Air bags to lower truck?

Daddiojoe · Post by **Daddiojoe** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 2:47 pm

OK, I hate to be all 21st century and all, but would these work to lower my truck?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Fireston ... dZViewItem

I could keep like two leaf springs and just use the air bags like I would air shocks or something?

Thanks,

Joe

zdatdodge · Post by **zdatdodge** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 4:28 pm

Id like to know that too.
I was looking at these

http://www.nolimit.net/index.asp?PageAc ... Category=7

mopardwh · Post by **mopardwh** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 6:35 pm

Yes! Air ride rocks!!! Semi's use it, many, many, 1 tons use it... It's not only for the low rider competition. It's a very good suspension system.
Tell em Slick!

Daddiojoe · Post by **Daddiojoe** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 9:21 am

Zdat!!

Good link! So--is anybody using this? How does it work?

Where do you mount the air bags--just between the spring mounts and the frame? Are there any how-tos? Out there?

Thanks,

Joe

MountainMoparRobin · Post by **MountainMoparRobin** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 6:37 am

If you don't get rid of most of the springs then no it won't lower your truck, a good airbag set up eliminates the springs all together, then you have the capability to drop your truck, I would recomend going directly to the Air bag companies and buy for they will have a complete set that will have directions, like Air Ride Technology, then you'll get all piesces you need, for the leafs are not needed when you use the right airbag system. If you want one of the cheaper sets then you need to get rid of all but one leaf, and yes the bag would sit on top of the axle&spring attached to the frame. If you mount it there and keep a spring you'll be very limited on how low you can go

if ya want to go back into the archieves here to around 2000-01 you'll read many post on the subject.

Daddiojoe · Post by **Daddiojoe** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 2:35 pm

Thanks, Robin. So with a set-up that gets rid of the springs completely, do you use links or what to hold the axle to the frame?

I've got an email in to Eaton to see about cost effectiveness, too. I'd like a smoother ride.

Joe

dashshifter · Post by **dashshifter** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 7:00 pm

Joe, my '68 came low sitting (alas from tired original springs). I got another set of springs. I must be old school (probably just old, 50+) because the sweptys down low just looks so wrong to me. I see 'em up, the higher the better.

zdatdodge · Post by **zdatdodge** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 7:06 pm

Well, correct me if I am wrong.
With air you can have the best of both worlds, low and high adjustabiiity.

MountainMoparRobin · Post by **MountainMoparRobin** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 5:16 am

Yes with air you can put whatever highed you want, I don't like to be able to see all the fender space, if I had a 4x4 then I could see having it sit high, but its not and that takes away from its ability to handle better, along with tall tires, both create too much lean, I don't always go fast in a straight line, and if my wife is driving she expects it fast regardless for there is no excuse for a 440 not to go fast, and she'll push it

Dadddiojoe Air-Ride has a complete setup and yes it has links like the modern cars that take the place of leaf Springs and the ride is told to be the best with airbags, that is the #1 comfortable ride.
Eaton will get ya a set of Springs with the stock pack (5) and drop ya 3" and you'll have a little better ride than you have now. Just over 4bills

Daddiojoe · Post by **Daddiojoe** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:57 am

Hey All--

Air Ride has some nice looking stuff! You can replace your leaf springs completely for about two grand. Ouch. That's just one axle.

But they've also got a thing called Air Over Ride which works between the leaf spring and frame that is about $250-300 per axle.

I'm thinking you could take the axle on your truck, flip it (put it on top of rather than under the springs) and then stick the air bags in there.

I need to do some measuring before I do much else.

FWIW,

Joe

zdatdodge · Post by **zdatdodge** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 8:08 pm

hey mountain mopar,
i cant find any info on the eaton setup you refer to.
got a link?

MountainMoparRobin · Post by **MountainMoparRobin** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 5:26 am

http://www.eatonsprings.com lots of info there also

Daddiojoe · Post by **Daddiojoe** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 10:24 pm

So I've priced what it would cost for Eaton drop springs front and back--over a thousand to get it to my place. That's just too much.

The UnderAir bags are not recommended for front ends.

I have old tired leaf springs w/ 5.5" between the spring and the frame in the front and 6" space between the spring and the frame in the back. Air bags would currently make it higher.

Drop spindles would be ideal. Drop axle might work for what I've got.

Then there's always channeling.....

Thinking of giving up on the lowering concerns,

Joe

MountainMoparRobin · Post by **MountainMoparRobin** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 7:21 am

to stay within budget, take it too a spring shop there, if none in Austin, I had a shop down in San Antonio, re-arched the ones on the front, they were so confident on what they were doing they told me that there was no need for shocks, they could put on springs that would give me the ride I wanted with no assistance from shocks, the shop was off I35 they can do anything eaton can, and they would probably charge you less

Or wait until I get my power steering box, I have a pitman arm on the way, and I'm going to flip the front axle on top of springs and I will have no bump steer, plus I'll have power steering, disc brakes, and all for under $600.00

the fenders will be at the top of my tires, then I'll drop the back also

Daddiojoe · Post by **Daddiojoe** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 1:50 pm

Robin--

Do you remember the name of the shop in SA? Were they able to both lower and make the ride smoother? What were their prices?

Thanks,

Joe

CLIFF · Post by **CLIFF** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 6:39 pm

MountainMoparRobin wrote: Or wait until I get my power steering box, I have a pitman arm on the way, and I'm going to flip the front axle on top of springs and I will have no bump steer, plus I'll have power steering, disc brakes, and all for under $600.00 the fenders will be at the top of my tires, then I'll drop the back also

Pics please....Im interested in what your using and what modifications your going to do? if any?

zdatdodge · Post by **zdatdodge** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 8:06 pm

Mountain Mopar Robin
When you do all of this for less than 600 bucks,
are you going to provide a detailed instruction guide with pics on how someone can do this?
Id like a free test drive too?:)

mopardwh · Post by **mopardwh** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 8:31 pm

zdatdodge wrote:Mountain Mopar Robin
When you do all of this for less than 600 bucks,
are you going to provide a detailed instruction guide with pics on how someone can do this?
Id like a free test drive too?:)

NO. That's gonna cost you!

MountainMoparRobin · Post by **MountainMoparRobin** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 5:53 am

After great deliberation and reading, especially you Cliff, and going out and looking at the geometry and configeration of the box, arm, and connection and the wheel, width of the straight axle, I have a Sweptline pitman arm coming, then I'm going to buy the toyota box, hoses, and pump. I'll then take the Sweptline pitman arm, and the toyota pitman arm and have the top of the toyota arm connected to the sweptline bottom and shortened 3" from the OE Sweptline pitman arm, then I'll take the straight axle and put it on the top of the springs and cut a plate with mathing hole's and mount on the bottom of the springs, and remove the guidepin on the axle and remount on the plate on the bottom, this will help keep the axle in place, this should give me a 3" drop and right now I would use the disc brake conversion with the 12" Vic Rotors. Shortening the pitman arm should eliminate "bump steer" Did I overlook anything???

slick · Post by **slick** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 11:38 pm

with enough fabrication you can go as low as you want!!! here are some ideas, none proven yet, but just ideas...

Sweptline.ORG

Air bags to lower truck?

Air bags to lower truck?

Airbag

Airbag

Airbag

lowering

Re: lowering

steering