5572 Fresca Drive, La Palma, CA 90623 714.523.8700, FAX 714.523.3220 Airtail I.A.S. Suspension System for Harley Davidson Compressor Kit Installation Instructions FLH/FLT Models with and without Cruise Control Note: Please read the following instructions completely before starting. This will aide in an easy installation and familiarize you with part names. Caution: Follow instructions in an authorized shop manual or take the motorcycle to a competent dealer. The motorcycle must be securely blocked to prevent it from tipping over when shocks are removed. Failure to do so can cause serious damage and/or injury. The use of lowering kits on Progressive Suspension shocks is not recommended. Use of a lowering kit may void the warranty or damage the shock or motorcycle. Progressive Suspension shocks are designed to work on OEM (Original Equipment) frame and swing arm. Use of these shocks on a frame or swing arm other than OEM may produce an unsatisfactory ride and void the warranty. Make sure proper bushings/sleeves are installed in the shocks. Improper bushings/sleeves can cause unsatisfactory and/or unsafe operation. Lowering your motorcycle will decrease initial ground clearance. The motorcycle will be lower to the ground and care should be taken to avoid bottoming, especially over bumps and in turns. Lowering a motorcycle can change the handling characteristics. Always use extreme caution when riding after a change is made and take time to get accustomed to any handling change. Installation: Progressive Suspensions Airtail I.A.S. suspension system is designed as a direct bolt on replacement for your stock shocks. Along with the ability to conveniently adjust both the bottoming control and the motorcycle ride height, they have vastly improved damping. The installation of the Airtail I.A.S. with compressor kit is a 7 step process, and it is strongly suggested to follow these instructions step by step after reading through to familiarize yourself with the process. Additional photos for help with this installation can be found on pages 9 & 10, the photo supplement. Step1 Shockinstallation 1. Place motorcycle securely on a stand or blocks so the rear wheel is slightly off the ground, and bike is stable. 2. Per instructions in an authorized shop manual, remove your old shocks. Note the mounting hardware. It is only necessary to disconnect the stock rear shock airlines from the OEM bracket, removal of stock bracket is not necessary. (Where applicable) 3. Install the new Airtail I.A.S shocks with the airlines at the top and facing the frame. Using the appropriate torque specifications (see shop manual for specs), tighten hardware. 4. Route the airlines (2) from each shock, between the fender and strut, to under the seat area making sure they won t be pinched, exposed to excessive heat, or contact any moving parts. It may be necessary to trim excess airline to avoid these circumstances, however, to insure sufficient lengths and clearances for all lines and fittings,it is recommended that you wait until the entire system has been connected before trimming any airlines. Note: The compressor, solenoid, and T fittings feature high pressure quick connect fittings. To connect the airlines, simply press them into the fitting until they bottom out. They bottom out about 3/16" past the first resistance you feel. If you need to trim the airline it is vital that you make a square cut with a sharp razor blade (do not use dikes or wire cutters) as failure to do so could result in a leak. If you need to disconnect a line for any reason, simply push in the outer collar on the fitting and pull out the airline. Also, if you disconnect an airline for any reason it is suggested to trim a small amount (approximately 1/8") off the end you pulled out- as a freshly cut and installed airline is less likely to leak. 5. With shocks properly installed and airlines routed as stated earlier, you will now connect the airlines coming from the shocks to the first set of T fittings. There will be two airlines coming from each shock, a Blue one, which controls the Ride Height Chamber. The other airline will be Black in color; this one is for the Bottoming Control Chamber. Connect the Ride Height airline from each shock (the Blue ones) into the side valves of one T fitting. Next connect the Bottoming Control airlines from each shock (the Black ones) into the second T fitting. Page 1
Figure 1 Note the routing of airlines and the T fittings Step 2 - Compressor installation The following steps outline the installation of the compressor assembly in the space available directly under the battery box. NOTE: ON MODELS WITH THE EMISSIONS CANISTER IN THIS LOCATION, YOU WILL NEED TO RELOCATED THE CANISTER. NOTE: YOU MUST SLIGHTLY MODIFY THE BATTERY BOX DRAIN TABS PRIOR TO MOUNTING THE COMPRESSOR IN THIS LOCATION. SEE BELOW. NOTE: ON MODELS WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL. SEE OPTIONAL MOUNTING LOCATION INSTRUCTIONS BEGINNING ON PAGE 4 Battery Box Modification Modify the two battery box drain tabs (with arrows) by placing the Battery Box upside down over a block of wood. Using a plastic mallet, hit the indicated tabs, bending them down so that they are only 1/16 above the bottom surface of the Battery Box. (See figures 2& 2A) Figure 2 Figure 2A Page 2
