Air bags

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Air bags

Postby 93flatbed » Fri Sep 06, 2013 1:08 pm

I've found all kinda of talk about taking most of the leaf spring pack out and compensate that by putting air bags in. I have yet to find anyone who has actually done it. I have a very nice on board air system that I acquired and would like to make it work to get a decent riding truck.

I'm a bit worried taking most of the spring pack out may give me a nasty launch shudder. I suppose I could do a ladder bar set up?

At any rate, give me opinions and suggestions.
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Re: Air bags

Postby CumminsPower59 » Tue Sep 10, 2013 7:39 am

Since no one has replied, I guess I will give it a shot ;)

As for air ride, I haven't seen anyone actually go to a true air ride suspension with bars and links to locate the axle, most folks go with a Kelderman or something. I have a older single-bag Kelderman on my 91, and it made a HUGE improvement over the bone jarring ride. Some people don't like the feel of the Kelderman systems under acceleration from a stop or slower speeds, the suspension "unloads" and the rear of the truck will rise slightly. If you have driven a bob-tail semi, it is the same feeling. Nothing wrong with it, just the nature of the beast. I personally wouldn't remove too many leaf springs without going with some sort of suspension control, but some folks have taken a few leafs out of the pack have stated an improvement in ride quality.
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Re: Air bags

Postby PToombs » Tue Sep 10, 2013 5:35 pm

My springs were sacked out and I put in an Airlift bag set up. I installed a compressor and air tank with a leveling valve so the truck did it's own thing to remain level. It needed 40psi to remain level, it raised it about 3 inches from where the sacked out springs sat. It rode like a fricking brick. Every bump in the road was rougher than heck. If I was going to go to air ride, I'd go with a Kelderman or a full on air with large diameter bags, 4 link, alignment struts, or whatever. No way would I pull some of the springs and try to make it up with bags, it won't ride well.
I replaced the springs with new ones from Rockauto and the truck rides better than with the bags. And if I need more load capacity, I still have the bags to put back on as helpers, but let the springs do most of the work.
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Re: Air bags

Postby 93flatbed » Mon Sep 16, 2013 10:09 am

Well crap, thought I was onto something there. Thanks guys for the response's and advice.
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Re: Air bags

Postby RCCUMMINS89 » Wed Sep 18, 2013 9:24 am

In order to gain a soft ride.............keep in mind that the softness/firmness comes from the volume....not the pressure.


In a bag in itself there is a small volume and therefore the psi goes up extremely fast when loaded or hitting bumps.

For a proper set up run your bags to a large tank.............that is where you gain your volume and therefore can have a soft air ride.
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Re: Air bags

Postby PToombs » Wed Sep 18, 2013 4:59 pm

Yes, a "ping" tank is what they're called. There was a write up in TDR about them, the guy added a 1 gallon tank to each side and it made his ride smoother, kind of like an accumulator to cushion the load. That's why the larger diameter bags ride smoother than the smaller ones, more air volume.
Thanks RC, I had forgotten that about the ping tanks.
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Re: Air bags

Postby 1992gen1_fan » Thu Sep 19, 2013 10:03 pm

Good reading fella's, I never thought of a reservoir tank to give the air bags "spring". My truck really needs air bags but I've been afraid of the added suspension stiffness.

If you could use some type of canister for the "ping tank" that would be able to expand with a sudden pressure increase and return, I guess that would help even more :?:
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Re: Air bags

Postby Gots_a_sol » Sat Nov 09, 2013 6:45 pm

Little late to the party, but I've got links and bags on the back of my truck. Rides much better now and the back end isn't all jacked up in the air like stock, which were the 2 goals I was after.

Image

Stock height:

Image

On the bump stops:

Image
-Joe

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Re: Air bags

Postby depogrig » Mon Nov 25, 2013 10:15 am

Do you have details on what bags you used?
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Re: Air bags

Postby Tacoclaw » Mon Nov 25, 2013 12:28 pm

Nice setup, Sol! Are the bags mounted to the shock mounts there somehow? Any pics of your panhard, and do you have limiting straps on it or were you not worried since it's a 2wd?
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Re: Air bags

Postby moose5.9 » Wed Dec 18, 2013 2:29 pm

Awesome Job dude!!! nice work
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Re: Air bags

Postby Gots_a_sol » Wed Dec 18, 2013 8:58 pm

Bags are Slam Specialty SS8's.

Upper air bag brackets are under the frame rails.

I need to do limit straps, just haven't gotten to it yet.


Panhard pic. I don't have one of the frame side. I basically boxed the frame and welded some tabs on it, simple.

Image

Full stuff, sitting on factory bump stops. Not much room left without chopping things up.

Image
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Re: Air bags

Postby fxr3 » Thu Dec 19, 2013 11:21 pm

You can improve that bike loading ramp even more by pointing the truck toward the street. Unless your house is lower than street. You already know that- I'm just being a wise guy.Even with my steep driveway, I still wear my helmet loading bikes!
I carry around 110 gallons of fuel in a L shaped tank with tool box on top and two more tool boxes in rear corners that are flush with inside fender wells and top of bed. They have 5 drawers that roll out and easily add another hundred lbs.( they are a nice way to carry tools).
Anyway, 1000 lbs +or- to smooth the ride. Doesn't help braking much though. I'm semi-retired, so not using fuel daily, and would like to improve ride by another means(and lose the fuel tank).I also have airbags back there and an onboard air and tank setup. Would simply removing a leaf or 2(I have 8 and airbag on top) improve ride with no adverse effects? I do miss my D250, rode like a limo, but looked like a lemon(well, not as cool as the 4"lifted W) Neither one gets around the dirt very well, but W tows the boat up a slippery ramp way better!
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Re: Air bags

Postby Gots_a_sol » Fri Dec 20, 2013 12:59 pm

I actually have a slight ditch/dip across the front yard/end of the driveway that puts the tailgate about 8" off the ground. So no ramp required at all for unloading and if I'm feeling spunky I can go back in without a ramp also, which I'm usually not at 6 am :lol:


8 leaves? Blimey, that thing must ride like a tank. Since you have bags to take the weight, the only adverse thing I can see happening is axle wrap.
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Re: Air bags

Postby Sutter1stgen » Fri Dec 20, 2013 4:30 pm

Nice work Gots_a_sol! It's a art that some people just don't have patients for.
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