Cheap Air ride

[K9T8M]

I have been looking into a budget air ride setup on my 69 suburban, but dont even know where to start. I would like it to be as low as possible, laying frame would be nice, but im not even sure what it would take to get it there.

I found a post here by hottrucks that shows his budget build
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=348800

Does anyone have any suggestions on what bags, tank, lines, notch, suspension components to use? I will most likely start gathering parts and tear into it this winter.

Thanks!!

[LayFrame72]

Bags- Slams, Firestone or Dominator bags..All have good quality IMO

Tank- You wont need more than a 5 gallon unless you like playin with the switches

Lines- Run 1/2 lines with 3/8 valves..1/2 valves are a little to fast IMO

Notch- Yes, your tire size will depend on how big your notch will need to be..So make sure you predetermine how big your going to go..

Compressor- Viair

Suspension components- Grab yourself some drop spindles from Early Classic. You can roll some Air Ride Technologies (ART) tublar arms, or Mod your current control arms..Depends on your fab skills.
With your ride being a suburban, Count on cutting into your floor in the rear to install tubs. You will also need some sort of 4 link, Check out Suicidedoors.

Im not familar with burbs at all, Dont know if bags alone will lay it out. But on 69-72 C10/C20s a frame Z is needed. From experience though, When it comes to purchasing the parts, Start in the front and work your way back. Hope some of this helps.

[draggin86]

To be honest man cheap and air ride aren't to words you want to hear in the same sentence. It usually means problems down the road and this is from my experience as well as many others, take your time and buy good products. i highly recommend Air Ride Tech products if those are too pricey check the classified and get some nice used stuff. also maybe check out suicide doors for some products that aren't as much.

[Shane]

used stuff and air ride are also words that should NOT be used in same sentence.

[pissonNOS]

Originally Posted by Shane

used stuff and air ride are also words that should NOT be used in same sentence.

agreed

[XXL]

Originally Posted by K9T8M

I have been looking into a budget air ride setup on my 69 suburban, ...laying frame would be nice,

You need to do considerable research before you try to make this happen. This is NOT a trivial task on a '69 Suburban. Read this forum... not just the first couple of posts you stumble across. Read, read, read.

[Kapuron]

XXL couldn't be more right! I have a 65 short bed C10 that I'm currently working on. I have 10 inch step notches, drop x-member, bags, and three link. Just remember that what ever you modify will definitely cause a ripple effect. Anything you change on the frame will cause more changes on the body. A real good guy to talk to is Nathan Porter over at Porterbuiltstreetrods.com. He sells everything you need and is more than willing to help plan out your build. Super knowledgable! Back to XXL's comment............Read and research like a mad man! I mean read everything you can.

[Naterman35]

I got the airlift dominator 2600's for mine. Im only doing the rear. Im still planning the manual valves but no longer copper lines and DOT lines instead.

The bags them selves were 54.99 a piece. I was stuck between them and the slam specialties re-7. Which i found for 60 some i believe. My teacher at school has been building customs for years and is using these of his 68 c10. so i decided good enough for him good enough for me.

The tank im using is from an old city bus. Its a 5 gal 3 port tank. Cost me 11 dollars on ebay.

My ball valves will cost me 8.86 a piece and i need 4.. So 35.44 for the valves, I need a cross which is 7.56 from suicide doors. To do the same setup but fronts as well you would need another cross and two more valves.

Then i need all the other fittings and such but wont know all that until a little later. Still have yet to decide the location of my tank that is a big deciding factor for me.. in the bed is most likely the place tho.


If you go manual then you'll need W.O.G. valves as "Blime81" stated on my thread.

I don't know the way the suburbans suspension is set up. On coils like my truck im putting them in place of the coil. My frame still sits about 10 inches off the ground in the rear if i remember correctly. That's with the frame resting on top of axle. To lay out id need a notch for sure and my bags in a diffrent location.


My drive shaft hit the carrier bearing mount after it lowering 5 inches.( I have one piece drive shaft.) So i took the mount out and just left the loop in the cross member. Came out extremely easy with an air chisel. put a v notch in the bit and put it on the rivet and it comes out in 30 seconds....

The front is a mystery to me as im not doing mine.
Ill get some pics when i start building my system.



Im doing mine this way not really for cheap being the reason. Im making mine more old school tradition hot rod look and style. So i don't want flashy things. The setup im working on is basic functional not sexy looking and all MANUAL. so i like it.

I was just going to lower it 8 inches with springs and blocks and call it good but i wanted to get in and out of parking lots... so now i can lift up...

[Shane]

If you're main concern is cost then skip the ball valves and put the bags on individual Schrader valves.

[Naterman35]

Speaking of schrader valves.... Weres a good place to pick them up? I looked in home depot, lowes, menards none of them have them.... I haven't checked anyplace online yet but know a good place?


Problem with those are you have to go and set each bags pressure manually correct?

They cant all be tied together or air will go between bags and make things squirrely and bad handling. Each bag would have to have an individual schrader and to add air you would have to take an air hose and fill each bag...

So with the ball valves if you want to drop or lift only once or twice or 3 times maybe you can as long as you have a tank... but with the schraders you cant.

[Shane]

I found Schrader valves at my local O'Reilly's ... tell them you need the valve that is used to fill air shocks.

In regards to you're comment about Schrader vs. ball valve: yes you will need to fill Schrader valves individually, but the question posed by the original poster & the point of the entire thread is "cheap air ride" ...

4 bags
2 lower cups (front)
2 upper plates (front)
4 schrader valves
4 P.T.C. connectors (at the bag)
4 P.T.C. connectors (at the Schrader valve)
20'-25' of D.O.T. line
$10 worth of assorted nuts, bolts and lock washers

... doesn't get much less expensive than that for air ride.

