Air bag ride quality

[deisele75]

I'm working on some ideas for a 72 2WD Blazer. I want to make this truck show quality, but at the same time a daily driver. What i was wondering is what is the difference in ride quality between air bag suspension and just a standard 4/6 drop.

[GMC1tondually4dr]

Most of the luxury cars have some sort of air bag leveling system that rides well, Caddilac, Big Fords and Mercs.

All the big trucks on the highway have air bag suspension and air supported seats. Ask one of those guys.

I believe that a well engineered air bag suspension will ride the same if not better than a stock suspension.

I am going to put bags on my CCDually 1ton just for the reason that it will ride better unloaded

Just my .02
CCDually

[deisele75]

Thanks for the input, but I was wanting to hear it from someone who has who has actually done it to an older truck like that. I hear what your saying though.

[aaron t]

i am going to put air bags on my 72 shortbox and i talked to a guy that put it on his 72 blazer. he said that it rides so smooth that he would rather drive it than his new tahoe. also he said he has had it for about 5 years and he has not had any problems. he made his own brackets and used firestone bags but you can get the kit from brothers trucks.

[98L150]

I have air ride on my 72 sub and 64 shevy truck. ride quality is great. I used Air ride Tech kit ont eh sub and made my in kit for the 64. If installed correctly, the ride and dependabilty doesn't compare to a static 4/6 drop.

Jeff

[Shane]

it's like riding on air ...

[KutThroatKustoms]

The difference is great. Riding on a 4/6 is 1 set rate. Having airbags you can adjust the spring rate with the amount of air, along with lift. When you hit a pot hole, if you have a good enough setup, its not has 'hard' hitting as say static drop.

Since these trucks have such narrow frames, you're kinda screwed on different setups, unless you want to go full custom. You could run a parallel 4 link, which is what i recommend with the bags on top of the upper 4 link bar, with a gusset under neight the top bars for strength. This is one way of doing a 'mechanical advantage' or 'lever' and it rides EXCELLENT. If oyu just do a 4 link with the bags over the axle, it wont ride near as good, unless you use what is called a sleeve or tappered sleeve bag, like the firestone f9000. Which if you use one of those, it will ride nice over the axle, but you must have something, like your shocks, to limit its up AND downward travel, or they will pull apart or rip. A sleeved bag, if nothing to stop its up movement will just keep going till the end cap is pulled from the bag. If you lower it too far, they dont have internal bump stops and they will roll over so far, they can rip or bust when the end plates hit each other (when fulled airred out).

[svtiva]

is there any kits that anybody recomends for the 67-72 swb chevy

[deisele75]

Thanks, that sounds good

[BaggedC10]

I have an Air Ride Technologies bag' setup w/ some custom work done. If setup and installed properly, it will be reliable and provide awesome ride/handling qualities.

[68plus4sub]

With air ride being the better lowering system, the next question from guys like me is who to buy a kit from. I have the ability to do installation and very minor fabrication. There are so many different kits out there. I would like to put a complete system on my suburban, but cost will probably be one of the top issues. I've looked at ECE (not full system), Air Lift Company, Air Ride Tech, and Brothers, and the kits seem to be jst a bit different at each place. I want to get as close to a bolt on system as I can be without having a sky high price (I do know that it will be expensive for a complete system, I just don't want to pay "to much"). Are all of these systems good quality? Can I really go wrong as long as it is a good, reputable brand? And finally, if I go with the ECE rear system, what system should I use for the front?


I hope this isn't hijacking the thread, but it seems that it has been shown that air ride is the most adjustable, best ride quality system for lowering our trucks, and my questions seem to be the next logical step.

Thanks to all who throw in their 2 cents!!

