Part # 12176799 97-03 F-150 AirBar - Air Ride Technologies

Components:
350 S. St. Charles St. Jasper, In. 47546
Ph. 812.482.2932 Fax 812.634.6632
www.ridetech.com
Part # 12176799
97-03 F-150 AirBar
2 90009000 Tapered sleeve air spring
1 90000326 Lower bridge assembly
1 90000334 Driver side c-notch assembly
1 90000335 Passenger side c-notch assembly
1 90000332 Panhard bar frame bracket
1 90000327 Driver side upper bar frame mount
1 90000328 Passenger side upper bar frame mount
1 90000329 Driver side upper air spring mount
1 90000330 Passenger side upper air spring mount
1 90000331 Panhard bar axle cover mount
2 90000042 Upper U bolt plate
2 90000070 Air spring roll plate
1 90000365 Evap. canister mount
1 90000369 Gas tank cross member brace
8 90001942 Rubber bushing - pressed into bars & rod ends
3 90001584 Threaded rod end – installed into upper bars & panhard bar
2 90000963 Upper bar – TW 19” (c-c length 20 ¾”)
2 90001031 Lower bar – WW 26.75”
4 90001088 Poly bushing halves (DAY2909 Cut Down to 1.063”)
2 90000285 Inner bushing sleeves
1 90000981 Panhard bar – TW 22.125” (c-c length 23 7/8”)
2 90001617 .625” shock stud
2 90001082 Short bump stop
2 90001755 1” aluminum air spring spacer
1 99010032 Hardware kit

350 S. St. Charles St. Jasper, In. 47546
Ph. 812.482.2932 Fax 812.634.6632
www.ridetech.com
Part # 99010032 Hardware Kit
Note: front lower bar utilizes oem spring hanger bolt
8 5/8 x 6 sae bolts grade 8 bridge to axle assembly
16 5/8 sae flat washers grade 8 bridge to axle assembly
8 5/8 sae nyloc nuts grade 8 bridge to axle assembly
8 5/8 x 2 ¾ sae bolts grade 8 rod ends
8 5/8 sae nyloc jam nuts rod ends
2 ½ x 2 ½ uss bolts lower shock mounting
10 ½ uss nyloc nuts 2=lower shock mounting / 8=upper front bar mount
8 ½ x 1 ½ uss bolts front upper bar mount
16 ½ uss flat washers front upper bar mount
33 7/16 x 1 ½ uss bolts c-notch to frame
66 7/16 uss flat washers c-notch to frame
33 7/16 uss nyloc nuts c-notch to frame
2 3/8 x 1 ¾” USS bolt lower air spring mount
6 3/8 x 1 uss bolts airspring mounting / gas tank x-member
6 3/8 lock washers airspring mounting
10 3/8 sae flat washers airspring mounting / gas tank x-member
2 3/8 uss nyloc nuts gas tank x-member
2 3/8 x 1 ¼ uss bolts upper airspring mount
2 3/8 x 1 ½ uss bolts upper airspring mount
4 3/8 x ¾ uss bolts upper airspring mount
4 7/16 uss flat washers upper airspring mount
4 3/8 uss nyloc nuts upper airspring mount
12 3/8 sae flat washers upper airspring mount
4 3/8 lock washers upper airspring mount
3 5/16 x 1 uss bolts axle cover bracket
3 5/16 sae flat washers axle cover bracket
3 5/16 lock washers axle cover bracket
3 ¼ x 1 uss bolts evap. canister
6 ¼ uss flat washers evap. canister
3 ¼ uss nyloc nuts evap. canister
97 to Present Ford F150 Airbar

