Rear airbags
 

This may be a stupid question, but I know nothing about air ride installation. I am currenty working on my 78 Blazer 2wd but have the same question on my 80 & 81 c10 2wds. Do i have to install a 3 or 4 link on the rear, or can I install brackets kind of like overload airbags and still lay down low?? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Anyone know of a complete kit at an affordable price?
Thanks

Re: Rear airbags
 

Great questions! I have the same about my 77 burb.
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Re: Rear airbags
 

You will not lay frame or drag bumper on a AOL setup. You are still bound by the original equipment. Search AOL and you will see what a aired out system will look like.

Re: Rear airbags
 

Things are kinda slow over here in this forum. I'm gonna post this question over in the main forum. I'm not trying to take over but there's somebody in here that has to know the answer.
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Re: Rear airbags
 

i thought i answered your question.

you may try searching in the suspension forum.

Re: Rear airbags
 

There are plenty of guys who've done this and know the answers but aren't so active posting as when they were knee deep in the project. If you did a quick search of "bags" in this forum you'd find plenty of projects and ideas until someone sees your question. I'd search for you, but I'm at work.;)

Re: Rear airbags
 

you can c notch the frame and use air over leaf. this wont even be close to laying frame or draggin bumper but you will be tucking pretty nice in the rear. to lay out you would need to do a step notch after cutting your floor and then doing a 2,3,4 or 6 link and get rid of the leafs. if you get your axle touching a c notch....it will be lower in the rear if your just laying crossmember in the front. i would say do the c notch and lay crossmember and save the floor........ and link it if you need to go lower...im assuming since the question was asked awhile ago, you already found the answer...figured i'd post just in case

it will be the same situation for your c10's also...blazer tuck alittle more in the rear with less actual drop...ive got both too

Re: Rear airbags
 

Dosn,t seem to be to much demand for blazer stuff for 4 links etc. for someone to make a bolt in kit so I,ve found but with a little fabbing can be done.I,m just finishing up a AOL setup on my 78 with a c notch and 3 leafs and the pumkin hits the floor boards,looks really good,low enough for me but know I have to notch the 3 crossmembers for the floor for the driveshaft.

Re: Rear airbags
 

Do you have any pics of it layed out? Did you fabricate your own C-notch?

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No pics yet,I put it back on jack stands to do finishing touchs.I did my own brackets and c notch and fr plates as well

Re: Rear airbags
 

Here is the best pic I can get ,is a small garage.In the front I have a 4x4 peice of wood wedged in the a arm so I can roll it,so it will sit lower than the pic

Re: Rear airbags
 

try again

Re: Rear airbags
 

Thanks for the pics! Let me know how it goes with the crossmembers

Re: Rear airbags
 

What size tires are you running and are those 7 or 8 inch ralleys?
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Re: Rear airbags
 

8 in. in the rear and 7,s on fr. tires are 285/70,s and 235/70,s

Re: Rear airbags
 

man, its looking good! your axle is tucked all the way into the notch and the pumpkin is touching the floor right? im trying to figure out if i want to get my 78 blz that low or not. thanks

Re: Rear airbags
 

Yes pumpkin on the floor.I don,t what yr yours is but I,m going to have to cut and make some hoops on the floor and some crossmembers for the dr.shaft.I have some rust so I might as well start cutting,I have all winter

Re: Rear airbags
 

any more pics? looks good! did you have to move your shocks at all? looks like you are running just 2 leafs in that picture...?

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Well I had to cut the floor support out and notch the back frame crossmember abit more but so far so good.In the pic that is my muffler that you can see.I,ll just run a peice of flat bar on top to re-support it.The shocks are in there original spots

Re: Rear airbags
 

I,m running 3 leafs,thought with a blazer being heavy I,d try 3

Re: Rear airbags
 

I did bag in front of axle on my Burb...
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=383055
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Re: Rear airbags
 

What advantage or disadvantage would I have vs AOL?
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Re: Rear airbags
 

Better ride since the bag "sees" more of a load than over the axle.

More lift because you are putting the bag further up the lever so you are getting more than a 1:1 lift ratio.

Airbags typically are rated for anywhere for 2500-2600lbs per bag. So two bags on the rear of a truck should be able to support 5000-5200lbs. As you increase the air in the bag the stiffer the bag is to handle the increase load rating. So a fully inflated bag while stiff as a brick should be able to support the 5000lbs. If you don't have 5000lbs to weigh it down your going to ride like a bucking bronco. So for a good ride you have about 2-4" of adjustability before the trucks starts to ride rough.

Now if you move it closer to the fulcrum point (closer to the front of the link bar) the bag will "see" more weight so it will allow you to inflate the bag with more air and still have the "cushiony" ride that everyone wants. As an example my Ranger had a bag on the lower bar and would get 15" on lift from a 6" bag. However because I had so small of a bag and it was leveraged so much if I had a few people sitting on the tailgate I could get no more than a inch or two of lift fully inflated. So depending on what you are going to use your truck for should dictate where your bag placement will be. If you plan on towing I would do air over axle. If you want to just cruise with it I would go further up on the lower bar.

I hope this explains it a little bit.. If not please just ask..

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I don't plan on using the blazer for much more than cruising. If I ever installed a hidden hitch I might pull my utility trailer with 2 quads. I just liked the ease of the AOL since I don't weld
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