Air Bag rear suspension

Bill in pa · Jun 8, 2014

Im starting to bob my 813a1 truck next week.
All the parts for the project right around $1500 shipped.
Im wondering any one ever consider air bags instead of springs.
Seams like it should be straight forward.

Also on a different note. My turn signals all quit. they go bright when put on but don't blink.
New Flasher box Needed?

zxmedic · Jun 8, 2014

Try opening the turn signal switch mine had one of the point contacts stuck together unstuck it cleaned them up with some fine sandpaper worked great after .

wreckerman893 · Jun 8, 2014

There were some 900 series 5 ton prototypes at Camp Shelby, MS that had air bags but all the raw frames got scrapped. One or two of the finished trucks made it out of the gates. CSMDavis may know where one of them is.
You could go to a truck junk yard and get a bag setup off of a commercial rig and go that route.

quickfarms · Jun 8, 2014

On a bobbed truck it would work well and you could use any commercial truck suspension.

If you get a suspension from a wrecking yard, plan on replacing the bags and get a frame clip so you can use the old frame as a drilling template.

On a three axle truck the standard civilian truck suspension is not that great. There are air ride walking beam suspensions available that are great off-road but they are not that common and hence expensive from the wrecking yard, or not available used.

Csm Davis · Jun 8, 2014

Quickfarms do you have a good picture of the walking beam air ride?

ke5eua · Jun 8, 2014

Csm Davis said:
Quickfarms do you have a good picture of the walking beam air ride?

http://raydanmfg.com/?page=products&CategoryId=16

Csm Davis · Jun 8, 2014

Here are some pictures of the M931 air rides.

Csm Davis · Jun 8, 2014

A few more.

quickfarms · Jun 9, 2014

ke5eua said:
http://raydanmfg.com/?page=products&CategoryId=16

Hendrickson also makes there own version

jdknech · Jun 9, 2014

Csm Davis said:
Here are some pictures of the M931 air rides. View attachment 497592 View attachment 497593 View attachment 497594

and some people have all the cool toys!! lol

Artisan · Jun 9, 2014

A friend of mine is making a crewcab 5ton rear air ride truck.
The rough cab is done, dual round headlights installed and
lots of other fun. The rear is mocked up. It WILL get done
eventually. He is doing a great job. If anything happens soon
I will ask if I can take pics

Sub'd

Csm Davis · Jun 9, 2014

Not my truck but got to get pictures of it and others the suspension is made by Neway.

klawrence · Jun 9, 2014

Here is my CC that I put air ride on.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?118347-Bobbed-my-Crew-cab-well-removed-an-axle

Motiracer38 · Jun 9, 2014

Artisan said:
A friend of mine is making a crewcab 5ton rear air ride truck.
The rough cab is done, dual round headlights installed and
lots of other fun. The rear is mocked up. It WILL get done
eventually. He is doing a great job. If anything happens soon
I will ask if I can take pics

Sub'd

I met your friend the other day, stopped by to see if he was selling the framerails off the stripped truck. He's a very ambitous guy that should do a pretty good job of installing an air ride system. It sounded like he was going to use big heims on a 4 link instead of the commercial style rubber bushings in a trailing arm. I'm interested in both styles as my truck will be riding on air once I get around to cutting into it.

Bill in pa · Jun 9, 2014

what suspension did you use. I got a complete set up from a guy for 500 + air bags. How did you determine where to place the axle.
Im thinking of leaving the front axle in the same place and just drop the back one

panzerwillie · Jun 9, 2014

axle

We where going to use a front drive shaft to set the single axle but could not find one near us, so we extended the tube on the 62" operating from yoke to yoke hope this helps..

Bill in pa · Jul 5, 2014

good morning.
when your air suspension was completed. did you end up with the axle on top of the springs or under the springs?
I have mine under then springs. this has the top of the frame even with the top of the tire, with only about 5" for the air bag which don't fit.
Im thinking the axle needs to be on top of the springs. thus the air bags will fit and more and be able to get 12" from the top of axle to the frame same as the front. thanks for any help.

panzerwillie · Jul 5, 2014

My is under the spring you can use trailer airbags which are shorter or mount them in the inside of the frame like i did, need to fab top support and lower support mounts...

Bill in pa · Jul 7, 2014

Mine is all done except for the torque bar. Need a idea for torque bare to go from the frame to the axle, to hold axle side to side. Send me a email to binnalljr@yahoo if you want and I can send pictures of mine. Took me 2 weeks of evenings and weekends by myself.

Csm Davis · Jul 8, 2014

Bill in pa said:
good morning.
when your air suspension was completed. did you end up with the axle on top of the springs or under the springs?
I have mine under then springs. this has the top of the frame even with the top of the tire, with only about 5" for the air bag which don't fit.
Im thinking the axle needs to be on top of the springs. thus the air bags will fit and more and be able to get 12" from the top of axle to the frame same as the front. thanks for any help.

Don't forget that you can also move you airbags around to get the suspension to work how you like it.

Air Bag rear suspension

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