[XXL]

Originally Posted by Shane

... doesn't get much less expensive than that for air ride.

'Cept he'll be paying twice... once for the "cheap" setup and once when he gets tired of not having electric controlled valves.

For all the "looking for cheap ______" posters... I'm pretty sure that 99.999% of us are "on a budget." With that in mind, sometimes we have to ask whether it's worth it to take shortcuts that compromise safety, reduce functionality, or don't move us toward our end goals. I see a LOT of posts looking for cheap.... I hope the other factors are also being considered in the background.

[Shane]

I agree 100% XXL ...

[lolife99]

Originally Posted by XXL

'Cept he'll be paying twice... once for the "cheap" setup and once when he gets tired of not having electric controlled valves.

For all the "looking for cheap ______" posters... I'm pretty sure that 99.999% of us are "on a budget." With that in mind, sometimes we have to ask whether it's worth it to take shortcuts that compromise safety, reduce functionality, or don't move us toward our end goals. I see a LOT of posts looking for cheap.... I hope the other factors are also being considered in the background.

I agree also. I would rather run a 4.5"/6" static drop for a while until you have the cash to switch to bags. Driving low with a static drop is just as cool.

[Hottrucks]

Originally Posted by Shane

4 bags
2 lower cups (front)
2 upper plates (front)
4 schrader valves
4 P.T.C. connectors (at the bag)
4 P.T.C. connectors (at the Schrader valve)
20'-25' of D.O.T. line
$10 worth of assorted nuts, bolts and lock washers

... doesn't get much less expensive than that for air ride.

Shane has a good list of parts but you need to think like a true street rodder ( also know as rat rod)

the upper front plate you can make ( I did)

I cupped the lower control arms 2 3/4" with a piece of 8" pipe and an old piece of flat stock

air tank is and air tank could be from an old pan cake nail compressor from a yard sale or and old bus one from ebay (nice find nater) or a Kmart one that needs to be plugged in everynight...

now you need to fill it (think) schrader will do until you get a deal on a comp

air hose and fitting come from your local big truck shop

c notch the frame with 5"long piece of 4" pipe cut in half long way and box it

your going to need a couple of 1/8" shims for each of your upper control arms too...

that is as cheap as you can do it we all know our time aint worth crap and the most of the steel you can find in a scrap yard for CHEAP

I have zero issues with scrubline and run the bags dumped on new asphalt with a set of long headers that clear the ground by 3/8"

also you need to flip your rear shock mounts from left to right and buy a set of monroe 5258 ( I think) shocks for the front to take the bump out

If you want to flame me for it or pat me on the back either way it looks kool drives well and so far has hauled my slide in camper , 1980lbs of scrap steel, my harley and a full load of bark mulch and my fat azz back and forth to work every day since I have got it done....I love it ........

Jeff

oh and if you dump the front and air up the back you can do burn outs like a big motor truck

[XXL]

Originally Posted by Hottrucks

...so far has hauled my slide in camper , 1980lbs of scrap steel, my harley and a full load of bark mulch and my fat azz back and forth to work every day since I have got it done...

That's an awful lot of stuff in the bed. Is the Harley on top of the slide-in or inside with the mulch and scrap steel?

[Naterman35]

Originally Posted by XXL

That's an awful lot of stuff in the bed. Is the Harley on top of the slide-in or inside with the mulch and scrap steel?

Lol.

As for the tanks... Theres 3 more available.. ebay Item number: 190315391063

[72BlckButy]

Originally Posted by lolife99

I agree also. I would rather run a 4.5"/6" static drop for a while until you have the cash to switch to bags. Driving low with a static drop is just as cool.

That is a great idea if you can't afford bags, and there's nothing wrong with it.

[Naterman35]

That was my original plan just a guy from class talked me into it.

I would love both.

[N2TRUX]

If your on a budget, start with the pieces that you will continue to use with or without bags.

For the front, buy drop spindles and cut one coil off your stock springs. You will use the spindles with bags, and cutting coils doesn't cost much more than labor.

For the rear buy a set of blocks, bags, and Schrader valves.

This will get you "low" on a budget and still allow you to haul a load, or tow a trailer. No, you won't lay frame, rockers, doors, or be able to shoot sparks. That will cost more.

As a disclaimer, I said "cut" the front springs, not "heat" the front springs. NEVER apply excessive heat to your springs not matter what you buddies, cousins, Uncle said to do.

[Hottrucks]

Originally Posted by XXL

That's an awful lot of stuff in the bed. Is the Harley on top of the slide-in or inside with the mulch and scrap steel?

heres the slide in
the 1980 was scrap parts from 15 years of building street rods doors fenders frames you name it took it 15 miles on the interstate and another 5 or 6 on a secondary road
loading the harley is bad ass it work like a dream to load and unload even took my buddys out of the back of his F 250 into my truck then on the ground air up air down

[northern 85]

Any pics with the Harley?

[Hottrucks]

Originally Posted by northern 85

Any pics with the Harley?

no... but if you like after bike week it needs a bath I can roll it up there and snap a pic..it's an 03 softail black and silver I'll even leave the short ramp I use in the yard since I dont have any curb here... I would just hate to get any soapy water on my truck lmao
but right now I have the race boat behind it since I need to get my air tank filed on the way home from work..... I told you my truck work most every day doing something...and the air ride make hooking up a breeze and the low side are easy to throw stuff over the side......if I ever come across another clean truck I would build it the same way but rust free stuff up here is unheard of but I spend alot of time in Fl so??????????

[Naterman35]

Originally Posted by Hottrucks

if I ever come across another clean truck I would build it the same way but rust free stuff up here is unheard of but I spend alot of time in Fl so??????????

Im scared to move back to michigan..