[98 SNAKE EATER]

I've been putting off getting a REAL lift for some time now and after doing A LOT of research, I've come to the conclusion that if I'm gunna do it, I'm gunna do it right with a complete kit that includes everything I need rather than parts pieced together and praying for no bad vibes

Unfortunately, complete kits cost major buck, so I'll have to put it off even longer

Until then, I'll have to live with the stock height, which isn't so bad given my usage, but I do have some rear sag that I'd like to address

Unloaded, she sits pretty level, even with a permanent heavy rack



However, when I load her up with the kids and their junk or hook up the trailer, you deinitely notice the sag




Now, first thought was to pickup a set of OEM height heavies, but I don't really want to lose the cushy ride we've grown to love


I just want that little extra support when loaded, so now I'm thinking a set of helper air springs might be the way to go







Anyone running these on their rig?

[Grouseman]

I've got the air bags in the springs like your pictures. I had a guy put the air intake for the bag under the gas cap door. I'm very pleased with the setup. There are numerous time a month I used a trailer and they have held up well. Do it....

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Originally Posted by Grouseman

I've got the air bags in the springs like your pictures. I had a guy put the air intake for the bag under the gas cap door. I'm very pleased with the setup. There are numerous time a month I used a trailer and they have held up well. Do it....

Any particular brand I should look into?

Found this AirLift 1000 kit on Summit:

Air Lift 60728 - Air Lift 1000 Load Assist Rear Spring Kits - summitracing.com

Did you hack your bumpstops or remove them altogether?

Are you using a line splitter or running them independant?

Got pix?

[Tapage]

those are 315 or 285 .. ?

nice cruiser BTW ..

[scottm]

I used Airlifts when I towed a construction trailer every day. I liked them very much, they made a big improvement in handling. I did cut out the bumpstops, used an extendable utility knife to take it out in pieces, then a ratchet to get out the last bit. I ran two valves back at the hitch. I was worried about the effect on brake proportioning, but the few times I got into ABS on pavement it seemed to be braking evenly. I towed someone else's large pop-top camper once, it started fishtailing, I barely felt it.

They also came in handy with a loaded roof box and seven occupants, levelled and stabilized nicely. My brother towed a very large trailer with his 80, maybe he'll chime in, but he was very pleased with his Airlifts.

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Originally Posted by Tapage

those are 315 or 285 .. ?

nice cruiser BTW ..

Thanx


305's on the truck, 275's on the trailer




Scott, did you use them with the stock springs or a lift?

Just curious cause AirLift's instructions say to remove the bump stops completely

I figure on a lifted rig, the same airbags can be used with just a trim of the stops?

[scottm]

Stock springs. You can measure the inside diameter and height of the springs, Airlift should be able to tell you what model would fit. The bumpstop might work, but might also be too much of a point instead of a flat pushing down on the airbag. I think I ran my airlines out the hole where the bumpstop bolt used to be, I remember trying that anyway.

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Originally Posted by scottm

Stock springs. You can measure the inside diameter and height of the springs, Airlift should be able to tell you what model would fit. The bumpstop might work, but might also be too much of a point instead of a flat pushing down on the airbag. I think I ran my airlines out the hole where the bumpstop bolt used to be, I remember trying that anyway.

That's odd, the instructions say to mount them with the lines on the bottom

http://static.summitracing.com/globa...219_al1000.pdf

[scottm]

If the springs overextend, the airbag would be sitting in the bottom of the spring, the hose out the top could pinch when the spring comes back down. I think I tried going out the top, and had to switch them, fun.

[Cattledog]

Originally Posted by 98 SNAKE EATER

Any particular brand I should look into?

Found this AirLift 1000 kit on Summit:

Air Lift 60728 - Air Lift 1000 Load Assist Rear Spring Kits - summitracing.com

Did you hack your bumpstops or remove them altogether?

Are you using a line splitter or running them independant?

Got pix?

Have the Airlift 1000 kit and run it using the splitter for the last three years. No issues work perfect. I had a similar issue with rear sag as you do loaded. Te bags fixed the problem. The bumpstops are removed, unbolted. One of the better mods to my cruiser. If you want pics PM me.

[NoMoreFires!]

98 stay stock height for as long as you can whenever I think about buying the whole lift kit I just look at some pics of your 80 and they bring me back down to earth, 305s with no lift fills them wheel wells up nice, and im like you, pretty much drive on pavement 95% of the time, but if I do get a hitch and pop up I may put some spring spacers in the rear to match my fronts.

[98 SNAKE EATER]

OK, after some reassurance from Cattledog and others, I went ahead and placed the order

Since there isn't much info on these, I decided to take a bunch of step by step install pix....


