Thread: air bags

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Got the firestone air bags ,ride rites 0335.gettin ready to fab up some mounts and install them,any hints tips or tricks ?this is going on a rear trailing arm suspention ,66 chevy truck.

I would look at how the aftermarket makes the mounts. On those trucks the front bags bolt to a plate that bolts to the bottom of the spring cup. The rear will be easy. I would go with a longer panhard bar. Look at Early Classic Enterprises to see what they do for shocks. Above all dont let the bags rub anything and cut the air lines straight.

Shawn, let me know how those airbags turn out. I had a bunch of people at the HAMB board tell me to go with Firestone and that they are cheaper in price than Air Ride but just as good. I don't know what to believe but they use them and said they are fine.

I have Air Ride brand shocks(not installed yet), and they are made by Firestone for Air Ride, they have both company names on them, so id say they are the same as those just branded with the Firestone name.

Here is my 39 rear bags

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Here is one more

Mikec, is that a 40's Chevy frame? I have a 1948 coupe and the frame is EXACTLY like that and same with the square tubed crossmember, etc. I was going to see how hard it is to Cnotch the frame with that flat plate under the box frame. I forget what they call these frames all the time....

FMX,
It is a 1939 Chevy frame. The square tubing behind the rear axle is my doing to hange the rear shocks. The round tubing X member is aftermarket to stiffen the frame to handle the HP and TQ. You can not see it in these photos but this frame is so close to the ground without C notching it that am a little concerned. The bottom of the transmission pan is about 1" from the ground with the bags deflated.

You can sort of see it here

Yeah that is most likely how my car will be as well. What do you think I can do to raise the motor and tranny up 2 inches or so? Is there even a way to do this? I wont have to worry about the tranny hitting my floor since my floors are rusted out and I need to put all new ones in and can make a bigger transmission tunnel. Also what diameter, thickness tubing is that? I was going to do square tubing and have that design where the exhaust pipes go through it you know but with that flat plate under the box of the frame it wont work so I thought I will go with tubing. All I know is your chassis and car looks really nice. I was wondering if there would be a way to use just the grille and front fenders off something like yours instead of my front fenders where it rounds off and ends at the middle of the door. I think it would be sweet to do that and have that pointed front end. What do you think? Also, if you have anymore front pics and info on your front end of that I'd like to check it out. Thanks!

Personally I wouldn't run a pan-hard bar on a air-ride suspension system. I'd go with a triangulated 4-link as mikec posted that sytem works great, although I would have put the bags about halfway down the bottom bars, that gives you a much much better ride, and also more lift out of the same bag, so you don't necessarily have to run a big bag go with a 2500 or 2600 series bag. Slam specialty bags are by far my favorite, conti bags are good, firestones are ok.. just would not get air-lift bags, been having many problems with them lately. but if your looking for a place to buy all your goods go to suicidedoors.com they got what you need, i assure u. and there service is top notch, and they make all the bars for the triangulated 4-link and are built better than anyone elses, will also build you bars to your specifications, and will make special bars if you want bags mounted to the bottom arms, actually they stock all that stuff, but prob not for your app

I would also suggest against using the dot line that mikec used it works ok but is just plastic line, and crack, and is not very good with heat, can burn through, or rub though very easily, i'd suggest using braided lines. although you don't have to it's just better,, it can be expensive though, but the point is that if you are putting this on a expensive ride, i wouldn't want my ride to drop while going down the highway, and have it wipe out a fender or something,
also for all your compressor needs and valve needs suicidedoors.com has all of that stuff too. i keep saying there name because everyone has excellent luck with them and their service so i'm sure you will too.. once again though just dont' get the air-lift bags...
good luck to you.. if you need any more info on this feel free to pm me, i'm surrounded by people with bags.

Looks good mike but I think that I would raise the tranny up and motor up a bit, you have plenty of room.. can you get that rear sitting a little lower????

Mopar, I will be sending you a PM later today. I want to ask you a few questions since you seem to know a bit about bags. I will check out that site that you mentioned and see what I can find and ask around about them more.