Do you prefer air bags or coils

[gentry69]

I guess i would have to say coils with a good air shock. The reason i say this and i only heard this from one person and hes got them on a 30s sedan is that if u are cruisin around they ride as nice as u can ask for but if u get on the highway and do 80,85 they shake and vibrate a little bit now wether they are out of adjustment or something i dont no but if u bag a 67-72 and want to drop it alot u will need to c-notch the frame but they are getting more popular everyday so they might be alright.

[kyle4381]

Both my rides are bagged with air ride technologies ride pro systems and they ride sweet.. I just run 1/4'' line no hopping BS... Ride in a truck with bags...and then decide..

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by kyle4381

Both my rides are bagged with air ride technologies ride pro systems and they ride sweet.. I just run 1/4'' line no hopping BS... Ride in a truck with bags...and then decide..

Agreed.

[Brento72]

What about handling in the corners. I know these are trucks.. but I'm a bit of a predictability freak and my sport bike days lend me to consistancy with speed and endurance. A spring is not affected by temp and elevation drops to the levels a rubber bag with air mix gas has. I'm old school and doing a static drop myself but inherently a spring/shock combo should be more reliable and predictable than an air shock combo with more of a variable for change and mal-adjustment throught operation, without operator adjustment. From my function over form perspective wouldn't you rather round the next bend than plant your bumper corner into the asphalt and induce an oversteer situation? This is just conjecture and possibly a lesson for me in light vehicle air bag technology but truly your pride and joy should perform at level above that of a Freightliner. Keep on truckin'

[bskylerj]

From what I have read and what the guys at Air Ride have told me is that this will handle better than it has before. I also have the big sway bars front and rear and the truck. They said that helps make a big difference. I will be doing a "c" notch in the frame and here is what I just ordered.

Web site for air ride. http://www.ridetech.com/productinfo/coolride.asp

Front kit is the CoolRide ARF 11800
Rear kit is the CoolRide ARR 21800

and for the tank and compressor kit I went with the RidePro e

ARC4700e BigRed 4 way system - same as above, only with 1 compressor, 1 tank, and 3/8" airline and fittings. Rise Time: approximately 2 seconds

[Brento72]

I got the sway bars down and doin the c notch this weekend. We may have to see where this goes. I may be an air bag convert someday. Mine's a frame off and if i get the cash it'll stay apart until I get the cab refurbished but the chassis is gettin done and I wanna eat some asphalt with this truck ASAP and primer does not embarass me. I gotta figure out where these bags fit in between sport truck and titanium sparks until the fire dept is chasin ya.!!

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Brento7

.... We may have to see where this goes. I may be an air bag convert someday. .... I gotta figure out where these bags fit in between sport truck and titanium sparks until the fire dept is chasin ya.!!

I have spindles/coils & rear bags on my 68; spindles, coils & rear flip kit on my 74.

My 68 feels more stable through a fast sweeping turn & I can adjust the height when I decide to hook up my trailer. I can't do that w/my 74.... yet .

[Rokcrln]

Now keep in mind my kit was one of the first ones Air Ride sold for these trucks (7 years ago). At that time I went from Spring drop to 4 corner air bag with one valve front and back. It road great but the shocks they sent in the kit had alot to be desired to control re-bound. I put on a big front sway bar (the rear took 8months to get ) and with that it handled great. I was only running a warmed over 327, turbo 350 and 4.11 R&P.

I then decided to swap out the tranny for a built 700r4 and one thing led to another and before I knew it the truck was down beyond the frame off stage and has not seen the road (except on a trailer being moved twice to new houses) under its own power in 5+ years. This has given me alot of time to think and fab new items for the truck and as the new shop gets closer to being finished I have a few more changes to make and here they are.

1. Ride control pro system. Keeps your alignment at the same piont for driving even with temp and alt changes!

2. Strong arm kit for better suspention geometry and ball joint life.

3. Buy the best shocks you can find (compresion and re-bound adjustable control would be ideal)

4. For me a larger rear bag and mounted differently in the rear for more lift ( I currently can not change my tire with out a bit of Duel jack work)

5. Two tanks and compressors just for quicker air filling and less compressor running time ( hate the noise and may switch to and engine driven set up)

And now if you want real low on 20" then a few more items!

6. X-member 1.25" chanel for the front.

7. Step notch in the rear.

8. A two pivot rear panhard set up to allow for zero side to side shift during full travel.

9. Bump stops set just a 1/4" before the rocker grind off.

10. front fender trimming for 20-22" tire clearance.

11. New inner fenders to allow the tire to stuff with out kicking rocks into the under side of your hood.

12. New hood hindges to allow for steps 10&11.

13. Last thing double check everything you have done to make sure that nothing rubs or hangs down to allow for problems on the road.


Now with that said here is my truck in its current stage so you can see I almost know what I am talking about. It is a 71 with an old air ride two valve kit 1/4" line and single comp and tank. It has 3" belltec front spindles, small C-notch (I built this 7yrs ago), 2" body drop, 4" frame Z step behind the cab (so equal to about a 6.25" step notch with frame figured in). 335/35/17's in back on 11" wide rallys. Raised floor (sectioned the inside of the bed). 35gal SS fuel tank with in-tank pump behind the axel. 93 LT1 shifted 2" back twards the fire wall.

That is about it for now but will include all mentioned above items and a few unlisted items before it hits the road again with 20" front and 22" rears.

Kevin
Winters Ca.

PS. 255 & 275/60/R15 BFG Radial TA's 95% tread with once chrome ralleys $150

[smbrouss70]

Rokcrln, does your truck roll when aired out or is it touching somewhere?

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by smbrouss70

Rokcrln, does your truck roll when aired out or is it touching somewhere?

When it is 1/4" higher it will roll. At this piont it hits the top of the front fenders. This will soon be fixed!

Kevin

[MisterMan]

I work at a car wash, i see dumb asses /w/ their s10's so low they have barely 1/2 inch space from the frame to the ground. I've also see 3 car's bags POP! while mid may thru the carwash.....hahha, then again i also saw some guy that got stuck /w/ 1 wheel up. it was too espensive to replace a pump he had them remove all pumps. (so he said) his car was forever stuck in the "pushing pennies on the road" position. I dont like bags, i dont like hydrolics. just use some drop spend, coils and shocks.

[bskylerj]

Thanks Rokcrln. That is the kind of info I was looking for. Keep me posted as you get more done on yours.

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by bskylerj

Thanks Rokcrln. That is the kind of info I was looking for. Keep me posted as you get more done on yours.

No problem at all! Any more questions and I will do what I can to answer them. Mine will be tacking a few steps back before I can go forward some more. I will be cutting the frame off behind the cab and fabbin a new one that will allow for a bit more tuck and also one that is perfectly square and true. I think mine may have been off just a bit before I started and I am not real happy with it.

Kevin