hole in to the hidden trunk compartment and run the lines through the subframe and through the side-skirt so that nothing is near anything hot, that involves a moving suspension/drivetrain part, and away from anything jagged. If you run it roughly as how I stated you will end up with a trunk setup similar to the one I attached. No lines showing, no wires showing. Clean and simple IMO.

I'll update this thread considering I have bagged three F30's and picked up a few things along the way!