I got the 19.5 blues

[lucky91]

From what I'm understanding the Kelderman setup uses the same firestone riderite bags. I'm trying to imagine the physics involved between the two manufacturers, because relocating the bag from the center of the axle, to the rear shackle bracket would seemingly lose a lot of its potenial, and at more than for 4 times the price?
Any input?

[Mark Nixon]

Putting on the air ride is not about carrying the extra WEIGHT, that's what you'd do by adding leaves and/or putting new springs under it.
Rather, it's about smoothing out the inevitable "choppiness" that's going to result with the stiffer tires and heavier springs.

Trust me, I've added rear leaves and a standard cab truck will beat you to death with beefed up springs, though the load you will be carrying may help somewhat.

Mark.

[Diesel]

Does anyone but kelderman make an airbag to replace our shackles?

[PToombs]

I'm not sure about the Kelderman 2 bag systems because I haven't looked at them, but I know the older 1 bag system only made it ride better empty. You took off the rear spring hangers and then bolted in the Kelderman frame. The spring shackles then bolted to the K's frame. The bag was in the middle, and only had about 3 inches of travel. When you loaded the truck, the bag settled and the K's frame sat on the stops, and the rear springs worked normally. I saw one in Peru, there may be pics on here someplace, but I'm not sure.

[Mark Nixon]

Pete,
"Empty" in the OP's version may well be a relative term.
He has a LOT of weight that he wishes to carry and yet try to maintain a semblance of a decent ride.

I don't know how the 2-bag Kelderman handles while loaded, but I do have a buddy locally that has one under a '92 4X4, I'll get a closer look at his and pick his brain on it.

Mark.

[PToombs]

Empty doesn't really apply in the OP's case, that truck is loaded all the time. I understand what he's trying to do, and don't think the Kelderman is going to make a bit of difference.

[Mark Nixon]

I suppose that's true.
It's hard to get a good ride, have stiff suspension and carry lot of weight all the time.

Mark.

[lucky91]

The thing about a constant rough ride is that you get accustomed to it.

[Mark Nixon]

Ever tried to pull a 2-car trailer with a 1st gen and a lot of weight?
It's exactly WHY I like at least an extended cab 1st gen, if not a 2nd gen extended cab.
It'll beat you to death.

Mark.

[Tacoclaw]

I may be a bit late to this, but an airbag doesn't only have to work while unloaded.

The Kelderman setup may work like that, due to not having a heavy enough bag or whatever. You would actually think the Kelderman setup would reduce load on the bag by using the leaf spring as a lever and the front eye as the pivot. Any thoughts on ditching the leaf and making a solid bar of some sort that would allow a semi-style bag's height and still bolt up to the front eye and axle using stock hardware?

Doing some math on our trucks at work:

There's 5 axles, and we can gross 88k. the front axle usually ends up at around 10-12k if I think right, so that leaves 76k between the airbags. According to my windows calculator that's 19k per axle left over. Our semi suspensions use a single leaf that's bent over the axle and drops down behind it to allow the airbag's height to fit below the frame. They should be able to support the weight of a 1stgen easily even at a lower air pressure, if there's room to get them mounted somewhere under there and you want to waste/burn the time/skills/materials/money to do it.


After thinking about this some today, I'm not sure the leaf spring will act as a lever after all. Considering the pivot itself is mounted to the very load it's trying to lift...

[RSWORDS]

Empty doesn't really apply in the OP's case, that truck is loaded all the time. I understand what he's trying to do, and don't think the Kelderman is going to make a bit of difference.

To did it up again...

The OP could run more pressure in the bags to make them work. Always being loaded he would not be constantly adjusting them.

And FWIW I love the Kelderman 2 bag system on my 92. Truck rides great empty or towing.

[lucky91]

At this point Im thinking;

new re-enforced leafs springs front and back + bilstiens.
drop shackles to lose the blocks in the rearend
steel spacers in the rear so I can reinstall the firestone ride-rites
crossover steering
and maybe the kelderman airbag setup for the front end.

Any thoughts?

[lucky91]

tacoclaw, concerning your semi suspension idea, I've seen it on a truck now and Im gonna be looking into applying it to mine.

[mopardad1]

I've drilled late model 17" steel dually wheels and put them on my '93