My 4 corner airbag install

[SheldonA]

I used these all round;

http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa384/thegrubb1/w02-358-9901.jpg

Made up some plates to mount them.

This is what it looks like in the rear;

http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa384/thegrubb1/RearAir.jpg

And in the front;

http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa384/thegrubb1/Front_none.jpg


With the current setup;

In the rear with 2" extended shocks: down travel is about perfect, but I lose about 25mm up travel due to the bags bottoming and needed extended bump stops.

In the front with 2" extended shocks: the shocks limit the down travel by about 35mm and I lose about 10mm up travel due to the bags bottoming.

And my ride is now as smooth as a babies bottom and handes beautifully. Love it on the dirt/corrigations :)

[isuzutoo-eh]

From where did you source the front upper shock mounts?


Well done :)

[cal415]

Nice work, just did something very similar myself, i havnt posted anything up yet on mine, just trying to smooth out all the kinks first, i used the firestone bellows on the rear and an airbag man setup on the front which i am not 100% happy with, where did you source your bags and how much did they set you back? they look ideal for the front of mine, i am also planning on doing my other truck as well. Also what did you do about your shock valving?

[Rangier Rover]

Another one now riding on air.:cool: Be interesting how the front set up behaves. I have modified Toyota playdoe bellows in the front. Far from perfect.;)

Also, wonder if the rear bellows will ever gets pinched in the top spring perch on yours, Is a problem for me.

Are you fitting HD sway bars or anti roll bars? I can see the factory job, mine used to turn inside out on full down droop!

[SheldonA]

From where did you source the front upper shock mounts?


Well done :)

Thanks

Sourced from a late model Range Rover Classic that had the air suspension.

[SheldonA]

Nice work, just did something very similar myself, i havnt posted anything up yet on mine, just trying to smooth out all the kinks first, i used the firestone bellows on the rear and an airbag man setup on the front which i am not 100% happy with, where did you source your bags and how much did they set you back? they look ideal for the front of mine, i am also planning on doing my other truck as well. Also what did you do about your shock valving?

Sourced the bags from;

Firestone Airide Replacement Air Spring - w02-358-9901 - w02-358-9901 | $104.95 (http://www.sdtrucksprings.com/index.php'main_page=product_info&products_id=8628)

(sorry click for 'Insert Link' not working right now for me, you will have to copy and paste)

Price shown on site. I had to get them sent to a mate in the US then shipped across as they wouldn't ship here :(


What did I do about the shock valving? Umm nothing :)

With it set at the standard spring height, I would say it has less roll than with original coils, soaks up bumps better and has no ill handling effects.

With it lowered it does sway abit at high speeds, but nothing serious.

[SheldonA]

Another one now riding on air.:cool: Be interesting how the front set up behaves. I have modified Toyota playdoe bellows in the front. Far from perfect.;)

Also, wonder if the rear bellows will ever gets pinched in the top spring perch on yours, Is a problem for me.

Are you fitting HD sway bars or anti roll bars? I can see the factory job, mine used to turn inside out on full down droop!

So far no ill effects. Highway (including QLD to Vic) and general around town all good. Other than a few flexs off-road, haven't given them a punishing yet in this aspect.

The rear bellows have loads of clearance from the top spring perch, so I can't see how these ones will get pinched :)

Standard sway bar on mine. No inside outs with them yet, but maybe I just need to do more drooping :)

[Vern]

Sheldon, how are you controlling it all?

[cal415]

You haven't flexed it enough yet, with that travel your sway bars will definetly suffer, first little test i did on mine flexing it in the shed using just the bags was enough to invert the rear sway bar, either that or your really not getting the travel the bags have available with those shocks.

[Bush65]

...

The rear bellows have loads of clearance from the top spring perch, so I can't see how these ones will get pinched :)

...:)
You have that clearance because your air springs are considerably smaller diameter than what Tony and others are using.

I've used similar dia to you in my old rangie, but have the larger ones for my 110/120 when I get time to return to it.

[rick130]

[snip]

Also, wonder if the rear bellows will ever gets pinched in the top spring perch on yours, Is a problem for me.

[snip]

On the chassis side Tony ?

I'm surprised as yours are spaced down a fair way.

[SheldonA]

Well yes, I've had the sway bars 'invert' due to the flex now.

