Air bag Question

[ANDREW]

hello so i have a 1983 chevy c20 and i just want to bag the front of my truck nothing extream i was told that i can hook it up so i can have a air fitting at the end of the line and i could pump it up at home or a gas station so what is the best way of doing this im trying to get a better ride out of my truck the rear has a flip kit and just want to do the front for now save some more money and eventually do the rear

thanks for all ur help

[N2TRUX]

Andrew it can be done. I will share with you how, but I don't think it is the way to go. You will need bags, mounting plates, and cups to replace your front coil springs. This set up is pictured below.

You will also need the airline, fittings, and a Schrader valve. Run your airline through grommets when you have to go through any metal, and keep it far away from any heat source.

I think it's fine to add a system like this to the rear and not have an onboard air source. If a line leaks, you can still drive home. In the front, it's a different story. It's highly probably that you won't be able to drive far until you get air in the system again.

If you want an air ride system, save your money and do it right. Buy a tank and compressor to go with the bags.

[ANDREW]

thanks alot .. what if i had a tank that was always filled with air and no compressor.. would that work incase of an emergency the front rides like crap im still in high school and dnt have alot of money i just want it to not ride like a horse and carrage

[78 Chevyrado]

That'll work as long as the tank is sealed up REAL good. Can't have the spare going flat...ha

[N2TRUX]

If your just trying to improve the ride, I would look at what you have and make it better. What is the condition of the front shocks? What size tire do you have and what is it load rated at? There are several things that might make it ride rough. Try to determine what they are before you yank the springs all together.

[ANDREW]

well not only the ride quality but i wanted to bag it anyway and save some money and bag the rear shorty after the front how much will the front cost me

[justpball]

will prob run you about 300 by time you get it all shipped to you


you will need this
http://www.*****************/-63-87-f...ag-bracket-kit
and 4 of these
http://www.*****************/fittings...male-connector
and 1 of these
http://www.*****************/fittings...ee/12brass-tee
and this
http://www.*****************/node/1014
and this
http://www.truckshop.com/product.php...cat=324&page=1
and last one of these
http://www.truckshop.com/product.php...cat=319&page=3

[BGRAFX]

I bought a suburban about 10yrs ago that had the setup that you're talking about. i wouldn't recommend it at all. basically it had a tire valve at the end and when I went to the gas station I would just air it up at the tire pump.

[foosed]

Thanks for the list justpball. I can see where Andrew is coming from. I plan on doing the same thing with my '70 until I can afford valves tank and a compressor. Im not doing it for the ride, I just want to lower it on air and I dont have the cash to fork out for an all out system. Its just a cruiser/show truck anyways so I will just keep a tank with me and air it out when I park and fill 'er back up when it's time to pack up. Good luck Andrew and be sure to post pics when you get started!

[jbmatth]

If you did decide to go this route, you could always carry a cheap air pump with you that hooks up to the lighter. It might take a while but would help keep you from getting stranded.

[N2TRUX]

Guys I completely understand have bigger "wants" than you have "means". We are all at the level in some form or fashion.

With that said, please let me encourage you to save your money and do it right. There is nothing more discouraging and frustrating than a system that fails.

jbmatth- That seems like good advice, but most of those cheap compressors would take a long time to air the system up. I have a really nice portable compressor and in can take 10 minutes to air up a flat tire.

Better advice would be to save that money and buy a good compressor that is designed to do the job correctly.

[justpball]

N2TRUX is very right on this one, and this is pretty important stuff here, so I would not try to skimp....just my 2 cents

[thrtsxchambers]

If you do the front the way you are talking about with a tank then just save up and add the compressor before you install. You can buy compressors at different price ranges and are not really all that expensive.
I agree to just save money and get everything right the first time. I spent close to a year buying different parts before I bagged my truck so just be patient and save up and also you can check out the classified section on this site and you may find some good deals.

[ANDREW]

Ok guys .. thanks alot ok so maybe bags is not a good idea right now since i dnt have all the money but what can i do to improve my ride now.. on the front it has drop springs witch are cut and the wrong shocks so everytime i hit a bump the springs shake.. what can i do to make the whole truck ride better

[ANDREW]

bump!!

[jbmatth]

The first time I lowered my truck I cut two coils off (I wouldn't do that again), and it was a really rough ride, always smacking the bump stops. So I simply removed the bump stops (I also wouldn't do again to help save the suspension), however the ride was WAY smoother, and much more enjoyable to drive. If you can find smaller bump stops that would be my 2 cents. Good Luck!

[justpball]

do you still have the bump stops? how many coils were cut?

[ANDREW]

Cut bump stops and i coil cut from a drop spring 2 or 3" drop spring im not sure...and it has the wrong shocks on im ready to order some but wanted to make sure im not changin anything else so i figured id come here and by the way thanks guys for all the help

[SCOTI]

Also.... For the guys thinking they'll use an air tank to raise the truck back up after deflating, you'll need two of those air tanks as they typically will only allow 125 max psi. Start adding air to the first bag & that psi drops rapidly. These trucks (especially a 3/4-ton) will require about 90psi for ride pressure (per corner).

I did the manual schrader fill for the rear for almost 2yrs but only added air to pull my trailer. After that, I purged the psi back down to my standard pressure & I only hooked up to my trailer @ home w/a convenient air supply. When I started pulling the trailer multiple times a week/month, I was definitely better off going w/the tank & compressor route. Much easier....

[ANDREW]

ok so i dont have all the money to bag it what can i do to better what i have

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by ANDREW

....what can i do to improve my ride now.. on the front it has drop springs witch are cut and the wrong shocks so everytime i hit a bump the springs shake.. what can i do to make the whole truck ride better

Get the correct drop springs & the 'right' shocks. CPP has been promoting their drop stuff lately so look & see if they offer springs that will work for you. If not them, try Summit Racing. For front shocks, get some decent quality gas shocks (KYB GR-2's, Bilstein, etc....). Have the front end inspected for wear. Many times worn parts result in a poor ride. Swapping new springs/shocks may not solve the entire problem if the rest of the suspension is junk.

[ANDREW]

ok well i have a flip kit in the rear and its already lower than the front ... wht size springs should i get

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by ANDREW

ok well i have a flip kit in the rear and its already lower than the front ... wht size springs should i get

Flip kits are typically 5-6" of drop. No front spring alone is going to equal that drop. You need to purchase drop spindles & 2-3" drop springs.

[justpball]

what he said! ^

[ANDREW]

what if i raised the rear with a block?