suspension question--adjustable air shocks

[kenwood guy]

I want to lower my truck before I put my rims on the front does not seem to be a proplem however, I use the bed every now and then to haul appliances around( I sell and service them) my friend was telling me about air shocks for the rear suspension in which you swap them out with the stocks and when you want to load or haul something you fill them with air which raises your truck and when your done you can drop the rear again by bleeding the air out does anyone have experence with this???? im looking into getting a set and is there a brand name to get????? and how many inches do I have to play with?????


Thanx
Kenoodguy

[sreve]

air-lift makes air helper springs that mount between the frame and the leaf spring. leveling valve and compressor do it all for you or you can manually adjust even side to side. put it on mine and i love it. even overloaded the ride hieght is right and it won't shake your kidneys out the ride is great.
the oppisite is true of air shocks. you can also set it up w\o a compressor.

[sreve]

air-lift makes air helper springs that mount between the frame and the leaf spring. leveling valve and compressor do it all for you or you can manually adjust even side to side. put it on mine and i love it. even overloaded the ride hieght is right and it won't shake your kidneys out the ride is great.
the oppisite is true of air shocks. you can also set it up w\o a compressor.

[korndogg]

i put them in all te time at work but eventually they all leak. hoses get ripped, ect....

[TexasF355F1]

I would get an air-lift bag instead of air shocks. That way it doesn't entirely compromise your ride. You can leave it deflated until you need it. I had air shocks on my truck and dispise and always will dispise them. It rode like crap.

[kenwood guy]

Originally Posted by TexasF355F1

I would get an air-lift bag instead of air shocks. That way it doesn't entirely compromise your ride. You can leave it deflated until you need it. I had air shocks on my truck and dispise and always will dispise them. It rode like crap.

would they be installed the same way??? my friend also told me you can get a life time warrenty on the shocks

[Dave338]

The air shocks are not the way to go. Think about how they work, compressing the guts of the shock down to raise the vehicle.
Go with the "Bags", much better ride!

[kenwood guy]

Originally Posted by Dave338

The air shocks are not the way to go. Think about how they work, compressing the guts of the shock down to raise the vehicle.
Go with the "Bags", much better ride!

If I go with air bags would I have to still go to the gas station to fill them????and how many inches do I have to mess with???

[Dave338]

They have several kits available. I guess it comes down to your situation and how ofter you'll use them. But you can get kits with the compressor included. Or just use one that you plug into your lighter socket. Here's a link to one place you could get them.
http://www.truckspring.com/air-spring-kits_602.html

[kenwood guy]

Originally Posted by Dave338

They have several kits available. I guess it comes down to your situation and how ofter you'll use them. But you can get kits with the compressor included. Or just use one that you plug into your lighter socket. Here's a link to one place you could get them.
http://www.truckspring.com/air-spring-kits_602.html

I dont know much about suspension


so i would need to lower my truck first via what?????

then i would need to add air bags??? i belive should lower it first then see what if anything has changed with load handling i guess im just paranoid after the fact that one my friend had to move out of his house he had a newer style silverado that had rims (i belive 17in) and was lowered Im not sure how many inches low. he loaded up that truck like there was no tomorrow I was with him on the road and you see the truck was hitting something underneath he made the trip to his apartment ok and said the driveshaft was hitting the body im not sure if thats what it was but nevertheless It was hitting something maybe the tires??? by the way how much should a lowering kit cost????

[Dave338]

You have to be from the "Wrong Coast", correct?
Just something about "Lowering" and "Truck" that just don't go together. Just can't quite grasp it, Unless it's for the strip. Then it's changed it's purpose in life anyway.

[kenwood guy]

Originally Posted by Dave338

You have to be from the "Wrong Coast", correct?
Just something about "Lowering" and "Truck" that just don't go together. Just can't quite grasp it, Unless it's for the strip. Then it's changed it's purpose in life anyway.

What dont you understand???? you can do 3 things lift it,drop it or leave it....... it's called "choice" or "variety" 2 very powerful words some people dont seem to understand

Here in California I see all 3 all the time

[guumbah]

Ditto. I'm also in Cali. I see at least as many raised - CRAZY raised like where the frame is higher than most cars' roofs - as lowered. Probably more actually. My personal choice is "leave it", but I've seen plenty of nice trucks both lifted and lowered. Variety is the spice of life. The idea that these trucks are built solely to haul stuff, or else drag race is absurd.

[twomorestrokes]

Air Lift is definitely the way to go. 'Course I may be partial since I work there...

You can do it several ways.

1) Replace your leaf springs with air springs which is quite an involved process that involves frame and suspension modification including a 3 or 4 link system. This gets the truck as low as possible. We have trucks at work that we have removed the rocker panels to get them to go even lower. With a body drop and an air suspension with modified frame, these doors wont even open without dragging on the concrete until the truck is raised up.

2) Lower your truck with steel lowering springs, then add air springs to regain your load capacity. We make kit #59103 for your truck with the rear lowered two to four inches that add an extra 1,800 pounds of load leveling support. This is the simplest way.

3) Flip your axle. However, we do not have anything in kit form to bolt onto this modification on a NBS Chevy since the rear disc brake setup interferes with the bags when things are moved on top of the springs. It is easy to design and fabricate your own setup though if you are into that. Lots of folks make a "bridge" between the frame rails and mount bags between the bridge and axle.

[Dave338]

YO! CALI DUDES,
Did ya see the smile in my post???????????
Damn! Like Chill Dudes!!
I didn't infer anything like trucks only having one purpose, or you don't have that choice. I'm not being "absurd". Don't get your panties all in a twist! I just said (I) don't grasp it.