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Old 11-02-2004, 05:53 AM   #1
79gmcc15
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Talking Ias

just wondering. has anyone here used the Edelbrock IAS shocks? are they any good? and another thing, my horn doesent work. it works only when I put a fuse in ther, and when I honk it, it blows the fuse. probly just a short. but dont know how to find out if it is a short. and another thing. my left head light is dimming and sometimes goes out, so I want to get a new light. But the thing is, is that it doesent have the 3 prong plug in like the others. it has 2 studs in a pattern of a triangle like the standerd plug is and one midle prong *high beams?* and no where around her can I find them. any sugestions? thank you guys. I am a newbe from lynnwood wa, with a 79 GMC c 1500 trailering spec. 350/350 with lots of TLC needed. thank you all. Matt
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Work In Progress 1979 GMC C1500 Trailering Special.
Getting the truck done, one piece at a time.

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Old 11-02-2004, 07:55 AM   #2
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I have IAS's on the front of my 77 C-10 2WD, and I really like them. Recommend them in a heart beat.

I had KYB's on there before, and they seemed little better than the ancient originals...though I have to qualify that I have air shocks on the back, and their damping is pretty tight, aired up or not.

Had that same situation years ago on an old Olds Cutlass, and had to go with stiff front shocks so the car wouldn't "pivot" around the stiff rear air shocks, i.e., the front end continued to bob a bit after bumps while the rear stayed planted.

Hope that helps.

Brian
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Old 11-02-2004, 08:38 PM   #3
79gmcc15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eagle23
I have IAS's on the front of my 77 C-10 2WD, and I really like them. Recommend them in a heart beat.

I had KYB's on there before, and they seemed little better than the ancient originals...though I have to qualify that I have air shocks on the back, and their damping is pretty tight, aired up or not.

Had that same situation years ago on an old Olds Cutlass, and had to go with stiff front shocks so the car wouldn't "pivot" around the stiff rear air shocks, i.e., the front end continued to bob a bit after bumps while the rear stayed planted.

Hope that helps.

Brian
Hey cool, thank you... you said you have air shock in the rear? is that diferent the bags? if so is it posable for you to tell me the major diference is, IE. handleing, ect.? what brand, ect. are you useing? Ive been lookin into air bags but if the shocks are better/as good and cheaper then I defenitly should look into them. just looking cause I have alot of things I want to do to it but dont have the money to do it... but making the truck handle better is always a good thing. when I worked for a massonary company and they had a 87 chevy one ton flat bed. and the stearing was very simular to one of the owners 96 burb and spoiled me. lol. I would go from driveing a truck that the handling was very reponsive and tight and could feel the road. to a lose and couldent feel the road as much. I dont know if thats fixable but I realy liked that. thank you matt
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Work In Progress 1979 GMC C1500 Trailering Special.
Getting the truck done, one piece at a time.

“You can tell a lot about a fellow’s character by his way of eating jellybeans.”Ronald Reagan

“I don’t know the key to success but I know the key to failure is trying to please everybody.” Bill Cosby

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Old 11-02-2004, 09:46 PM   #4
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There is a difference between air bags and air shocks. The bags replace the springs, while the shox are regular shox with air lines routed to a convenient access point, like near the license plate, so you can air them up when carrying a heavy load. If the truck is unloaded, they'll raise the ride height in the back maybe an inch or two.

I hadn't thought of it until you said it, but they do in effect act as a rear sway bar when inflated...how hard they're inflated is up to you. I think they usually max ~140 psi, but you can set them wherever you want/need. I realized the slightly better handling when I went to get a load of mulch recently and aired them up in advance. It did handle better though the stance might have looked a bit odd for the slightly raised-butt appearance :p

You can also put on a rear sway bar to improve handling. I haven't done that (yet!). I think the Burbs tended to come with a rear sway bar (anyone?), and it should just bolt-on but not be too treacherous when also combined with a full load and aired-up shocks. And if it did, that's why God gave us oversteer and learning curves

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Old 11-02-2004, 09:51 PM   #5
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Forgot one of your questions

I think the ones on there now are Gabriel Hijackers, but I believe Monroe has an equivalent. The Cutlass used the Gabriels (years! ago), maybe because they were the only ones I knew of.

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Old 11-02-2004, 11:29 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eagle23
Forgot one of your questions

I think the ones on there now are Gabriel Hijackers, but I believe Monroe has an equivalent. The Cutlass used the Gabriels (years! ago), maybe because they were the only ones I knew of.

Brian
so would air shocks be better set for someone who would sometimes have a load/tow? I would like some controle. but by the looks of things, an low end/mild set *all 4' corners* is going to run me about $500 which isent the toooooo bad but it is to much for me. and I am going to get a sawy bar when I get the money. thats going to be the next thing for me. some time I would like to re-build the front end with the polly bushings. mabe that will help alot. I know my ole truck isent going to drive like a car. but with everything*except shocks...monrows I think. I dident put them on* stock, it is a realy nice smooth ride. sometimes my truck has a better ride then my dads 85 pontic 6000. would it be best to put air shocks just in the back or do you think they would improve ride/handeling,ect. if I put them on all 4?..... thanks guys I sometimes spend hours here reading and learning. I love this site.
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Work In Progress 1979 GMC C1500 Trailering Special.
Getting the truck done, one piece at a time.

