Install & setup
How to install air suspension
Installing air suspension is more tedious than it is difficult. If you've done basic suspension work before and can handle simple wiring like connecting power and grounds, a full air suspension install is very achievable over a weekend. The key is doing things in the right order... starting with management, not the suspension.
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Should you DIY or go to a shop?
A complete air suspension install is very achievable as a DIY project, especially with a bolt-in kit designed for your specific vehicle. If you've done coilover installs or basic suspension work before, the mechanical side will feel familiar. The part that trips people up is usually the wiring, but with a good wiring diagram it's more about patience than skill.
That said, a professional install has real advantages too. A shop that's done air suspension before will get it done faster, and the labor is typically warranted. The trade-off is cost. Shop installs generally run $400–$1,000 depending on the complexity of the setup and how custom you want to get with the management layout.
If you're on the fence, ask yourself: have you done basic suspension work before? Are you comfortable tracing a wiring diagram and connecting power and ground circuits? If yes to both, you're more than capable of doing this yourself. If either gives you pause, a shop is the smarter call.
Buyer guide
How much does air suspension cost?
Full breakdown of kit costs, install costs, and what to prioritize on a budget.
Why order of installation matters
The biggest mistake people make when installing air suspension is going straight for the suspension first. You open the box, you see the shiny new struts, and you want to get them on the car immediately. We get it. But doing it that way is how you end up with a car sitting on its bump stops in your driveway, unable to drive, while you're still trying to figure out the management wiring.
The right order is: management first, suspension second. Getting your control system, tank, compressor, and air lines in and functional first means you can keep driving the car on its factory suspension while you work through the management side. Once that's proven out and you know everything works, then you pull the factory suspension and put the air setup in. You're never stuck without a driveable car.
Step 1 - Install your management system
Start with your tank, compressor, and control system. Find your mounting locations for each - most people mount the tank in the trunk, spare tire well, or under the car, with the compressor nearby. Run your power and ground cables from the battery, wire the compressor relay, and get the controller mounted and connected.
At this stage your air lines aren't connected to anything yet and your factory suspension is still in the car, that's fine. The goal here is to get the electrical side sorted and confirmed working before you touch the suspension. A lot of install headaches trace back to wiring problems that would have been easy to catch at this stage but become much harder to diagnose once the whole system is assembled.
Do this
Plan your component locations before mounting anything
Think through where your tank, compressor, and controller are going before you start drilling holes or running wires. It's much easier to change your mind at the planning stage than after you've committed to a location.
Do this
Test your management before moving on
Before you route a single air line, verify that your controller powers on, your compressor runs, and the basic system functions. Catching a wiring issue now, before everything is tucked and hidden, saves you hours of troubleshooting later.
Find first
Ignition source
Your management system needs a switched 12V source that turns on with the ignition. Finding the right ignition tap is one of the steps people spend the most time on. Use a multimeter to confirm your source switches on and off with the key before wiring to it.
Avoid this
Skipping the wiring diagram
Every management system ships with a wiring diagram. Read it before you start, not when something doesn't work. The diagram tells you exactly which wire does what, working from it from the start is always faster than trying to reverse-engineer a problem after the fact.
Step 2 - Route your air lines
With your management system in place and confirmed working, route your air lines from the management manifold toward each corner of the car. Don't connect them to the bags yet, just get them run and secured so they're ready when the suspension goes in.
How you route your lines matters. A line that rubs, kinks, or gets pinched is a leak waiting to happen, and chasing a small leak later is one of the most frustrating parts of an air suspension build. Take the time to do this right.
Rule 01
Stay away from moving parts
Keep your lines clear of anything that moves like driveshafts, control arms, sway bars, steering components. A line that makes contact with a moving part will wear through eventually. Give yourself more clearance than you think you need.
Rule 02
Stay away from heat
Nylon air line melts. Keep it well away from your exhaust and any other heat sources under the car. If you have to route near the exhaust, use heat shielding. A line that gets too hot will harden, crack, and leak.