1. Following the procedures in an authorized shop manual for your model, Remove the battery and battery box. 2. Place the compressor and mount assembly into the space above the swingarm and below the space normally occupied by the battery box. See figure 3 3. Re-install the modified battery box through the right side opening and loosely attach top mounting bolts. Installation Under Battery Box 4. Using the hardware supplied with the compressor kit and the OEM rear fender bolt, Attach the compressor mounting bracket to the bottom of the battery box(figure 4). Install the OEM rear fender bolt through the fender, discard the threaded clip nut, through the battery box and tread it into the compressor mounting hole provided. Tighten bolts. (Figure 5) 5. With the compressor mounting bracket securely fastened to the battery box, run both the orange and the black wire up through the left front opening of the battery box. 6. Feed the three airlines attached to the compressor to the right side of the bike. Take the Black line and the Blue line from the silver check valves and route them along the right side of the rear fender up to the T fittings installed previously. To insure sufficient line lengths and clearances for all lines and fittings, it is recommended that you wait until the entire system has been connected before trimming these airlines and making the final connections to the T fittings. The Black line coming from the White T-Fitting will be used to connect to the Pressure Gauge later. Figure 3 Figure 4 7. Tighten the battery box mounting bolts according to your authorized shop manual. Continue with Switch Manifold Installation section on page 5. Figure 5 Page 3
Optional Installation for Models without Cruise Control To use this optional Installation, first you must remove the Battery Box Mounting Bracket (A) from the compressor assembly. Do this by removing the two Button Head Socket Screws shown in Figure 6 Be sure to keep the shorter of the two screws, you will need it for mounting the compressor unit in the next step. Continue with #1 Below. Figure 6 Step 2 - Compressor installation 1. Disconnect and remove battery as per manual. 2. Remove saddlebags and left side cover. 3. Use existing holes in battery tray, the short screw removed above and supplied washer to mount compressor unit. Figure 7 4. Torque mounting bolt to 6 ft. lbs. Page 4
5. Feed the bottoming control airline, ride height airline and wires though the existing hole in battery box. Figure 8 6. Next run each line to its own, new T fitting. Using the second valve of each T fitting, run airlines to the first set of T fittings that you connected to the shocks in Step 1.5. Figure 9 Figure 10 Step3 Switchmanifold installation Switch Manifold Page 5
1. Using the pre-wired switch manifold, nut and bolt supplied, install the manifold to the frame plate located behind the rear rocker box on the left side of bike. Figure 11 2. Before you tighten the nut on the switch manifold, insert the airlines into valves on the back of switch manifold. The top valve is for the Bottoming Control airline, and the lower valve is for the Ride Height airline (see Figure 10). 3. Route the airlines and wires through the pre-existing hole found in the frame plate, next to mounting hole. Run airlines and wires through this hole and up to battery tray area. 4. There should be two open valves (one on each) on your second set of T fittings. Connect airlines appropriately (making sure all Bottoming Control airlines run through the same T fitting and that all Ride Height airlines do likewise) Figure 12 5. At this point all airlines should be connected appropriately. It is vital to the operation of the system that there are no crossed lines. We suggest double checking that all airlines are inserted into the correct T fittings. 6. The next few steps will take you through the wiring of the system. Refer to figure 13 and wiring diagram for clarification. All wiring except final connection to battery can be done with the battery uninstalled. Page 6
Figure 13 7. There are three wire leads coming from the switch manifold, red, orange and black. 8. Connect the red wire from the switch manifold to the orange wire with 15 amp fuse in-line. 9. Connect the orange wire from the switch manifold to the orange wire coming from the compressor. 10. Connect the black wire from the switch manifold to the skinny black wire with female connector from the solenoid. 11. Take the other skinny black wire with the male connector from the solenoid and the black wire from the compressor and connect these two wires to the 2 into 1 all black wire. 12. Now with all connections complete,remove the 15 amp fuse from the orange wire. Reinstall the battery and connect that orange wire to battery positive. Connect the 2 into 1 black wire to battery negative. 13. Upon inserting 15 amp fuse back into orange wire, system will be hot and connected properly.pressing the rocker switch in the up direction will activate the compressor to fill the Bottoming Control chamber, and down will activate it to fill the Ride Height chamber. 14. We recommend bundling all extra wire, wrapping in electrical tape or shrink wrap and tucking away from heat and sharp edges. Step 4 Air pressure gauge installation 1. On right side of bike remove two rear top rocker box bolts from the rear cylinder. It may be necessary to loosen and raise/move the fuel tank for clearance when removing bolts. Page 7
Figure 14 2. Mount air pressure gauge using empty rocker box holes and stock bolts. Torque as specified in shop manual, not to forget any possible loose bolts in fuel tank. 3. Route the Black airline from the White t-fitting (set aside earlier), through the frame plate, and insert it into air pressure gauge inlet. (See. photo supplement) Note: Air pressure gauge is designed to slowly leak back down to 0 psi. This does not leak any air from the rest of your system. Only air from within the air pressure gauge is leaking out. 4. Once your Airtail I.A.S. system is installed and functioning properly, it is recommended to trim and secure any airlines or wiring. Making sure to avoid pinching, bending at extreme angles, heat and moving or sharp parts. See I.A.S. Setup Instructions. Page 8
Photo Supplement Page 9
Page 10