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Phantom Autowerke air ride build thread

87K views 277 replies 91 participants last post by  aVWGTIguy 
#1 · (Edited)
I wanted to start this thread to share my experience of going through an air ride install from the beginning covering the good and the bad. Here's a quick run down of the vehicle and equipment being installed;

2011 VW GTI
Bagyard Supreme front struts
Bagyard Classic rear bags
Bilstein Sport rear shocks
Accuair VU4 4 corner valve unit
Accuair E-Level leveling system with TouchPad
Accuair Key FOBs
ViAir dual 444c compressors
5 1-gallon air tanks
Stainless steel hardlines throughout
Dakota Digital Odyssey Series II, Quad Air Pressure Gauge

Special thanks to;
Phantom Autowerke Phantom Autowerke
Andrew @ Open Road Tuning Open Road Tuning
CCW Wheels CCW Wheel
 
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#146 ·
Those wheels ain't happening. In other news, the tanks are now (and forever) inside the car. Need to plumb in the VU4, pressure senders, water traps, and some wiring. Getting them in the car is definitely a major milestone and the rest of the build should move quickly. :fingerscrossed:

 
#152 ·
3/13 update

Here's another update on where we are with getting the car back together;

Now that the tanks and back seat are in we need to make all the feed and return hard line connections. We also got the VU4 mounted along with the air traps on the the backside of the sub enclosure on the driver's side rear seat. The lines out of the VU4 will wrap around to the front of the sub box, through it, and out the back behind the bumper where we'll run the hard lines to each bag. Here are a few pics to clarify...

With the rear seat down


With the rear seat up


Supply line from compressor on top and feed lines to driver's side front and rear bags on bottom


Another shot to show how the supply line from the comp is being routed through the box and into the tanks


And here's where the lines punch through (bulkheads) out side the car to be run to each bag.


And because there is something wrong with me ALL the lines are polished - even the sections that will never be seen after it's all put back together. Thanks again for all the support and kind words!
 
#155 ·
i understand the idea behind all of this for show purposes and the quality seem to be amazing but it all seems a bit excessive to me. good luck with finishing it should be interresting to say the least, i hope to see it in person at some point
 
#157 ·
Thanks, Fuzzy. With all the complexity of this setup I believe once it's all put back together the overall feel will be quite subdued. Hard as it may seem to believe - and pretty difficult to relay in the photographs - the tanks blend in pretty well to the interior.

The other point I feel I should make is the car is being built as my daily driver and exactly the way I want it to look/feel. Of course the builder, Anthony @ Phantom, has a hugely considerable say in it but that's because he took the time to get to know me, listen to what I had to say, and develop a friendship. (It was his idea to put my kids' and wife's names on the tanks!) Another thing we both agree on 110% is that this car is NOT for the scene, winning trophies, one-upping others - in fact it'll be boothed at just about every show I go to and honestly could care less about getting a plastic trophy. I'm most happy when people come over and just want to ask questions, shoot the **** and, more than anything, just enjoy the damn thing. Because in the end that's what I'll be doing. :thumbup:
 
#163 ·
Just a quick update for now -

Lots of wiring going on - getting the E Level connectors, speakers, amps, compressors, grounds, key fob antennae, pressure senders, and I'm sure a few others I'm forgetting all wired up. Its looking like the car will be ready just in the the nick of time for DoD minus the wheels. Ordered them a while back and just waiting on them to be cut/polished/assembled/shipped. I got them in a staggered setup - 18x8.5 et38 up front and 18x9.5 et44 for the back. Not saying which ones they are but they're pretty "smooth". ;)
 
#175 ·
Thanks again for helping out last night - we messed around with rears a bit more and looks like the new wheels are going to fit perfect. :beer:

Very slight camber adjustment in the rear. I didn't want to ride on just the edge of the tire. I wanted some rubber on the pavement.

Sent from the bowels of hell using Tap-a-talk.
Agreed. :thumbup:
 
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