More 67-72 Airbagged Truck Questions

[PrimeredThunder]

As some know, I am finishing up the process of putting Airbags on my 72' Chevy. I'm down to mounting my Valves, lines, compressor and tank. I've also got to fix my tracking bar still.

I am running a 2-path system(F/B) and I am wondering where you guys would sugest I mount the valves and what to use to make brackets to mount them. The valves are SMC 3/8 Electric units.

With a 145 PSI pressure switch how big of a tank should I use to get the truck up to ride height? I dont really plan on playing with the bags, just for cruising and dropping the truck when i park it. By the way, I'm running a Viair 325C compressor.

Also I know I've asked this before, but as far as the tracking bar ges for the rearend...how much should it be shortened? I was planning on driving the truck at the ride height I had before the bags and everything was centered, it just shifts the axle about an inch to the right when the bags are deflated.

Lastly, I plan on selling my current wheels/tires and getting some 17's. what backspacing etc will give me lots of clearance? What size tire should i get? i want a nice lo-pro tire but enough sidewall to prevent possible wheel damage? Also does anyone know of any companies that sell wheels and tires for cheap?

Thanks...heres a current progress pic...

Kenny

[Low68]

Nice looking truck. I bought my wheels and tires from dealers sport truck. I bought some torque thrust 2's in 17" and they were the cheapest place by far that I found. I don't know about any of their other wheels though. I don't know anything about bags, and as far as wheel backspacing, I would say that you should just measure when you finish up your bags and the panhard bar. Good luck.
Low68

[72chevyLWB]

Before you rip it all apart after doing it once, do front/back side/side. When you corner with just a front/back set up the air transfers from one side to the other and raises the one side up and takes a while to level out again. Just things I have heard from other people that had that problem. They all recommend f/b s/s setups.

[chevykid1969]

I am intrested in the wheels and tires if you decide to sell. Any info. Truck looks great!

[Digger51]

Do you have any more pics of the cab as it went together?

[Glen]

Here are some tips. I have two bagged vehicles, both lay frame.

I would run a minimum of 6 gallons of storage, the more the better.
Definitely run 8 solenoids, two per corner, the truck will lean when cornering if you dont and after you turn it will still lean on that side.
I run the smc valves on my 48 and i recommend you run check valves just before the solenoids. The smc valves require back pressure or they will not hold bag pressure. In other words, if you loose tank pressure the car comes down...quickly.
For that same reason I like to run the solenoids up on the fenders under the hood and out back for the rears.
Run braided stainless line from the compressor to the tanks, the heat from the compressor is hard on the plastic lines.
Wire your compressor with a three way switch, on, off, the other side hot wired to the pressure switch so you can override the switch and fill when you want.
Use a dryer at the tank after the compressor to collect moisture
I use liquid loc-tite for the pipe thread fittings and have good luck preventing leaks this way.
If you really want to get fancy, I run steel stainless braided lines from the solenoid to my front airbags just because of the extreme heat here in the desert...and it looks cool.
Buy a case of flex loom at napa and use it under the chassis for the plastic airline. Its cheap in the 50 ft. box.

Buy good shocks.

[frmtruktuckn22s]

my 72 gmc big block is bagged w/ fbss. i took off my sway bar, i dont even need it anymore. i would do fbss also, and if you want any speed at all you will need 8 valves. i have 1/2" parkers and run 300 psi nitrogen and mine is pretty fast with the tank full. i had to get hydrolic line though because the highest pressure airline i could find was around 200psi. it gets pricy fast with crimped fittings. i mounted my valves to the frame under the cab in the front using some brackets from slamspecialties.com. i have parker valves though, so im not sure that they will fit smc or not i got an adjustable panhard at a trailer supply store and it works great. about the wheels, i would suggest getting them from someone you can deal with in person, that way they can help you with the backspacing. if you order on the internet you may not get what you wanted (ie suv wheels instead of truck wheels, which usually have less backspacing). as for me, i have 20x8 in the front w/ 5" of backspacing, and they tuck ALOT. i have 22x10s in the rear, but im not sure what backspacing they are. i got them at a local shop, it costed a little more w/ tax and everything, but i had someone to fall back on if i got the wrong thing. hope this helps!

[PrimeredThunder]

Thanks for all the help guys, I really appreciate it. I am planning to upgrade to a 4-way system within the next year, I just did the 2-way to get the ball rolling. I forgot to add that I am running a front swaybar, which I would assume will help some with the body roll issue as for cornering? I started fabing up some Valve mounting brackets out of angle iron that I notched and mounted under the cab on the frame, they should be done and mounted today.

chevykid1969-I'll be selling the wheels/tires sometime in teh future, probably after summer is over. I'll try and keep you posted.


Thanks again guys,
Kenny