What happens if you have bag failure?

[CG]

Question to you guys that have bags...what happens if you have at least one bag go totally flat? Can you limp home 200 miles? Or are you going to need to repair on site or get a tow?

These trucks look very cool with the rockers hiding in the grass. When someone posts up pic of their rides way down low, not necessarily even laying frame, just really low, usually at least part of their ride below scrub line...everyone goes gah gah over em. Me too lol.

But when someone proposes a static drop with blocks...Its like someone cut their dash...Nooo, don't do it!!!!! Then the scrub line argument comes up...which I just don't get. I mean I understand what they are talking about, its just that no one talks scrub lines with baggers.

Either way seems like trouble waiting to happen to me.

[SCOTI]

If you set it up 'failure' safe, it will roll. My set-up will be 1" off the tarmac @ the front frame rail @ zero psi to allow the truck to still move under worst case scenario. No scrub line issues as everythng (everything) is above the lip of the wheels.

That being said, some spare air-line, PTC butt-splices, & an extra bag are all small enough that they could fit inside most tool storage locations (within a spare tire).... just in case.

[N2TRUX]

It depends on how the suspension is set up. In most cases bag failure in the rear won't be an issue. If one fails up front it will probably cause the A-arm or crossmember to drag.

If you design the system with stops to prevent that, it will still roll. If it's only one bag, the ride would be rough but you could make it to a safe location. You wouldn't want to drive a great distance, but you can get off the road.

My 77 is a good example of this. I insisted that the bump stops be set where the truck would "roll" when aired out. That meant an inch or two compromise in height, but it will roll. I found this to be important when I had a exhaust system failure that diverted hot exhaust gas toward an air line. I lost the entire system when the line failed.

I was able to idle along the shoulder for a few miles until I came to a Rest Area. This allowed me to get to a safe spot and wait for a roll back. If I had carried a spare section of line and connectors it could have been rigged to work. Two lessons learned in one day.

[CG]

So it sounds like you guys have yours set up the smartest way possible. The guys that need to lay frame or rockers wont be as lucky.

[AVS_JASON]

As stated above. The front is what you really need to worry about. I once blew a rear bag, and was able to drive home like normal. Now if it were the front, then I would have been in trouble. LOL.

[Alvin]

I'm setting mine up to roll when aired out, and I ran the same bags all the way around so I can carry one spare. I'm planning on carrying some lengths of air line with schrader valves attached and a feed off the compressors/tanks that I can fill with if there should be a line failure between the valves and the bags. A failure in the tank system would still leave me stranded, but I don't want to carry a portable air tank all the time.

I also have a fire extinguisher in every vehicle.

[tcb-1]

mine right now will roll with a blown front bag. I am a strong advocate of building a failsafe system.

HOWEVER, if you can drag aired out.......
pack a few 2 x 4 blocks about 4" long. raise the front enough to wedge a block between the control arm and the x member. limp to the nearest exit.

[crawdadfox]

All the air suspension failures i have seen was in the line routing and not a bag giving way. My next project will have removable bumpstops built into the the system to keep the frame off the ground in case of some failure on road trips...but easy to remove at the show for pavement abuse!

[kev2809]

^^^ that's exactly what I was gonna say and will do to mine.

[N2TRUX]

crawdadfox you are correct, but you must prepare for unforeseen circumstances. Although bags aren't common to blow, it can happen. Something as simple as a piece of road debris can take one out so it's best to set up for "possible" failure.

Your bumpstop idea is exactly how mine is set up...

[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by n2trux

crawdadfox you are correct, but you must prepare for unforeseen circumstances. Although bags aren't common to blow, it can happen. Something as simple as a piece of road debris can take one out so it's best to set up for "possible" failure.

Your bumpstop idea is exactly how mine is set up...

:d

[Cacti25]

Thats why my bags have covers that protect the front (and rear) and I always carry extra line!

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by Hart_Rod

Here is the old and new set up. FYI- The bag looks closer to the stop than it actually is due to the angle of the pic.

[67cheby]

here is the crazy idea i have for when i get mine going.. Take a piece of small pipe and cut a slit down the length of it two small hose clamps to hold it on the rod part of the shock(jack it up to ride height and put this piece of pipe in ,so your shock couldnt collapse), you could make one for each shock put it in a small bag and it would take up very little space..... it might just be crazy enough to work

[nastyc10]

I set my truck up to roll with no air in any of the bags, won't be able to turn though. I didn't want it to lay frame(but its darn close) for this exact reason.

