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All you AIR BAG tards, please report :)
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well this tard...thinks they are great..they actually ride and handle as well if not better than springs and the hight is adjustableHey guy's, there are air bags begin installed on everything from a Pinto to a Galaxie and ll in between lately, and I must ask...
HOW does the AIR BAG suspension FEEL, BEHAVE and Last while driving?
I gotta know Thank you!
FE
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So it's comfortable and everything? like a Cadillac or like a BMW?
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very comfy..like riding in a cadillac...i belive the lincoln's had oem air ride as well....
i installed bags in front on my 57 chebby....rides soo smooth ...regardless what height and pressure.....
but i suppose it depends what shocks you use with setup....but the setups are very pricey.................
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Yes, they ride smooth - but any spring should also with the shocks being a primary factor as mentioned. Both are relatively frictionless. To be fair, I would say they act like progressive-rate springs, and have no advantages over that simple system from that standpoint. However, they are adjustable for pressure and therefore ride height, allowing compensation for differing loads to maintain best handling and tracking. Again, to be fair, this has been handled by other means (such as rear air shocks and coil-overs) for decades, as the front has relatively little change in normal use.
So, I would say the pros to air bags are the 'fudge factor' in that the perfect length spring for ride height is not a concern. Air it up to your perfect height and go. Conversely, the rate cannot be chosen with most air bags, so if you need a stiffer rate, you can't just swap the next higher or lower-rate spring. In other words, if you have too much 'squish', it's an expensive change to a larger bag, as airing-up will stiffen it, but also raise it from the correct right height. One common partial fix for this is to use adjustable coil-over shocks in increase or decrease spring rate, as well as damping rate, just as non-bag systems have used. Adjustable-rate (progressive-rate) valved bags are available, but you don't want to know the cost.
Keep in-mind, though bags have been used in certain racing applications; most users of bags are not looking for ride quality and handling - they are after height adjustment on-the-fly. If looking for info on them, keep in-mind who wrote it. Someone looking to donk their car and slam it while waving at the cute high-school girls, or someone using it to adjust ride, geometry, and performance. Two very different purposes and uses with completely different setups and considerations.
My butt has a lot of miles on both, and I believe which one to use - and how it's done - should be based on the end-purpose. My 2¢.
David
So, I would say the pros to air bags are the 'fudge factor' in that the perfect length spring for ride height is not a concern. Air it up to your perfect height and go. Conversely, the rate cannot be chosen with most air bags, so if you need a stiffer rate, you can't just swap the next higher or lower-rate spring. In other words, if you have too much 'squish', it's an expensive change to a larger bag, as airing-up will stiffen it, but also raise it from the correct right height. One common partial fix for this is to use adjustable coil-over shocks in increase or decrease spring rate, as well as damping rate, just as non-bag systems have used. Adjustable-rate (progressive-rate) valved bags are available, but you don't want to know the cost.
Keep in-mind, though bags have been used in certain racing applications; most users of bags are not looking for ride quality and handling - they are after height adjustment on-the-fly. If looking for info on them, keep in-mind who wrote it. Someone looking to donk their car and slam it while waving at the cute high-school girls, or someone using it to adjust ride, geometry, and performance. Two very different purposes and uses with completely different setups and considerations.
My butt has a lot of miles on both, and I believe which one to use - and how it's done - should be based on the end-purpose. My 2¢.
David
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+1 to what david said.....
most part its for the cool factor...
if you have deep pockets, and the cost is not an issue...
it can be setup any which way you want it...
with computer controlled air management ,level and ride sensors..
just a little to rich for my blood....
that amount of money, i rather use for some other needed upgrades....
most part its for the cool factor...
if you have deep pockets, and the cost is not an issue...
it can be setup any which way you want it...
with computer controlled air management ,level and ride sensors..
just a little to rich for my blood....
that amount of money, i rather use for some other needed upgrades....
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God I love this forum
Thanks air bag tards
I'm thinking about this for my 61 Falcon so I can raise the level for driving up ass-'completes' driveways that are peaked and pot hole'ish so when some moron needs rescued I'm not scraping my header collector flanges on every friggin lump in the 3 mile driveway....
Thanks air bag tards
I'm thinking about this for my 61 Falcon so I can raise the level for driving up ass-'completes' driveways that are peaked and pot hole'ish so when some moron needs rescued I'm not scraping my header collector flanges on every friggin lump in the 3 mile driveway....
