Wanting to go from static to bags (how does this setup sound?)

[C10_ForDad]

Hey guys! On my 70 C10 I have 3 inch drop springs in the front with 2.5 drop spindles, the rear is 5 inch drop springs. Ive recently come around to the thought of bagging it. I dont need to lay frame but Id like to be low. I was hoping you guys could evaluate and give me some insight on my tenative setup. Im wanting

CPP C notch
Michigan Metal Works C10 Upper and Lower Arms (narrows and move the wheels forward)
Slam Specialties SS7's in the front and SS8's in the rear
Keep my 2.5 drop spindles
Add blocks in the rear if needed
An Aire Jax Four Play
X2 Industries Air Pressure Gauge (reads the tank and all 4 bags on one gauge)
A 5 gallon tank mounted somewhere.

My questions are,

I have a big air compressor at home, could I use that to fill my tank so I dont have to run compressors? Or do the 5 gallon tanks not keep enough air for that? And Ive read using a bigger bag in the rear makes it ride smoother, is that true? And hardline or soft line for the air lines? Im very familar with making hardlines for this kinda stuff, I just dont have all the tools at home for it. And last, how would I plumb it up for FBSS, i cant seem to find a good diagram, or at least one that makes sense to me.

Thanks you guys!

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by C10_ForDad

Hey guys! On my 70 C10 I have 3 inch drop springs in the front with 2.5 drop spindles, the rear is 5 inch drop springs. Ive recently come around to the thought of bagging it. I dont need to lay frame but Id like to be low. I was hoping you guys could evaluate and give me some insight on my tenative setup. Im wanting

CPP C notch
Michigan Metal Works C10 Upper and Lower Arms (narrows and move the wheels forward)
Slam Specialties SS7's in the front and SS8's in the rear
Keep my 2.5 drop spindles
Add blocks in the rear if needed
An Aire Jax Four Play
X2 Industries Air Pressure Gauge (reads the tank and all 4 bags on one gauge)
A 5 gallon tank mounted somewhere.

My questions are,

I have a big air compressor at home, could I use that to fill my tank so I dont have to run compressors? Or do the 5 gallon tanks not keep enough air for that? And Ive read using a bigger bag in the rear makes it ride smoother, is that true? And hardline or soft line for the air lines? Im very familar with making hardlines for this kinda stuff, I just dont have all the tools at home for it. And last, how would I plumb it up for FBSS, i cant seem to find a good diagram, or at least one that makes sense to me.

Thanks you guys!

Parts combo sounds acceptable. I'm not familiar w/the 'Aire Jax Four Play' set-up so I can't comment on that.

Technically, you can fill your 5gal tank w/the big tank from home. But, it' doesn't do you any good when not @ home so there's that concern.

A 'bigger' bag does change the ride. Whether it's better or worse all depends on the combo & ride height. It's not a one size fits all on this....

I always recommend lowering blocks on anything over 4" for the T/A trucks. The orientation of the rear shocks is already not-so-good. Start lowering it a bunch & it gets worse + travel decreases. The shorter the 'spring', the worse it is on the shock. A taller spring combined w/blocks helps the shock angle as well as doesn't impact travel like it would w/o them.

The bags should be routed to whatever you plan to use for the adjustment control of each corner. What ever that is receives air from the tank--> from the compressor.

Looking @ that set-up you listed, I'm not sure how those paddles distribute. My set-up has air in (to the paddle valve) + air out (to the bag). The pressure gauge is tee'd into each outlet side/corner. So my paddle for the driver front has air-in, air-out, & the 'out' (which actually fills the bag) is tee'd to the gauge so it reads the pressure for that bag/line. On mine (Ridetech manual pneumatic valves) they purge the air out @ the paddle switch. The one you listed might have a common port. IDK...

[Richard]

Running an air tank for storage with out any compressor is not a good idea. You could haul around a tank the size of the bed and when you go to fill the bags it will just equalize with the bags. To run a tank type system it would need to be high pressure, CO2, nitrogen etc.

[C10_ForDad]

Okay, thanks you guys. I didnt even think about the tank leveling off with the bags. Totally slipped my mind. And for the aire jax. They are a common inlet with an interal t for the gauges and a common outlet for venting, as my understanding of them goes. Are those ridetech valves nice? Im up to exploring other options as well!

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by C10_ForDad

Okay, thanks you guys. I didnt even think about the tank leveling off with the bags. Totally slipped my mind. And for the aire jax. They are a common inlet with an interal t for the gauges and a common outlet for venting, as my understanding of them goes. Are those ridetech valves nice? Im up to exploring other options as well!

The Ridetech paddle valves are . . …. Basic. They function & do it well. No electronics to fail. The down sides are you have to run airline into the interior vs. solenoid actuated valves that only require wiring into the interior & they lack the benefit of a computer controlled set-ups auto-leveling/height feature.

