So here is my problem. I have 65 chevy C-20pu. The guy I bought it from had put bags in the front, but opted not to use a air-tank or a conventional compressor setup. Instead he used a A/C compressor and ran a hose to the bags, then one to the cab with a pressure gauge and a on/off switch. Its look god awful, but pretty ingenious. Mind you it works, but I get a uneven wear on my tires. The premature wear is on the outside of both tires. I want to buy some www tires, but don't want to spend all that money for them to be worn out unevenly. What should I do? Should I just take it off completely and go with a traditional shock and spring setup or fix what I got. Help... I am a cross road and need to know which way to go.
Here's my .05 worth... Determine the ride height the vehicle will spend most of its time rolling at. Take it to a reputable alignment shop and have them set the specs with your truck at THAT predetermined position. Either the camber is way positive (tire leaning out at the top) or your toe setting is way positive (tires are pigeon toed) and scrubbing away the outer tread. If BOTH outer ribs of tread are wearing on the SAME tire, you need to inflate them to the proper rating on the sidewall, as they are running under-inflated. The shop should verify you don't have worn ball joints or tie rod ends, wheel bearing issues, etc. before doing the alignment, and advise you of any corrections needed to maintain proper steering geometry. You will have wear concerns if you don't ride within the predetermined ride height, because as you raise and lower the suspension, it causes the camber and toe settings to change. I always just dropped it while I was parked, and raised it (Bagged 66 VW bug, 71 c20 Suburban, and 71 Nova), to my predetermined setting when I was rolling. But I also teach automotive technology and have an alignment machine and 8 bay shop at my disposal anytime I wanted to change the "predetermined ride height", so you'll have to pick a happy median, . A tip: When I was wrenching, I was a front end spe******t for Sears, and they offered a lifetime alignment. If you buy it, set your ride at whatever height you want, drive it a while, and when you change something, go back in and get a "check-up" and have them set it to your new ride height. I did this for several customs in the Memphis area, as bags got popular. You'll get your moneys worth, and the tech will get paid. Hope this helps...
Whoa. What did he use as a valve to dump the air from the bags? Sounds like he tried to go the route of an engine driven compressor instead of an electric compressor. Engine driven compressors are basically AC compressors but since they are used for air ride they are resealed to run off internal oil, instead of PAG oil like AC compressors. If he didn't buy an airride compressor, and didn't reseal the AC compressor, then it probably wont last long. The compressors themselves are pretty cheap though. I'm planning to buy and Engine Driven Compressor Kit for my airbagged daily driver since it can fill up my 8 gallon tank in 30 seconds (at idle) as opposed to 5 minutes with my Viair 450C Electric Compressor. I'll keep my 450C plumbed & wired as a backup though. What you need to do is buy a tank. 5 gallons is the norm and they are less than $75 new. You need new fittings and DOT tubing. You need either 1 or 2 valves, depending how you wanna set it up (left/right, or both at same time) or more if you're planning on bagging the rear as well. Valves run between $30 and $300 so options are there. A pressure switch is needed to shut off the compressor at a certain pressure and kick it on at a certain pressure, they are usually $15. Then a pair of gauges (a Dual Needle for the bags and a single needle for the tank to monitor your pressure). You can learn alot from www.bagginit.com , and you can get all your air ride parts at the best prices as well as great technical advice from the guys at www.suicidedoors.com For the tire problem...find your proper ride height and see what the pressure is on your gauges...keep it at that pressure when you're driving. Have it aligned at that pressure, and get a new set of tires. Hope this helps, Good luck.
Sweet! Thanks guys. i guess the consensus is to keep the bags. I love the fact I can put on the ground when I'm out, but hate the uneven wear. Ill try the above fixes. Side note..... When I got it I was screwing around with the ride height and put in on the ground. Then I didn't know how to put air back in. Dilemma. After about a half hour battle in the summer in a black truck, i turned the existing heater switch and Eureka! Guess I shoulda asked. hahahha
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