Thread: 4 corner airbags ( spring replacement) - anyone running them?

I've done the research as i plan to do the conversion. This is a data dump of everything i've found from trawling the AULRO posts. The "proposed set up" is where i'm heading and it's based on wiser minds than mine having walked the path before. Some comments may not be 100% accurate. For much of it I cut and pasted posts and corrected info if i found an error. Depending on your needs, the AirBag Man kit might be all you need. Speak to Gordon at Opposite Lock Rockdale. He has the Airbagman kit in his 110 and been playing with airbags in defenders for several years. Budget $8k drive in drive out if you use the AccuAir tank, valves and compressor in 1 kit and AirbagMan kit. Labour is about 15 hours for someone that has done it before.

Proposed set up


Front
Brit part +2” dual shock turret
80 series shocks
W01-358-9327 - 17.5” safe extension (255mm min static ride height and 330 mm max static ride height - 0” to +3”)
return sway bars to front


Rear
fabricate new top plates to match the top plate diameter of the bellow. spacing to be +/- 45mm (or buy the AirBag man kit and modify the top plate to the above specs) - however using the 75mm top plates from Airbag man would have the effect of (i) allowing the axle to drop more without risk of popping a bag; (ii) increase the static ride height in the rear by shifting the bag down (shifting the centre line of the bag down)
80 series shock
1T14C-8 bellows with 9778/NAD-18053 piston (taken from W01-358-5426 that uses the 1T14C-7 bellow)
19.5” safe extension (320mm min static ride height and 355 mm max static ride height - (-1” to 0”)
return sway bars to rear (need spacers for the long range tank)


Controller
AccuAir E-level with CVT tank and compressor kit.


Members with knowledge


TimNZ
Bush65
Hally
Cal415
Isuzurover
Rovercare


USA sourced: truckspring.com


Front bags


need to consider the front shock relocation method. Front or rear of axle (rear preferred). Airbag man uses Terrafirma twin shock mounts. i would need the measurements to match the GL set or weld shock mounts onto the GL set. Best way is to fab up some mounts to weld to the axle and weld to the turret. Bear mach make a set of twin shock mounts (poor quality). QT make a eye to eye mount. Devon 4x4 may be making stuff under the supervision of MJ Lee. Brit part make a dual shock turret at +2”


Rovercare used RRC EAS front shock mounts. Still need to fab up a lower shock mount. could use terrafirma lower mount from the kit? He had custom upper spring mounts made. I’d need to do the same.


Tusker used an MJ Lee twin shock set up for the remote shock.


Brit part make a +2” twin shock turret. looks like it would be tight to contact on the air spring. part DA6322L


Search for any external front shock mount


Other thing to think about is min height of the bellow and the effect of bottoming out the shock.


RAC shock relocation kit


AirBagman package
Front
Airbag man part numbers, (same as replacement for RRC)
AB0002 Bellows 150x406mm ea
DP313190200M Piston 150mm MODIFIED EACH
DP314740014 170mm Top Plate Std
(too small for my needs)


Rear
AB0051 - Firestone part number: W01-358-5422 (1T14C-3 bellows)
AB0056 - (marketed as +2”) (1T14C-7 bellows) piston part no is AB 0070 Closed height = 227mm Fully extended=547mm




Rangier Rover used prado tops with AB0002 bellows - part # for prado top CC1030 and CC1031 - combo will give 320mm normal ride height. Says they are far from perfect.


Rovercare has 530mm travel front bags. He has custom plates/mounts made (ask if he still has the design)


Bush65 uses W01-358-9327 up front and W01-358-5429 in rear
W01-358-9327 = extended height 19.5”, compressed 5.4” top plate 5.31”

Airbag man - defender 130 off the shelf kit is part ref OA6015 which is only 2” lift.


CAL415 had front bags custom made by Airbag man with aftermarket shock mounts to relocate the shock. Part number not known 5in piston and 1t14c-8 bags (i thinks the modification below is on 4 corners)


Alternative is W01-D08-9310 (19.5” long, 5.4” compressed) top plate 5.31”


Rear bags


Airbag man
For my set up preferred is Firestone air bags 1T14C-8 bellows (permits 14” travel) with 9778/NAD-18053 piston. Airbag Man don’t sell as an off the shelf combination. Airbag Man will combine these parts for $70 each. Hally paid $ 1050 for two air bags complete with pistons and brackets that need to be mounted inside the upper spring mount and a couple of fittings nuts and bolts


Bush65 uses Firestone W01-358-5429 (1T14C-8 bellow) on rear. Says it is best airbag suited to the Nissan Patrol ute for both sprung and unsprung mass. He fitted his to a 120”. Free length max 500mm, min compression 175mm. Ideal static 342mm with 300mm being min ride height. theoretical 13.8” of travel. http://bushie39.com.au/?page_id=418


CAL415 runs 1T14C-8 bellows with NAD-18053 piston. The NAD-18053 piston is stolen from the 1T14C-7 bellow (W01-358-5426) CAL415’s mods - top mount - i shortened it from 65-70mm to about 42-44mm to gain some more room for up travel. The bottom - i had to re-drill the plates they gave me weld in some bolts to mount to the diff end, drill some holes for fitting to the piston base which had 2 bolt holes. For the bag itself i had to cut down the bottom stud so it didn't protrude out the bottom plate, i made up a spacer out of some tube and bolted to the piston using the cut down stud.




The_grubb used W02-358-9901 from truckspring.com 23.43” open, 7.05” closed. 416mm travel (16.38”). diameter of the bag is slightly smaller than the 1T14C-8 which alleviates potential for rubbing the spring hanger. Bush65 opined that the W02-358-9901 uses a crimp method to secure the bellow to the top plate that can leak. The 1T14C-8 was a better design. This bellow may suit my shocks better


TimNZ made up his own 44mm spacer for the top mount - rangier rover made top plate the same diameter as the bellow (or marginally smaller) to avoid pinching of the bellow on full compression (sitting on bump stops)


Info from Rangier Rover
Front
Rangier Rover used prado tops with AB0002 bellows - part # for prado top CC1030 and CC1031 - combo will give 320mm normal ride height. Says they are far from perfect.


Rear
measurements of the existing coil springs as follows.
Fully compressed = 210mm
Normal desired ride height=360mm
Full down travel =540mm
Rangier's ISUZU 4BD1T 120" (page 11-13)
Our Defender/County 120? (pages 1, 6, 8


Rangier Rover uses AirBagman (Firestone bags) as comes in kit form (OA 4515) and seems to be Bag AB0056 with AB0070 piston)
Closed height = 227mm
Fully extended=547mm
Very close to the money less 10mm I'll play with spacers and the top shock mounts til I get it spot on


W01-358-5426 - The bottom fitting and one of the top fittings are 1/2" UNC, the other top fitting is 3/4" UNF, the thread for the air inlet is 1/4" NPT.


from Truck Parts & Trailer Parts - Pickup Truck & Trailer to Semi Truck
Firestone airspring assembly W01-358-5429 (14” travel)
Firestone airspring assembly W01-358-5426 (has a shorter stroke to the 5429 bellow)
FYI - W01-358-5426 (1T14C-7 bellow) has a design operating height (static) of 13.5” (342mm), max stroke of 440mm (17.4”), min compression of 203mm (8”)


Controller
AiRock air controller (offroadonly.com)
Accuair - E-level controller with VU4 valve body, make sure buy HD sensor arms
AirBagIt controller - AB7000 or AB8000
Intelliride
Airrex AMS - stage 3
Ridetech e3 digital controller




Height control valves
Accuair VU4
see AirbagIt and Airide.com.au for valve options beyond Accuair


Line and connectors
3/8" inflates quickly but abruptly. can be difficult to finely adjust height manually. more durable.
¼” is ample
AccuAir permits valve adjustment for inflation control


Extra stuff to make it all work
air tank 5 gal (18 ltr)
3/8th lines with press fit connectors
drain plug for tank
pressure release valve for tank
non-return valve for tank or use a braided hose with built in check valve
pressure switch






??? top plate is 160mm OD, piston is 130mm OD but requires 170mm bottom plate, so the bag can roll out over the piston on full compression


Costs


Accuair controller $2400 in Oz for complete kit
Air bellows USD180 each


My 4 corner airbag install
defender 110 ute


http://bushie39.com.au/?page_id=418
RRC EAS set up
http://bushie39.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Range-Rover-1990-1994-Air-Suspension.pdf

I’m 1/2 way there


Rear
I have airbag man in the rear, manual paddle switches, digital gauge, terriferma shocks (these were brand new when I purchased the car), ARB Twin compressor. . I’ve been very happy with the ride, airbag man kit had everything and i didn’t have to think or research separate components and they have been very helpful with questions. I’ll be converting the shock mount to pin to pin using APT or Kingpin upper mount and superior engineering shocks.

I have blue mod plate fitted for the tears, should cover the legal question.

Front
I have relocated the front Shock using APT shock mount, it looks way more solid than the terriferma mounts. Running superior engineering remote shocks. When it comes to front bags and controller I’ll be buying the airbag man kit.

In summary, the rear rides slouch better so makes sense to do the front.

Given I have a Poptop airbag man said they can add a function so that the car will self level as compared to auto height adjustment. I.e. so the bed is flat. I am considering not having a controller and just manually adjust as it will simplify the setup.

Wow, that's great info.

AULRO member Shingleback has air on all 4 corners. I only have airbags replacing my coils at the rear, with a nifty $12 wireless controller. Makes adjusting them super convenient.

Originally Posted by Ranga

AULRO member Shingleback has air on all 4 corners. I only have airbags replacing my coils at the rear, with a nifty $12 wireless controller. Makes adjusting them super convenient.

Have you posted this setup?

Originally Posted by MLD

a $hit load of info

Cheers MLD!

Originally Posted by weeds

I’m 1/2 way there............................................. ..Given I have a Poptop airbag man said they can add a function so that the car will self level as compared to auto height adjustment. I.e. so the bed is flat. I am considering not having a controller and just manually adjust as it will simplify the setup.

That's 1 of the items on my 'positives' list. Never have look for another rock to level up on. I read about one of the systems that has self level, both while parked and while driving, as standard. ('cept i don't recall which system...)
Also, if i can drop the thing to it's bump stops i can easily fit it in my garage when i want to store it. (along with fitting tiny diameter solid wheels)

Originally Posted by fatnold

I read about one of the systems that has self level, both while parked and while driving, as standard. ('cept i don't recall which system...)

AccuAir is probably the best out there at the moment.

Controller with self level
e-Level Controller with TouchPad - AccuAir Suspension

Air tank with built in compressor and valves
ENDO Tanks - AccuAir Suspension

The other controllers in my list will offer a range of features that you may find adequate for your needs. AirBagMan does a basic controller set up (essentially a switch to open the valves)