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Just bought a new house (yay!), but my front lip doesn't make it up the driveway (boo!). I tried raising the front 20mm (on Bilstein B16's), but it still scrapes, so I'm thinking I'll either have to install a lift kit or sell the 997 for a nice Prius.
Has anyone used the cargraphic lift kit before - any experience with it?
Have you tried coming in at a 45 or more angle to the driveway? That typically will get you over anything.
At my old house I had a high curb to get into the driveway. I had a concrete company cut it out and put in a smoother transion. Before getting a prius you can check into that.
Yup, I've had a cargraphic AirLift on my RUF R-Kompressor for about 3 years now. Works great and no scraping of the expensive RUF front bumper that is both lower and projects further forward than even the aero kit bumper.
I installed it with Bilstein Damptronics and a bunch of other suspension upgrades. I did it with the optional external compressor rather than using the one from the car's tool kit, which makes it work faster. I wanted the install to look stock, so when I needed a new battery, I put in an Optima that left me enough space in that area to mount both the compressor and the AirLift control box. The remote is attached with velcro under the ebrake handle which makes it easily accessible and operable by feel, without looking.
if you're also considering upgrading your suspension, check out TPC's Tractive DDA ckilovers, for which they've also developed a nose lift kit. If you go that route, get their DSC module too (actually, get that anyway).
Before getting the cargraphic one, I looked at the TechArt and KW, but both of those are hydraulic systems instead of pneumatic ones and I didn't want to risk a hydraulic line coming apart or having a high pressure leak spraying fluid all over that area.
The other one I seriously considered was the one from Umbrella Auto Design. That one needed a reserve sir tank though which would have taken up some frunk space, but the advantage to that one is that it works instantly since the compressor pressurized the reserve tank and then the button opens a valve to that tank that is already pressurized.
Awesome, Petza, thank you!
I did want to ask - did you need to tap into the wiring harness for the ABS module? I saw that in the cargraphic installation instructions and it made me a little nervous.
I'm looking into the one from Umbrella Auto Design - but the tank and the compressor are huge. I'm pretty sure it won't fit inside the battery compartment like your cargraphic install.
Awesome, Petza, thank you!
I did want to ask - did you need to tap into the wiring harness for the ABS module? I saw that in the cargraphic installation instructions and it made me a little nervous.
I'm looking into the one from Umbrella Auto Design - but the tank and the compressor are huge. I'm pretty sure it won't fit inside the battery compartment like your cargraphic install.
The Umbrella system definitely will not fit there - you'd have to fabricate a false bottom to the frunk compartment to hide that apparatus and still have a nice and tidy usable storage area.
Attached is the PDF installation instructions. I didn't recall having to tie into any complex factory wiring, but must have made that connection to the ABS module since it's listed in the installation instructions. For the auxiliary compressor, I hooked that up with an SPDT relay so it gets the trigger signal from the AirLift control box, but then draws power directly from hookups I made to the battery, which is right next to it. You can see that little, square black relay in my photo of the battery, compressor, & control box. I fabricated that aluminum tube/bracket that holds the control box securely, and I mounted the compressor using rubber fuel pump type mounts so when it runs, I can faintly hear it to know it's on, but it doesn't vibrate the car.
As I mentioned, I'm very happy with the performance of the setup and so far, it has been trouble-free.
Pete- can you make a video of it going up and down?
Yes, I can probably do that this weekend, put it on YouTube and post a link. One thing I've learned from using the system is that the compressor signal stays active for a short period of time once the button is pressed and the pressure regulator that cuts off the compressor does as well. This means you can push the button as you're approaching the speed bump or driveway and if you feel you need some extra height, if you unload the front end a little by using the throttle lightly, the compressor will actually kick back on and get you a little more height. If I just take the video with the car stationary, the amount of lift will be less than what I can get when using the system in the real world, but what I'll do is lift up a little on the front to unweight it and can then show you the total height that can be achieved.
I didn't recall having to tie into any complex factory wiring, but must have made that connection to the ABS module since it's listed in the installation instructions.
Any idea if the lift kit would still work without that connection to the ABS harness? I wouldn't need it to disable automatically at 30mph. It looks like it's a quick-disconnect connector if you'd be kind enough to test it.
Any idea if the lift kit would still work without that connection to the ABS harness? I wouldn't need it to disable automatically at 30mph. It looks like it's a quick-disconnect connector if you'd be kind enough to test it.
Sorry, but I don't think I'm going to risk messing something up by disconnecting it since I did the install with the battery disconnected and then connected it when completed. If you get one, you can try it without hooking up that wire. If it works, you're good. If not, you can hook it up.
Sorry, but I don't think I'm going to risk messing something up by disconnecting it since I did the install with the battery disconnected and then connected it when completed. If you get one, you can try it without hooking up that wire. If it works, you're good. If not, you can hook it up.
No worries, thanks for considering.
I think if I end up getting the cargraphic kit, I'd probably do a cut/crimp. T-taps are not highly-reliable connections, and I'd hate to think about the consequences of an intermittent or lost signal to the ABS box.
No worries, thanks for considering.
I think if I end up getting the cargraphic kit, I'd probably do a cut/crimp. T-taps are not highly-reliable connections, and I'd hate to think about the consequences of an intermittent or lost signal to the ABS box.
A t-tap leaves the original wire completely or mostly intact, where if there was an intermittent connection, it would be the feed to the AirLift controller. Completely severing and recreating the original connection is probably less reliable unless you were going to do some soldering.
A t-tap leaves the original wire completely or mostly intact, where if there was an intermittent connection, it would be the feed to the AirLift controller. Completely severing and recreating the original connection is probably less reliable unless you were going to do some soldering.
I appreciate you sharing your experience with the cargraphic kit.
However, I respectfully disagree about the reliability of a t-tap connection. The t-tap will either partially sever or crush the existing wire, which is exactly the opposite of what I would want to do with a critical line. It is also debatable whether soldering is superior to crimping in the automotive environment. Electrically it's better, mechanically, it's not. I really wish the umbrella kit wasn't so big.
02-15-2017, 02:22 AM
cargraphic front lift kit - anyone have this?
