[cph]

Currently building up an Elise K20 SC race car and have decided to install air jacks .
Wondering if anyone on the forum has had any experience with these and can offer advise with regards to fitting / brand to use etc etc .
Have searched around the net and found a bit of info .. i.e Nitron car .. But keen get more details .
Cheers

 

[tommyc]

Check with Hayes at wirewheel.com I have senn some but not on the elige chassis. Old lola's yes.


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[ageshelin]

re: Air Jacks

I have been thinking about this for a long time...

Check out Nitron's build. they have Air Jacks. So did the Lotus race car.
I think both rely on some roll cage structure in the front.

I was going to use 3. 2 in the back, since I have tube frame, instead of rear crash structure and one in the front, right in the middle of the access panels.

Anton

 

[cph]

Hi Anton
Thanks for the info .
Plan on also using 3 .. 1 at the front in the centre and the other 2 in the rear.
Found these mounts made by Pro Alloy for use with Krontec and AP jacks ..
Pro Alloy Motorsport - Specialist alloy components - Lotus Elise/Exige S1 Air jack mounts
Need to figure out where the rear 2 jacks will mount into the alloy chassis
The front one is shown on the Nitro site
Air Jacks | Nitron Project N2
But unfortunately no mounting pics for the rear units other than to mention "on the outer sides of the rear chassis legs that extend back into the engine bay."
I see that have bonded and rivited them into place .
Will send them an email to see if I can get full details ...

Edit - found this pic on Nitron site for rear jacks...

Keen to hear about any other air jack systems in place ..


I like the look of these JLS jacks and price is very competitive ... appears these are standard fitment on Radical cars ..
Air Jacks - JLS Air Jacks
and the "elephants foot" would be very helpful .
Air Jack Elephants Foot - JLS Air Jacks

I have been thinking about this for a long time...

Check out Nitron's build. they have Air Jacks. So did the Lotus race car.
I think both rely on some roll cage structure in the front.

I was going to use 3. 2 in the back, since I have tube frame, instead of rear crash structure and one in the front, right in the middle of the access panels.

Anton

 

[ageshelin]

Airjacks

Ksport in the USA, cheaper...

Ksport Pneumatic Air Jack

Anton

 

[rosscarlson]

Subscribed - I too dream of the day I install Airjacks....

 

[cashxdr]

Yup, me too!

 

[<@¿@>]

I've got the Lotus installation instructions for the air jack system they install in their M-Sport cars but the pdf is 2.07mb and LT only allows 0.5mb to be posted here... can someone get the admins attention so I could post it here?

This installation instructions include Lotus P/Ns of the install. Lotus uses AP Racing air jacks... Last I've checked, Lotus would not sell this air jack kit to the general public...it had to be factory installed. Now since time has passed, they might sell it us...

Last year, Louis Kerr ([email protected]) was the man to talk to at Lotus Motor Sport UK...

 

[cph]

Be great to see the Lotus Install notes ..I have sent you a PM , but maybe post it on a File transfer site if allowed.
Managed to find a pic of AP jack installed . Looks like they are using a reasonably large diameter unit , which may be a bit of an overkill for the weight .

 

[cph]

Ksport in the USA, cheaper...

Ksport Pneumatic Air Jack

Anton

They appear to be only the Jack and do not supply the other required parts i.e lance probe lines etc .
Overall The JLS kit looks like it would a good deal..
Air Jack Kits - JLS Air Jacks
http://www.jlsairjacks.com/uploads/4/7/0/7/470741/jls_motorsport_3_way_kit_air_jack_layout.pdf

Will still require some mounting brackets , similar to this ...

 

[<@¿@>]

Be great to see the Lotus Install notes ..I have sent you a PM , but maybe post it on a File transfer site if allowed.
Managed to find a pic of AP jack installed . Looks like they are using a reasonably large diameter unit , which may be a bit of an overkill for the weight .

I didn't get a PM...I could e-mail the notes to you. They have all the part numbers. That is a very good start.

 

[<@¿@>]

cph post here if any of the information I've sent you was of any use... also, keep us posted on what Lotus tells you about getting parts. You might not be able to get the whole "kit", but you should be able to order just the attachment brackets from them.

