Airbag Helper Spring Install Recommendations

[boostaholic]

Well I finally got around to attempting the free travel mod on my truck but before I started cutting and grinding away I noticed my exhaust has been contacting the axle housing. Seems like magnaflow should have bent the pipe higher after the muffler otherwise it will contact the axle under situations involving maximum articulation (parking on snow banks, driving up mountain trails, tokyo drifting into ditches, etc). I planned on re-routing my exhaust to have the tip dump behind the rear bumper but I guess I'll be calling my exhaust guy sooner than I hoped. I've been meaning to install some Airlift inner spring helper bags (part # 60769) for awhile to aid in sway control and we had some in stock so I pulled the trigger. I really wish I had thought it through better or I may have finished the install by now. You have to flatten the bag and stuff it through the coil springs (more difficult with the drop), then affix the air lines and route them (away from the exhaust) back to a T-fitting, drill mounting hole for fill line, and air up the bags before lowering down to ride height. For anyone that cares to install some of these LEAVE THE BAG COMPRESSED BEFORE AFFIXING THE AIR LINE!!! I made the mistake of pulling the nipple from the bag before routing the line through the top of the coil pocket and henceforth created quite the pain in my ass. Passenger side is pretty easy but it would be much simpler to slide the line over the airbag fill barb if the bag is deflated due to the limited clearance. Driver's side has all kinds of crap in the way so after a half dozen tries I routed the lines safely out of the way and put everything back together so I could finish it tomorrow. I'll try to get some pics but man was it a pain in the ass. I'm hoping the bags will help sway control and bottoming out, pics and review to come tomorrow once I finish it all up.

 

[Aquinosteven]

i have been wanting to do this setup for a while now just havent been able to get around to it. Im gonna use it for towing my boat. How do they ride? what controller did you get? are there any coil spacers that will work with the bags? thanks

 

[matt14]

Let me know how you like it. I NEED to get some helper bags fot the bottoming out issue. i have a young preemie son that just came home and i have to take it HELLA easy when driving with him in my truck.i havnt finished the free travel mod yet. still have to do the driver side. i need to find a way to get the rear a little softer when going over bumps. just a little to harsh for my son.

 

[boostaholic]

not running a controller, i've got bigger plans down the road that involves a belt driven compressor and 1/2" valves. I'll have a review tomorrow, hoping it's money well spent although they really didn't cost much. just rockin the single shraeder valve that came with the kit although I am undecided as far as mounting location.

 

[Nnaboy]

I wanna see the results of this!:yesnod:

 

[boostaholic]

Finished it up on my lunch today, sorry no pics. Used my alignment rack so I could adjust ride height thus aiding in the proper connection of the air lines at the top of the coil buckets. By situating the truck's height I was able to position the bag in the partially compressed coil spring and connect the air line that was being a huge pain in the ass (very tight space I would suggest fitting the line with the bag compressed). Drilled a small hole through the plastic rear bumper valance and secured the schraeder valve facing the receiver hitch...well out of sight. With 20psi in the bags and no leaks I dropped the truck back down and it sat about 1" lower than stock. Dropped it down to 7 or 8 psi and it rides 10x better and 4" lower than stock (1/2" higher than before). Now the front seems to be rougher so I'm gonna start ordering up parts again lol. Overall it took me about 2 hours maybe less and I feel I backtracked for about half that time...honestly this should take less than an hour if you approach it properly. Don't forget to inflate the bags while the truck freestands and then drop it down. I'll get some pics and more road testing tomorrow when I go up to ft collins to rage it up.

 

[Nnaboy]

If this mod wasn't so hard I may consider it!
How much did it run you?

 

[Nnaboy]

Hey Boost by the way I am gonna do an Eibach Coil 2/3 Drop with Eibach Sways when i get some wheels but I want to know what you recommend for changing shocks, front and back?

 

[boostaholic]

Bilstein shocks or I can sell you this ill belltech coilover:

The helper bags are really easy as long as you don't fvck up like I did. I'm confident I could install another set in 30min.

 

[Nnaboy]

Thanks but how much do you think those Belltech coilovers will run me by summer?
And also how much would Bilstein shocks front and rear run for my 07 then too?

 

[boostaholic]

I'll check for you next week to see how much they run, really nice coilovers made by KW (audi, vw, etc). Just installing my bilstein shocks right now but I managed to get some pics of the bags installed. I'm hoping the truck rides better after the shocks since I'll have a service ride control light on until I solder in some resistors. Check out my custom sway bar link too yo :smilielol:

Drove up to ft collins last night and it rode waaay better on the highway, damn near stock actually. I was DD so I had to lug 4 people back to my boy's house and it didn't bottom out once, rides awesome now I can't wait to get some fresh shocks for the back too.

 

[Nnaboy]

Thanks then. Those Bilstein's look way better off than those old shocks you got there. Are installing those front shocks/coils hard?
Because I want to install my lowering kit by myself because getting it installed elsewise is Expensive!

 

[boostaholic]

Pretty easy especially if you do some coilovers up front. Rear is cake took me under 2hrs to drop my truck with keys/springs/shock extensions. I am so stoked at the ride quality with these new shocks and best of all it hasn't thrown a code for service ride control (stock shocks have sensors on the top of the shaft).

 

[DarkTahoe00]

Hey Boost this might be dumb ass question what's the benefit of the coilover's over good set of replacement shocks?

 

[boostaholic]

His truck uses a strut (coil with integrated shock) and our trucks use shocks since they're torsion bar. A truck with struts rides much nicer than our trucks, but with the right shocks you can get some pretty solid results. I was thinking about converting my truck to struts but it's way more of a hassle then benefit for these body style.

 

[DarkTahoe00]

Oh damn that sucks!

 

[Nnaboy]

Pretty easy especially if you do some coilovers up front. Rear is cake took me under 2hrs to drop my truck with keys/springs/shock extensions. I am so stoked at the ride quality with these new shocks and best of all it hasn't thrown a code for service ride control (stock shocks have sensors on the top of the shaft).

Thats good to know you're enjoying the Bilstein ride even with the large amount of drop you have, which means I should be good with my ride lowered even though its gonna be with 24" wheels.