Air Bag Ride Quality

[snacob14]

Whatsup, I'm very new to this type of build up. I am getting ready to tear down the truck to the frame. While this is going on I will be installing an air ride suspension. To start out I will be buying some firestones for the front and rear, 2500 for the rear, 2600 for the front. Some front cups and plates, and notching the rear of hte frame. I will be installing a 2 1/2" -3" front lowing spindle as well. In the rear I will be using hte stock spring locations as of right now. I'm hoping to get a very low resting stance along with a good looking low stance while inflated to driving conditions.

OK, the Question now. I stopped by a very reputable hotrod shop in the st. louis area. they do many total restores throughout the year. And I mean they do everything from coating frames to leather interiors. I basically went by to pick the guys brain on restorations and asked him some questions about airbags. He basically told me to expect a rougher ride that stock and a stiffer suspension over all. Now, to me I can kind of see his point, but I also completely don't understand. I would tink tthat I could adjust the psi in the bags to give me a nice smooth ride that soaks up the small stuff but not something that rides like a hay wagon. please, those of you with air ride, chime in and help me with this problem. I will be going with a very intermediate setup initially. Basically they will be inflated by me and not a tank and compressor until I can afford to do it right. thanks ahead of time.

[LUV2XCLR8]

I'm new to AirRide also, a few things I have learned so far, leaks are not
your friend, you cannot drive on them completely aired out, and I'm not
real sure that the ride quality is as bad as he says it is, the rig I've just
aquired has the bags, lines, valves, and tanks installed, but no comp. it
is NOT notched yet, frame rails are laying on top of the axle tubes, she
still needs the correct shocks, 2.5" I think? spindles out front and it has
the tall cups in them so it can still go down another inch in the front

[67Fleet]

Sounds like the hotrod shop guy is more familiar with old school hotrods and doing bodywork/resto work than he is with modern day suspension technology. If bags ride worse than stock, then he didn't install them correctly. My truck rides way better than it did before I bagged it. If you're going to be c-notching the frame and doing drop spindles up front, here's what you will be looking at for full dump: (I drive about 1-1/2-2" higher than this)

[leftcoast66]

airbags should help the ride. A static drop will make it stiff, but running airbags will definately help the ride. I have my truck sitting w/ the lower control arms about 1 1/2 off the ground same as 67 fleet, although mine is a 66 so differnt body. The back of mine isn't notched, so I left hte bumpstops in for now so it's a little rough because of the back end bottoming out on the bumpstops but the front end is amazing how soft it is while driving.

[snacob14]

Fleet your truck is insane. I hope mine will rest like that, thats the EXACT look I'm going for. Thanks for the info. I really feel like this guy could have given a crap about my questions. He was looking more for me to drop 40k on a build that he would do for me.

[Shane]

If air suspension rode harsher than traditional suspensions, then Cadillac and Lincoln would not have been using them for the past 15 or so years.

The guy at the "hot rod" shop should stick to leather interiors.

[action]

Can you go as low as 67Fleet s truck with the inner fender wells still installed?
Thanks Jack

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by action

Can you go as low as 67Fleet s truck with the inner fender wells still installed?
Thanks Jack

Yes, you can go as low as n2billets "Lucy" and keep the stock fender liners and not cut the bed...

Bags don't make the truck ride rough. Really low profile tires will make almost anything ride rough.

[IvelDesigns]

67Fleet-

What kind of notch do you have? I am going to do a similar setup (using my air compressor to fill the bags) and had planned to do a notch. I assume i could get away with one of the simple bolt on notches.

[craig@ridetech.com]

One of the biggest things to keep in mind when setting up your air ride suspension to get a good ride is to inflate them to their proper ride height when driving. Most of the time when someone says that they can't get a good ride on bags is that they aren't installed correctly or at the wrong ride height. Don't be concerned about what air pressure it takes to pick your truck up just be worried about how tall the springs are at their ride height. Second thing is to make sure you are A. using shock absorbers B. using a good shock absorber. Air springs absorb a lot of energy from bumps in the road and they need a shock with a stiffer rebound valving to help slow the discharge of the energy from hitting those bumps. If you aren't sure of what the ride height of your bags are be sure to call whoever you bought them from and have them give you the specs.

[clean71]

I love the airbags on my 68 stepside. It rides way smoother than my Blazer with the static drop or my Burb with stock suspension. I'm riding 15/50 series tires.

[67Fleet]

Originally Posted by IvelDesigns

67Fleet-

What kind of notch do you have? I am going to do a similar setup (using my air compressor to fill the bags) and had planned to do a notch. I assume i could get away with one of the simple bolt on notches.

