air bag supension, which brand? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

utfan15 · 09-03-2004, 12:01 PM

I know i want to put air bags on my 67' chevy swb stepside, but which brand? Air lift makes a bolt on kit for 67-72, air ride ( a company not far from me) has a kit also and i believe it requires some welding. Has anyone here done the air bags on these trucks? any info would be great!

stllookn · 09-03-2004, 02:05 PM

Welcome to the board from Seattle, WA. I just ordered my bags, Firestone, so can't really help you out. There are only about three manufacturers of bags so you really can't go wrong. I have heard rumors of guys popping/ cutting or burning bags due to improper mounting but if you follow good fabrication procedures you should be fine. The other problem will be trying to launch your truck off the ground...nobody can help you there...LOL!

Joe67 · 09-03-2004, 02:14 PM

Welcome

Air Ride Has some great products - worth checking out IMO

MrShelley · 09-03-2004, 02:28 PM

Air Ride makes great stuff, but they're just too expensive.

Air Ride front kit for 63-87 C-10 (ARF11800)
Firestone bags
upper plates
lower cups
bump stops
shocks
mounting hardware
$525

*****************
Air Lift company bags $130/pr
mounting plates/cups $60/set
bump stops $10/pr from Jegs
mounting hardware $15 from Lowe's
shocks $60 from Summit
$275 total

That's $250 less than the Air Ride kit. Do the math! That Air Ride sticker sure is expensive!

zooza · 09-03-2004, 06:43 PM

Do these come with instructions? How do you pump up the air? What about tire wear ? geometry must change @ different heights, right? I like the look of bagged rides but I just dOnt understand how IT WORKS.
Anybody got a tech article?

68w/sbc406 · 09-03-2004, 06:54 PM

well there is 2 ways to pump up the bags. the cheap way and the expensive way. the cheap way is get some airline and shraider valves and pump it up at the gas station. and the expensive way is to buy the pump cylinoid switches and tanks to pump up as you drive. i have heard of people using the harrison AC pumps as the pump for the bags so you could go to the bone yard and save some bucks there.

MrShelley · 09-03-2004, 06:58 PM

An onboard compressor (engine driven or electric) supplies the air. The front geometry changes as you drive over bumps in the road whether you are using a stock suspension or a slammed, air-bagged custom. The difference is in the amount of geometry change. Air-bag suspensions are generally aligned at ride height.

Here's a link to give you an idea of how an air suspension is plumbed.

El Linko

Hunter · 09-04-2004, 01:03 AM

I got Firestone bags quick and cheap from ***************** and have been rounding up the supplies. I'm going the cheap route and will just us a tire gauge to air them up evenly. two single lines back to the bumper Schraider valves just like the old air-shock days.
Mounting looks like a very simple affair, with just maybe a spacer block to make up the difference in the original spring vs. airbag height. Have to get the old springs and mounts out of there to determine the final design. Its no big deal though, I can tell after just 10 minutes under the truck examining the setup...
THANKS to all for the input. I'm stalled on getting this done as I'm headed to Europe for 3 weeks, end of Sept. but will post images upon completion of project. H.

utfan15 · 09-04-2004, 09:49 AM

well, i think i'll probably go with the air ride package,, but first i need to change over to disc in the front. I would go the cheaper route, but i'm starting up a rod and custom shop and i need to stand behind my products and since air ride is in the next state, (in live in ky) i will go with them, thanks for the help.

09-03-2004, 12:01 PM	#1
utfan15 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 15	air bag supension, which brand? I know i want to put air bags on my 67' chevy swb stepside, but which brand? Air lift makes a bolt on kit for 67-72, air ride ( a company not far from me) has a kit also and i believe it requires some welding. Has anyone here done the air bags on these trucks? any info would be great!

