Bagged Ride Quality

[OL55CHEVY]

Guys,
my 55 AD came bagged front and back and I have played with the air adjustments, between 85 - 100 on the gauges, (anything less and the front wheels hit the fenders when turning) . The problem is it just doesn't ride well. The back end seems to hop around whenever I hit a bump or even an undulation in the road. I am tempted to change them out for coil overs, but seems a big waste, of $$ cause I have the receipts on what the PO paid for the system, but I need it riding well more than I need it looking cool.
Anyone have any thoughts ? Is it really the bags at fault or could it be the rear
shocks ? They seem to have a lot of travel to allow for min and max adjustment
of the air bags.

[NEWFISHER]

Have you contacted the Big air bag supply companies? I have heard of the same issue you are having and the owners have installed a larger diameter bag and run them lower than the 80-100psi. I hope other bag owners will chime in and would like to hear your solution when you resolve the problem.

[ZR2RICK]

sounds like too much air pressure, you will need to add to the cups above and/or below the bags to get the height you need, your ride height will be where you have your alignment done, The sweet spot is usually halfway between the max. and min. air pressures the bags are rated for.

[youngrodder]

Some pictures of your current set up and ride height would also help everyone to see what you are up against.

Marc

[parkwood]

Originally Posted by youngrodder

Some pictures of your current set up and ride height would also help everyone to see what you are up against.

Marc

worth a 1000 words....

[98layinframe]

What size are the bags? 6", 7", 8" in diameter? Assuming there a normal double convoluted bag, when the truck is laid out the bags should be compressed to 3" tall and if its a sleeve bag it should be at 4.5" tall. If your not compressing them far enough, it results in extremely high ride height air pressures, not much usable travel range, and very stiff bouncy ride.
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[Chris.]

It all depends. in the rear of the truck if the bags are over the axle then that ride quality is not that unusual if it is not set up perfectly. Does the truck have shocks at all 4 corners? Are you having issues in the front or were you just telling us about the pressure so we'd know? Pics of the setup front and rear would be very helpful.
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[OL55CHEVY]

here are a few pics, at 85 psi on the gauges I get about a 5 1/2 " ride measured from the running boards to the garage floor , the extractors probably hang down about 1/2" lower than that. The front tires are only about 1/2" away from the fenders, so I don't think making a sharp turn is possible, so the limit for driving is really about 90 psi. I am enclosing pics, wondering if the PO got the ride height wrong when he did the setup ? as the bags look way extended to me, great I guess if you want to drop completely in the weeds, but not great for driving. Also wondering what psi other guys run on these bags for normal driving. The setup is from Ride Tech and on the parts list the bag is an F6781

[STOUTE]

Bag over axle. Is there anyway you can lay it out and measure the bags? I ride my 53 about 3" of the ground and run 110 pouns in the front and 60 in the rear
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[bk2life]

the truck needs to be aired-out and see if the bags aer fully collapsed.

the rear bags are called 2500lb bags on the "street" if you switch to a bigger bag itll be a softer ride on the rear. also a "rolling sleeve" bag on the rear will make it ride super soft.

without seein pics of the front, hard to give you advise. but with the pressures your sayin you run, im going to guess they have 2500lb bags in the front. for example, in my '84 crew cab dually, with bbc, i drive about 1 inch off the ground, have to air it up to turn, but then air out to my drive height again. but im about 40 psi to drive (RE8 bags) and fully aired up around 180 psi.

air bags ride amazing, your current set-up needs some adjusting to make it work correclty. please post some pics of the front suspension.

[youngrodder]

What are you running for front suspension? it sounds like the track width of your front clip is too wide not allowing you to turn much when aired down. Especially if you are 1/2" from the fender and your rims look to be about 7" side. I'm running air ride technologies system on a modified G-body frame (front and back> It is similar to an S-10 up front. I run 85-90 in the front and about 60 in the rear. I have full shocks and front and rear sway bars which also helps to improve the ride/handling.

When I'm at ride height (pics attached). I can't turn lock to lock but mine hits on the inner fenders and I would rather run inner fenders and lose a little turning radius. My rims are also 20" x 8.5" wide up front.

Keep providing info/pics on your set up. There are some really bright people on this board that should be able to get you in the right direction.

Good luck
Marc

[OL55CHEVY]

In the papers I was given for the truck was a parts list for the air system for the front ARF600 70-81 Camaro Front Coolride.
I seem to remember the PO saying it was a Camaro Front Clip. I have found some original pics of the build, showing front suspension

[Kid]

Air bags are designed to be mounted at a specific ride height, not pressure. Another words, a specified distance from top bag mount to bottom bag mount. find out what specified ride height is for your bags, then fill until that distance is maintained, with the weight of you & your truck. If your truck does not set at the height you want when your bags are aired to proper bag height, then thats a problem! & will not provide ride quality. If the front is a "cool ride" kit, then sould be OK when set tp proper height, (your wheel to wheel distance may be too wide for turning clearance). My experiance has been that a rolling sleeve bag works (rides) better than double convoluted bags for rear set ups. By the way, my G body front cliped AD truck with the same bags you have on front, requires 110 lbs for proper ride height.. & provides great ride quality. by the way, good looking truck you got there, love the wheel, tire combo.

[Chevette]

I don't know anything about air bags, as I have never installed or used them, but I do know a thing or two about "pinion angle" and looking at your picture of the drive shaft/center section, if you have a gravity protractor you should check the angle.

[Chris.]

I think that the only easy thing you could do is find out what height your rear bags are capable to collapse to then lay the truck out and see how tall they are then add a spacer if it isn't collapsed to almost its full limit. The other thing you could do is go with new bags slam specialties 're7 bags collapse to 3in and will expand to 11in giving you 8in of travel
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