Air bags or not...Need some advice...

[SWB]

Hello All: I'm new to the forum and a great knowledgeable forum it is, I can't quit reading. I'm a Hot Rodder from the past and the Air ride Technology is new to me so bare with me, lol Anyway My question is I have a 71 SWB 2WD that I getting ready to start on. It's going to be a driver of all seasons. I was thinking of a 3/5 drop and not notching the frame.

1. If I bag it do I still need drop spindles and shocks and will they holdup to the harsh winters we have time to time here in Illinois.

2. How do I set the height to have the camber correct for long trips ( tire wear )

3. Is it money ahead to just get 2 1/2 drop spindle w/ 1" springs and 5" springs for the rear.

Throw some #'s and info at me of cost going both ways. Thanks in advance..

[hotrodhomi]

Originally Posted by SWB

Hello All: I'm new to the forum and a great knowledgeable forum it is, I can't quit reading. I'm a Hot Rodder from the past and the Air ride Technology is new to me so bare with me, lol Anyway My question is I have a 71 SWB 2WD that I getting ready to start on. It's going to be a driver of all seasons. I was thinking of a 3/5 drop and not notching the frame.

1. If I bag it do I still need drop spindles and shocks and will they holdup to the harsh winters we have time to time here in Illinois.

2. How do I set the height to have the camber correct for long trips ( tire wear )

3. Is it money ahead to just get 2 1/2 drop spindle w/ 1" springs and 5" springs for the rear.

Throw some #'s and info at me of cost going both ways. Thanks in advance..

how low do you really want your truck? What are you going to be doing with the truck when it is finished?
1, you can bag with out spindles but you wound get as low with out other modifications. I'm not sure about the weather portion because I live in Ca.
2. you will need to get your truck aligned at ride height and drive long trips at the same level. this will minimize abnormal tire wear. you can use a leveling system for this, or run gauges for each corner.
3. This is the cheaper alternative but you will not get the same results. This is the setup I had before I had my bags. personally, I would skip buying lowered springs and go right to bags, but it does cost more.

It will be cheaper to piece a bag system together yourself but it will be easier of you buy a kit.

[SWB]

Originally Posted by hotrodhomi

how low do you really want your truck? What are you going to be doing with the truck when it is finished?
1, you can bag with out spindles but you wound get as low with out other modifications. I'm not sure about the weather portion because I live in Ca.
2. you will need to get your truck aligned at ride height and drive long trips at the same level. this will minimize abnormal tire wear. you can use a leveling system for this, or run gauges for each corner.
3. This is the cheaper alternative but you will not get the same results. This is the setup I had before I had my bags. personally, I would skip buying lowered springs and go right to bags, but it does cost more.

It will be cheaper to piece a bag system together yourself but it will be easier of you buy a kit.

Thanks Homi: On your question about how low I want to go...I don't want to notch the frame but have enough clearance to maybe haul a Dirt bike, mower help friends move etc...and still have clearance 2" w/ bike or so ( maybe still use the overload leaf that's there)

And this truck will be driven. It will not be a Garage Queen or a Mall Truck...

I see many of you use drop spindles and a 1" spring in the front and 4" to 5" springs in the rear.

[hotrodhomi]

Originally Posted by SWB

Thanks Homi: On your question about how low I want to go...I don't want to notch the frame but have enough clearance to maybe haul a Dirt bike, mower help friends move etc...and still have clearance 2" w/ bike or so ( maybe still use the overload leaf that's there)

And this truck will be driven. It will not be a Garage Queen or a Mall Truck...

I see many of you use drop spindles and a 1" spring in the front and 4" to 5" springs in the rear.

I'm a little confused, you have overload leafs on a coil spring truck?

I would recommend notching the rear if you want to go 5in. They make bolt in kits for this if you don't weld.

[SWB]

Originally Posted by hotrodhomi

I'm a little confused, you have overload leafs on a coil spring truck?

I would recommend notching the rear if you want to go 5in. They make bolt in kits for this if you don't weld.

