MN-585 (04503) ECR 5047 by C-4500 Kit No. 39023 Please read these instructions completely before proceeding with installation Failure to read these instructions can result in mis-installation Vehicle Requirements... 1 Warranty Information... 1 Getting Started... 2 Attaching the Axle Beams... 3 Attaching the Frame Brackets... 3 Attaching the Panhard Rod Bracket... 4 Attaching and Adjusting the Panhard Rod... 5 Installing the Rolling obe Air Sleeves... 6 *Kit Installation Diagram... 7 Installing the Air ines... 9 Final Adjustments... 10 Troubleshooting Guide Checking for eaks... 11 Fixing eaks... 11 Troubleshooting Guide... 11 Maintenance Guidelines Maintenance Guidelines... 12 Thank you for purchasing Air ift Products Mailing Address: Street Address: AIR IFT COMPANY AIR IFT COMPANY P.O. Box 80167 2727 Snow Rd. ansing, MI 48908-0167 ansing, MI 48917 ocal Phone: (517) 322-2144 Fax: (517) 322-0240 For Technical Assistance call 1-800-248-0892 The Choice of the Professional Installer www.airliftcompany.com Read all maintenance guidelines on page 12 before operating the vehicle.
Vehicle Requirements Vehicle Type C-4500 Vehicle Years See the application guide for specific years. 5th Wheel Hitch This installation of this RoadTamer kit will fit most vehicles with fifth wheel hitches. Some fifth wheel hitches may need modifications so that the kit will fit properly. See page 5 for further instructions. Muffler Modifications Because a wide variety of exhaust systems are available, your particular system may require modifications in order to properly fit the RoadTamer kit. If your exhaust exits behind the passenger-side tire, removing the rear section of the tailpipe as shown on the next page should be the only modification necessary. If you have a stock exhaust system, follow the modifications specified on the next page. Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) IMPORTANT: The installation of this kit does not alter the GVWR or payload of the vehicle. Check your vehicle s owner s manual and do not exceed the maximum load listed for your vehicle. Gross Vehicle Weight Rating - The maximum allowable weight of the fully loaded vehicle (including passengers and cargo). This number - along with other weight limits, as well as tire, rim size and inflation pressure data - is shown on the vehicle s Safety Compliance Certification abel. Payload - The combined, maximum allowable weight of cargo and pasengers that the truck is designed to carry. It is GVWR minus the Base Curb Weight. RoadTamer Warranty and Return Policy Air ift Company warranties its RoadTamer product against quality and workmanship defects to the original retail purchaser as follows; Main Structural components defined as; beams, brackets, and links for 24 months or 24,000 miles, whichever occurs first. All other components for 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever occurs first. Air ift Company provides no warranty on the vehicle s original equipment or other aftermarket products. This warranty does not apply to products that have been improperly applied, installed, used in racing applications or maintained in accordance with installation instructions furnished with the product. A $10.00 minimum shipping and handling charge will apply to all warranty claims. Before returning any defective product, you must call Air ift Company (800) 248-0892 ext 2 for an RGA (Returned Goods Authorization) number. Product failures resulting from abnormal use or misuse are excluded from this warranty. The loss of use of the product, loss of time, inconvenience, commercial loss, or consequential damages is not covered. The Air ift Company reserves the right to change the design of any product without assuming any obligation to modify any product previously manufactured. Dated proof of purchase is required. 1