[KutThroatKustoms]

It depends how low you want to go. Not many (if any for those trucks) will lay frame, if that is what you want. If not, then ART (air ride tech) is a good place to go, but also watch it, their kits shock tabs are notorious for breaking and if you dont notice it, it will pull the sleeved bag apart. They offer a limiting strap so you dont air up too far, but its up to you. You could also pull your leafs (or trailing arms if they were offered on the burbans back then), get a 4 link from www.***************** (parallel 4) a notch (you can cut it down so it stays under your floor if you want), and a set of airlift 2b7 bags and have a really nice rear setup that will get nice lift if the shocks allow it. If you feel you can setup the shocks in a manor they will limit the lift and travel of a tappered sleeve bag, you can stick those on with a nice shock (still need a shock with the double convolted bags), and the sleeved will ride better over the axle. But the double convolted is less of a headache, better lift, bumpstops inside so you dont crush the end plates, and you cant over extend them too easily. That would be the easiest setup if you can weld. You could go a little more fancy and mount the bag on the upper parallel 4 bar for a lever setup, get 12-15" of lift if dont right and ride like a dream, but you'd be cutting into the floor, building crossmember for the upper bag mount and stuff.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by 68plus4sub

.....the next question from guys like me is who to buy a kit from. I have the ability to do installation and very minor fabrication....

AirRide has a kit for 67-72 trucks that's 'bolt-on' w/very minor fabrication required. ECE deals mainly w/this vintage (design) of frame/suspension, so they would be a great choice as well.

As for ride quality..... I can't remember off the top of my head if 2wd blazers were available as both leaf & trailing arm. The trailing arm set-up (bags in place of coils) gives a great ride & can still perform well. The leaf set-up (air-over-leaf when switching to air) is more of a compromise because you will remove a majority of the stock leafs so the rear will want to 'hop' much worse than it did from the factory w/any more power than stone stock. With either style, both will ride as good as stock when converted to air but the air-over-leaf is more sensitive to air psi.

The fronts are a fairly easy swap & will ride better than a 'radical' static drop, but about the same as a mild static drop. If you can rebuild a front suspension, you can bolt on an air-ride kit w/o much difficulty.

If you don't need the latest/greatest in bells & whistles, or the need to continuously raise it up/slam it down, a simple manual fill system w/1 controller for the front (R/L) & 1 controller for the rear (R/L) is around $1100 from air-ride. It would be the 4-wheel installer pkg w/an extra gauge/controller. I hope this helps answer your questions.

[KutThroatKustoms]

Dont get ****ty about how i replied. He needed to answer what he wants. You cant bolt on an ART system and get the results you want then no reason to buy it. I told him ART had kits, but he needs to look at what he WANTS first. Or he'll be stuck with a kit that needs modded and STILL might not get him where he wants to be.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by KutThroatKustoms

.....Dont get ****ty about how i replied....

Actually I wasn't. I edited my response so you wouldn't read anything like that into it.

[68plus4sub]

I thought I replied earlier, but here it goes again.

I appreciate all the info I'm getting. Sounds like you all know what you're talking about, which is exactly what I'm looking for. Any quality info is welcome because it's a big decission money wise.

Thanks guys, and thanks in advance to future replies, I really do want any experienced info I can get!!

[Joe67]

I am looking at these setups right now as well. I am planning the buildup of my 67 SWB 2wd and wanted a 4/6 static drop. Considering I will be towing the Camaro from time to time, I am looking at a static front drop with a rear bag setup.

The ECE kit runs $649 and includes the Super track bar kit, shock relocators, shocks and the bag setup (Firestone bags) - http://earlyclassic.com/catalogpg20.html

AirRide has a rear setup for the 63-72 C10 for $399. This includes the necessary brackets, shocks and bags.

http://www.airride.com/productinfo/coolride.asp

Considering the AirRide kit is much less and you can even buy the Super Track Bary kit for $129 from ECE, I'm inclined to go with the AirRide setup. They come HIGHLY recommended.

Still shopping

[68plus4sub]

Good point, that 100 or so dollars would be nice to have for some other part. Thanks for the continued informationa!!