Installation instructions
1. Raise vehicle to a comfortable working height and support the frame with jackstands ahead of the leafspring
hangar and also behind the axle center.
2. Remove wheels and tires.
3. Remove bed.
4. The C notch framerail section will be
installed first. Use the C notch as the
template. Line up the bumpstop positions
on the new C notch and the OEM
framerail to determine exact position of
C notch. Then scribe the outline of the
notch onto the framerail and cut out that
section using a sawzall, cutoff wheel or
other appropriate tool. NOTE: Using a
torch make a huge mess and increases
that chance of fire or other accident. BE
CAREFUL!
5. After the framerail is cut, slide the C
notch over the frame and use it as a
template to mark and drill the attachment
holes. The C notch will be a snug fit and
may require a few light taps to get
positioned properly.
6. Install the upper bar frame brackets. This will
require removal of 2 of the attachment rivets on the
OEM leafspring hangar. The new frame bracket will
index off of these two points. You will need to drill
the remaining attachment holes using the bracket as
the template.

7. Install the axle bracket bridge assembly. This assembly is installed underneath the axle and is
indexed off the bottom of the OEM leafspring pads. The upper bar axle mounts are then set on top of
the OEM leafspring pads and the entire assembly is bolted together with the supplied grade 8 bolts,
washers and nuts. A second set of hands is helpful during this procedure. NOTE: At some point
during the installation the OEM tailpipe will need to be removed for clearance. A custom tailpipe or a
turndown out of the muffler will be necessary to properly complete the AirBar installation. If you let the
exhaust blow back on the ailines and airsprings, damage will certainly result.
8. Remove the 3 bolts in the right hand corner of the axle cover. Bolt on the panhard bar axle mount.
The other side will bolt to the frame bracket.

9. The bracket shown
to the left was there to
locate the spare tire. It
will be removed as
shown to the right to
provide room for the
upper airspring mount.
8. Install the 4 link bars into the frame
and axle brackets. The long bars will go
into the bottom brackets. The adjustable
end should go into the frame brackets.
The bars are pre-adjusted to length at
the factory, but double check that they
are indeed the same length from side to
side.

10. The emissions canister will also need to be
modified slightly as shown to accept new mounting
bracketry.
NOTE: Not all models will have this configuration of
the emissions canister.
11. The photo to the left shows the new
drivers side emissions canister mounting
[provided] that is necessary to clear the new
upper airspring mounts. This also shows the
upper airspring mount attachment through
the OEM shock mount and 2 other existing
holes.
12. Passenger side bottom view of the
upper airspring mount. Hidden is the ear
that attaches to the C notch. There will be 2
bolts that are installed from the top into a
threaded bung on the airspring mount and
an ear that is bolted to the C notch. The
fourth hole should line up with the OEM
upper shock mount
13. The airsprings can now be installed. Be sure to use Teflon tape or paste on the airline fitting threads to
avoid air leaks. Also be sure to use the provided plate under the airsprings for proper support.

14. Install the provided shocks into the
upper and lower shock mounts. If using a
shock other than ours, be sure the shock
does not bottom out but will capture the
suspension before overextending the
airspring. [note possible location for air
tank]
15. The fuel tank crossmember must be sectioned for driveshaft clearance at full drop. The
photo on the left shos the OEM crossmember with the marks for cutting. Use a sawzall or cutoff
wheel to cut out a section approx. 5” wide The photo on the right shows the cut crossmember .
The fuel tank strap bolt must be repositioned approx. 1.25” outboard and the muffler heat shield
must be trimmed approx. 1”
16. Install the provided fuel tank crossmember support onto the top of the crossmember to restore the strength
to the modified crossmember.
NOTE: WHEN LIFTING THE VEHICLE BY THE FRAME, BE SURE TO DEFLATE THE AIRSPRINGS AT
LEAST PARTIALLY TO MINIMIZE STRESS ON THE EXTENDED AIRSPRING.
NOTE: IT IS THE FINAL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE INSTALLER TO ENSURE THAT THE
AIRSPRING DOES NOT RUB ON ANYTHING! ABRASION WILL CAUSE IMMEDIATE AND FATAL
DAMAGE TO THE AIRSPRING!!!