Let's talk Air bagged suspensions.

[MikeStang 247]

Okay I'm considering adding a set of bags to the back of my ride so as to raise the car up some in the back as it sits a bit to low for me right now with my 4.5 Mid eye springs...this will hopefully accomplish 2 things...Raising the car and allowing me to see if my driveline vibration is affected by ride height.

So after talking to ridetech about their air over leaf kits I have settled on a bag that should fit, but I really dont know if there will be enough room for it where they say to put it, plus the frame rail does not pass directly over the leaf in this area and is more off to the side which would mean I need a side mount bracket which they supply in their kit...

But for the rear I am wondering if I dont just weld a bar from rail to rail then weld bag plates to the rear axle and install them in same location as a 4 link would put then...Thoughts?

 

Now on to the front Bag situation...I could simply swap the front springs for a taller spring, but would prefer a bag set up, however I have no desire to spend $900+ on Air Rides shock/bag set up..instead here is what I was thinking about.

If you look at Air rides set up it's a shock of sorts with a bag around it and it bolts in the stock location on the UCA then has a large flange of sorts to bolt on at the top...

My question is why could someone (Me) not take their existing roller spring perches and add a mounting plate to either a standard bag or rolling sleeve bag, then just build an upper mount to bolt into the shock tower?

I am aware that a bag has to go straight up and down and if I'm thinking about this right if you were to add a mounting plate to the top of a roller perch it would allow the bag to stay straight as the suspension traveled through its range of motion...So why have a shock/Bag up front when just a bag will do the trick??

[Cruzzar 22]

Do you have room for a shock absorber to connect somewhere from the body to the upper or lower control arm and will it allow full turning from left to right without hitting the tire? Mounting of the air bag doesn't seem to be a problem.

[Ridge Runner 1,112]

My expedition has air bag suspension ,smoothes ride ,but i did have to drive it home twice ,about 50 miles sitting on the bump stops when they blew a line

[1969_Mach1 333]

Is there a stronger mid-eye leaf spring that will raise the rear of the car a little?  Maybe a 5 leaf mid-eye spring?  That's what I use.

[MikeStang 247]

On 1/11/2019 at 6:46 PM, 1969_Mach1 said:

Is there a stronger mid-eye leaf spring that will raise the rear of the car a little?  Maybe a 5 leaf mid-eye spring?  That's what I use.

I'm sure I could go to a 5 leaf, but that will be the 3rd set of rear springs I have had on the car and I can get the bag kit for $279 which is far cheaper than another set of rear springs with tax and shipping...Plus I like the stance when its sitting still.

[MikeStang 247]

On 1/11/2019 at 10:46 AM, Cruzzar said:

Do you have room for a shock absorber to connect somewhere from the body to the upper or lower control arm and will it allow full turning from left to right without hitting the tire? Mounting of the air bag doesn't seem to be a problem.

Why do you even need a shock if going to a bag is my question?

The bag will be mounted to the roller perch and then to the shock tower so would the bag not handle the ride height and shock absorber duties?

[Ridge Runner 1,112]

Even air bags need a shock ,it would be about the same as leafs with out a shock 

[MikeStang 247]

So then on the front I would need to incorporate a shock somehow also...humm that complicates things a bit

[Ridge Runner 1,112]

They have an air assist shock ,i used to use them on street rods ,been so long i forget who makes them

[Ridge Runner 1,112]