Advice on bagging a truck

[Beyond Static©]

If everyone could, give your opinion on different bag setups. I've noticed a ton of bag questions, many of which are the exact same. If a mod could sticky this, it would be great.


My advice:

For the rear, the KP Components bolt on 4 link with cantilever attachment rides great. I, as well as many others, love this kit. The difficulty of the install was prolly a 6 out of 10, due to grinding a ton of rivits. You basically need regular hand tools, such as a grinder, drill with a step bit,a jack, jackstands, socket wrenches, box end wrenches, and a BFH. www.kpcomponents.com

For compressors, I am running the Air Commander, which consists of a York 209 compressor, which was used on older fords for the A/C. The kit comes with everything to hook the compressor up:mounting brackets, clutch, pressure switch, fittings, airline, check valve, water/oil trap, etc. The install was very straight forward, with a difficulty of about 4 out of 10. I had to modify my mounting brackets a little to fit, but no biggie. The compressor is made by Airlift. www.airliftcompany.com

For bags on the back I am running the Airlift 2b7 1/2" port bags. They feel great on the KP kit.

For valves, I am having great luck with (8) 3/8" smc valves. They are very quick.

For a tank, I am using the Airlift 8.5 gallon, which mounts under my bed, and doesnt hang below the rollpan. I have enough room to mount 2 under the bed on my obs.

For the front end, I recommend the Air Ride coolride setup, which consists of the tubular uca's and lca's to correct balljoing angles. It also has the cups, bolt on brackets for shocks, the shocks, and bags. I do not own the kit, but hopefully I will one day. I'd say the difficulty of this is about a 5 out of 10, using basic hand tools.

Up front, I am using cups from www.innovativeairsuspension.com Slam Specialties RS-72 bags, and homemade shock mounts with bilstein shocks. The front end rides very nice with this setup. I also have 2" spindles. I have not notched the frame for tierods, so I'm 1.5" from laying out up front.

Everyone add what you think is appropriate.

[Mike]

I second the KP kit, very nice deal. I have firestones and they ride great.

I run shockwaves in the front and I love them. Ride great, and super easy to install. I can remove and replace them both in about 30 minutes. If you can remove your shock you can install these.

[Beyond Static©]

Everyone post what you think would help newbies.

[Izzy]

Link setups and manufacturers:

2 link:


Ekstensive Metalworks


IF Customs

3 link:


Air Lift

4 link:

Bolt on:

KP Components


Air Ride Technologies

Weld on:

KP Components


Suicide Doors


Air Ride Technologies

Additional link accessories:


KP Components
Added accessory for the bolt on KP 4 link. Gives extra lift and normally an easier install.

Types of centering devices for 4 links:

Description and picture of how they work.
http://www.artmorrison.com/techtipstwo.htm
*Thanks to alteredimage*


Panhard bar:





How it works:




Diagonal link:




Watts link:



How it works:



Wishbone:



Best online dealers for the above parts and many more bag components:

Suicide Doors
Innovative Air
Music City Customs

[Izzy]

Personal preference on what components to use:

67-72

Front:
Air Ride Technologies Cool Ride kit


ECE 2.5" spindles


Rear:
Air Lift rear kit



73-87

Front:
Air Ride Technologies Cool Ride kit


3" DJM spindles


Rear:
Air Ride Technologies weld on parallel 4 link kit



88-98

Front:
Air Ride Technologies Cool Ride kit With Upper/Lower control arms


Rear:
KP Components bolt on parallel 4 link with canti attachment





99-05

Front:
Air Ride Technologies Cool Ride kit with Upper/Lower control arms


Rear:
KP Components bolt on parallel 4 link with canti attachment




Air Management for all:

Engine driven compressor(most common is Air Lift Air Commander kit)


Valves
SMC


Tank
Depends on vehicle but I wouldn't run anything under 10 gallons on an engine driven compressor.

Best selection of tanks:
http://www.suicidedoors.com/products/airtanks.htm

Fittings
DOT Compression from Swagelok, SMC, Parker, Alkon, etc....

Air line
DOT line

Good selection of line:
http://www.suicidedoors.com/products/dot_airline.htm
http://www.innovativeairsuspension.com/site.htm

[dubc]

K.P. components all the way for everything! Period! end of storie! Once you go steak, you cant go back to milk!