But I have also modified the rear spring mounts so that the airbag sits flush (other than a 6mm plate) to the top of the coil sping hanger. ie. I have removed the need of a 20mm spacer to the top of the bag.

Obviously this has given me 20mm up travel back, which leaves about 5-10mm less up travel than what the original bumps stops were giving me.

It has also noticably reduced body roll (not that it was bad). ie for same height I now have stiffer settings, or vice versa, with same spring rate I now have lower body.

I most likely will convert my front from the same airbags to the original Dunlops from a classic range rover. The spring perches in the front are too narrow to allow the 20mm spacer to be removed as in the rear, and I want my up travel back (Isuzu's already have 20mm reduced)/I know it will improve handling (once again not that it is now bad) a little more.

Would I recommend fitting airbags - you bet ya! My ride is so so nice and smooth :)

[Bush65]

...

I most likely will convert my front from the same airbags to the original Dunlops from a classic range rover. The spring perches in the front are too narrow to allow the 20mm spacer to be removed as in the rear, and I want my up travel back (Isuzu's already have 20mm reduced)/I know it will improve handling (once again not that it is now bad) a little more.

Would I recommend fitting airbags - you bet ya! My ride is so so nice and smooth :)
I'm guessing that RRC or disco II rear air springs may have a longer travel range than rrc fronts. So is it possible/practical to use rrc or disco II rear air springs in the front?

[Vern]

Sheldon, i have a set of front and rear RRC air springgs, i can measure for you, thats if your ever back on here;)

[cal415]

Vern, I would be interested in those measurements for rear RRC airsprings, full extended length, closed length, inflated diameter of the bellow, top and bottom mount diameter and pics if possible please?

[Vern]

probably can't do the inflated diameter, they are out of the car. Will get the rest though:)

[flagg]

You have that clearance because your air springs are considerably smaller diameter than what Tony and others are using.

I've used similar dia to you in my old rangie, but have the larger ones for my 110/120 when I get time to return to it.

Just digging this up as I'm considering the conversion and choosing what springs..

Why would you prefer the larger bags in a 110 John? are they stronger? I would prefer not to use spacers and limit up travel if I can get away with it.

[Dougal]

I'm collating the info on the stock RRC EAS bags at the moment. I'll have mine out for replacement and measureup shortly.
It appears P38 and RRC bags are basically length variations on the same theme.

[Bush65]

You have that clearance because your air springs are considerably smaller diameter than what Tony and others are using.

I've used similar dia to you in my old rangie, but have the larger ones for my 110/120 when I get time to return to it.
Just digging this up as I'm considering the conversion and choosing what springs..

Why would you prefer the larger bags in a 110 John? are they stronger? I would prefer not to use spacers and limit up travel if I can get away with it.
The Firestone air springs I had in my rangie were an unknown assembly number (the supplier removed the stickers), but are damn near the same as Firestone W01-D08-9310 (1T26D-7 bellows), with only a small difference in the top crimp plate. Their minimum compressed height (6") and maximum extended height (21") are good, but for the loaded weight of a 110, I'm not happy with the pressure at operating height - if using a largish operating height , the pressure when compressed to near minimum height is getting too high IMHO.

Where I used similar diameter to the_grubb, my reply was a bit too hasty, because on further checking the springs I used were smaller. So please don't take my comment to imply that the diameter of the Firestone W02-358-9901 are too small, because they are not.

The W01-D08-9310 has a 4" piston, where the W02-358-9901 has a 5" piston.

Other Firestone air springs that use a 1T14C-7 bellows also have 5" pistons, that enlarge further when as the spring is compressed. This and the method that the top is sealed (crimp plate) make them larger compared to the W02-358-9901. These (1T14C-7) are too large for the stock, front spring perch. Also the enlarged piston diameter requires a high force to compress them, which affects articulation. To address this I want to make some different pistons, but don't have time.

I'm in two minds about using the W02-358-9901 air springs instead - what I dislike with them is the crimp band that they use to hold the bellows to the top plate and piston, compared to the more reliable (IMHO) crimp plate at the top and bonded closure at the bottom of the 1T14C-7 bellows. You have all heard about leaking air springs in Land Rover air suspensions - they all use crimp bands.

[LR1979]

Great info, thank you:thumbsup: