The SL-C got air jacked for the first time today! Note that the stainless steel flex lines and the mount for connector/valve are temporary.
Getting the air jack system up and running was more work than I expected. The lift brackets were completed just over two years ago and mid last year the aluminum hard lines were installed, but I wasn’t able to find a system that I felt safe flowing 30 bar (435 psi) to test things.
I discovered the Paoli booth at the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) show last year. Apparently they have motorsport credentials. I tried to order some equipment from them, but they offer a bewildering number of fittings and the catalog, while pretty, doesn’t help you put a system together. I kept asking for them to spec a system for me which is apparently a foreign concept.
I spoke with Hill McCarty at Agile Automotive and he agreed to supply the system. I felt better when he had some of the same issues that I experienced. He ordered the system just before Covid exploded and, as Paoli is based in Italy, the order was understandably delayed for months. It arrived damaged so Agile ordered a replacement part and subsequently shipped everything from Maryland to Boston. UPS lost it for over three months and put Agile through the ringer when they made a claim. That probably took another three months. UPS finally found it in Texas, shipped it to me, and when it arrived a couple of the fittings didn’t match up and Agile had to chase Paoli for three weeks to get an answer.
The Paoli nitrogen system (bottle, trolley, regulator, quick disconnects, fittings and hose) and the AP Racing system (air jacks, connector/valve and wand) are well made. The three jacks (one in front and two in the rear) result in a stable car. As seen in the video, you simply slam the wand into the connector to raise the car. The wand can be left plugged in to compensate for any leaks or it can be immediately removed. The car is dropped by pulling the valve backwards. The video shows the car being raised at 300psi which is well under the 435 psi max. My guess is that even when fully loaded I can get it to raise faster than shown. I can also raise it gently by slowly increasing the pressure on the regulator.
So was it all worth it? Hell yeah! I’m thankful for all of the hard work that Agile put into making this happen. If you’re looking for a nitrogen system, they now know exactly what’s required. Better yet, they ordered another system to replace the one that UPS lost so they might have one in stock.