trik396

Thinking of getting a small lift for the front of my truck (2inches or so w/Bilstiens).
Would a airbag setup in the rear help or hurt ride and or performance?

I don't haul that much and never towed yet. I'll be fabbing up some traction bars in the future also.
Any comments, concerns... or if you just wanna call me a goof, go right ahead...

JD Dearden

Well it depends on what kindoff airbags your talking, are you replacing eveything or just doin a towing airbag. I am assuming towing so it depends, when towing yes it will ride better, when not towing it will ride better in some circumstances but it will genereally be a little stiffer and a little bouncy. I run my bags at 5 pounds when not towing.

trik396

Just the towing airbag...

JD Dearden

Also you want to be careful where you mount your traction bars, I have the Firestone airbag kit these airbags go from the frame to the axle, my traction bars where right in the way. I then tried to get a Ford kit (leafspring to frame) but it diden't clear my tires now I have a dually so it maybe different on a srw. So I actually fabricated a mounting system that sits on the top of my traction bars it is pretty cool but was a pain in the ***. If you need more info or pics let me know, there isn't much room down there so you need to be careful. There also maybe another brand of airbag that mounts from leafspring to frame??

Cowhand

I am test bedding a new air bag setup this week, hope to have it installed by Wednesday or Thursday. It mounts inboard of the spring packs.

It's a long travel air bag that will allow you to use all of your suspension articulation without trashing the bag. Typical Firestone bag only has 4-5" of travel, these will do in upwards of 10".

Have no idea yet what the cost will be, but I'll post some pics as soon as they're done.

cquestad

I am very interested in the "long travel" air bags...

Please let me know! Thanks.

JD Dearden

If you are interested in a long travel airbag why woulden't you call Kelderman or something there is alot of places making these setups, just alot of money.

C Schomer

15-20 psi in my 97 makes it ride better - it doesn't hit the bottom overload. I need to try that in my 03, if it ever gets back from the dealer. Craig

Cowhand

Most of what I've seen from Kelderman is short travel....4-5", including their 4 link conversions. They have some that will go 8" or so at full inflation. This new setup uses a completely different type of bag.

Think more along the lines of an air bag system you could run with Carli or KORE suspension and not lose anything as far as articulation and ride quality.

Air 'em up to get the trailer out there, then air 'em down and hit the trails. I'm putting them on because I run a really soft rear spring. Back end squats bad with 900lbs of tongue weight.

Long story, but I set the truck up to perform well at speed in the desert. Then I bought the trailer.....and I didn't want to go backwards with ride quality or performance to be able to tow.

Leon441

I have wanted to remove overloads and replace with air bags. When I am empty and hit a hard bump it bangs the overloads. When I am loaded and go through the right dip in road and it gets off overloads it bangs hard when it gets back on them. The problem is very seldom when loaded but empty it is bad.

JD Dearden

Oh ok that is a really broad spectrum you have there from deseret racing to pulling trailers.

Cowhand

'zactly

Empty, it rides as close to a Caddy as a 3/4 ton truck will get, and I ain't willing to give that up to tow once or twice a month

dieselfreak21

Have the firestones. When i have the truck camper in and the bags full it would ride better than empty. My truck is 03 2500 quad cab long box. Empty the bags don't help my ride at all. If i have anything over 5 lbs of air in the bag traction issues arrise if the truck is empty. Power included tst and afe and the muffler fell off at 1500 miles. I did find 1500 lbs of sand bags make it sit almost level and about 10 lbs of air helped the ride. but tire temps where up so i'm sure it was wareing the tires faster????