Rule 03
Protect against sharp edges
Any time your line passes through a body panel or over a metal edge, use a grommet or protect the line from the edge. Exposed metal can cut through the outer jacket of the line over time, especially with vibration.
Rule 04
Secure your lines at regular intervals
Zip tie or clip your lines to the chassis every 12-18 inches. Unsecured lines vibrate against surfaces and wear through the jacket. It takes a few extra minutes but it's the difference between a build that stays leak-free and one that slowly develops problems.
Buyer guide
Best air line size for air suspension
Which diameter to use where, what material to run, and how fittings affect your system.
Step 3 - Install the suspension
Now you pull the factory suspension and put your air setup in. This is the part most people are most familiar with, it follows the same process as any suspension swap. Remove the factory struts or springs, install the air struts or bags and shocks, torque everything to spec.
The main thing to watch for here is fitment. A quality bolt-in kit for your exact year, make, model, and drivetrain should slot into the factory mounting positions without fighting you. If something doesn't line up or you're forcing anything, stop. Double check that you have the right parts for your exact vehicle before you try to make something fit that wasn't designed to.
Once the suspension is in, connect your pre-routed air lines to the bags. Make sure every connection is fully seated, a push-to-connect fitting that isn't all the way in is the most common source of leaks on a fresh install.
Step 4 - Check clearance before you drive
Before the car comes off the jack stands, do a thorough clearance check. Look at every corner and verify that there's adequate space between the air bag and the surrounding chassis, subframe, and body. A bag that contacts the unibody at full compression will wear through, and a blown bag on a fresh install is a frustrating way to start your air ride journey.
Put the wheels and tires back on before completing this check. Wheels can reduce clearance significantly, especially if you're running a more aggressive fitment. Check that the tire doesn't contact the inner fender or any other surface at full droop and full compression before you trust it on the road.
Once you're satisfied with clearance at both extremes, lower the car to the ground and do a visual walk-around. Look for anything that looks off, a line that's stretched tighter than expected, a fitting that seems stressed, anything you didn't notice on the lift.
Step 5 - Air up and dial in your setup
With everything installed and clearances confirmed, it's time to air up for the first time. Start with all four bags fully deflated and bring them up slowly, watching each corner as you go. Listen for any air escaping from fittings or lines. A fresh install will almost always need at least one fitting tightened or reseated, that's normal.
Once the system is holding pressure, start dialing in your preset heights. Drive the car at your intended daily driving height, note the pressures at each corner, and save those as your base preset. Then work on your low cruise height and your full drop from there. Take your time. Getting your presets dialed in properly is what makes the system enjoyable to live with every day.
After install
Check all fittings for leaks
With the system aired up to operating pressure, go around every fitting and connection with soapy water or a leak detector spray. Bubbles indicate a leak. Most fresh-install leaks are minor and fixed by fully reseating the push-to-connect fitting or adding a half turn to a compression fitting.
After install
Set your preset heights
Take the time to properly dial in your presets before daily driving. A well-set daily height protects your bags from unnecessary wear and makes the system feel effortless. Getting this right upfront is much easier than adjusting it once you've gotten used to a height that isn't quite right.
After install
Re-check everything after the first 100 miles
After your first week or so of driving, do another walk-around. Check fittings for leaks, inspect your line routing to make sure nothing has shifted, and verify that all your presets are still saving and recalling correctly. Catching small issues early prevents bigger ones later.
After install
Don't drive fully slammed until you've checked clearance
It's tempting to immediately drive at your lowest possible height, but don't do it until you've done a slow-speed test and confirmed you're not contacting anything. Drive over a speed bump at your lowest height before you commit to driving around town at full drop.
Running into a problem mid-install or have a question before you start? Hit us up. Call 844-404-7344, email [email protected], or use the chat button on the site. We've been helping people install air suspension since 2009 and there's almost no situation we haven't seen before.