Bagging my car...

[BigTomCallahan]

I decided a while ago to bag my car (99 VW Passat), but have just finally gotten enough money together to do it. I found a website that has bag struts for my car, but none with a complete kit. This is all like a foreign language to me, so what exactly would I need? I know airlines, tank, and a compressor but thats about all I know. If someone could point me in the right direction that would be awesome, thanks.

tom

[incudose]

HOLY **** TOM. thats awesome. i always knew you had some minitrucker in you...ill do some searching for a good starter kit thatll have most everything. check guage, i know a password that might get you some money off on that

[nickf829]

DUDE THAT IS BAD ASS TOM... i have no experience with airstruts but i'd assume they're all the same principle... so get that, then maybe give jason thorbecke a call, and see if he'd sell you a full kit, minus the airbags and brackets... because thats what you need:

tank
valves
fittings
line
gauges
switches
compessor(s)(get a viair 380 or stronger... higher psi = more playtime, and the more compressors = faster refills, which = more playtime)
water trap
pressure switch(get a 175psi switch.. more playtime)
relay
wire
connectors
one of those finger excercisers to work out your switch'n finger cuz you'll hit em everywhere you go

[1-low-02]

aight whats a relay

[BigTomCallahan]

yeah I guess knowing you guys has influenced me a little haha. what is a number for that Jason guy?

[incudose]

a relay is basically like a switch. it has a number of imputs and one output. when all the inputs are go, it switches on to tell your compressor that it is good to pump air. when one of the imputs is off, then the comp stays off...

jason.... www.suicidedoors.com

[El Camino SS]

why not just get one of jasos's air managment kits and sell the bags that come with it and use the rest

[BigTomCallahan]

what about this place, anybody have any advice?

http://kmwperformance.com/prod.aspx?c=1&m=Volkswagen&l=Passat&y=1999

[BoostError]

SuicideDoors really has become THE place for bag stuff. Mad propz to Jason.

[BigTomCallahan]

^^thanks for the info man, but that didnt answer my question.

so nobody has heard of these people? I want to hurry up and order this stuff but know nothing about this. :help:

[incudose]

ive never heard of KMW performance, those prices are pretty okay, but it seems like they come with absolutly everything...might be worth it

[BigTomCallahan]

thats all I needed to hear, I going to order the kit this afternoon or tomorrow. thanks dude.

[PimpinLow]

but!! all the kits are the same price. and i checkd for a few diffrent cars, they all seem to be the same page difrent name on the top. I looked up nissan 300 zx and they had a 300SX???? WTF is a 300 SX? Looks kinda shady to me but what do i know

** EDIT ** also i read ALL SALES FINAL....plus no phone number only an E-mail address....So now my answer changes to a definte NO. But again, what do i know

[BigTomCallahan]

hey man way to burst my bubble with that, haha. thanks though, I didnt look for any of that at first.

edit-I found a phone number and an address on the site :scratch:

KMW Performance
72 Echo Lake West Drive
Mooresville, IN 46158
Phone and Fax: (317) 831-8679

[nickf829]

alot of wholesale distributors don't allow returns.. its probably some joe scmoe working outta his house selling this stuff... i say give it a shot, prices are decent


also, about the 300sx thing, who cares, if it were my site i wouldnt make a seperate page for every car known to man, thats to much un needed work.. when most every bag kit would be the same, with the minor exceptions of which strut it uses...

get it tom... dooooo it

[Unique Customs]

strut bags are alright. You wont lay out and you cant run a big tire, you'll rub em. cylinders (aka. cans) ride like ass and the same problems as above. How far do you want to go on this? If you want to lay fully, then you're going to end up with regular double convulted bags witha completely custom fronta nd rear setup. If you just want to lay lay and be able to raise up, then get some EasyStreet air struts and you can make the brackets or order the brackets for your car from EAI (too bad they're like 350 a set (a set is front or back).. you can have em made for a lot less.

the Viair 380 is slow as hell. Its rated to 200 but is WAY too slow for me. The 450 isnt bad, just dont run it above 150 (you kill the warranty).. I use the Viair 400's all the time. They fill faster then a 450 and 380 to 145, they're only 33% duty, but who uses their compressor constantly? (if you do, get compressed air or EDC).. The new Viair 480 is out/almost out and is imo, a badass compressor to get.

You'll also want 3/8 valves and get some plugs for the dumps, and drill holes to slow it down.. strut bags dump/fill pretty fast and driving fully airred and go to tap it down and your so fast yo ulay out.. is a PAIN to deal with.

[BigTomCallahan]

How far do you want to go on this?

all I really want to do is go up and down.

[Unique Customs]

then get some air struts from Easy Street, ask about brackets from them too, if not, get some made or something. A LOT cheaper then buying EAI brackets (the only company besides aim that i know of that makes brackets for any car).

Get a 5 gal, a viair 400c, a 110-145 pressure switch, 3/8 line, 'E' valves 3/8 valves (8 of them), 2 KP dual needle gauges, 1 single needle gauge from KP (dual needle is for bags, single is for tank pressure, so you can see if you have a leak, etc).. DOT fittings and airline and dont forget the relay for the compressor. a switchbox.. i'm sure i left out a few other things.

but that is a really basic setup, but is all you want.

[nickf829]

tom don't bother with 33% duty.. sounds to me like you're going for switch hitting capabillities... with 33% duty, after every time your compressor kicks on, it can't kick back on until its cooled down... this means if you plan to hit switches more then a few times showing off... your gonna be forced to wait awhile to hit them again, or else your gonna be stuck aired out waiting.. thats no fun

get a 100% duty, just makes it 1 less thing you have to deal with on a switchhappy car... that way you can hit switches all day long and never have to worry about your compressor not being ready to cut on even though you're already hittin them switches

[Unique Customs]

a viair 400 will fill it faster then a 380 and 450.. so in reality, its not running anymore, b/c its filling faster.. that is why i use them.. they fill quicker, so i can have air now and not in 2 minutes.

its just all up to him.. i prefer a 400 to customers and as do acouple other shops i know, b/c they fill faster.. its not like if you use it and need it again it wnt kick on.. it will just get really hot.. but it doesnt stay like that or do it like that all the time.. the 450 gets hot filling a 5 gal.

its just a matter of personal preference.

[phigity]

a viair 400 will fill it faster then a 380 and 450.. so in reality, its not running anymore, b/c its filling faster.. that is why i use them.. they fill quicker, so i can have air now and not in 2 minutes.

its just all up to him.. i prefer a 400 to customers and as do acouple other shops i know, b/c they fill faster.. its not like if you use it and need it again it wnt kick on.. it will just get really hot.. but it doesnt stay like that or do it like that all the time.. the 450 gets hot filling a 5 gal.

its just a matter of personal preference.

the 450's do get good and hot filling a 5gal. i've got 2 5 gallons and 2 450's and they get very hot after playing with them for awhile. every comp does.