 

[Dave D.]

I have used the kit from Palistini, which comes complete with 4 jacks, fittings,lines and air lance, on a restored tube chassis IMSA race car with great results. Their prices were very reasonable(around $2500 in 2008) for a track day or club racer in that it was roughly half of the cost of an AP kit. now, granted the kit keeps the costs down due to the fact that they don't use the expensive AN fittings and high pressure lines. Instead they supply industrial grade poly line(cut to fit) and push-lock air fittings. These fittings and line are rated for much more than the 300psi used to lift the car and I NEVER had an issue with them.

 

[cph]

Have decided to go with AP .
The local importer has them sitting in stock and was prepared to do a very good deal. Its not often that any parts are avail in NZ , so feels good, for a change, to support a local business.
95% of the parts I require have been imported , so for once no freight charges !!
Ended up buying a kit for both my cars ...2-11 and Elise..

6 x AP3985 -230 EV - 230mm stroke with Exhaust valves so that the cars descends at the same rate.


2 x AP 6116-3 Connector Valve and AP6116-5 Lance . These allow for the Lance to be removed once that car is up and it will not lose pressure [ car will not descend] Also possible to adjust height with the bleed on the connector valve .. Exhaust valve will allow each jack with descend at the same rate and keep the car level at any height.


Have been in contact with Lotus UK re Air Jack mounting kit , but unfortunately no response , so will most likely look to fabricate something similar here.
Front


Rear


Will plumb it up using AN6 Fittings and some good quality hose that I have yet to source
Plumbing will look something like the Lotus setup , but not 100% convinced connector will be at the rear of the car . Prefer to mount the connector so that it will not get in the way of removable clams etc.


Safety props are still to be procured and possibly Elephants feet...

Will keep this thread updated over the next couple of weeks .

 

[aztec1382]

Very cool


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[<@¿@>]

I have used the kit from Palistini, which comes complete with 4 jacks, fittings,lines and air lance, on a restored tube chassis IMSA race car with great results. Their prices were very reasonable(around $2500 in 2008) for a track day or club racer in that it was roughly half of the cost of an AP kit. now, granted the kit keeps the costs down due to the fact that they don't use the expensive AN fittings and high pressure lines. Instead they supply industrial grade poly line(cut to fit) and push-lock air fittings. These fittings and line are rated for much more than the 300psi used to lift the car and I NEVER had an issue with them.

You need 300-psi to lift the car? That seems like an awful lot in that most compressors are regulated down to 100-psi.

 

[<@¿@>]

Have decided to go with AP ...
Will plumb it up using AN6 Fittings and some good quality hose that I have yet to source...
Plumbing will look something like the Lotus setup ...

You don't need to use Aeroquip lines...polyethylene will be lighter and cheaper. I'm sure that is how Lotus did it too.

 

[mikelr]

You need 300-psi to lift the car? That seems like an awful lot in that most compressors are regulated down to 100-psi.

Most air jack systems require a high pressure CDA or Nitrogen cylinder to operate, depending on the size/quantity of the pistons and the weight of the car. The high pressure cylinder is dual purpose on cars that use a monolug setup (i.e. Ferrari Challange) as the pressure needed to remove/apply the lug is greater than that a standard compressor (100-130psi) can provide.
I myself never saw the benefit of the air jack system on the Lotus as there are no issues with getting a low profile trolley jack under the chassis and it just adds weight. I guess there is the cool factor

 

[cph]

You don't need to use Aeroquip lines...polyethylene will be lighter and cheaper. I'm sure that is how Lotus did it too.

If you look at the above pics taken from the Lotus instructions , you will notice that they show a braided line on the front and the a black line on the rear , but also aware that you can use Polyethylene or something like this .
Krontec & AP Racing Aluminium Hardline Plumbing Kit - Demon Tweeks
Once I have the jacks , will see what fitting and line I can get locally ... and then make decisons

 

[cph]

I myself never saw the benefit of the air jack system on the Lotus as there are no issues with getting a low profile trolley jack under the chassis and it just adds weight. I guess there is the cool factor

I should have pointed out my cars get used in Endurance racing... not always required but very handy and fast when you do need them ...otherwise agree , not really required .