Here's what you get in the kit:





And this is what I had to start with:




I used a trans jack to control the rear end drop after unbolting the shocks with a 17mm socket.

I lowered the rear slowly and checked for any stressed lines as it went down.

All of the lines had enough slack except for the breather hose, so I yanked it:




Then I unbolted the bumpstops with a 12mm socket and extension:





A shot of the springs and stops removed:




With everything pulled, I sanded the rusty high hats and gave them a good coat of rust control paint:




Next, I drilled out the existing mounting holes to 3/4" using a Uni-Bit.

I personally don't think this step is required, but since I'm a stickler for procedure, I followed the instructions to a tee:




Then I deburred the hole, sanded the spring mount and coated it with rust control paint:




After that, I gave the springs a good wash and checked for sharp edges that could damage the airbags:




To keep the rubber seats in place, I taped them to the top of the springs:




The new airbags just slid into place from the top of the springs:





I then reinstalled the bagfilled springs:

[98 SNAKE EATER]

With the new bags in place, I moved on to the airlines.

I wanted easy, hidden access, so I chose the fuel filler:




With the trim panel removed, I drilled a couple of holes and mounted the Schrader valves:

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Next, I sized up the line running it through the chassis and down to the right airbag, leaving enough slack in the line for suspension movement:







After making the first cut, I yanked the lines out and wrapped them in plastic loom to protect them from any sharp edges in the chassiswork:




Then I attached the lines to the valves, aired them up to 25psi. and checked for leaks using soapy water and a spray bottle:









With no visible bubbling, I reinstalled the trim panel and appied the safey decal on the inside of the fuel door:





Then I slowly lowered the lift and made sure there was enough slack in the lines before zip-tying them in place:

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Now, with 25psi., it definitely has a stinkbug look to it






As per the instructions, I will drive it home like this and let it settle overnight, then check for leaks tomorrow and release some pressure until it's completely level

[Ebag333]

Nicely done!

What'd the whole setup cost you?

[Flank]

My pop had bags in his 96, to control ride height while towing as well.

He had his installed with an on-board compressor (I assume under the hood) and an auto pressure regulator with two gages and manual override switches (one for each side) mounted in the center consul. When the rear end reached the minimum pressure, it would automatically pump the rear up a bit. If he needed more height while towing, he flipped the switch in the center consul to pump up.

My pop loved this setup. The only downfall to it was that if he let the truck sit for a month or so, the pump would kick in every few days and would drain the battery.

i will ask him what his setup was and if the pump was part of the system or purchased separately.

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Originally Posted by Ebag333

Nicely done!

What'd the whole setup cost you?

Thanx


$79.88 from Summit (see link in previous post)


Anyhoo, I just drove her home, so here are some first impressions...


1) There's a bit more body roll than I'm used to, but this is expected with the added height

2) Although the airbags made the suspension firm enough for me to jump up and down on the rear bumper with minimal movement, the actual ride still feels very plush

3) At high speeds (80+), the truck actually feels a bit smoother than before
I'm guessing the added height probably straightened out the pinion angle or sumthin

4) Drove through a raised intersection at a speed that would usually bottom out the stock suspension and she went through with ease

5) Drove through a few deep muddy trenches that would usually require the CDL and I didn't even need it



So far, so good


Now another question....

Has anyone installed a set of bags like this up front

Would be nice to have an adjustable inch or two for the front end sag

[tblume]

for 80 bucks I bet you install a set on the front

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Originally Posted by Flank

My pop had bags in his 96, to control ride height while towing as well.

He had his installed with an on-board compressor (I assume under the hood) and an auto pressure regulator with two gages and manual override switches (one for each side) mounted in the center consul. When the rear end reached the minimum pressure, it would automatically pump the rear up a bit. If he needed more height while towing, he flipped the switch in the center consul to pump up.

My pop loved this setup. The only downfall to it was that if he let the truck sit for a month or so, the pump would kick in every few days and would drain the battery.

i will ask him what his setup was and if the pump was part of the system or purchased separately.

Sounds pretty cool

AirLift has this as an option (it was listed in the product brochure that was sent in the box)

Although, the relay in your Dad's setup should've been wired up to an accessory circuit rather than a direct source

I have an OBA system on the roof that uses an automatic pressure switch, but the relay's trigger source is wired as an accessory, so it will only work with the key on

[stevezero]

You wont need to run your bags at 25psi all the time.....i keep mine at 12 or less.... still provides support, but keeps the cushy ride. I up the pressure on mine when I have a heavy load....

I was unable to unbolt one of my bumpstops(was frozen more than the polar ice cap), so i ended up cutting them off at the top ring. That yielded about 1 inch of "lift"....Air lift sells "pucks" that you can use for a slight increase in height....serves the same purpose. I need to purchase a set of slee front coil poly spacers to level the truck out. Very much like a poor mans stock height lift.

