Garypowell
Well-known member
Before we left on our current trip I installed a 5[SUP]th[/SUP] airborne Pin box. So far I have been impressed with its operation/ride improvement, but was a little surprised how small the air bag was. As I learned to inflate it I found it difficult to hit an exact pressure spot because to check it meant to drop the pressure significantly due to its size.
I decided to try and find some sort of pressure gauge assembly that could be attached to the bag for easier inflation and monitoring. I found:
Tire Minders at http://inflationsolutions.com/agricultural-products/tire-minders/
Started a discussion with JC (owner) and he provided me with the gauge in picture 1 for a shipped price of about $117.00. I found JC easy to work with and interested in the project. He suggested a better “filled” gauge than he used standard and I trusted his judgement.
You can see in picture 2 the 5[SUP]th[/SUP] airborne pin box with the air inlet (standard tire type) just to the left of the breakaway switch. I decided on the right angle connection as it would allow the gauge to sit right on the pin box itself. One note here, for the Tire Minder device to work I had to remove the valve stem core on the 5[SUP]th[/SUP] Airborne air inlet connector.
You can see from picture 1 there was a mounting bracket provided which is attached via bolts into the back of the gauge block. Since the lower portion of the 5[SUP]th[/SUP] Airborne moves I knew the 1 foot long braided hose would come in handy too.
After looking it over I decided to not use the bracket and simply drilled two holes into the upper portion of the pin box and simply bolted the gauge block in place through the back of the pin box. You can see the pin box deflated and inflated in pictures 3 and 4 and the hose moves nicely. Please note I put 95# on the system to check for leaks…this is not the amount of unloaded pressure I would operate with.
The gauge block is interesting as it isolates the gauge when you put in air. You have to push in on the stem and turn it clockwise to shut off airflow to the gauge but this allows air into the hose and bladder. After the air is applied turning the stem counterclockwise returns air pressure to the gauge. While I appreciate this design (protecting the gauge) it means I can’t really see pressure while filling the bladder. I have been advised by Tech support at 5th Airborne that initially it is better to position the pin box correctly and then see what pressure that results in. So once I find this best position...I will know what pressure to fill to as needed. If I overfill the bladder by moving the stem into the fill and gauge positions I get a very small controlled leak….which means I can easily drop the pressure to where I want it if needed.....unlike before pushing in on the valve stem, to simply measure the pressure, gave me a radical change.
But most importantly when in the gauge position I can see the pressure before and after setting the rig on the hitch and monitor it during travel.
Adding this gauge is probably a little overkill, but I like the information it provides.
I decided to try and find some sort of pressure gauge assembly that could be attached to the bag for easier inflation and monitoring. I found:
Tire Minders at http://inflationsolutions.com/agricultural-products/tire-minders/
Started a discussion with JC (owner) and he provided me with the gauge in picture 1 for a shipped price of about $117.00. I found JC easy to work with and interested in the project. He suggested a better “filled” gauge than he used standard and I trusted his judgement.
You can see in picture 2 the 5[SUP]th[/SUP] airborne pin box with the air inlet (standard tire type) just to the left of the breakaway switch. I decided on the right angle connection as it would allow the gauge to sit right on the pin box itself. One note here, for the Tire Minder device to work I had to remove the valve stem core on the 5[SUP]th[/SUP] Airborne air inlet connector.
You can see from picture 1 there was a mounting bracket provided which is attached via bolts into the back of the gauge block. Since the lower portion of the 5[SUP]th[/SUP] Airborne moves I knew the 1 foot long braided hose would come in handy too.
After looking it over I decided to not use the bracket and simply drilled two holes into the upper portion of the pin box and simply bolted the gauge block in place through the back of the pin box. You can see the pin box deflated and inflated in pictures 3 and 4 and the hose moves nicely. Please note I put 95# on the system to check for leaks…this is not the amount of unloaded pressure I would operate with.
The gauge block is interesting as it isolates the gauge when you put in air. You have to push in on the stem and turn it clockwise to shut off airflow to the gauge but this allows air into the hose and bladder. After the air is applied turning the stem counterclockwise returns air pressure to the gauge. While I appreciate this design (protecting the gauge) it means I can’t really see pressure while filling the bladder. I have been advised by Tech support at 5th Airborne that initially it is better to position the pin box correctly and then see what pressure that results in. So once I find this best position...I will know what pressure to fill to as needed. If I overfill the bladder by moving the stem into the fill and gauge positions I get a very small controlled leak….which means I can easily drop the pressure to where I want it if needed.....unlike before pushing in on the valve stem, to simply measure the pressure, gave me a radical change.
But most importantly when in the gauge position I can see the pressure before and after setting the rig on the hitch and monitor it during travel.
Adding this gauge is probably a little overkill, but I like the information it provides.
