PatFukenBurke
+1y
Originally posted by pmiller
I love the idea's you have for this truck. Why are you switching from air to hydraulics? I thought air was more dependable. I know it's based on how well lines are run and installed but with hydraulics there is always more maintenance. Since you plan on switching from air to hydros are you going to change the setups in the front and rear? I love what you did with the front with the big bags, straight axle, and cantilever setup.
Air just isn't designed to last due to the sensitivity of all the moving parts. They are primarily made out of tires and plastic. I'm going to break down the differences one by one so everyone can see why I (a world class installer of both applications) am picking one over the other even after installing a complete bag set-up. And the bags in the rear might stay. I need an air system anyway to activate the adjustable bump stops I'm installing to avoid a wreck should the suspension suddenly loose pressure.
These comparisons are of the premaid kits you can mail order.
I'm going to start from the suspension and work my way to the pressure supply.
1. What's more dependable an air bag made out tire rubber or a steel cylinder and a steel spring?
2. What will break first a heat resistant steel braided hydraulic hose that comes with the kit that can out last your car or a thin plastic very easy to melt air line that comes with the kit.(yes I know you can use better lines but I'm talking about basic kits any Joe can install without taking out a second mortgage)?
3. What valve will last longer and need less maintenance a hydraulic dump that is self lubricated by the oil that flows through it or your air valve that doesn't self lubricate and usually rusts up.
4. Would you rather have an oil reservoir that is under no pressure ever or a slowly rusting air tank that stays under pressure.
5. What's more appealing the sound of your compressors running for 5 minutes every time you hit the switch or the sweet sound of a hydro pump snapping the suspension up.
6. With hydros you can charge your batteries while you sleep and hit switches all day long. With air you can wait 5 minutes and hit your switch a couple of times and then wait again all while listening to the annoying compressor sound. Or you can run your hydros on 12v and never have to plug it in.
So tell me how hydros have more maintenance because I don't see that. You can actually economically install a 12v hydro setup that would virtually never have to be touched. This CANNOT be done with air.
Even a compressed gas bag set-up is way more maintance than hydros. I have to charge batteries and you have to drive to the welding supply company during business hours and PAY to get your bottle refilled. That's means remove that heavy ass bottle from your vehicle and haul it over there every weekend. I on the other hand just hook up my charger and plug it in right before I go to sleep. I didn't have to directly spend any money, disconnect anything, or drive anywhere. Which one of those sounds like more of a pain in the ass.
I don't see hardly anyone using oilers or water traps on their air ride. So that means every metal part on your system is going to fail. Those fun little particles are going to get inside every part of your system and mess it up. And the oiler and water traps are just band aids anyway. Plus you have to keep filling the oiler and emptying the traps (two more things to do). The traps can't stop the condensation from building in your lines and tank that's caused from the air going hot to cold all the time. All they do is just slow down the rust process a little never actually stopping it.
The only way to keep rust out of you system is to go nitrogen only and who can really afford to do that on a daily driver. The nitrogen doesn't compress like air so you will get less out of the bottle and it's more expensive to fill it. Even an engine mount compressor needs a lot of maintenance and up keep so you don't burn it out. Air is cool because it is different and attracts new audiences. That is the only reason I would choose air over hydros is to do something different. But it definitely is not more dependable than hydraulics nor does it require less maintenance.
A good quality cylinder will last for a long time without leaking (I'm talking years) plus when it does an o-ring kit is just a couple of bucks to last you another few years. A rubber bag can't last that long plus there's always the risk of being punctured from road debris. The oil in my hydraulic system is self lubricating and never needs oil added unless there is a leak. You CAN run a maintenance free hydro system and there is no way to do this on air. My hydro pump will out last my car on 12v. You can't find a compressor that will do the same. Please don't turn this thread into a air vs. hydro debate. I'm just telling you why I'm using hydraulics. You might have a different opinion but let's please discuss it somewhere else on this board.
I just read this back to myself and the facts for doing one over the other is overwhelming.... I need to get back to doing more hydros.