I've got the CPP bolt-in c-notch, and still running inner fenders up front. At full dump (as pictured above) I can drive in a straight line, although turning the wheel causes rubbing pretty soon in the radius. Out back my axle is on the notch without the bumpstops in it, and I had to cut a small square out of the center of my bed to clear the pumpkin as it comes thru the floor by about 1/2".

[IvelDesigns]

Originally Posted by 67Fleet

I've got the CPP bolt-in c-notch, and still running inner fenders up front. At full dump (as pictured above) I can drive in a straight line, although turning the wheel causes rubbing pretty soon in the radius. Out back my axle is on the notch without the bumpstops in it, and I had to cut a small square out of the center of my bed to clear the pumpkin as it comes thru the floor by about 1/2".

just to clarify, your truck is on the notch when deflated. what at right height you have some room for travel. How much travel room do you have? Do you bottom out the rear end on the frame ever?

[lowrollin70gmc]

You can drive with them deflated (if you set it up so it doesn't drag metal on the asphault). It rides like crap w/o air. Found this out the hard way when my first compressor went out at a friends house. At 2AM and no other way home. Thankfully it was a short distance.

With air, it rides fine, I've done a 1,000 weekend on bags and felt fine. Tuned it to road conditions and by feel. Leaks suck, as does AIM Industries, they may be cheap, but stay away. Trust me, I was screwed and am still paying for it.

[LUV2XCLR8]

Off topic, what are you guys using for shocks? part #?

[lowrollin70gmc]

Me, stock shocks, they were $10/each three years ago. I really need new ones, but stock fits mine, as I built shock mounts around these shocks.

[jimmydean]

Originally Posted by LUV2XCLR8

Off topic, what are you guys using for shocks? part #?

I got the shock kit from CPP for $140 with relocators. The are Doetsch Tech. Seem real nice when I installed the fronts, I hope to have the back done this week (but I've been saying that for a month now).

[cstanley]

not intended as a complete hijack, but what if a person were to run bags with an otherwise stock suspension. would there be an improvement in ride? (i may have asked this stuff before, i can't remember where.) is it practical if a) you only use 2-1/2 drops in front: b) it's a rear leaf setup: c)how low could you go/what would it look like if you set it up where you still used all your fender liners and you didn't have to mod the bed for the pumpkin.

basically just asking if bags are practical only to the extent of ride quality, barring any radical lowering? could you use them and maintain a factory height if you wanted while driving?

[CochinoFilipino]

Bags, like traditional springs come in diferent spring rates. Order a soft bag and have a soft ride. But they need to be installed properly.

The spring rate changes at diferent PSI. You should order bags that will be at the desired PSI and spring rate at the desired ride hieght.

You shouldn't just order bags and inflate them to desired ride hieght, they may not have the desired spring rate at that height.

[67Fleet]

Originally Posted by IvelDesigns

just to clarify, your truck is on the notch when deflated. what at right height you have some room for travel. How much travel room do you have? Do you bottom out the rear end on the frame ever?

Yes, in the pic I posted it is fully deflated (dumped). My ride height is about 1-1/2 taller than in the pic. I don't ever bottom out while at ride height.

[LooseCannon]

Originally Posted by 67Fleet

Yes, in the pic I posted it is fully deflated (dumped). My ride height is about 1-1/2 taller than in the pic. I don't ever bottom out while at ride height.

ahhh... man your truck sits perfect. what are the wheel and tire specs?

[lowrollin70gmc]

I also do not hit when slammed, have had to drive home that way before. As for a leaf setup, you could go and install a four link and hardware, but that could be expensive. I've never researched it, but you could possibly swap a trailing arms into the rear from a junked truck. Or I've seen on some late model trucks, they make a two link, but use the front spring mount as the pivot point, to simplify the installation.

www.ifcustom.com has quite a few of these installed on newer 1500s.

I sit on the frame (no notch) and haven't modded the bed at all. Still run stock front liners. My only problem with the front has been the lower control arms hitting the back of my 15" steelies. Actually bent one wheel 1/8". (Told me when I rebalanced the front tires).

67Fleet does have a sweet truck, I also would like some specs to fufill my curiousity on the wheels.

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by cstanley

......basically just asking if bags are practical only to the extent of ride quality, barring any radical lowering? could you use them and maintain a factory height if you wanted while driving?

Would they improve your ride? Probably. Would it be worth the money and time spent? Probably not.