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Air Bags, Lowering Questions
https://slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=23471		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  knuckledown [ Mon Jun 04, 2007 3:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Air Bags, Lowering Questions
Has anyone used air bags to lower their '70's era car? I want to do it right, and so far all I have run into is local chop shops that think they know what they're doing and can make the average idiot believe they know what they are doing, but in reality, they have no clue.

I have seen some systems out there that require some custom fabrication, but I have no problem with that.

Just want to make sure I am doing the job right so that I won't have problems down the road.
Author:  SlantSixDan [ Mon Jun 04, 2007 3:56 pm ]
Post subject: 
How much are you planning on lowering the car? There are a lot of ways to do it wrong, and very few ways to do it right (i.e., without screwing up the handling or creating other problems). See this thread.
Author:  knuckledown [ Mon Jun 04, 2007 6:16 pm ]
Post subject: 
Very helpful.

However, I am looking for a more adjustable suspension system. I would like a nice ride hight, somewhere around 7-8" and still be able to drop the car low on cruise night.

From the guys who I have talked too, air bags seem the way to go. The only problem is, no one seems to know anything about A body Plymouths.
Author:  dakight [ Mon Jun 04, 2007 6:27 pm ]
Post subject: 
The rear end will be relatively straightforward. Take out the leafs, weld in a 3 link or a 4 link and put in the bags. The tricky part will be the front. It has been done with pneumatic torsion bar adjusters, called "Pork Chops" on trucks but that won't work on an A-body because the adjusters are on the lower control arm instead at the back of the bars. You would almost have to either use air shocks on the front or replace the entire front suspension with something like an Alterkation. Either way it's going to be an expensive and invasive process.
Author:  SlantSixDan [ Mon Jun 04, 2007 7:48 pm ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
it's going to be an expensive and invasive process.
That's a diplomatic and indirect way of saying "You're fixin' to screw up your car pretty good." And that, in turn, is a diplomatic and indirect way of saying "This is a dumb idea, don't do it".
Author:  knuckledown [ Tue Jun 05, 2007 3:58 am ]
Post subject: 
Since the front is going to be "expensive and invasive," maybe I would be better going with air in the rear and the 2" drop knuckles in the front?
Author:  dakight [ Tue Jun 05, 2007 5:54 am ]
Post subject: 
That will work. I wouldn't do it on my car but then we aren't talking about my car. At least that is easily reversible if you find you don't like it. You can also lower the rear by simply inverting and swapping from side to side the front leaf spring mount. You may find when you do that that you don't like it because the car will scrape on every speed bump or incline you go over.
Author:  knuckledown [ Tue Jun 05, 2007 5:28 pm ]
Post subject: 
Each of us have our own idea on how we want our car to look or perform. I personally like the look of a lowered car on a modern interpretation of classic era wheels. You may call it stupid or crazy, I call it innovation.

I'm 100% about doing jobs the correct way. I don't like things breaking or mechanical devices to be dangerous. Number one is safety, two is reliability and three is performance.

If this can be done correctly and safely, be reliable and perform correctly than I am all for it. Otherwise another idea will have to be created and implemented.

I appreciate everyones input and idea's and will consider all input, good or bad. I would appreciate constructive idea's more tho. :D
Author:  DionR [ Tue Jun 05, 2007 5:52 pm ]
Post subject: 
The alter-k-tion front is the only way to go, if you want bags. And some people don't think it screws up the handling.

In the rear, there is a bolt in (I think) 3 or 4 bar setup that could use airbags, as well.

I will try and find a link for the rear. ABodyJoe on Moparts.com installed it.
Author:  DionR [ Tue Jun 05, 2007 6:09 pm ]
Post subject: 
Ok, I guess it wasn't a complete bolt in, but it wasn't a back half job either. Looks like it was the same manufacturer as the alter-k-tion front.

Don't know if bags would work, you're on your own for that research.

Here's the link.
Author:  Matt Cramer [ Wed Jun 06, 2007 5:45 am ]
Post subject: 
The biggest issue with air bags in the front on a Mopar is that Chrysler's engineers designed the suspension around torsion bars to such an extent that they didn't leave any room where you could easily install any other sort of spring, or for that matter any load bearing points that could serve as spring perches.

So if you're using air bags, you'd pretty much have to redesign the entire front suspension. I'd really only trust a shop that builds tube frame race cars, or has similar experience with major suspension designs and has proven that they actually know what they're doing, to handle a task like that.

It is possible to lower an A-body in the front by simply adjusting the torsion bars, very much like with coil-over setups. The catch is that you would need to make sure the alignment is good, and that the torsion bars are stiff enough to keep it from bottoming out. There's a few companies that make tubular control arms to improve the suspension geometry on lowered Mopars.
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