David brings up some good points, I like a firm ride and like playing in the turns, Mine is a 73 Ranchero that rode like a boat when I first got it, I changed out the front springs with some cut big block springs, swapped the front sway bar for a factory 1 1/4" bar from a 75 Cougar added the big block V brace, and rear sway bar from the Cougar, cut the rear springs and ran KYB shocks on all 4 corners, handled ok but could not haul much. So I swapped the rear springs out with 2500lb Firestone air bags teed to a air shock type fitting. Ran this for a couple of years.
Next change was Lincoln Mark IV brakes all around "4 wheel Disc" and the front X brace off of the Mark to replace the V brace and added a Monro air shock compressor and valve so I had on board adjustable rear suspension this was ran for about 4 years and 3 X braces kept bottoming out and dragging the X brace.
Then I went with the front air bags I adjusted the length of my mounting "Cups" to get the ride height and stiffness I wanted. I also plumbed the AC compressor to two pony tanks from a 2 1/2 ton truck.
I have a "AUTO" ride height that uses two bleed off pressure regulators and a 2 way solinoid valve, and a manual ride height using 4 way solinoid valves, So with 3 switches I can over ride the auto ride, Raise the Pyl for bad roads or slam it for cool factor then just flip the switch back to auto and it goes back to where the regulators are set. I can use the 4 way valves to clear speed bump or drive way then the bleed off regulators will drop it back down to the ride height. I have been running this way for about 6 years.
Next change was Lincoln Mark IV brakes all around "4 wheel Disc" and the front X brace off of the Mark to replace the V brace and added a Monro air shock compressor and valve so I had on board adjustable rear suspension this was ran for about 4 years and 3 X braces kept bottoming out and dragging the X brace.
Then I went with the front air bags I adjusted the length of my mounting "Cups" to get the ride height and stiffness I wanted. I also plumbed the AC compressor to two pony tanks from a 2 1/2 ton truck.
I have a "AUTO" ride height that uses two bleed off pressure regulators and a 2 way solinoid valve, and a manual ride height using 4 way solinoid valves, So with 3 switches I can over ride the auto ride, Raise the Pyl for bad roads or slam it for cool factor then just flip the switch back to auto and it goes back to where the regulators are set. I can use the 4 way valves to clear speed bump or drive way then the bleed off regulators will drop it back down to the ride height. I have been running this way for about 6 years.
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Nah. Too much work. You just need to throw in a set of jump cylinders like Speed Racer's Mark 5...
David
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Lol
FE, you talking Bags or the Tapered progressive Air springs?
I put a 4 link on my truck with air springs so I could haul more and load it easier. Worst money I ever spent. Granted, I'm a cheap [email protected]@rd.... Here in Ohio the temperature change is enough to cause my truck to raise as it sits in the parkinglot when I'm at work on a sunny day. It does ride smoother than the leafs but I've regretted it ever since - I should've added air helper springs on top of the leafs.
I also cheaped out on a controller/valve/manifold system. I suppose it might be better if I shelled out the $300 for Air-Ride's digital controller system.
be sure to reinforce the heck out of your frame rail where the panhard bar mounts - I've cracked my frame 3 times in the same area from cornering too hard and tearing/bending the frame rail.
I put a 4 link on my truck with air springs so I could haul more and load it easier. Worst money I ever spent. Granted, I'm a cheap [email protected]@rd.... Here in Ohio the temperature change is enough to cause my truck to raise as it sits in the parkinglot when I'm at work on a sunny day. It does ride smoother than the leafs but I've regretted it ever since - I should've added air helper springs on top of the leafs.
I also cheaped out on a controller/valve/manifold system. I suppose it might be better if I shelled out the $300 for Air-Ride's digital controller system.
be sure to reinforce the heck out of your frame rail where the panhard bar mounts - I've cracked my frame 3 times in the same area from cornering too hard and tearing/bending the frame rail.
A few of my friends have bags on there trucks. I do admit, it is cool, but I'm not sold on them. Out of the 4 guy's I know only 1 is good at "knowing" how to install and maintain.
One of the guys had a blow out while on the road(not cool)and the truck slammed to the ground. The guy that put it in for him didn't put in some kind of valves so as not to loose all air in that situation. Some guys, I've heard, never have problems. Love to see them drive up and lay frame though. To me(.02)the price and maintenance is too steep and there's way too many non air suspensions available that will give you a great ride and handling.
One of the guys had a blow out while on the road(not cool)and the truck slammed to the ground. The guy that put it in for him didn't put in some kind of valves so as not to loose all air in that situation. Some guys, I've heard, never have problems. Love to see them drive up and lay frame though. To me(.02)the price and maintenance is too steep and there's way too many non air suspensions available that will give you a great ride and handling.
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