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Our shop is located in Mesa, Arizona, which means we don’t really get seasons. Well, there’s boat season, sure, but otherwise it’s either “hot” or “it’s gonna get hot soon” around these parts.
But you may not have that problem. Your environment may change from winter snow to spring flowers and all that good stuff. Do you need to do anything different to keep your air suspension functioning properly? Yes, but specifically for when the temps dip below freezing. Let’s talk about it.
Moving into Storage
This is the first big thing to tackle: do you want to store your vehicle or drive it? Some people don’t want to drive their bagged rides during snowfall because they don’t want to cruise on salted roads. We get it. If you’re going to store the car, there are all the usual things you want to do when you park a vehicle for long periods of time, like using a fuel stabilizer that works with your engine and taking off your wheels so you don’t get flat spots.
But your air system will also need work. If you’re keeping the wheels on, you still want to put the car on jack stands. Your vehicle may not leak air, but it could leak such a small amount that you don’t notice. Putting it on jack stands saves you from worrying. Plus, you want to keep your ride aired up anyways. This way if there is a problem when you get it back on the road, you can at least exit the storage unit.
Now you want to drain your tank and your water trap. You need all the water to get out of the system, otherwise it can turn to ice and really ruin your day. You can also put a small amount of air brake antifreeze in your tank, just as extra insurance. And if you’ve got an Accuair, AirLift 3H/3P or similar setup, turn off the “Raise on start” feature.
Staying on the Road
If you’re still driving your truck or car regularly, then you should do a few other things to make sure your system stays up to snuff.
All the stuff we’ve mentioned about water in your system still applies; you should ensure you have none of the stuff floating around your tank and valves, because they could cause some major issues if things freeze. Also put a little bit of air brake antifreeze in your tank for the same reason. Truckers use it so they can stop in the winter, and the same rules apply here.
But you may also have problems getting things fired up in the morning. Depending on where you live, temps can dip pretty low at night and that can cause your valves to stick, compressors to slow down or things can not move at all. If that’s the case, turn off any “raise to start” features on your air management so you don’t force anything to move before it’s able to. Give your compressors and valves time to warm up. If you have a small heater, it might not hurt to keep it nearby to accelerate the process. Or, if everything is in the trunk of your car, pop down the back seat and crank the heat.
Get Prepared
Winter is coming — it always does, anyway. And if you live in a cold area, you should be prepared. But if you still have questions, don’t hesitate to give us a call, send us a DM or email us. We can help you sort out some of the issues and get you going ASAP.