Yes...Just like this "random pic off the net, camera's dead"

[hotrodhomi]

Originally Posted by SWB

Yes...Just like this "random pic off the net, camera's dead"

Cool, never seen that before.

[LUV2XCLR8]

The overload leaf thingy is removable. (My truck bed trailer
has them and it has trailing arms) I am the opposite of HRH
and have bags now and will never have them again. But it's
all in the eye of the beholder. I just want to drive mine low
all the time but not be in the weeds anymore. Just my $.02

[suville]

Originally Posted by LUV2XCLR8

The overload leaf thingy is removable. (My truck bed trailer
has them and it has trailing arms) I am the opposite of HRH
and have bags now and will never have them again. But it's
all in the eye of the beholder. I just want to drive mine low
all the time but not be in the weeds anymore. Just my $.02

What are the issues with bags

[LUV2XCLR8]

I have seen these go for $100+ at swap meets, I gave $40 for my trailer

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by SWB

Throw some #'s and info at me of cost going both ways. Thanks in advance..

Since I haven't seen any numbers, I'll tell you what I've learned.

Springs 300-400 new (2 pair)
Drop Spindles 250-350 (make sure they work w/ your factory brakes)
Drop Shocks 150-300 depending on brand
Rear Shock relocators 50-75 (maybe not needed at 5" drop but would be for 6")

So about 750-1125 depending on brand you pick and shipping. Also you can catch them on sale or slightly used (find someone who bought them and switched to bags and you can find a deal)

Bags would still need the drop spindles, shocks, and shock relocators. It would make sense to do a c-notch to let you go ahead and drop it for shows.

Bags (250-300)
Bag plates front (50-75)
Schrader valves & Line (Cheapest way to do it....but you have to manually fill this....but if you're not changing height but a few times a year it will work(50-100)
So the cheapest you could concievably do the bags w/out the notch is 800-1200 so it would be about 50 higher than springs.

most people want the ease of compressors, tank, valves when doing airbags. That is where the pricing goes up....
Compressor (150-400)
Air tank (50-100)
6-8 valves (200-400) or an air manifold (450-1000)
Air line and fittings (200-250)
Gauges (50-100)
C-notch (100-200)
Switch controller (50-250)
So, with this you're looking at roughly 1500-3500 depending if you piece together a system or order a high end leveling kit (including spindles, shocks, etc).

I have bought everything on ebay or locally new but on clearance and will have about 1200 in my setup which would have run around 2000 at normal prices. Right now SD has the sale on their front brackets and 4 airlift bags for 249 which is an excellent price if you want to do bags.


Long Story Short
Static drop 3/5 done right 750-1125
Bagged drop (Approx 6/6 done w/out adjustment on the fly) 800-1200
Bagged drop (Approx 6/8 done w/ adjustment on the fly) 1500-3500


Hope that helped w/out being too confusing

[SWB]

WOW...I knew this was the right forum to join, Great input and I think I'm going with Spindles and springs. I just purchased a Lincoln 3200HD little home wire welder for the project and picking up my Argon bottle Friday so I might as well c-notch it just in case. Below is a link of a c-notch kit, has anyone bought this kit or purchased anything from this seller? Or better yet are there any forum members that are dealers? I'd love to keep the $$ in the family, lol Thanks for all your input!!!

** c-notch link below**

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/63-72...Q5fAccessories

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by SWB

WOW...I knew this was the right forum to join, Great input and I think I'm going with Spindles and springs. I just purchased a Lincoln 3200HD little home wire welder for the project and picking up my Argon bottle Friday so I might as well c-notch it just in case. Below is a link of a c-notch kit, has anyone bought this kit or purchased anything from this seller? Or better yet are there any forum members that are dealers? I'd love to keep the $$ in the family, lol Thanks for all your input!!!

** c-notch link below**

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/63-72...Q5fAccessories

I've been told the CPP notch fits well. The only complaint I've ever heard is customer service...everything about the product has been positive.