Pick your poison. I didn't have ~2k to spend on a better quality air management system & just don't like the cheaper electronic set-ups + required maintenance.

The paddle valves are not much different than your Aire-Jax set-up (which look a lot like a set-up others used to use but had issues with). They're independent vs housed in a manifold.

[C10_ForDad]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

The Ridetech paddle valves are . . …. Basic. They function & do it well. No electronics to fail. The down sides are you have to run airline into the interior vs. solenoid actuated valves that only require wiring into the interior & they lack the benefit of a computer controlled set-ups auto-leveling/height feature.

Pick your poison. I didn't have ~2k to spend on a better quality air management system & just don't like the cheaper electronic set-ups + required maintenance.

The paddle valves are not much different than your Aire-Jax set-up (which look a lot like a set-up others used to use but had issues with). They're independent vs housed in a manifold.

Thanks for your reply! Im in the same boat, i dont want to and dont have a lot of money
to dump a ton into electronic valves and auto level and everything else. I think Ill live with air being in the cab too, I was going that route in the first place. Do you ever have any leaking issues or had one fail?

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by C10_ForDad

Thanks for your reply! Im in the same boat, i dont want to and dont have a lot of money
to dump a ton into electronic valves and auto level and everything else. I think Ill live with air being in the cab too, I was going that route in the first place. Do you ever have any leaking issues or had one fail?

I've used the Ridetech paddle valves w/o a failure to date. My first one was back in 2000 & that control panel/valve still works today w/zero maintenance. The ones used in my dually have only been in use since ~2014/2015.

I did have an airline crack @ the paddle switch a year or 2 ago but it was the airline failing & not the valve. I use DOT spec airline but the end of that specific line was kinked where I had used it before when testing stuff in the shop.

My dually uses 2qty 3gal aluminum tanks & 2qty Thomas 327 compressors. One tank provides air for the front, the other the rear. The 3gal tanks were easier to position under the bed (smaller OD x longer length) & the Thomas compressors are bang for the buck vs. bling/high CFM.

Again... The downside is the requirement to know & set the height so you don't kill tires. I validated my heights & tire pressures @ all 4 corners at the time of/specifically for the alignment. Around town I have a good idea of where it needs to be but if I plan to get out on the highway, I use a tape measure @ the corners to preserve tire life expectancy.

[C10_ForDad]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

I've used the Ridetech paddle valves w/o a failure to date. My first one was back in 2000 & that control panel/valve still works today w/zero maintenance. The ones used in my dually have only been in use since ~2014/2015.

I did have an airline crack @ the paddle switch a year or 2 ago but it was the airline failing & not the valve. I use DOT spec airline but the end of that specific line was kinked where I had used it before when testing stuff in the shop.

My dually uses 2qty 3gal aluminum tanks & 2qty Thomas 327 compressors. One tank provides air for the front, the other the rear. The 3gal tanks were easier to position under the bed (smaller OD x longer length) & the Thomas compressors are bang for the buck vs. bling/high CFM.

Again... The downside is the requirement to know & set the height so you don't kill tires. I validated my heights & tire pressures @ all 4 corners at the time of/specifically for the alignment. Around town I have a good idea of where it needs to be but if I plan to get out on the highway, I use a tape measure @ the corners to preserve tire life expectancy.

Woah thanks! That is all really good info! Thank you, I really appreciate it. I have one last question, do those ridetech valves let you make small adjustments or do you only get all pressure up and all pressure dumping?

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by C10_ForDad

Woah thanks! That is all really good info! Thank you, I really appreciate it. I have one last question, do those ridetech valves let you make small adjustments or do you only get all pressure up and all pressure dumping?

Push the paddle hard & you get full pressure. Only move it a little & only a small amount of air moves through it. The lines are only 1/4" so it's pretty controlled. My dually goes from planted frame rails to ride height in <30secs. I can easily reduce or add small amounts of air as needed.

[C10_ForDad]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Push the paddle hard & you get full pressure. Only move it a little & only a small amount of air moves through it. The lines are only 1/4" so it's pretty controlled. My dually goes from planted frame rails to ride height in <30secs. I can easily reduce or add small amounts of air as needed.

Awesome. Thank you for all the information on these, I really appreciate it! From what I can figure I can get these plumbed in really easily for what Im planning on, Im going to make a center console and route the airlines in through the old gas tank hole in the back of the cab

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by C10_ForDad

Awesome. Thank you for all the information on these, I really appreciate it! From what I can figure I can get these plumbed in really easily for what Im planning on, Im going to make a center console and route the airlines in through the old gas tank hole in the back of the cab

This is how I did my 68. Used a firewall rubber grommet that had multiple ports in it to fit a hole in the floor & pass my 1/4" In/Out airlines through. All under the seat.

Dually is ran similar (it's all hidden from view).