Reply With QuoteDAMMM DAMMM!!! I wanted to do that!!!!!!! Please give up the pics! I want to see how you did it! is there a safty bump stop if a bag blows out? Does your truck have Bags also??? More More!!!????
I just rebuilt my trailer with new crossmembers and replaced the leaf springs with air bags. It rides awesome now and doesnt bounce down the road anyore. The coolest part is that i can raise it up from inside of the cab of my truck and drive out of driveways without it dragging on the ground anymore. I'll have pictures of it next week.
DAMMM DAMMM!!! I wanted to do that!!!!!!! Please give up the pics! I want to see how you did it! is there a safty bump stop if a bag blows out? Does your truck have Bags also??? More More!!!????
a friend of my in doing that to his trailer...i gotta tell him you beat him to it...cool
Where did you mount the compressor and tank? On the trailer or in the truck? If you mounted in the truck, do you have some sort of connection that runs from the truck to the trailer? How big is your boat?
The way it sits now, when the air is released from the bags, the frame sits on the axle and the crossmembers are about 2-inches off of the ground. So even if a bag were to blow, I'd still be able to drive. But that wont happen because its really tough to blow a bag. You'd have to mount the bags really crooked and have them rub against something in order to blow them. The system only runs about 80psi at drive height. The way I have it set up is with a 5-gallon reserve tank under the bed of my truck and a single Thomas 317 compressor to fill it. Out of the side of the tank, there is a ball valve to keep the air from escaping from the tank, when i'm not towing the boat. From the ball valve, i have a steel braided air line that runs with the trailer connector, from the hitch down to the trailer. At the trailer, i have a quick connect coupling for the air line and trailer wiring. Directly under the tongue of the trailer, i have mounted a pair of SMC 3/8-inch solenoid valves. One valve lets air into the bags, the other dumps it out. In the cab, i have a switch the raise and lower the trailer while i'm driving. I'll have picts as soon as i can get them scanned, maybe today.
oh yeah, i forgot, my crew cab dually was on bags and that's what gave me the idea to do it. but you dont have to have bags on your tow truck to do this. Hot Boat should do a tech story on this.
Cyclone,
I run air bags on my dually's rear but have kept them off the front due to people saying they are easily popped by rocks on the highway, is that bull? I've got a 5/7 drop/Bell tech.
yeah that is bull. a bag will only blow if you run over 250psi to it or if its incorrectly mounted and rubs on something like the control arm or brake line. I've run bags for years on all my duallies with no problems at all. Every one of them rode like a cadillac. Give Devious Customs a call and they can sell you the right parts or do the install for you. The owner is a duallie specialist. Their number is 909-947-1800. ask for jeff and tell him that Mike sent you.
If I lowered (mildly), and bagged a Silverado 1500HD, would that drastically lower the towing ability?
I'm thinking about getting a new truck.
RTJas http://free.***boat.net/ubb/biggrin.gif
Thanks Cyclone,
I've got a 98 chevy and will put the front bags on if I don't sell it. I have a 100gal. fuel tank in the bed and I'm sure the bags would help with the extra weight. My rear bag (left) went out in 00 at Parker. I was told I had to ditch the Belltech rear shackles and go with the stock ones. One of the lines rubbed through the bag. Went to stock shackles and have'nt had a problem since. I also carry a spare bag now as I found out no one in Parker carries the bags (firestone or otherwise) Havasu is the closest out there with em.
My tow capacity was'nt affected with the drop at all (old C/K style)
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