Air-o-matic install

[Blood_of_Tyrants]

So the right thing to do is not install the regulator, what was its purpose?

Some commercial vehicles have pressures significantly higher than the 120 psi that a deuce runs. The seals won't hold on straight tank pressure on them.

I am installing my AOM kit, too. The hardest thing was to figure out which fitting to screw in where. The parts are NOT marked and the drawing was so smudged in places that I could see only a blob. It was a matter of guessing which part by the very rough description (elbow can mean 45 degree male/female or 90 degree male/male or something different) package and part number.

 

[o1dakota440]

in pic number 7 of post number 2, is the drag link backwards? or can it be installed either way?

 

[toddm]

Mine is installed the same way.

 

[1968 Kaiser M35A2]

Has anyone used the kit where the cylinder body is just dead ended to the wheel linkage and the ram is clamped horzionally to the side of the tie-rod? I am thinking of doing this with an aftermarket kit I salvaged off an old M54. Difference is that it is hydraulic and the ram was welded on the side of the drag link. Mahalo, Griff

 

[DUECE-COUPE]

the drag link is positioned correctly. that is how mine is installed. i was in the first Guard unit in Florida to get the A3 deuce. also checked out trucks being turned in for installation tips.

 

[o1dakota440]

ok so this might be really stupid question. but what is the aluminum part that looks like it is a fixed position regulator? it gets mounted at the junction on the fire wall.

 

[jatonka]

That is the part that sends air to the draglink after truck air system passes 60psi. It will automaticly shut air off to draglink when truck air system goes below 60 psi. It is also a shut off valve if you want to disable the Air-O-Matic steering system. Do you have instructions? JT out

 

[o1dakota440]

thanks jatonka,
i should have posted that i did find out what it was useing google. and yes i have the huge blue prints, but they are really smudged and hard to read. but i have the kit installed now, it works great. and i did leave the adjustable regulator out of the system.

 

[broman78]

does anybody have link to the blue prints or a copy of the blue prints.

 

[saddamsnightmare]

April 26th, 2010.

NO need for reading glasses with the size of the instruction sheet drawings, John Hancock! I noticed that with every DoD kit for the deuce that the drawings are huge, wonder what it cost to do those even for the rifle mounts? I love the Air O Matic I got from Brian R. Bull last year, blessed may his name be forever, as it did much to tame the deuce....
You can get them on in two to three hours with care, and I suspect after the first one the time factor will drop as installation kinks make themselves apparent!

 

[mikeroot2]

I just installed the Air assist steering kit on my truck today. Took about 4 hours. I have the 395's and I can turn lock to lock with one hand on pavement easily. I don't feel the little to moderate bumps in the steering wheel as much either. If you have the cash I recommend this upgrade. Now, we'll see how well it holds up.

 

[CARNAC]

Concur, they are worth it. I'm getting too old to be trying to crank that wheel without it.

 

[desertfox]

Attached are a couple of photos of how the military mounts the regulator. Instead of mounting the thing inside the frame rail they mount the regulator on the firewall. I have 2 trucks straight from DRMO and both are assembled in this manner. Therefore I have installed others the same way. Works great and is easier and quicker. Any questions?

 

[wsucougarx]

Hmm, my '88 has the regular mounted on the inside of the frame rail. Would be much easier to mount to the firewall though. I still have an AOM kit I still need to install on my 109. Only 4 hours?? I thought it would take a couple days. Good to know. Now I know I don't have to wait for my 2 weeks of vacation to get it done.

 

[Josh]

That little regulator caused me a **** of hard time. Had the little gasket inside of it fail on me. Ended up having to JB Weld the little hole on the bottem to keep it from draining the air faster then the truck could build it. Only at bout 2200rpm could the aircompressor over power the leak.

 

[AceHigh]

My installl went smooth. I love the two I have! I am too old for manual steering LOL'

I recommend no even using the regulator. I just got a few brass fittings from Lowe's to plumb without it.

 

[cornrichard]

Mine has been on a year now and works great. I am still running it with the regulator installed. I plan to remove it next time I service the engine. One word of caution. The air kit does nothing to stop kick back through the wheel. I was using the truck to smash some ruts I cut on the edge of a field closed. The front tire fell in the rut. The wheel jumped right out of my hands and when I tried to grab it I got a blue and purple thumb for my efforts. This was in low range second.

 

[desertfox]

I do not recommend discarding the regulator. This may very well lead to air cylinder failure. At 90-120 psi something will give eventually. My friend had a regulator fail out of the box. HINT: He replaced the failed regulator with a Husky regulator from Home Depot.
The install with the regulator on the firewall will require use of the plastic line {included in kit} from the firewall to the drag link. I encased this plastic line in 1/2" fuel line for protection against wear if the line moves.

 

[mikeroot2]

I was told that the newer kits don't even have the regulator in them(mentioned earlier in this thread too by Blood of tyrants). It was for use with air systems that produced more than 120 psi. The instructions don't even tell your what psi to set it at. I talked to several people before installing my kit that did not install the regulator on theirs, or removed it after installation due to it failing.

 

[mikeroot2]

Attached are a couple of photos of how the military mounts the regulator. Instead of mounting the thing inside the frame rail they mount the regulator on the firewall. I have 2 trucks straight from DRMO and both are assembled in this manner. Therefore I have installed others the same way. Works great and is easier and quicker. Any questions?

desertfox. Isn't your 60psi safety cut out valve installed with the "UP" arrow pointing down?

Also, your mounting technique will not work on a truck with the cold weather ether kit like mine.