air suspension

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air suspension

Postby james_wells_07 » Tue Jan 29, 2013 5:45 pm

Does anyone have air ride on their 1st gen? I'm needing some good detailed pictures of true air ride brackets installed and pictures of just the brackets also. Any help would be appreciated.
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Re: air suspension

Postby dazedandconfused » Tue Jan 29, 2013 6:05 pm

Welcome to the site. Are you looking at air ride to lower it or to just aid in towing?
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Re: air suspension

Postby CumminsPower59 » Wed Jan 30, 2013 4:32 am

Welcome!

Halfway down the first page there is a good shot of front brackets...
http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/89-93 ... -pics.html
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91 W350 SRW, 3.07's, NV4500, 370's, THD LPPP, Super HX40, 2nd gen IC swap, BHAF, Isspro's, 2" lift, 285's on 3rd gen 17"'s.
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Re: air suspension

Postby james_wells_07 » Wed Jan 30, 2013 5:44 pm

I am looking to add it for a smoother ride. Not to lower it or as a helper system.
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Re: air suspension

Postby james_wells_07 » Wed Jan 30, 2013 6:09 pm

Thanks cumminspower59 found some great pictures of the front and that answered my questions.
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Re: air suspension

Postby CumminsPower59 » Wed Jan 30, 2013 7:43 pm

Glad I could help ;)
Ike

91 W350 SRW, 3.07's, NV4500, 370's, THD LPPP, Super HX40, 2nd gen IC swap, BHAF, Isspro's, 2" lift, 285's on 3rd gen 17"'s.
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Re: air suspension

Postby booneylander » Wed Feb 27, 2013 8:47 am

I have also been thinking a lot about air suspension. I have a 350 dually 2WD and when the truck is unloaded the ride is bone-jarring. The springs are all pretty much sacked out so I need to swap everything out for new kit. Would be really nice to have a full air system so that I could drop the truck when I'm loading or unloading motorcycles (which happens a lot), but still have load capacity when I'm towing. Would be nice to have a smoother ride when unloaded.

I guess what I'm debating is whether the expense of going all-air with a 4-link rear is going to give me much of an advantage versus my other idea which was to swap in much lower and lighter springs all around then put bags on the rear as helpers for hauling the big loads.

Any opinions, or experience going any of those routes would be helpful.
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Re: air suspension

Postby monoblock » Wed Feb 27, 2013 9:55 am

There was an inexpensive Firestone system on this Forum -the For Sale section
I have a similar system -but rear only & not a dually. It works great .You'll need a little 12v compressor. The bags only need around 15psi.
The install may complicate your hitch attachment but nothing insurmountable.
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Re: air suspension

Postby bmoeller » Sat Mar 02, 2013 10:34 am

I'd just get a Kelderman air-ride. Buy an air ride height cotrol valve, and dump valve, cheap 12v air compressor and tank. Good to go. :) Even my older single bag setup works great to run it on air, with a loaded g/n. The newer 2 bag setup would be the better way to go about though. More frame support, than the single. But, no issues so far with mine. :D

The style I have- Image

The newer style- Image
NEW- '82 CREW cab dually. Cummins, NV5600, 205, D60/D80. :D Work in progress......

'93 W350, CTD, ext cab, 5spd., HTT modded H1C, 4" exhaust, Kelderman single bag. 537k and counting!

SOLD- '92 W250, CTD, ext cab, 5spd

SOLD- '99 3500, SO CTD, 5spd

Traded off- '97 3500 CTD, 416hp/892tq.

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Re: air suspension

Postby oldestof11 » Sat Mar 02, 2013 12:16 pm

What I would do is build a mount for some nice bags (I would get some that fit a smaller semi truck) over the axle, outboard of the frame. Like a traditional air-assist towing setup. Now remove all of the springs except the main 1 or 2. Then hack them off behind the axle. Now you have a setup just like the big rigs but all the comfort and towing capacity of air bag.
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Re: air suspension

Postby bmoeller » Sat Mar 02, 2013 1:38 pm

Can't hack the rear of the spring off like that, without adding a way to keep the springs/axle straight/centered. Needs a track bar of some sort. Pretty heavy duty, too.

There is an aftermarket setup that does something like that, but it costs DOUBLE what a Kelderman does, and far more complicated to install. Apparently don't have one for our trucks.

Image

But, the Kelderman does work somewhat like that setup does, by softening the ride, without having to remove springs. The suspension replaces your rear spring mount. Also acts like a fail safe, if an air bag were to let go. Can still carry the weight on the OEM spring pack with the Keldermann deflated.
NEW- '82 CREW cab dually. Cummins, NV5600, 205, D60/D80. :D Work in progress......

'93 W350, CTD, ext cab, 5spd., HTT modded H1C, 4" exhaust, Kelderman single bag. 537k and counting!

SOLD- '92 W250, CTD, ext cab, 5spd

SOLD- '99 3500, SO CTD, 5spd

Traded off- '97 3500 CTD, 416hp/892tq.

Obama loves America, like OJ loved Nicole...................
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Re: air suspension

Postby Matt's'93 » Mon May 05, 2014 7:38 am

This place offers kits for newer rigs but would be pretty easy to copy, or possibly retrofit to go under our first gens...
http://www.autoflexsuspensions.com/shop ... px?recid=7
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Re: air suspension

Postby brandonmgreer » Tue Jul 08, 2014 8:08 pm

The bags on a semi mount directly to the under side of the framerail and centered. They also use a pinion snubber and a panhard bar referred to as "torque arms" in the industry). My Kenworth has the heavy duty 8 bag suspension (4 bags per axle, 2 fore and 2 aft of the axle), and uses a triangulated four link...

Just remember, your ride quality comes in the DIAMETER of th bag, not the height! those outboard 4" diameter bags will ride like crap by themselves. Spend the time and money, and put the largest diameter bag you can fit.

I'm designing one now that will mount a 4 link in the front hanger location and the airbag in the rear hanger position to use the same amount of frame to displace the load. Centering the axle will be a watts link. Just food for thought!
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