[smashingchuck]

Excelent thread.

My truck will roll without air, but just barley. I have blocks welded to the bottom of the frame to keep the control arms from touching the ground as well. A 2x4 in between the control arms and the cross member has always worked for me as well in a pinch.

One thing that nobody has mentioned yet is compressor failure. I have an emergency electric compressor in case my engine drien compressor fails, or if I need air and cant get the truck started. This is a lesson I learned the hard way. I also have a reguar coupler mounted on the tank for emeregency (and for working in the shop).

[michael bustamante]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

Here is the old and new set up. FYI- The bag looks closer to the stop than it actually is due to the angle of the pic.

whered you get that bump stop set up? Ive seen your pic before butI dont remember If I asked you or not

[lolife99]

Originally Posted by michael bustamante

whered you get that bump stop set up? Ive seen your pic before but I dont remember If I asked you or not

Energy Suspension make these bumpstops in different sizes.
I get them locally at O'Reillys AUto Parts,... or Jegs an Summit Racing sell them.

[kev2809]

i was just thinking of cutting up some square tubing and welding up the top and bottom with a bolt coming out of the bottom that screws into a welded nut on the lca. that way i can unscrew them off when i need to...no tools.

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by michael bustamante

whered you get that bump stop set up? Ive seen your pic before butI dont remember If I asked you or not

In both cases the stop it self is available through many aftermarket suppliers like lolife99 stated. The rest of it was fabricated by Roger at RPL Custom.

[dznucks]

N2TRUX.....what is the grey linkage looking thing, below the tie rod, in the first pic????


My system will roll air'd out. I've done the same thing as smashingchuck and put schraders and quick coupler in my tanks in case my compressor quits, all Viar compressors have check valves on the pigtails. On the tank and compressor side of my system i installed 1/2" hard lines to prevent a line blow out and i put a check valve just before the valve block, in case a valve gets trashed.


If the plastic tubing running to the bags fails, i have 2 PTC couplers that have schraders in them. I can manually fill a bag this way. But all my plastic lines are protected with this stuff...

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/THE-18076/

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by dznucks

N2TRUX.....what is the grey linkage looking thing, below the tie rod, in the first pic????

That's the end link for the Ride Tech muscle bar.

[lyrikz]

Originally Posted by CG

Question to you guys that have bags...what happens if you have at least one bag go totally flat? Can you limp home 200 miles? Or are you going to need to repair on site or get a tow?

These trucks look very cool with the rockers hiding in the grass. When someone posts up pic of their rides way down low, not necessarily even laying frame, just really low, usually at least part of their ride below scrub line...everyone goes gah gah over em. Me too lol.

But when someone proposes a static drop with blocks...Its like someone cut their dash...Nooo, don't do it!!!!! Then the scrub line argument comes up...which I just don't get. I mean I understand what they are talking about, its just that no one talks scrub lines with baggers.

Either way seems like trouble waiting to happen to me.

CG, i dont know about everyone elses ride, but i can have one bag in the rear flat and the other with 80 psi and it sits relativly flat. Same with my front.. ONe bagged aired to nothing. The other at 80psi and you can tell there is a sag but its still way beyond being fully dropped...

[motornut]

just a thought of a different approach.........A friend of mine is in a wheel chair his van floor is lowered 11 inches it uses air bags to raise and lower the body to lessen the angle of the ramp going in.....when those bags blew bang down you went ,not showering sparks but loose and wiggly and no bounce in the ass end........well that's the old way the new van no air bags it has a chain set up that pulls the body down to the frame.........so when it fails it just stays up.......not down......can do /want pics?

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by motornut

just a thought of a different approach.........A friend of mine is in a wheel chair his van floor is lowered 11 inches it uses air bags to raise and lower the body to lessen the angle of the ramp going in.....when those bags blew bang down you went ,not showering sparks but loose and wiggly and no bounce in the ass end........well that's the old way the new van no air bags it has a chain set up that pulls the body down to the frame.........so when it fails it just stays up.......not down......can do /want pics?

Question # 1: Why did those bags blow (they should never blow apart)?