air ride ice in lines

[id_unavailable]

It's been a little to cold for my taste as well as my daily driver toyota. The leader hose off the air compressor froze up. It kicked on but ice did not allow it to fill the tank. Long story short....I drove home about 3 inches off the ground and had to drive into my driveway at an angle just like my static suspension days.

What do you guys/gals do up north to compensate for the weather and associated problems?

[tech@scottshotrods]

while working at air ride in Indiana we never ran in to this being and issue which compressors are you running Viair?

[jimmydean]

If it's a steel braided line, just put some heat on it (easy with the heat). But I wouldn't think there would be enough moisture in the system to clog it.

[zellway]

I live in AZ so this is not somthing we see that much of but I do work in the trucking industry and there we see all kinds of problems with wet air and ice. You might look into a air dryer system from somthing like a business class freightliner or a truck like it. Or maybe somthing like a Larg shop type air system that has a trap with desicant. If you look at the air intake system on most large over the road trucks its mounted on the filtered side of the air intake of the motor. then the discharge air will run to the dryer then off to the air tanks. If your not looking into any kinda upgrade you could look into air brake antifreeze. I don't know how well it would help. I can try and get some pics of the air intake and posted them.

[Shane]

steel braided OVER a plastic/Teflon inner sleeve ... that's a big ol' negative on puttin' some heat to it.

[tech@scottshotrods]

Originally Posted by jimmydean

If it's a steel braided line, just put some heat on it (easy with the heat). But I wouldn't think there would be enough moisture in the system to clog it.

exactley

[dubds10]

Do you run a water trap in your system? I know some people actually put a little gas line/airline anti-freeze in the tank/lines if they aren't running a water trap. Most systems do run with a little bit of moisture in them and the antifreeze helps during the winter.

Personally I never had any problems during the winter but I don't think I drove mine when it snowed and was frozen out as I couldn't get out of my street lol I ran hydraulic lines throughout though and if moisture did get into my system and turn to ice, it was easy enough to melt.

[id_unavailable]

Its a 60.00 chinese cheap compressor, ended up replacing 2 old viair compressors. I was using it as a temp thing but it ended up lasting so its still in there (fills the tanks pretty quick). Its a copper line with a dip in the middle i think that's where the water is condensing. No dryer/trap either so I have to dump the tanks once in a while. I think i need to relocate it closer with the line running downhill and dump the tanks when it warms up. If not I will keep a small torch to defrost it.

Where are you guys placing a water trap at. I thought they needed to be located as far away from the compressor as possible. The air is cooler so that the water will condense.

Zellway I grew up in AZ. I miss it from time to time until I visit and drive on the freeways . Never had a problem but it was rarely that cold.

Thanks for all the suggestions

[phishninmn]

I ran my bagged s10 all last winter up here in Minnnesota with air line antifreeze i got at a truck stop and I never had a problem. I took off my prssure switch and dumped a little in the air tank.

[royo]

Does it matter where you have the air intakes on a air system?

[dubds10]

air intakes?? You mean the valves for the airbags?

Doesn't really matter. I'd say it's 50/50 as to whether people run the valves off the tank or off the bags.

[royo]

well I ment to say where the ac gets its air from. If its out in the open will it pull more water or do you need to put the intake somewhere dry?