softer ride

[forestb]

How much does it really help in creating a smother more comfortable ride when you install air bags instead of coils? and is it worth it? Does it hurt your ability to corner? Is it cost effective? is there another way?

[vin63]

In my experience, carefully matched coil springs (to the weight of the vehicle, etc.) and shocks are comparable in ride comfort to air springs and same shocks. If you go with a individual air spring control, you can eliminate the need for sway bars to help reduce weight. There can be a substantial cost difference just in the added equipment required for the air spring conversion, and then how you want to control the air springs.

[61_FL_Apache]

I have had bags in my 65 and current 61. To me its night and day.. The bags on the rear of my 61 make it ride like a Caddy!! I had coils in my 65 and it rode like a truck (no pun) until I bagged it.

[creep]

If you are not looking to slam your truck then you don't need an air management system to run airbags, just airlines with Schrader valves at the ends mounted somewhere you can easily access but still hidden. It would basically be like a static suspension you can tune to get the ride you want. Just don't "T" the airlines into each other, keep each bag a separate line, or you would have pressure transfer from bag to bag resulting in some extreme body roll.

[61_FL_Apache]

Look thru my build thread and you will see my simple low buck air system.
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[LostMy65]

I notice a huge difference in road vibration/roughness transfer between my high profile tires and my low profile tires.
With my low profile tires, every bump gets
transferred to my aching body. I'm still planning on doing the simple conversion like 61_FL_Apache. I'm hoping the bags will absorb some of that road vibration/roughness. I'm guessing it will.

[66Submarine]

Is it the OE setup now, or has it been lowered or something? (I've honestly always thought the half ton trucks ride like they are on marshmallows...)

[LostMy65]

I have two sets of wheels and tires. One set is 31/10.5 R15 on 8" wheels. The other is 295/50R15 on 10" wheels.
The ride is only rough with my 295/50R15

[66Submarine]

Yeah, the extra sidewall height certainly smooths everything out

[forestb]

It is so true. Over the last couple of years I have owned a few honda accords. A 2001, a 2003 and now a 2008 and every year the wheel diameter gets larger and the roughness of the ride increases.