I have a dumb lowering question
04-04-2011, 06:52 PM
#1
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I have a dumb lowering question
I want to lower my truck but I use it to haul a car trailer plus most any load I need for work. What I'm thinking is lowering it with airbags. I'm not able to find what I am looking for as I know nothing about airbags.
I did find some info on rear air bag helpers. Would this help me do what I am thinking? I'd like to lower it about 3-5" for that nice slick look but I would never be able to pull my car trailer like that.
Thoughts? Opinions?
I did find some info on rear air bag helpers. Would this help me do what I am thinking? I'd like to lower it about 3-5" for that nice slick look but I would never be able to pull my car trailer like that.
Thoughts? Opinions?
04-05-2011, 05:55 AM
#3
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Mine is sitting 4/7 and i pull trailers like there is no tomorrow..
I made my own helper setup directly over the axle using tubing and some plate steel.. plumbed it all up to a schrader valve on the bumper.. I have hooked up to some pretty heavy **** and just added a little more air.. I have no notch either.. so be your own judge.
By the way i come from a mini trucking background.. Helped build this truck in fact if you read street trucks this trucks owner mentions me about 3 times in the article.. IN FACT the engine was donated by me to the project (which is the only reason people love it so much lol)
We have built many trucks, some of which were built with the intentions of doing mainly towing, full air ride trucks, even body dropped trucks on air ride (when setup properly) tow great.. One thing to consider if you go with air ride is the size of the bags.. and the quality, with the added stress of a trailer andthe fact that if you loose or blow a bag with a trailer on you are going to skid to a stop rather fast... Just food for thought..
I made my own helper setup directly over the axle using tubing and some plate steel.. plumbed it all up to a schrader valve on the bumper.. I have hooked up to some pretty heavy **** and just added a little more air.. I have no notch either.. so be your own judge.
By the way i come from a mini trucking background.. Helped build this truck in fact if you read street trucks this trucks owner mentions me about 3 times in the article.. IN FACT the engine was donated by me to the project (which is the only reason people love it so much lol)
We have built many trucks, some of which were built with the intentions of doing mainly towing, full air ride trucks, even body dropped trucks on air ride (when setup properly) tow great.. One thing to consider if you go with air ride is the size of the bags.. and the quality, with the added stress of a trailer andthe fact that if you loose or blow a bag with a trailer on you are going to skid to a stop rather fast... Just food for thought..
04-05-2011, 07:06 AM
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So just using the helper bags will achive what I am looking for? By reading about them it seems they just air up manually from an outside air source like the old air shocks. I guess my concern was that they would be better than the old air shocks.
Is there any brand helper bag that's better than the other? Thanks again.
Is there any brand helper bag that's better than the other? Thanks again.
04-06-2011, 02:43 PM
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u can go 7" in the rear without notching.
doesn't ride the best without helper bags.
if you want to tow, definitely do helper bags. there are several companies that make helpers for a dropped truck. McGaughys makes a helper bag kit that actually bolts around the frame and you don't have to weld or cut or drill into the frame, but the kit is about $350.
Air lift also make a kit ($200) (which is what is on my truck) it's bolt on and is moderately easy to install. it bolts on with 4 bolts into the frame on each frame rail, which are drilled out to 3/8 holes on the outside and 9/16 (so you can run the bolt all the way through) on the inside. frame spacers come in the kit so when you tighten the bolts down it doesn't crush the frame. It comes with everything you need except a "T" fitting. Another pt.net member "Beyond Static" has a similar airlift helper kit on his and towed a 7,000 # car for 400 miles without a problem and it never bottomed out.
this truck is actually 5/8
here's the info on the airlift kit
airlift pt# 59209 helper bag kit
It will only work with a 4"-6" rear drop.
SlamAir Ride Control Kits from Air Lift restore load capacity that is lost when lowering a truck. These kits increase load capacity and eliminate bottoming out. Provides up to 1,800 lbs. of leveling capacity and has air adjustability from 5 to 100 psi for a fine tuned, smooth ride.
doesn't ride the best without helper bags.
if you want to tow, definitely do helper bags. there are several companies that make helpers for a dropped truck. McGaughys makes a helper bag kit that actually bolts around the frame and you don't have to weld or cut or drill into the frame, but the kit is about $350.