Getting Started DANGER: Compressed air can cause injury and damage to the vehicle and parts if it is not handled properly. For your safety, do not try to inflate the air springs until they have been properly secured to the vehicle. 1. Elevate the rear of the vehicle and secure the frame with jack stands or frame-contact hoist (Figure 1). 2. Remove the both leaf springs, and the rear frame contact overload brackets, if equipped, and both rear spring hangers from the frame (Figure 2). NOTE: Retain the front spring eye bolts and nuts for later use. 3. If your tailpipe runs behind the axle, cut off the tailpipe behind the muffler and remove (Figure 3). eave enough room on the muffler to install a replacement pipe (Figure 4). Exhaust Modification (if necessary) CUT OFF tailpipe behind muffler. eave enough room to attach a replacement pipe. Figure 3 REMOVE excess tailpipe. Remove Wheel Driver-Side View REMOVE eaf Spring. No oad in Truck Support the axle with jack stands and raise or lower to Normal Ride Height Figure 1 Axle Figure 2 View of Exhaust After Modification Figure 4 Remove Wheel REMOVE Frame Contact Overload Upper Bracket if equipped. REMOVE Rear Spring Hanger. 2
Attaching the Axle Beams Maintenance Guidelines 1. Insert the supplied centering pins into both beam assemblies. Tighten the nuts securely and cut the excess centering pin off flush to the nut. NOTE: The head of the centering pin points down. 2. Attach the driver side beam assembly to the front spring eye hanger using the previously removed stock bolt and nut (Figure 6). eave loose at this time. 3. Attach the beam to the axle using the supplied U- bolts. eave loose at this time. Driver-Side Shown Centering Pin 4. Repeat steps 1-2 for the other side of the vehicle. 5. Torque the U-bolts evenly to 300 ft.lbs. (Figure 5). U-bolt Axle Torque to 300 ft/lbs. Spring Retainer Axle Figure 5 5/8" Flat 5/8" Nut By following these steps, vehicle owners will obtain the longest life and best results from their air springs. 1. If you develop an air leak in the system, use a soapy water solution to check all air line connections and the inflation valve core before deflating and removing the air spring (see page 6). 2. Grease the heim joint every 3,000 miles or every time the engine oil is changed to prolong its use. 3. IMPORTANT: Check and re-torque all mounting hardware, especially the beam U- bolts, after 100 and 3,000 miles. Maintenance Guidelines Existing Hardware 1. Attach the upper brackets to the side of the frame using the existing holes and the supplied 1/2 bolts, washers, and nyloc nuts (Figure 8). Tighten securely. NOTE: Although the bracket holes line up with the existing frame holes, it will be necessary to drill some of the frame holes out to 1/2 (Figure 8). Figure 6 3 12
Checking for eaks Attaching the Rolling obe Side Brackets 1. Spray all connections and the inflation valves with a solution of 1 /5 liquid dish soap and 4 /5 water to check for leaks. You should be able to spot leaks easily by looking for bubbles in the soapy water. 3. IMPORTANT: Check the air pressure again after 24 hours. A 2 to 4 p.s.i. loss after initial installation is normal. Retest for leaks if the loss is more than 5 lbs. 1. Remove the cross member rivets as shown in Figure 9. 2. On the driver side of the vehicle, trim the bolt flush to the nut (Figure 7) Troubleshooting Guide 2. After the test, deflate the springs to the minimum pressure required to restore the Normal Ride Height, but not less than 10 p.s.i. Fixing eaks 1. If there is a problem with the air fitting: a. Check the air line connection by deflating the spring and removing the line by pulling the collar against the fitting and pulling firmly on the air line. Trim 1" off the end of the air line. Be sure the cut is clean and square. Reinsert the air line into the pushto-connect fitting. b. Check the threaded connection by tightening the swivel fitting another 1 /2 turn. If it still leaks, deflate the air spring, remove the fitting, and re-coat the threads with thread sealant. Reinstall by hand tightening as much as possible, then use a wrench for an additional two turns. Troubleshooting Guide To resolve problems maintaining air pressure, without an on-board compressor: 2. If there is a problem with the inflation valve: a. Check the valve core by tightening it with a valve core tool. b. Check the air line connection by removing the air line from the barbed type fitting. CAUTION: Do not cut it off. This will usually nick the barb and render the fitting useless. Cut air line off a few inches in front of the fitting and use a pair of pliers or vise-grips to pull/twist the air line off the fitting. 