Air Ride
- Thread starter RocknT
- Start date
RocknT said:
I have done air on the rear of several T's (I make my money designing and selling air ride suspension parts
). The front is a little more complicated. Or a least complicated to do cleanly. The problem is that the bags needed do not give much lift. On an A arm car, there is the leverage of the a arm to multiply the bag's lift. On a straight axle car, you don't have that. So there isn't much lift (suspension movement). I have done a few with linkage to mutiply the lift, and also hide the bag. The bags also don't look good out in the open. The car I am building now has air on the rear. If you have any more questions on air ride, feel free to ask. 
RocknT said:
I can't answer whether it's worth doing or not, for you. That is really up to you. You have to take into consideration the rest of the system also... the air comp, tank, lines, etc. In might be more than you want to do in a retro fit. If your coilovers are stiff, maybe try changing springs.
Here is a link to an article I wrote on another site that will give you an idea of what all is involved.
NTBA
LumenAl said:
I don't believe they are using the air shocks, but just the cab airbags. I've seen this to, and have the goodyear part numbers if anyone wants them. I just haven't tried them. They are similar in diminsion & specification to the firestone bags I use... and that I know, and have experience with, and get a discount on
. So I am sticking with them. The cost between the two bags is very similar.LumenAl said:Dang it... I meant air bag! There would be a difference huh???
Typical air shocks, like used on a car or truck and not the air ride tech shockwaves, don't have a very big air chamber. And since air is a very progressive spring, the small air volume makes them ride stiff.
So yeah, a little difference between the two
T-Odd
Member
John (Short- T) Brown build this long and low, used the aformentioned Truck Cab Airbags on the rear.
I drove this car and I can tell you it is like flying on a cloud.
Might not look like much but it was a nicer ride than my bucket... and I have some very very nice QA1 coilovers on my bucket. I think my bucket rides pretty good now, but John's car was SMOOOOOOTH.
He still neds to get some shocks on there to help out with the big bounce when you hit a BIG bump (as LKE stated - progressive spring rate) but cruising back and forth from the Hotel to the Sonic at last year's NATS was enough to convince me that I should look into something like this a little further.
They're not very expensive, so might be worth a test on mine if I ever stop driving this thing and take it apart... who am I kidding? I'm not going to stop driiving my bucket long enough to tear it apart.
Maybe I'll use them on the long and low VW tub T I need to get started on.
T-Odd
RocknT said:
I re-read that write up this morning. looks like whoever took it from my post and put it in the tech section, needed to do a little proof reading. There are several parts that are in there twice. And at the bottom, the part about shockwaves, it look like some info was missing. Oh well...
I use firestone F7076 or F7012 air bags. They are almost the same. The F7012 is a little taller, and has a couple hundred pounds more weight capacity. For the rear of a T, or lite weight street rod, I choose between the two based on installed height. Either of those can be had for about $65 each.
Here is a lnk to the goodyears... MVI, Inc. - Goodyear Sleeve Assembly Air Springs
You will need to find the specs to see which one works for you. I want to say when I looked in them, there was only two out of the five that interested me.
RocknT
Member
Another reason other than my wife not liking the ride is that I am going to change out my rear end next week so while I am at it might do the air bag as well. I wish I had found this web sight sooner,,I bought a Ford 9'' got it all welded up installed and then it dawned on me the bolt circle is 5 on 5 1/2 makes it limitted on wheel selection thought oh well just redrill it sure but then little center ring is to large for most 4 1/2 wheels :wall::wall:.. Then their is the fact that it is out of a pickup,and it is 60" back plate to back plate and would need to have big back spaceing on the wheels . A buddy of mine said well Fred you aint gonna tump it over...:dummy: come to think of it I may just leave it like it is and enter it in drifting contest ,,.LOL
LumenAl
Member
RocknT said:
If you got Speedways
Deluxe Coil Spring Rear Kit
Item #: 91649021
here is the description:
The deluxe coil spring kit includes: Panhard bar, 2 coil springs (175 lb. rate, 14" tall, 4.5" O.D.), upper and lower spring mounts, two 32" radius rods with mounting brackets and hardware.
I'd check you paperwork and give them a call so you know exactly what you have...