[Socko]

My setup is KP Components 6-link, its easy to install (bolts to the hanger locations for the leaf springs) provides 2x the lift and better ride. I am running SMC 1/2" valves with mufflers on the dumps (quiets it significantly, slows the drop down and helps with control).

I also have the Air Commander engine driven compressor, and I cant imagine any other way, my usually fill is from about 150-185 lasts less than 30 seconds. Its not as noisy, and doesnt drain the battery, if you add up the costs of 2 Viair compressors plus an Optima battery to handle the load, and less alternator life, you are at the cost of the kit.

For switches/gauges I have the Dakota Digital ARC-1004 (similar to RidePro e) which is a digital guage with buttons on the gauge for the switches, I also have the remote controls, which I highly recommend as the guage only works when the truck is turned on.

Also, I recommend have a schroder valve on the tanks so that you can fill it up if your compressors have problems or you cant start your truck.

[Superbgt]

Wow, great info. But what if you are on a budget? Can I do a FBSS on my truck with a 4link and spindles for under $2500? and come within a couple of inches of laying frame? I can do the install but can I get the parts I need for this much? Are there any cheaper alterantives? I am building this as a learning experience and only plan to keep my truck a year or so and get something newer. If I have to fabricate some stuff it is not a big deal as I am a GM tech but I do not want to have to start from scratch.
BTW, it's a 93 GM ext cab sb. 2/4 drop right now.

[thecodeman]

check out some sites like www.suicidedoors.com for your parts or www.innovativeairsuspension.com. There's also a site called EAI, but i forget their address, just google it. suicidedoors makes it pretty affordable to bag your ride.

[Socko]

You should be able to do a full bag setup at around $2000-$2500 if you install it yourself. The parts for mine minus the gauges/switches (basic ones are around $150) and compressor was around $2000, and thats with the 6link and a slight markup on some of the parts.

[Superbgt]

So let me get this straight. The KP 6 link is $1170 and about another $150 for bags, Air Commander is $875, Easy Street front system is $635 including bags. That's $2855 right there. Valves, switches, tank, lines, fittings have to run at least $500 for a basic system. That comes to $3355 (or way over my budget) Are these guys giving 25% discounts to get me into my price range or am I screwed before I start?

[Mike]

You are picking expensive parts to do a low budget install with. Substitute the:
KP kit-> suicidedoors 4-link and brackets (450?)
Aircommander -> 1 Viair 450 (200)
Easy street front -> bags/cups/shocks from innovative (350)

Thats leaves you with a lot of money for the airsupply and other things you will need like rear shocks, rear bags, misc parts you will find out you need while installing. etc...

[JCruz]

Yep!

$200 Shoes work just as good as $20 shoes.

[steveo431]

very very very informative guys.

[Beyond Static©]

We just did an install for the front of a '99 using

airlift 2b7 bags-$65 a piece
cups from innovative-$50 a pair
4 used blitzluft valves-$125 on ebay
airlift 8.5 gallon tank-$55
Viair 450 compressor-$200
compression fittings for the front-$90
KP gauge-$30
50ft of 1/2 line-$30
20 ft of 1/8 line-$5

[04_low]

I bagged my 04 using Kp 4 link and cantilever with firestone bags out back. Instead of grinding the rivet head off, take a drill near the same size and drill the center untill you are almost through the head. then take a punch and hammer and knock the stem through. The Kp kit works and rides great, I've only but 7K miles on it so far I hope my luck keeps up.

I used ART's upper and lower control arms up front along with there cups and firestone bags. The upper shock mount is best to be welded on. Mine pulled the bolts from the frame. I'm using ART's bigred valves with 3/8" ports and 1/2" line. I'm upgrading now to 3 5 gallon tanks under my bed (if they all will fit) and a air commander. Before this I had one 5 gallon tank and a Viair 450. I grew to hate the noise that thing makes with in a week on installing it. 5 gallons of air is not enough to raise to front and rear of the truck. lift front to ride height and raise rear about halfway then wait for tank to refill.

For guages I'm using once again ART's ridepro E it's a small selfcontained unit that has the guages and switches all in one. I have it mounted in my over head console. It's easy to read and use. plus you can upgrade to a remote. I plan on doing some time down the road.

[Superbgt]

And that cost you how much?

[Low88]

just for reference, does anybody have a picture of a lower control arm notch?

[jaoz28ss]

what's up dogs?
where are the chevy SS?

[thecodeman]

Originally Posted by jaoz28ss

what's up dogs?
where are the chevy SS?