Calling Guys that Tow! - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

6 Door King · 07-16-2011, 01:36 PM

If anyone has personal experience towing with an air bag setup please give me the wisdom of your trials. I am looking to find out which type of setup will yield me the best stability while still providing a decent street ride without the trailer behind me. I am considering buiding a three link setup with the bags behind the axle. The lower links will be parallel outside the frame and below the axle centerline, and the upper link will be a triangulated link above the center of the housing and between the frame rails. Anyone have any suggestions?

Dunenutt · 07-16-2011, 02:29 PM

Make sure the setup you use has independent valves for each bag, or sway will be hard to control.

6 Door King · 07-16-2011, 04:15 PM

Thank you for the suggestion, that was one aspect I had debated. It had not crossed my mind, but open air going between the two rear bags would only make the sway worse and would probably send me off the road.

SCOTI · 07-16-2011, 05:15 PM

A 4-bar set-up like described would offer the best ride vs. load capacity. The link bars outside the rails will allow for a nice sturdy platform if the bags are placed as close to the rails as possible.

What size truck to be specific?

craig@ridetech.com · 07-20-2011, 06:21 PM

If it was me, and I was going to do any serious towing or hauling I would go with a parallel style 4-link with panhard bar or a true triangulated 4 link where there are 2 separate upper bars that angle from the axle to the frame. A "wishbone" upper I don't feel will offer enough side to side support under a heavy load, you will most likely feel the rear "walk" from side to side as the single connection at the point of the wishbone is trying to keep the axle centered. Other than that yes, definitely have the supply separated going to each air spring and use good quality shocks. We've towed trailers here for many hundreds of thousands of miles with out fail. They ride great loaded or unloaded, plus since you can raise and lower the rear it makes hooking up a trailer much easier on the arms. Not so much cranking up and down

07-16-2011, 01:36 PM	#1
6 Door King Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Franklin Virginia Posts: 204	Calling Guys that Tow! If anyone has personal experience towing with an air bag setup please give me the wisdom of your trials. I am looking to find out which type of setup will yield me the best stability while still providing a decent street ride without the trailer behind me. I am considering buiding a three link setup with the bags behind the axle. The lower links will be parallel outside the frame and below the axle centerline, and the upper link will be a triangulated link above the center of the housing and between the frame rails. Anyone have any suggestions? __________________ 1954 3100 Nova Subframe, Pontiac Posi, roller for now1967 C-10 SWB 350/350/Posi. Soon to be Crew Cab! 1978 Crew Cab Dually roller 1982 C-30 Rollback, 454, 4 speed 2004 K1500 Suburban Z71 5.3 Kid Mover

07-16-2011, 02:29 PM	#2
Dunenutt Newbee Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 1,406	Re: Calling Guys that Tow! Make sure the setup you use has independent valves for each bag, or sway will be hard to control.

07-16-2011, 04:15 PM	#3
6 Door King Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Franklin Virginia Posts: 204	Re: Calling Guys that Tow! Thank you for the suggestion, that was one aspect I had debated. It had not crossed my mind, but open air going between the two rear bags would only make the sway worse and would probably send me off the road. __________________ 1954 3100 Nova Subframe, Pontiac Posi, roller for now1967 C-10 SWB 350/350/Posi. Soon to be Crew Cab! 1978 Crew Cab Dually roller 1982 C-30 Rollback, 454, 4 speed 2004 K1500 Suburban Z71 5.3 Kid Mover

07-16-2011, 05:15 PM	#4
SCOTI Registered User Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: DALLAS,TX Posts: 22,071	Re: Calling Guys that Tow! A 4-bar set-up like described would offer the best ride vs. load capacity. The link bars outside the rails will allow for a nice sturdy platform if the bags are placed as close to the rails as possible. What size truck to be specific? __________________ 67SWB-B.B.RetroRod 64SWB-Recycle 89CCDually-Driver/Tow Truck 99CCSWB Driver All Fleetsides @rattlecankustoms in IG Building a small, high rpm engine with the perfect bore, stroke and rod ratio is very impressive. It's like a highly skilled Morrocan sword fighter with a Damascus Steel Scimitar..... *Cubic inches is like Indiana Jones with a cheap pistol.*

07-20-2011, 06:21 PM	#5
craig@ridetech.com Formerly LSC71 Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Indiana Posts: 186	Re: Calling Guys that Tow! If it was me, and I was going to do any serious towing or hauling I would go with a parallel style 4-link with panhard bar or a true triangulated 4 link where there are 2 separate upper bars that angle from the axle to the frame. A "wishbone" upper I don't feel will offer enough side to side support under a heavy load, you will most likely feel the rear "walk" from side to side as the single connection at the point of the wishbone is trying to keep the axle centered. Other than that yes, definitely have the supply separated going to each air spring and use good quality shocks. We've towed trailers here for many hundreds of thousands of miles with out fail. They ride great loaded or unloaded, plus since you can raise and lower the rear it makes hooking up a trailer much easier on the arms. Not so much cranking up and down



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