“You can tell a lot about a fellow’s character by his way of eating jellybeans.”Ronald Reagan

“I don’t know the key to success but I know the key to failure is trying to please everybody.” Bill Cosby
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Old 11-03-2004, 06:49 AM   #7
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IMO, the air shocks are the way to go if you haul a load but only occasionly. They're damping action will be constant, though, since the inflation feature doesn't change the hydraulic valving in the shock itself.

They aren't available on all four wheels that I know of, only the rears. Maybe on some 4x4 applications, but I would kinda doubt it since their main role is for leveling the rear of the truck when hauling a heavy load. That they make a greater roll stiffness is a by product...+ or -, depending your POV.

From what you're saying, going with the rear sway bar might be a lot cheaper as a first step if it's handling as the higher priority. I'd check prices though. I've found the IAS's for ~$60 each (x2 for the fronts) and the air shocks are maybe $100-120/pair? It may not be the money pill you think.

As far as rear sway bar, there are aftermarket sources, but also salvage yards would be cheaper

And good luck. I know what you mean re: reading along and learning. This site's phenomenal for that. Someone's been there and done that and can either encourage or warn you off

Brian
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Old 11-03-2004, 04:44 PM   #8
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sorry to threadjack, but the truck doesn't have front shocks at all(helps get the front end raised up when taking off), should i get IAS shocks or should i just keep the old worn out junkers on the rear?
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Old 11-03-2004, 05:27 PM   #9
79gmcc15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eagle23
IMO, the air shocks are the way to go if you haul a load but only occasionly. They're damping action will be constant, though, since the inflation feature doesn't change the hydraulic valving in the shock itself.

They aren't available on all four wheels that I know of, only the rears. Maybe on some 4x4 applications, but I would kinda doubt it since their main role is for leveling the rear of the truck when hauling a heavy load. That they make a greater roll stiffness is a by product...+ or -, depending your POV.

From what you're saying, going with the rear sway bar might be a lot cheaper as a first step if it's handling as the higher priority. I'd check prices though. I've found the IAS's for ~$60 each (x2 for the fronts) and the air shocks are maybe $100-120/pair? It may not be the money pill you think.

As far as rear sway bar, there are aftermarket sources, but also salvage yards would be cheaper

And good luck. I know what you mean re: reading along and learning. This site's phenomenal for that. Someone's been there and done that and can either encourage or warn you off

Brian
so just so I understand what your saying... air shocks might be all that its cracked up to be for my situation? and is the rear sway bar just as easy to put on as the front? I still like the idea of haveing some kind of air ride Suspension of some kind. mabe I'll get some new springs and get the http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/P...odelId-1001325 for the back cause there considerbly cheeper and reagular bags up front and sway bars front and rear. what you think? thank you so much for your time and help, matt
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RIP ELJAY

Work In Progress 1979 GMC C1500 Trailering Special.
Getting the truck done, one piece at a time.

“You can tell a lot about a fellow’s character by his way of eating jellybeans.”Ronald Reagan

“I don’t know the key to success but I know the key to failure is trying to please everybody.” Bill Cosby

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Old 11-07-2004, 09:17 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SanitysBane
sorry to threadjack, but the truck doesn't have front shocks at all(helps get the front end raised up when taking off), should i get IAS shocks or should i just keep the old worn out junkers on the rear?
Depends on whether you like that or not, I guess

Having no front shocks would drive me nuts, but then that's me. The IAS's *will* keep the front end planted, so if you don't want that result, don't use them. If you put them only on the front and leave the old rears, I suspect it will be wierd for sure.

Brian
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Old 11-07-2004, 09:27 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 79gmcc15
so just so I understand what your saying... air shocks might be all that its cracked up to be for my situation? and is the rear sway bar just as easy to put on as the front? I still like the idea of haveing some kind of air ride Suspension of some kind. mabe I'll get some new springs and get the http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/P...odelId-1001325 for the back cause there considerbly cheeper and reagular bags up front and sway bars front and rear. what you think? thank you so much for your time and help, matt
Matt,

Sorry it took a while to get back to you.

The rear sway bar is just an easy bolt-on; no sweat.

The air bags you're looking at from Whitney are, to my knowledge, overload springs or auxiliary springs. The bagged rides some guys have here on the board are bags in place of springs, and that's totally different. The overload/auxiliary airbags from Whitney won't,I don't believe, really make much damping difference, at least not when they're uninflated. Beyond that, I'm out of my element. I guess when inflated, they might have some kind of modest damping effect (due to general friction with the spring I imagine), but I can't say first hand 'cause I've never tried 'em.

For me, the front/rear bars, IAS's up front and air shocks in the rear offers a flexibility I personaly like: good handling and load carrying capacity when I want it.

You're welcome on the advice; hope it helps, and good luck!

