Forced articulation air bag system question

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CruiserMoose

CruiserMoose

Joined
Jun 1, 2010
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Location
Plain City, UT
I purchased a vehicle that has a pretty well done air bag system on it. It is also pretty hefty. Using semi truck heavy duty airbags with over 26 inches of articulation in the rear and 17+ in the front.

However, the onboard air system is lacking. Here soon I will replace the system and will upgrade it so it can handle the airbags but it still has one problem. I am not sure I like the valves that are being used to control it. Right now I can control each corner independently, which I like, and it inflates just fine (very quickly) but it does not deflate quickly enough. It is terrible.

I don't even know where to begin to look for other valves or other air system devices that may help with this. I plan on building and installing a whole new manifold for it. Just trying to do some research and looking for any advice any of you might have on this.

Thanks!
 
They sell valves at the hardware store.

I wish I could buy parts at the truvalue.

Lets see some pics of this baddass beast. :popcorn:

Nothing compares to HydroJoes MONOcoil!.

That shiit is dope, man.:grinpimp:

Did you buy this rig from a Hatfield or McCoy? :meh:
 
Valves | qualityairride.com

if you want it fast get the half inch valves and run all half inch air line, 3/8 would be more controllable but with enough seat time the 1/2 inch can be just fine with a quick flip of a switch. they also have flow controls you can add on for your dumps on each valve.

air ride is easy stuff, i have had a couple of fully bagged trucks.
 
here ye' be

Dealer_E-Mail_Ad_120409


Rather than using it to force a side, I always like the idea of having a valve to link two of the bags, either side to side or cross corners to allow the articulation to happen naturally, but easier than if each bag is at a set pressue and less complicated than filling one bag or another. I'm too old to be apt at the gamming station controls, so I'll have to wait till my boy gets older so he can opperate it for me :)
 
Mac air vales are supposed to be good. Used in alot of pneumatic and industrial applications.
 
Hey everyone, thanks for all your comments and thoughts. I have been out of town for a few weeks and have been out of touch.

I have attached a few pictures. I still haven't had time to tear into the valves and delivery system yet but hope to soon. I have done a bit of research and I am excited to see where this goes.

Thanks again.
P1000661.webp
P1000461.webp
P1000462.webp
 
WTF size are those tires?
 
Chop Shop, you are correct sir. Very good!

I am not sure if I like the air suspension. And yes, I know, the only real way to truly answer that is to get out and try it. I plan on doing that just as soon as the couple feet of snow melts away.

So here is what I have been struggling with lately.

The air suspension has a cool factor when you can manually move it up and down and can do it a corner at a time, or the front, the back etc..

I think it might be hard to learn how to effectively use that in a real life wheeling experience.

I am not sure how much natural articulation I will have. Will I have to continually use the forced articulation to make it work?

It just seems to me that a well custom made more conventional suspension would be better. Some leaf springs and good coil over shocks. But it could be a pain to switch over not to mention expensive.

Anyway, these are the things that I will be looking at over the next few months. Who knows what will happen!
 
I'm not sure how heavy the tires are but I do have a spare and let me just say that you wouldn't want it falling over on you.
 
The bags will work just as well if not better than a leaf sprung suspension. "forcing" articulation is not an issue.
 
CruiserMoose said:
I think it might be hard to learn how to effectively use that in a real life wheeling experience.

I am not sure how much natural articulation I will have. Will I have to continually use the forced articulation to make it work?

It just seems to me that a well custom made more conventional suspension would be better. Some leaf springs and good coil over shocks. But it could be a pain to switch over not to mention expensive.

Anyway, these are the things that I will be looking at over the next few months. Who knows what will happen!
Click to expand...

A controller like this would make it a bit quicker / simplier. Single button to put front up back down, single button to raise to maximum height, single button return to natural height, ect.

Switch Controllers

You shouldn't continually have to use forced articulation. Once each bag is filled to a certain level, it's just a spring. Fill it to a level that is equivalent to 300lbs/in, and it will work just like a 300lbs/in spring. Only, you can of course change the pressure and make it a 200lbs/in spring which you can't do with a coil spring.

Hit Cody C up in the 80's section. He has a Cummin's powered 80 that's on bags.

If you don't want to mess with a fancy controler, I still say the linked bag idea would provide easier articulation. This is an overly simple diagram, and doesn't include you're exhaust valves, but they would be no different than now. When the "easy" switch is off, the valves are closed, no connection between the bags. It acts just like it's on coils. Push the 'easy' button and the air will flow from one bag to another without having to compress the bag and will therefore make it articulate easier.
bag wiring.webp
 
Keep in mind, If you are on a sidehill and you hit the "Easy" button in the above diagram, it will empty the downhill bags and fill the uphill bags..

That is a reasonably simple and clean setup tho :)
 
Mace said:
Keep in mind, If you are on a sidehill and you hit the "Easy" button in the above diagram, it will empty the downhill bags and fill the uphill bags..

That is a reasonably simple and clean setup tho :)
Click to expand...

Yep, on a steep sidehill the easy button might become an over easy button. One thing that would help limit that (besides not hitting the button when you're on a side hill :) ) - is putting a restriction in the line - perhaps a needle valve. If you had a really big line connecting the two bags w/ a really big valve, it would be real easy to rock the truck side to side cause it'd be real easy for the air to flow from bag to bag. If you put the needle valve (or an orifice, but that wouldn't be adjustable) in the line, you could slow the rate of transfer and slow down the effect.

The other option, would be to link the front left to the right rear in the same manner. I'm not quite sure which would work better in the real world, but would love to try both.

The other other passive option, is link all 4 bags together. I think that could get really uncontrolable though, but again, would love to try.

Cruisermoose - if you do decide you don't want to run the bags anymore, I'll gladly send you my address to ship them to!
 
OH ya', did I happen to mention that I'm a firm believer that if it ain't broken, it doesn't have enough features?
 
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