Got the kit installed for the most part yesterday. Thanks to my friend
@Cody22 for stopping by and lending a hand and providing adult supervision.
NOTES, for others considering the kit:
GOOD:
-The general quality of the bracketry, engineering, design, adjust-ability far exceeds my expectations.
-95% of the kit is top shelf beefcake and i have 100% confidence I'll never break any of it.
-Called their tech support a couple times, and Kyle was very helpful and understanding of my frustration with the instructions. Apparently 95% of their installs are via their dealer/certified shops, not by a redneck in his driveway.
IRRITATING:
-Instructions (both the included ones and their website) are from 2008 and there has been many changes in the models since. They give you a rough idea whats going on, but that's about it.
-I figured out most of this install by creeping the web for trucks with the kit and looking at what goes where.
-Hardware. There is gobs and gobs of hardware for the kit and most of it isn't labeled or organized.
BAD:
-The air line they include with the kit is trash. 1/4" flimsy, easily kinked. I've used cheaper Firestone bags on various trucks that came with much better line. The lines are temporarily installed for now, but will be replaced with 3/8" line used for the big rig air brakes with stainless Norgen fittings like i used on my last couple trucks.
-Brake line relocation brackets simply don't exist. The ones mentioned in the instructions only apply to older models and nothing like the newer ones. I should be able to fab up a couple fairly easily, but for what the kit costs, its pretty lame they aren't included.
WHAT THE HELL:
-They offer 2 kits, -3" and stock height. I ordered stock height. Both on their website and the included instructions, the measurement from bottom bag mount to top bag mount is supposed to be 8". After the install i inflated the bags to get the frame rails to stock height that i had measured before starting the install and got a measurement of 11.5". It took a tech support phone call and a lot of racking my brain to finally figure out the instructions are all for the -3 kit because the primary use of this kit is generally for ambulances and they all use -3
NOTES:
-The presta valve just dangling there will be re-routed to the rear bumper onces its finished and i get all the parts to convert it to 3/8"
-Exhaust is within 1/4" of the lower bag mount and it doesnt appear that moving it will be all that easy. More on that later
-Still havent done the sway bar yet. They provide a new huge one at least twice the size of whats on there now, but the bracketry doesnt even come close to lining up with my truck. I'll deal with that later.
OVERALL:
-Despite the little gripes, I am VERY pleased with the kit and its quality, and look forward to a test drive later today after i finish up relocating the brake lines, and tidying up some wiring.