Brian
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Old 11-09-2004, 03:58 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eagle23
Matt,

Sorry it took a while to get back to you.

The rear sway bar is just an easy bolt-on; no sweat.

The air bags you're looking at from Whitney are, to my knowledge, overload springs or auxiliary springs. The bagged rides some guys have here on the board are bags in place of springs, and that's totally different. The overload/auxiliary airbags from Whitney won't,I don't believe, really make much damping difference, at least not when they're uninflated. Beyond that, I'm out of my element. I guess when inflated, they might have some kind of modest damping effect (due to general friction with the spring I imagine), but I can't say first hand 'cause I've never tried 'em.

For me, the front/rear bars, IAS's up front and air shocks in the rear offers a flexibility I personaly like: good handling and load carrying capacity when I want it.

You're welcome on the advice; hope it helps, and good luck!

Brian
hey no problem Brian I know life happens plus great edvise is always worth the wait Thank you so much. I think that if I put new springs on and ISA's up frunt and air shocks in the back. I might get a comparable ride to fully baged ride, for alot cheeper. is it hard to put shocks on? do you need a tourk wrench? or would a long breaker bar work? because my place and tools is pretty limited. oh I also found out that the monrow shocks can handle 100 pounds more then the highjakers, odly. and thank you for your help!
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RIP ELJAY

Work In Progress 1979 GMC C1500 Trailering Special.
Getting the truck done, one piece at a time.

“You can tell a lot about a fellow’s character by his way of eating jellybeans.”Ronald Reagan

“I don’t know the key to success but I know the key to failure is trying to please everybody.” Bill Cosby

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Old 11-09-2004, 06:42 AM   #13
eagle23
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Shocks are really, really easy on these trucks. You'll feel like a pro

No torque wrench needed. No breaker bar need that I've encountered, though "your mileage may vary" :p

The only oddity is drilling a hole in the frame or a bumper support to attach the airvalve (looks like a tire valve). You'll want it someplace easy to get to. You might even find a hole that's already there with good access.

IAS's and everyone's instructions will show you just to compress the rubber bushings a bit, but not to bottom out the nuts. Also, I always spray a bit of silicone on them inside and out to prevent squeaks. Not essential, but why risk a revisit for a few seconds' effort?

Also, others have rightly noted to check the tightness of the upper front shock mounting bolt. If they get loose, they can wallow out a hole in the frame. I've been known to put locktite on such things in the past. Again, why revisit....

The only trick to the gas charged shocks like IAS, KYB, etc is that they come relatively compressed and are bound by a plastic string. Don't cut the string until they're mounted. Not a catastrophe if you do, but then you'll have to attach the shock to the lower mount, and really lean on the upper part of it to compress it enough to get to the upper mounting bolt. Don't ask me how I know this, several times over If it does get cut before mounting, you can also mount the upper end, then use a floor jack to compress the bottom part of the shock enough to mount it. Nothing explodes, though...the shock just expands slowly and as does your frustration realizing what you just did.

Anyway, have fun. You'll do fine.

Brian
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Old 11-09-2004, 07:05 AM   #14
79gmcc15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eagle23
Shocks are really, really easy on these trucks. You'll feel like a pro

No torque wrench needed. No breaker bar need that I've encountered, though "your mileage may vary" :p

The only oddity is drilling a hole in the frame or a bumper support to attach the airvalve (looks like a tire valve). You'll want it someplace easy to get to. You might even find a hole that's already there with good access.

IAS's and everyone's instructions will show you just to compress the rubber bushings a bit, but not to bottom out the nuts. Also, I always spray a bit of silicone on them inside and out to prevent squeaks. Not essential, but why risk a revisit for a few seconds' effort?

Also, others have rightly noted to check the tightness of the upper front shock mounting bolt. If they get loose, they can wallow out a hole in the frame. I've been known to put locktite on such things in the past. Again, why revisit....

The only trick to the gas charged shocks like IAS, KYB, etc is that they come relatively compressed and are bound by a plastic string. Don't cut the string until they're mounted. Not a catastrophe if you do, but then you'll have to attach the shock to the lower mount, and really lean on the upper part of it to compress it enough to get to the upper mounting bolt. Don't ask me how I know this, several times over If it does get cut before mounting, you can also mount the upper end, then use a floor jack to compress the bottom part of the shock enough to mount it. Nothing explodes, though...the shock just expands slowly and as does your frustration realizing what you just did.

Anyway, have fun. You'll do fine.

Brian
hey, cool thanks! now just got to save up the money to do it all start a new job tomarrow. wish me luck! and thank you so very much for your help... first thing for me to do to the truck, frount sway and rear. then air shocks then the most $$$$ part, the ISA's. $70 each. not cheap lol. well to me :p thanks again!
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RIP ELJAY

Work In Progress 1979 GMC C1500 Trailering Special.
Getting the truck done, one piece at a time.

“You can tell a lot about a fellow’s character by his way of eating jellybeans.”Ronald Reagan

“I don’t know the key to success but I know the key to failure is trying to please everybody.” Bill Cosby
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