Air lift also make a kit ($200) (which is what is on my truck) it's bolt on and is moderately easy to install. it bolts on with 4 bolts into the frame on each frame rail, which are drilled out to 3/8 holes on the outside and 9/16 (so you can run the bolt all the way through) on the inside. frame spacers come in the kit so when you tighten the bolts down it doesn't crush the frame. It comes with everything you need except a "T" fitting. Another pt.net member "Beyond Static" has a similar airlift helper kit on his and towed a 7,000 # car for 400 miles without a problem and it never bottomed out.
this truck is actually 5/8
here's the info on the airlift kit
airlift pt# 59209 helper bag kit
It will only work with a 4"-6" rear drop.
SlamAir Ride Control Kits from Air Lift restore load capacity that is lost when lowering a truck. These kits increase load capacity and eliminate bottoming out. Provides up to 1,800 lbs. of leveling capacity and has air adjustability from 5 to 100 psi for a fine tuned, smooth ride.
Last edited by lowoh8; 04-06-2011 at 03:48 PM.
04-07-2011, 06:39 AM
#7
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Fantastic! Thanks for that info. I'll go with that air bag kit, now what lowering kit do I want to use? Is one better than the other?
There's McGaughy's and Spring tech from what I've found. Spring Tech is cheaper but that doesn't always mean better. What lowering kit is on your truck?
There's McGaughy's and Spring tech from what I've found. Spring Tech is cheaper but that doesn't always mean better. What lowering kit is on your truck?
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04-07-2011, 09:16 AM
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ive had 2 kits on my truck and beyond static is on his 3rd kit lol.
1. my first kit was belltech struts, ground force coils and ground force spindles.
rear was belltech flip kit and monroe ma743 air shocks.
opinion: front was bouncy, i should have tired putting stock coils on the drop struts but never got around to it. back was bouncy also with the air shocks. The ground force spindles are alot easier than the McGaughys to install.
2. 2/4 with lift hangers (mcg) and drop spindles or the struts (cant remember)
3. current kit - Mcgaughy coil relocators (2") and mcgaughy 2" drop spindles.
rear mcgaughy's flip kit and belltech street performance shocks and airlift helper bags.
rides alot better now and i like it alot more.
beyond static's ride:
1. Belltech drop struts, MGC spindle and Mgc flip kit
2. Djm 3" arms and 2" mgc spindles
rear mgc flip kit and drop shackles with airlift helper bags.
send him a pm for his opinions. i think his rides better now that its lower.
id stay away from spring tech
stick with Mcg (mcgaughys), DJM, belltech, or ground force.
1. my first kit was belltech struts, ground force coils and ground force spindles.
rear was belltech flip kit and monroe ma743 air shocks.
opinion: front was bouncy, i should have tired putting stock coils on the drop struts but never got around to it. back was bouncy also with the air shocks. The ground force spindles are alot easier than the McGaughys to install.
2. 2/4 with lift hangers (mcg) and drop spindles or the struts (cant remember)
3. current kit - Mcgaughy coil relocators (2") and mcgaughy 2" drop spindles.
rear mcgaughy's flip kit and belltech street performance shocks and airlift helper bags.
rides alot better now and i like it alot more.
beyond static's ride:
1. Belltech drop struts, MGC spindle and Mgc flip kit
2. Djm 3" arms and 2" mgc spindles
rear mgc flip kit and drop shackles with airlift helper bags.
send him a pm for his opinions. i think his rides better now that its lower.
id stay away from spring tech
stick with Mcg (mcgaughys), DJM, belltech, or ground force.
12-11-2018, 02:08 AM
#9
Hello everyone, is there any way I can achieve a 4/6 drop on my Silverado without a C-notch or helper bags? If there is Can anybody point a kit out to me and one last question, if I have to do a flip kit is there a risk of me damaging my axles by them hitting the frame?
12-11-2018, 07:30 AM
#10
TECH Regular
Hello everyone, is there any way I can achieve a 4/6 drop on my Silverado without a C-notch or helper bags? If there is Can anybody point a kit out to me and one last question, if I have to do a flip kit is there a risk of me damaging my axles by them hitting the frame?
More than likely you will need either or a notch or helper bags, one or the other.
And yess you can damage axle from bottoming out