09-03-2004, 02:05 PM	#2
stllookn Saving 1 truck at a time! Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Kent, WA Posts: 6,465	Welcome to the board from Seattle, WA. I just ordered my bags, Firestone, so can't really help you out. There are only about three manufacturers of bags so you really can't go wrong. I have heard rumors of guys popping/ cutting or burning bags due to improper mounting but if you follow good fabrication procedures you should be fine. The other problem will be trying to launch your truck off the ground...nobody can help you there...LOL! __________________ '68 C20 Longhorn 50th Anniversary 400/TH400 '68 C20 Longhorn 50th Anniversary 468/TH400w/buckets '72 C20 Halfhorn (Longhorn w/o cab and front clip) '69 Flxible Cruiser (look up ugly in the dictionary)

09-03-2004, 02:14 PM	#3
Joe67 67 is sold Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Troy, Michigan Posts: 6,738	Welcome Air Ride Has some great products - worth checking out IMO __________________ Joe - Formerly 67c10step ------------------------------- 1967 Chevy Stepside - ECE 4/6, fuelcell, 5lug - SOLD gr8lakes - My ebay auctions Click here to order forum apparel :: Click here to become a subscribing member

09-03-2004, 02:28 PM	#4
MrShelley Too Many Clubs Club Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Kilgore, Texas Posts: 443	Air Ride makes great stuff, but they're just too expensive. Air Ride front kit for 63-87 C-10 (ARF11800) Firestone bags upper plates lower cups bump stops shocks mounting hardware $525 ***************** Air Lift company bags $130/pr mounting plates/cups $60/set bump stops $10/pr from Jegs mounting hardware $15 from Lowe's shocks $60 from Summit $275 total That's $250 less than the Air Ride kit. Do the math! That Air Ride sticker sure is expensive! __________________ How I installed my air bags...

09-03-2004, 06:54 PM	#6
68w/sbc406 Got Light Emitting Diode? Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Newberg, OR Posts: 2,485	well there is 2 ways to pump up the bags. the cheap way and the expensive way. the cheap way is get some airline and shraider valves and pump it up at the gas station. and the expensive way is to buy the pump cylinoid switches and tanks to pump up as you drive. i have heard of people using the harrison AC pumps as the pump for the bags so you could go to the bone yard and save some bucks there. __________________ 1968 1/2 ton 2wd lwb 6 lug disc and bags up front. Next c notch and rear bags '02 Chevy Silverado LT ext cab short bed 2WD 5/7 drop on 22's(the family car) 1993 Cherokee work ride/weekend wheeler

09-03-2004, 06:43 PM	#5
zooza Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: LINDEN, TN. Posts: 260	Do these come with instructions? How do you pump up the air? What about tire wear ? geometry must change @ different heights, right? I like the look of bagged rides but I just dOnt understand how IT WORKS. Anybody got a tech article?

09-03-2004, 06:58 PM	#7
MrShelley Too Many Clubs Club Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Kilgore, Texas Posts: 443	An onboard compressor (engine driven or electric) supplies the air. The front geometry changes as you drive over bumps in the road whether you are using a stock suspension or a slammed, air-bagged custom. The difference is in the amount of geometry change. Air-bag suspensions are generally aligned at ride height. Here's a link to give you an idea of how an air suspension is plumbed. El Linko __________________ How I installed my air bags...

09-04-2004, 01:03 AM	#8
Hunter Lovin' Arizona Since 1961 Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Camp Verde, Arizona Posts: 173	I got Firestone bags quick and cheap from ***************** and have been rounding up the supplies. I'm going the cheap route and will just us a tire gauge to air them up evenly. two single lines back to the bumper Schraider valves just like the old air-shock days. Mounting looks like a very simple affair, with just maybe a spacer block to make up the difference in the original spring vs. airbag height. Have to get the old springs and mounts out of there to determine the final design. Its no big deal though, I can tell after just 10 minutes under the truck examining the setup... THANKS to all for the input. I'm stalled on getting this done as I'm headed to Europe for 3 weeks, end of Sept. but will post images upon completion of project. H. __________________ "Religion is like a toothbrush: Everybody should have one, but I don't want yours" - Will Rogers

09-04-2004, 09:49 AM	#9
utfan15 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 15	well, i think i'll probably go with the air ride package,, but first i need to change over to disc in the front. I would go the cheaper route, but i'm starting up a rod and custom shop and i need to stand behind my products and since air ride is in the next state, (in live in ky) i will go with them, thanks for the help.



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