Replacement bags are $10.00 plus shipping. I had a cut in a bag about a year ago. I want to redo my lines, and should have enough hose to get to the tank door. I have them going into the compartment where the jack/tool kit is.

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Originally Posted by tblume

for 80 bucks I bet you install a set on the front

Gunna contact AirLift today and see if there's a kit available for the front

Originally Posted by stevezero

You wont need to run your bags at 25psi all the time.....i keep mine at 12 or less.... still provides support, but keeps the cushy ride. I up the pressure on mine when I have a heavy load....

I was unable to unbolt one of my bumpstops(was frozen more than the polar ice cap), so i ended up cutting them off at the top ring. That yielded about 1 inch of "lift"....Air lift sells "pucks" that you can use for a slight increase in height....serves the same purpose. I need to purchase a set of slee front coil poly spacers to level the truck out. Very much like a poor mans stock height lift.

Replacement bags are $10.00 plus shipping. I had a cut in a bag about a year ago. I want to redo my lines, and should have enough hose to get to the tank door. I have them going into the compartment where the jack/tool kit is.

I just kept it at 25psi overnight as per the instructions, however, I had set it to 25psi in the air

After I lowered the lift, I didn't check it again and just left it like that until a few minutes ago..

When I checked, they were both at exactly 29.5psi

I just dropped them to 15psi and the rear is still slightly higher than the front

Both of my bumpstop bolts were ultratight and the right one snapped just flush with the high hat


With the $10 replacement bags, would I need to send in the old bags

Cause if that's the price they're selling outright, then Summit ripped me a new one

As for the lines, the supplied line was more than enough to route to the filler with about 3 feet leftover (I stuffed the rest within the chassis)

[ed97fzj80]

For folks like me who like a level stance and only occasionally run loaded or tow, that seems like a really easy and fairly inexpensive way to make the compromise. Nice job of documenting the installation, too.

[Ebag333]

Originally Posted by 98 SNAKE EATER

Gunna contact AirLift today and see if there's a kit available for the front

Browsing around I've seen this. It's almost double the cost, but looks like it'd take the place of the axle bump stops.

Is there a reason why you couldn't run the air bags in the front? Is the front spring a different diameter?

[stevezero]

The bag I replaced was $10.00 plus shipping.....Worked out to be 20.00 or so shipped...I didnt have to send my old bag back to them (of course it was out of warranty by about a month). I think normally they are more, but since she couldnt do a warranty replacement, she cut me a break on the price(supposedly).

I didnt drill out my holes for the air lines.

Sumotoy did an airbag install on the front of his rig. I think he used the airlift kit for a ford econoline van. It still required a bit of work for him. But he seemed to have liked it after he finished.....Theres a thread on here somewhere where he detailed the install.

[Cattledog]

Very nice install!

Airbags are not ideal for offroading. I would not bother to install in the front. The point of a spring lift is the longer springs, the springs increase articulation not just raising the truck. Highly inflated Airbags will make articulation worse not better.

But if you just want the truck to sit higher, ride like a board, and screw up the caster too, install them in the front and add 25 psi.....

[concretejungle]

That's a great install man!! Every job i've read about that you do is top shelf work. Now if you had a york onboard air you could fill them anytime, anyplace.

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Well, at 15psi, she's still about an inch high in the rear...

I left her that way cause I'm taking the bike to the shop an expected her to drop a little with the trailer attached, but after hooking her up, the height didn't even budge







Gunna see what happens later on when I load the golf cart

Originally Posted by concretejungle

That's a great install man!! Every job i've read about that you do is top shelf work. Now if you had a york onboard air you could fill them anytime, anyplace.

Thanx, but there's no need for a York when you've got this




On a sidenote, the bags fill so quickly and easily that I might just carry a bike pump cause an airtank filled with 150psi+ could mean disaster if the air chuck got stuck

[Ebag333]

A thought occurs to me...

What do you think is the risk of the hose that goes through the lower mount wearing and leaking over time? Is there a gasket or something wrapped around it to prevent that?

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Originally Posted by Ebag333

A thought occurs to me...

What do you think is the risk of the hose that goes through the lower mount wearing and leaking over time? Is there a gasket or something wrapped around it to prevent that?

Well, once the bag is seated, there isn't any movement at the nozzle and even if there was, there's nothing for it to rub against, so I'm guessing the risk of failure at the tubing connection is slim and none

I wrapped the tubing in plastic loom mainly for the sharp edges in the chassis where I routed it, but there was no need to loom around the connections themselves as they're already well protected by the hollow spring seat