am i getting cheated??

[68fleetside]

I called a local air ride dealer today and ask him for a price on installing bags on my truck (not the kit, just installing the kit i have) and he said it would be around 1500-2000. Thats more than i paid for the dang kit!!! Am i gettin cheated or is this reasonable. I don't think it is, but i thought i'd ask.

And if anybody knows of anybody in the northern texas area that can install them please let me know. Thanks

[luckydog]

I guess it depends on your kit. Is it just bags, is it a 4 link, does it require a c-notch? There's lots of variables, but heck I would help do it just for the fun of it. (But, I'm not professional)

[BigChevMan]

Unless your doing something crazy like a 4 link or something in the rear with a crazy notch and stuff., your seriously getting hosed. I know that air ride and airlift's kits are bolt in items...so you would be paying 2 gs for someone to turn a wrench. You could really do it yourself..it's not hard at all. There isn't any welding involved unless you got a notch and 4 link or something along those lines. It's strictly bolting stuff in.

[bagged01extcab]

I live in Marshall Texas, and I'm starting my own air suspension shop. Email me at trey@scrapin-innovations.com, with all the parts you have and what you are wanting done, and I will see what I can do it for! Where are you in N. Texas?

[cdowns]

did you buy the kit from that dealer??
if not there are many people who strongly resent someone coming in and wanting to have parts installed that were purchased elsewhere and they price those jobs accordingly

[sixty8c10]

you are seriously getting hosed!! I would help just cause i like the way these trucks look on bags.

welcome to the board from louisiana.

where did you get your kit? what all was included? what did it cost?

[flatblackclassic]

E-mail me at kaoskustoms@gmail.com and I will work up a price to get it installed.

[68fleetside]

i got it from a friend on eBay for 930.00, he told me it was just a display unit that was installed on a truck that was sitting on the showroom floor. It can w/ everything. This is the eBay description: Two Five Gallon FireStone Tanks W/Fittings & Oil Filled Gauge, Eight 250 PSI Soloinds W/Fittings,Two Upper Shock Mounts W/ Four Shock Studs,Four FireStone 224C 1/2 Port Bags,One 10 SwitchBox. New 40' 1/2 Hose,Two New FiresStone Compressors,one used Compressor. One 150 Pressure Switch, one Set of Front Air Bag Mounts,One Set of Rear Air Bag Brackets. One Pair Urathane Bump Stops,Included are Misc Fittings and lines.

I am going to get a 4link and c notch the frame. I want this thing to lay on the ground. Which brings me to another question. Does layin frame require spindles too or just bags?

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by 68fleetside

.... I want this thing to lay on the ground. Which brings me to another question. Does layin frame require spindles too or just bags?

What do you want to lay on the ground? Rockers or rails?

If your just trying to plant the front arms/c-member..... spindles & bags will do that.
If your trying to plant the main frame rails.... it will take spindles, bags, & more. To 'lay frame' (rails), you'll need @ least 1 of these: a crossmember drop or to 'Z' the front frame section.
If your trying to plant the rockers..... you'll need the above w/some amount of body drop.

Keep in mind that alot of shops also deal w/manufacturers themselves. A typical air-ride kit might retail for say $1200. Being a dealer they usually get some kind of 'dealers' discount (for discussions sake, say 20%). They might pass some of that 20% savings on to you, but not all of it. But w/that price comes the assurance of quality (subjective) of the parts. If an Air-Ride dealer installs AirRide parts (or AirLift.... or xxxx), they'll stand behind the product if there's a problem.

So you go & by-pass the 'dealer' & get the parts on your own. Unless whoever sold you the parts is willing to install it, most shops would not even install a used kit, because they wouldn't want the liability risk. If there were a problem w/something after the install, who is responsible?

Also, consider this: Most people that pay to have something installed wouldn't recognize if there's a problem w/the install or the parts, & will take it back to the installer. The most commom failures are solenoids that stick, controllers that don't work, or damaged airlines. More than likely, damaged airlines are an installer issue, solenoids & controllers aren't. If it's not installer related, they're prob going to charge you additional $$ to service the system (installation is just that... installing, and doesn't include parts warranty/replacement). Customers don't usually care for having to pay more money for something they feel should work in the first place. It's a frustrating experience that installers want to avoid.

[Bagd72Chevy]

If I'm guessing right you have a 68. If it has the trailing bars and not the leaf springs it should not be that much. I have bagged quite a few cars, and recently quoted a guy $1100 to bag a 99 chevy silverado which is a hell of alot harder than the 67-72 trucks. I bagged my 72, and its so easy I wouldn't charge more than $650. But thats just me, andI don't eat off this. I do it to help pay for my truck and cause i enjoy it, but once again a 68 is easy to bag. If you can understand the wiring and have a jack, jackstands and some hand tools you could do it yourself in 2 weekends easy.