3. If the preceding steps have not resolved the problem, call Air ift Technical Service at 1-800-248-0892 for assistance. 4. Inspect air line for holes and cracks. Replace as needed. 2. Attach the side brackets using the supplied 1/2 bolts, washers, and nyloc nuts. NOTE: Use the long 1/2-13 x 2.5 bolt on the inside cross member (Figure 8). 3. Tighten the hardware on both sides of the vehicle securely. Driver Side Remove these rivets. Figure 7 Trim the bolt flush to the nut. Top View, Passenger Side (Inboard Side of Frame) Passenger Side Figure 8 Remove rivet. Remove these rivets. 1. eak test the air line connections and threaded connection of the elbow into the air spring. 5. If there is a kink or fold in the air line, reroute as needed. 11 2. eak test the inflation valve for leaks at the air line connection or dirt or debris in the valve core. 3. Inspect air lines to be sure they are not pinched. Tie straps may be too tight. oosen or replace straps. Replace leaking components. You have now tested for all of the most probable leak conditions that can be easily fixed. At this point the problem is most likely a failed air spring - either a factory defect or an operating problem. Please call Air ift at 1-800-248-0892 for assistance or a replacement air spring. Figure 9 4
Attaching and Adjusting the Panhard Rod Final Adjustments No more than 1/2" of thread showing on heim joint Rubber Bushing Driver-Side 1/2" Figure 10 Figure 11 Flat Bolt Jam Nut Heim Joint Passenger-Side Jam Nut 1. Raise or lower the axle to create a space of 11.5 inches between the rolling lobe upper and lower mounting brackets (Figure 13). Adjust the heim, using a pry bar if necessary, so both passengerside and driver-side beam-to-frame distances are equal. CAUTION: There must be no more than 1/2 of thread showing on the heim joint (Figure 10). 2. Attach the heim to the passenger-side frame bracket using 3/4 hardware as shown in Figure 12. 3. Attach the bushing end of the panhard rod (Figure 11) to the driver-side beam assembly using the supplied 9/16 hardware. Tighten both ends of the panhard rod securely. Turn the heim joint so the cage is parallel with the brackets to prevent suspension travel from interfering. Tighten the jam nut on the heim. 4. Grease the heim joint at this time. 5. Torque the front beam pivot bolts to 305 ft.lbs. Flat Nut 1. Inflate both rolling lobe air sleeves to 20 p.s.i and check for leaks. 2. Tighten both bottom rolling lobe mounts securely at this time. Torque to 50 ft/lbs. 3. You are now ready to install the Automatic eveling System. Refer to the instruction manual to proceed with the installation. Once the system is installed it will automatically maintain the rolling lobe air springs installed height of 11-12 inches within their mounts (Figure 17). 4. Routing the exhaust out of the side of the vehicle in front of the rear wheel on the passenger side is recommended. NOTE: It may be necessary to have a custom bent pipe made if routing the exhaust out the back behind the rear wheels is desired. 5. IMPORTANT: Check and re-torque all mounting hardware, especially the beam U- bolts, after 100 and 3,000 miles. 1. Remove the Driver-Side stock jounce Shown bumper and spacer from the frame. 2. Attach the jounce bumper to the jounce bumper spacer using the stock nut. Tighten securely. NOTE: The small indexing tab on the jounce bumper should be inserted into the hole in the spacer. 3. Attach the assembly (Figure 17). 11-12 inches Keep a distance of 11-12 inches for operation of vehicle. NOTE: The jounce bumper will be offset to the front of the stock mounted position. Tighten securely (Figure 17). Figure 17 Spacers Frame Bottom View Passenger-Side Figure 12 5 10
