To bag or Not to bag

[jrsmith_2010]

hey guys, i have been lookin for a fullsize dually to slam, but i cant seem to find one in my price range, evidently everything is like gold now a days and i got to thinkin what my 79 thats lowered now would look bagged. and im really considering it, im goin to look at a dually tomorrow that i hope is what im lookin for, if not, i might bag the 79. what im lookin at is, i already have a 5/7 kit on it now. keep the spindles and sell the coils, flip kit, and shackles. ive looked on here and on other sites, but no one has said the overall price they had to pay for everything. so for all that have bagged a truck how much did it run overall? and yes i did use the search button on this site. i kno that im gonna have to have a shop cut the frame for the notch and do the body drop. i would just like to see how much it will run me in the long run, and if u guys have any pics, feel free to post them this is the truck that may be bagged (an older pic)

[tvblazer78]

For what you are looking to do it's about $1,200-$2,000 now if you are going for the best Air Ride Tech will run you about $3,000 or more.

Here is a long bed with body drop on air..

[jrsmith_2010]

thats an amazing truck!

thanks

[S10Fan]

Save up, buy what you can when you can. I'm a huge (new) fan of bags, and will never lower another vehicle by anything other than bags.

You can keep everything you mentioned and use bags, except the coils of course.

[jrsmith_2010]

but how would i do the rear?

[S10Fan]

Check this out................

http://www.ridetech.com/index2.html

They have any combination you can think of. You can also go with a bag setup that keeps your leaf springs.

[jrsmith_2010]

sweet, thanks S10Fan!

[killthewabbit]

A lot of people have that air over leaf setup, including N2TRUX. Not the setup for laying frame, but works very well if you want to keep the bed of your truck intact and still drive around pretty low.

[jrsmith_2010]

yea i agree, but i dont use my bed now so i can aford to cut it up for it to lay out

[N2TRUX]

Before you bag it, you should get everything else fixed. It's already low, so don't jump in to something you can't afford right now.

Air Suspension should only be done one way, and that is the "right" way. If you want to find yourself stranded beside the road, install a air system improperly and that's where you will be.

Do it right, or don't do it at all.

[smashingchuck]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

Before you bag it, you should get everything else fixed. It's already low, so don't jump in to something you can't afford right now.

Air Suspension should only be done one way, and that is the "right" way. If you want to find yourself stranded beside the road, install a air system improperly and that's where you will be.

Do it right, or don't do it at all.

I couldn't agree more. So many people take the half ass approach to doing an air suspension, and it's just sad; not to mention unsafe.

I have well over $5k into my suspension set up.

[justpball]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

Before you bag it, you should get everything else fixed. It's already low, so don't jump in to something you can't afford right now.

Air Suspension should only be done one way, and that is the "right" way. If you want to find yourself stranded beside the road, install a air system improperly and that's where you will be.

Do it right, or don't do it at all.

+1 on what N2TRUX said!

[smashingchuck]

A few more things to consider... there are several issues with bagging these trucks (or any truck for that matter) that people don't consider when they start a project like air suspension.

First off, lets talk about exhaust. You have to be very tricky with the routing, and chances are your existing system hangs down to low, which means an unanticipated trip to have some new pipes bent, throwing away long tube headers, and probably buying new mufflers while you are at it.

Secondly, The front crossmember on these trucks is a major problem. The control arms hit the ground before anything else, creating a very, very uncool "backwards" rake. Not to mention that the first time you try to "drag it" (which I'm sure you will) the u bolts and the control arm flanges get melted off the front. Correcting this problem costs either a lot of money, time, fabrication, or all three. It drives me nuts looking at trucks that sit lower in the back because someone didn't take the time to do it right.

Third, out back you're going to need a link set up... that's as far as I'm going with that because there are SOOOO many options it would take me a day to explain them all. Also don't forget valves, compressors, tanks, gauges, fittings, lines, switches....

Fourth, reliability.... your suspension is what holds your truck off the ground. So when it fails, you're not going anywhere. Not to mention you won't be getting underneath it to fix it.

Fifth, lets talk about experience and research. It sounds like you have done no research, and also have zero experience doing suspension work. Also, that little zip box MIG welder you've been using to savage your sheet metal isn't going to cut it for frame welding. Scabbing some tail lights into your bedsides is one thing, but hacking your way to a bagged truck is a whole new ballgame, and very few people get it right. It takes time, lots of money, lots of research, lots of scratching your head, and a whole lot of downtime.



Save your money, Jr. Finish the body work, paint the truck, put the front bumper on straight, and get some wheels that fit. I'm not trying to be harsh, but I think you need to evaluate where you are going with your project and look back at the job you've done so far. Have a good one.

[S10Fan]

Originally Posted by smashingchuck

A few more things to consider... there are several issues with bagging these trucks (or any truck for that matter) that people don't consider when they start a project like air suspension.

First off, lets talk about exhaust. You have to be very tricky with the routing, and chances are your existing system hangs down to low, which means an unanticipated trip to have some new pipes bent, throwing away long tube headers, and probably buying new mufflers while you are at it.

Secondly, The front crossmember on these trucks is a major problem. The control arms hit the ground before anything else, creating a very, very uncool "backwards" rake. Not to mention that the first time you try to "drag it" (which I'm sure you will) the u bolts and the control arm flanges get melted off the front. Correcting this problem costs either a lot of money, time, fabrication, or all three. It drives me nuts looking at trucks that sit lower in the back because someone didn't take the time to do it right.

