I just bought this setup for my truck, it has everything, I just have to now adapt it onto my truck! I got it off Ebay for £250, I reckon if I bought this new it would cost in the region of £2000. Its all working and was hardly used!
So you will have front bags now… NICE
Yeah mate!!! cant wait!!!
(hey I had to drop from chat, catch ya laters!)
You’re going to hate the ride from an air strut.
Better to use air springs, and shocks to dampen the ride.
Bagging a Toyota is a breeze, if you know what you’re doing.
Would you like me to turn you onto a killer fabricator in the UK?
He’s built more custom vehicles and had more vehicle features than any other builder in your country. His creations have been on the television over and over, on many shows. He’s also a good friend of mine, and a fabrication genius.
Hey mate, thanks for that. I emailed them a few weeks back, however, they are a tad expensive, he wants £340 per front strut to bag them, so thats £640 more than I want to spend really, then on top of that I will need all the valves etc etc, so I’m thinking the £250 I just spent on this kit is worth the money??
However, I will try it out, if its pants I will consider getting them from him, unless you know him really well and can pull off some kinda deal for me??
Mucho appreciate ya help matey:D
I come from a background in air suspension. I was the editor of Mini Truckin’ Magazine for a few years, and worked on the magazine from 1995 to 2005. I’ve seen people go cheap on their setups and they always regret it. If its done right, the first time - you will have a great experience. If done poorly, you will learn to hate your truck in short order. I know that Ray isn’t cheap, but excellent work seldom is. Your choice, but I know from experience that the best work yields more smiles per mile than a bunk job that you constantly have to worry about.
Thanks Lance, I hear you!
I think I will just order the Ride rite 9000’s for the rear and then get the Struts made by Ray. I have all the pipe work, solinoids and 10way switch box etc the Air rams I got are huge!
You don’t have to deal with struts at all bro. A simple bit of fabrication to hold the air spring (not a strut) and a shock relocation is all that’s needed up front. Plumbing is up to your tastes. I don’t recommend anything larger than 3/8-inch valves, unless you plan to hop the truck. Be sure to use separate valves at each corner for better ride characteristics, and always use shocks to dampen the ride.
In the rear, I would suggest that you ditch the leaf springs completely and use a four-link setup. Ray builds those as well. You can get different ride characteristics/lift, etc. depending on where the air spring is mounted in the rear. I like Slam Specialty air springs for their rugged construction personally. Inquire about check valves on each corner as well, in case of sudden air loss - you won’t find the truck dragging chassis down the road…
I saw some dude on you tube with the four link system!!! looks awesome! he did the V chassis mod to and slammed his truck kissing the ground!!! wicked!!!
I have a bagged truck right now… its all good and fun until something breaks and u dont know how to fix it… so i suggest u learn some of this stuff as u go along… theres been a few times where i had to fix stuff on my own just to make it home…
Yeah don’t go cheap cuz it will bite you in the rear big time.
Bagged my truck before the dealer delivered it. The only problem I had was a bad pressure gauge that leaked on one side. Cost me nothing to replace since it was under a 1 year warranty but I’m hoping I can swap out the manual in-cab dual needle gauge and valves to the Air Lift WirelessAIR wireless remote control unit this summer.
Cool beanz mate!!
I have just relisted the Air rams I recently bought off ebay…and bought new air bags for the back of the truck. I fitted them last weekend and I’m lifting up straight again instead of wonky lol lol.
Yeah man I love those Firestone bags … my truck rides great now, even better when I’m towing my RV.
hahaha…just sold the air ride kit I bought on ebay for £250 for more than I paid for it, incidently, the guy who has bought the kit has an S10:D
Wooo go S10s!
nice set up.
Lance Martz!
Man I started reading MT back in 95, I believe thats the 1st year you were editor?
Yea, if anyone knows about air ride, this is the guy!
Oh geez, I’m a rock! I know who Lance is now, I just never put two and two together …
I need more coffee.
-Kris
I know Lantz too because he’s family.
One works for Viair one works for Oasis… twin brothers separated at birth…Who will win the battle of the compressor world?? lol