Kit Diagram Kit Diagram R OEM OEM R OEM F J D DD G I H H I E A K EE T S C Hardware ist E CC O H I G DD DD P I H J DD T S F B Item Part No. Description Quantity A 26427 Driver-Side Beam Assembly 1 B 26428 Passenger-Side Beam Assembly 1 C 26377 Panhard Rod Assembly 1 D 07021 Driver-Side Upper Bracket 1 E 07020 Passenger-Side Upper Bracket 1 F 58201 Rolling obe 2 G 18451 3/4-16 Jam Nut 2 H 18484 1/2-20 Hex Nut 4 I 18429 1/2 ock 4 J 21745 1/4 MNPT-1/4 PTC Air Fitting 2 K 17219 9/16-12 x 5 Bolt 1 Item Part No. Description Quantity 18485 1/2 Flat 42 M 18480 9/16-12 Nyloc Nut (not shown) 1 N 13227 1 Spacer (not shown) 2 O 17269 3/4-16 x 4 Bolt 1 P 18518 3/4 Flat 2 Q 18470 3/4-16 Nyloc Nut (not shown) 1 R 10309 U-Bolt 4 S 18204 3/4-16 Deep Nut 8 T 18527 3/4 U-Bolt Flat 8 U 10466 8 Black Zip Tie (not shown) 6 V 18405 5/16 Flat (not shown) 2 Item Part No. Description Quantity X 18411 5/16 ock (not shown) 2 Y 21230 Poly Cap (not shown) 2 Z 21233 Hex Nut (not shown) 4 AA 21234 Round (not shown) 2 BB 20086 Air ine (not shown) 16 ft. CC 17285 1/2-13 x 2.5 Bolt 1 DD 17208 1/2-13 x 2 Bolt 19 EE 18460 1/2-13 Nyloc Nut 20 FF 25435 Pnuematic Control Kit (not shown) 1 GG 25600 Convenience Package (not shown) 1 HH 17294 Centering Pin (not shown) 2 7 8
Installing the Air ines Installing the Rolling obe Air Sleeves Valve Cap Air ine Flat Vehicle body or bumper Rubber Hex Nut Good Cut Tie Strap Figure 14 Figure 15 Air ine to Bellows Star Air ine Cutting Exhaust Pipe Keep air lines secured at least 6" away from all heat sources Frame Rail Hex Nut Poor Cut Muffler 1. Choose a convenient location for mounting the inflation valves. Popular locations for the inflation valve are: the wheel well flanges, the license plate recess in bumper, under the gas cap access door, or through the license plate itself. NOTE: Whatever the chosen location is, make sure there is enough clearance for an air chuck around the inflation valves. 2. Drill a 5 /16 " hole to install the inflation valves. 3. Cut the air line assembly in two equal lengths. CAUTION: When cutting or trimming the air line, use a razor blade or a very sharp knife. A clean, square cut will ensure against leaks. DO NOT USE WIRE CUTTERS OR SCISSORS TO CUT THE AIR INE. These tools may flatten or crimp the air line, causing it to leak around the O-ring seal inside the elbow fitting (Figure 15). 4. Refer to Figure 14 to assist with air valve installation. 5. Route the air line along the frame to the air fitting on the air spring. Keep at least 6" of clearance between the air line and heat sources, such as the exhaust pipes, muffler, or catalytic converter (Figure 16). Avoid sharp bends and edges. Use the plastic tie straps to secure the air line to fixed, non-moving points along the chassis. Be sure that the tie straps are tight, but do not pinch the air line. eave at least 2" of slack to allow for any movement that might pull on the air line. 6. Cut off air line leaving approximately 12" of extra air line. A clean square cut will ensure against leaks. Insert the air line into the air fitting. This is a push-to-connect fitting. Simply push the air line into the straight fitting until it bottoms out ( 9 /16" of air line should be in the fitting). Refer to Figure 13 for the following instructions. 1. Install the fitting into the large top stud of the rolling lobe air sleeve. Tighten the fitting finger-tight plus 1 1 /2 turns, being careful to tighten on the metal hex nut only. NOTE: It may be necessary to raise the chassis to provide adequate space to install the rolling lobe air sleeves. 2. Insert the studs of both rolling lobe air sleeves into the bottom mounting hole of the beam assemblies on both sides of the vehicle. Attach finger-tight using a 1/2 lock washer and nut. 3. ower the frame while guiding both studs on top of the rolling lobe air sleeves through the holes in the upper mounting bracket. 4. Attach the air sleeves using a 3/4 jam nut on the large stud. Use a lock washer and 1/2 nut on the smaller stud. If the suspension was dropped, raise the suspension back up to 11.5. Adjust the rolling lobe position in the slots at the top of the air spring, so the rolling lobe is perpendicular to the upper and lower bracket. Tighten the top mounts securely. eave the bottom loose at this time. Driver-Side View Jam Nut arge Stud Inside of Beam GUIDE rolling lobe bottom stud through hole in center of beam. Attach with hardware shown. Beam Air Fitting GUIDE rolling lobe top studs through holes in upper mounting bracket while lowering the frame. Attach with hardware shown. Figure 13 1/2" Nut ock 1/2" Nut ock Small Stud Mounting Height 11.5" Figure 16 9 6