Third, out back you're going to need a link set up... that's as far as I'm going with that because there are SOOOO many options it would take me a day to explain them all. Also don't forget valves, compressors, tanks, gauges, fittings, lines, switches....

Fourth, reliability.... your suspension is what holds your truck off the ground. So when it fails, you're not going anywhere. Not to mention you won't be getting underneath it to fix it.

Fifth, lets talk about experience and research. It sounds like you have done no research, and also have zero experience doing suspension work. Also, that little zip box MIG welder you've been using to savage your sheet metal isn't going to cut it for frame welding. Scabbing some tail lights into your bedsides is one thing, but hacking your way to a bagged truck is a whole new ballgame, and very few people get it right. It takes time, lots of money, lots of research, lots of scratching your head, and a whole lot of downtime.



Save your money, Jr. Finish the body work, paint the truck, put the front bumper on straight, and get some wheel that fit. I'm not trying to be harsh, but I think you need to evaluate where you are going with your project and look back at the job you've done so far. Have a good one.

Bravo!

[jrsmith_2010]

Originally Posted by smashingchuck

A few more things to consider... there are several issues with bagging these trucks (or any truck for that matter) that people don't consider when they start a project like air suspension.

First off, lets talk about exhaust. You have to be very tricky with the routing, and chances are your existing system hangs down to low, which means an unanticipated trip to have some new pipes bent, throwing away long tube headers, and probably buying new mufflers while you are at it.

Secondly, The front crossmember on these trucks is a major problem. The control arms hit the ground before anything else, creating a very, very uncool "backwards" rake. Not to mention that the first time you try to "drag it" (which I'm sure you will) the u bolts and the control arm flanges get melted off the front. Correcting this problem costs either a lot of money, time, fabrication, or all three. It drives me nuts looking at trucks that sit lower in the back because someone didn't take the time to do it right.

Third, out back you're going to need a link set up... that's as far as I'm going with that because there are SOOOO many options it would take me a day to explain them all. Also don't forget valves, compressors, tanks, gauges, fittings, lines, switches....

Fourth, reliability.... your suspension is what holds your truck off the ground. So when it fails, you're not going anywhere. Not to mention you won't be getting underneath it to fix it.

Fifth, lets talk about experience and research. It sounds like you have done no research, and also have zero experience doing suspension work. Also, that little zip box MIG welder you've been using to savage your sheet metal isn't going to cut it for frame welding. Scabbing some tail lights into your bedsides is one thing, but hacking your way to a bagged truck is a whole new ballgame, and very few people get it right. It takes time, lots of money, lots of research, lots of scratching your head, and a whole lot of downtime.



Save your money, Jr. Finish the body work, paint the truck, put the front bumper on straight, and get some wheels that fit. I'm not trying to be harsh, but I think you need to evaluate where you are going with your project and look back at the job you've done so far. Have a good one.

yea i agree with u on the welding frame, thus me takin it out to the body guy in town that is fully capable to weld the frame and everything that has to do with the majority of the welding. all i would be doing would be customizing the notch in the rear and possiable 4-link.

[Walts_restoration]

Originally Posted by smashingchuck

A few more things to consider... there are several issues with bagging these trucks (or any truck for that matter) that people don't consider when they start a project like air suspension.

First off, lets talk about exhaust. You have to be very tricky with the routing, and chances are your existing system hangs down to low, which means an unanticipated trip to have some new pipes bent, throwing away long tube headers, and probably buying new mufflers while you are at it.

Secondly, The front crossmember on these trucks is a major problem. The control arms hit the ground before anything else, creating a very, very uncool "backwards" rake. Not to mention that the first time you try to "drag it" (which I'm sure you will) the u bolts and the control arm flanges get melted off the front. Correcting this problem costs either a lot of money, time, fabrication, or all three. It drives me nuts looking at trucks that sit lower in the back because someone didn't take the time to do it right.

Third, out back you're going to need a link set up... that's as far as I'm going with that because there are SOOOO many options it would take me a day to explain them all. Also don't forget valves, compressors, tanks, gauges, fittings, lines, switches....

Fourth, reliability.... your suspension is what holds your truck off the ground. So when it fails, you're not going anywhere. Not to mention you won't be getting underneath it to fix it.

Fifth, lets talk about experience and research. It sounds like you have done no research, and also have zero experience doing suspension work. Also, that little zip box MIG welder you've been using to savage your sheet metal isn't going to cut it for frame welding. Scabbing some tail lights into your bedsides is one thing, but hacking your way to a bagged truck is a whole new ballgame, and very few people get it right. It takes time, lots of money, lots of research, lots of scratching your head, and a whole lot of downtime.



Save your money, Jr. Finish the body work, paint the truck, put the front bumper on straight, and get some wheels that fit. I'm not trying to be harsh, but I think you need to evaluate where you are going with your project and look back at the job you've done so far. Have a good one.

WHered he go? account suspended?

[justpball]

do what I did, leave this truck alone and drive the piss out of it. git another junk truck just for the frame, start haking away on that frame and if you get it where you are happy with the frame put this truck on that frame, there are alot of trucks out there that you could get for next to nothing that are rusted out or wrecked as long as the frame isnt bent. just my 2 cents!

[jrsmith_2010]

i just noticed that too, thats weird, where did he go??

[Walts_restoration]

Looks like he got into a confrontation with someone. 48 hour ban.

Id say save your money right, do it once do it right.