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FAQs – motorhomes and vans

What vehicles do you sell air suspension for?

Almost every vehicle! We have an extensive range of kits for cars, motorhomes and vans listed in our shop, including several different kits for many vehicles. If we don’t have a kit for your vehicle listed on our website, we can probably make one for you.

What’s the difference between full air suspension and load support?

Full air suspension involves entirely removing your vehicle’s metal suspension with air bags, meaning air is your only form of suspension. With a load-support kit, the bags are attached in addition to your existing suspension, therefore supporting it (hence ‘load support’). Load support kits are usually fitted to motorhomes and vans, while full air suspension is most commonly installed on cars.

Why won’t my air bag hold air?

Your air bags will naturally lose pressure over time, but the normal rate should be no more than 5 PSI per week with the air bag inflated to roughly 50 PSI.

To check for leaks, apply a solution of soap and water to your fittings, air lines and bags. You may be able to stop the leak by tightening the air fitting or reinstalling the tubing. Rinse the soap and water from the system once you’ve identified and fixed the leak.

If you can’t identify the leak yourself, e-mail us a picture of your air bags with ‘Technical’ in the subject line and we may be able to locate it for you.

Why won’t my air bag inflate?

There may be a few reasons why your air bag doesn’t inflate and often the problem can be easily fixed.

Firstly, make sure that the tubing of the air line is inserted as far into the air fittings as possible. Check the whole air line as well to make sure there are no kinks, cuts or any other damage. Clear any dirt from the outside and inside of the inflation valves as well. If none of this works, give us a call or send us an e-mail before doing anything to your air bags as we may be able to help you through the problem without the need for drastic action!

Can I fit a load-support kit to my ALKO chassis?

Sort of! Vehicles with ALKO chassis actually have their own kits so make sure you buy the right one. All our kits for ALKO-chassis say ‘ALKO’ in the title and you can put ‘ALKO’ in the search bar to find them easily. Alternatively, click here to see our AL-KO kits. We have kits for every Ducato or Ducato-derived vehicle with an AL-KO chassis since 1994, as well as kits for single and twin-rear axle vehicles.

Can I have different air pressures in each air bag?

Yes! One of the best features of air suspension for heavy vehicles is the ability to change the pressure in each bag to compensate for heavy loads that are off-centre.

Do I have to modify my vehicle to make my kits fit?

Not normally. Most of our load-support kits are bolt-on, which means any local garage should be able to fit them. If you’ve got some experience in mechanics you should be able to fit it yourself fairly easily, too. And we’re always at the end of the phone if you need help.

For a small number of kits, some modification will be required – in particular with custom kits where there are no off-the-shelf kits for the vehicle. For these kits, we’d definitely recommend using a professional. We can also install any kit if you would like us to.

Do the air bags increase the legal payload capacity of my vehicle?

Air bags can allow your vehicle to carry more weight, but just because your vehicle can carry more weight doesn’t mean it is legal to do so.

We’ve written a blog post on re-rating of motorhomes, which you can find by clicking here.

How much air pressure should be in the air bags?

This does vary from person to person and vehicle to vehicle but you should never have less than 20 PSI in your air bags. For most motorhome owners, a pressure between 60 and 80 PSI is usually ideal.

We’ve written a page for motorhome owners looking for help setting up their kit. You can read it by clicking here.

Which management system should I get?

For a motorhome, Standard OBA (on-board air) is our most popular option, and probably our most cost-effective option too. Standard OBA has a good compressor, an easy-to-use controller, and allows you to set the left and right air bags to different pressures.

If you want the absolute best management system, we would recommend the Air Lift 3P computer. This has five programmable pre-sets so you can change your ride height at the touch of a button. The 3P can also automatically adjust your height according to road conditions, and it can be controlled using your phone or tablet. However, all these extra features may not be necessary if you only have a load-support kit.

Read our blog post on the Air Lift 3P computer by clicking here.

We offer loads of different management options. Click the ‘Options’ tab on any product page or call or e-mail us to find out more.

How long will my kit take to deliver?

Load-support kits or kits made by Dunlop will typically take two working days to deliver from the point of payment.

How much does installation cost?

Installation costs do vary but installation for a load-support kit with Schrader valves will cost around £200 with us. Full air suspension kits will cost substantially more to install. As of February 2021, our workshop rates are £78 an hour.

Does the Standard OBA controller come with fittings?

The controller comes with a plate that you can fit on to the dashboard.