Air bags?

Y'all may kill me for asking this as many hotrodders don't approve of air bags, but I just don't see any other option.
I have a 1948 dodge truck I am wanting to lower. I am just beging this project and will be swapping out the old power plant for a v8 ( more than likely a 360). Also plan to upgrade the tranny and do a chop (it will be my first).
My real problem is trying to get the truck down to the ground. Many ways to do it but only one way that I know of that I can get it back up so that I can get it back into my driveway. Any thoughts and help would be much appreciated. I hate to build a great truck and have to park it in the street cause it won't go into the driveway.

 

Option 1: Do nothing
Option 2: Static drop & park in the street
Option 3: Static drop & new driveway
Option 4: Air Bags (but grow thick skin if you're going to post it here, they're not widely accepted)
Option 5: Mild (driveway friendly) static drop

 

Do the airbags, its your truck build what you want and need. 1 advice, go 1/2 air lines and valves, they can be slowed down. But to get 1/4 inch lines to go faster, they need to be replaced with bigger.

 

hows the frame and suspension now? if its trash maybe ck out a dakota frame. my buddy has his dodge pu on 92 dakota frame and its low but all stock

 

Just do a static drop. i scrape frame every time i pull into my driveway. I am about 3.5" off the gound in front and 5 in back

 

thats what they make 3/8 for

 

no need for 1/2". 3/8 is more than enough.

Don't do that! That would be the worst thing you could do.


Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app

 

Some good advice there guys.
Please forgive me, I am still pretty new to this type of thing. I have loved cars all my life but have never built one of my own. What is a static drop? If I go with the air bags do I need to go to an IFS or can I use the original front axle? What about the back? Do I "c notch" the frame?

And davidh73750- your buddy's truck looks great.

 

Static drop is simply lowering it, non adjustable (lowering springs, drop spindles, etc)

 

you can send the front axle and have it dropped (Sids here on the hamb) is the best bar none.
that means he heats your axle and stretches it so that the kingpins are located higher dropping the truck. usually you can block or axle flip the rear (axle flip is when the axle is located on top of the leaf springs instead of under. ( if it comes stock with springs under you can just block between the axle and the springs and drop the rear. )

do you have a pic of how low you want to go? then you could decide if you can have it adjustable (bags) or static dropped

you can bag the solid front axle but you cannot get the truck on the ground that way if you want to lay frame you need to go independent.

 

Lower the vehicle and add a set up bags as a supplement to your lowered suspension...not a replacement for springs or leafs. Use the bags to raise the vehicle for ground clearance but the vehicle will use the suspension 100% of the time not the bags.

 

We used to put little casters on the back bumper to get in and out of driveways. But back it if you must.

 

I dont mean to hijack the thread but im a newb too and how is this done I have a 53 chevy and kinda the same problem mine is just static now but this way sounds like a good route to go does anyone have any pics or links to builds with this

 

I have to agree with TylerWest, it sounds like an interesting option. I do like the caster idea, poorknbeaner, but not sure that it would work in my case. I plan to look into it a little further. Mlagusis, very interested...