[brad2]

I am going to be the dissenting opinion. I have 71 2wd Jimmy. It was lowered when I bought it and I would estimate it to be a 4/6 job. With the four coils it rode GREAT! So I buy some twenties and bag it with ART stuff.....did not put a lot of miles on that setup but was dissapointed in the ride. Sure it rode smooth but was always either to soft or to firm. It bobbed over bumps. I know you guys are going to say hey it's adjustible just adjust it but it never met my expectations. For everyday driving it was not worth my money. Now to make it even worse the Jimmy is under total reconstruction with shockwaves (stupid me). I rob all that stuff for my SWB truck. Four linked with sleeve bags behind the axles.......still not satisfied. I have had the shock mounts moved run the ART shocks (monroes I think) and KYB's and still........
So I guess next are some QA1's.

[XXL]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

If you don't need the latest/greatest in bells & whistles, or the need to continuously raise it up/slam it down, a simple manual fill system w/1 controller for the front (R/L) & 1 controller for the rear (R/L) is around $1100 from air-ride. It would be the 4-wheel installer pkg w/an extra gauge/controller. I hope this helps answer your questions.

I agree with Scoti's assessment except that I would NOT do a 2-way. That's what I started with roughly 5 years ago and it just couldn't handle turns. I went to 4-way about 6 months later and it was light-years better. It adds to the complexity (and price) of the system, but I wouldn't even consider 2-way again.

[SCOTI]

Actually . . ..... my way was 4-corner control, via the extra manual guage/switch. I currently use a single guage/switch for independent control of my rear bags left & right. By adding a second guage/controller he could manually control all 4-corners w/o paying for the ride-pro (solenoids).

Yes it's more airlines into the cab, but it is cheaper to start.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by brad2

I am going to be the dissenting opinion. I have 71 2wd Jimmy. It was lowered when I bought it and I would estimate it to be a 4/6 job. With the four coils it rode GREAT! So I buy some twenties and bag it with ART stuff.....did not put a lot of miles on that setup but was dissapointed in the ride. Sure it rode smooth but was always either to soft or to firm. It bobbed over bumps. I know you guys are going to say hey it's adjustible just adjust it but it never met my expectations. For everyday driving it was not worth my money. Now to make it even worse the Jimmy is under total reconstruction with shockwaves (stupid me). I rob all that stuff for my SWB truck. Four linked with sleeve bags behind the axles.......still not satisfied. I have had the shock mounts moved run the ART shocks (monroes I think) and KYB's and still........
So I guess next are some QA1's.

My lowered 68 rides as good as it did @ stock height but it only has bags in the back. I was thinking about putting bags up front when I do my engine thrash soon.... perhaps I'll leave it as it is (it seemed as though the front bags were pretty well set-up for the 1/2ton chevy truck market).

[Ole Blue]

What about handling? With springs you get a specific spring rate per inch of travel at an installed height. With bags you do not. I think it depends on what you are trying to go for. The look, The ride, or Handling, its all a compromise, it just depends on whats the most important to you.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Ole Blue

What about handling? With springs you get a specific spring rate per inch of travel at an installed height. With bags you do not. I think it depends on what you are trying to go for. The look, The ride, or Handling, its all a compromise, it just depends on whats the most important to you.

True. But consider this: Super Chevy did skid pad testing on a 63 chevyII w/front & rear air bags rolling on 17's/F & 18's/R. It actually pulled better G's than a 4th gen f-body (stock, but still an f-body) & was a couple mph faster thru the slalom cones as well. So air bags can be tuned to handle decently.

But, a truck is a truck is a truck. They still have a higher roll center than a car irregardless of how much you lower them so handling will be handicapped even w/specific rate springs. Now I'm not saying it won't handle better than stock, I just wouldn't ever expect my 68 swb to outhandle the stock 02 T/A that sits next to it in the driveway.

My guess is most lower their trucks for the 'look'. Airbags can help achieve that look and then be adjusted to use the truck as a truck. Static drops w/specific rate/sport springs will also get the drop..... but have a harder time accomodating a decent sized payload. I guess that would be a good poll question for board members..... How many use their trucks for more than play (dropped or not)?

[nate68]

is the improved ride quality worth the money? that would be the reason i would do air ride, not so i can go up and down all the time or handle loads (i've never put anything in the bed)