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I am in the process of bagging my truck...

3K views 55 replies 16 participants last post by  kryptonite 
#1 ·
Well here goes...
I have a 97 gmc sierra with a 4/6 belltech drop and this week I have started the process of airbagging it myself.
So first a before picture


and now a just starting picture
 
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#5 ·
question... why are you mounting the compressor in ur engine compartment? I guess its a good place to put it and u'd have to run less wiring to get it to run, but any reason why its going there instead say where everyone else puts it? like on the frame rails...
 
#12 ·
I will try the compressor in the engine compartment first...I will rubber bushing mount it so that it will dampen the noise and vibration a bit...and turn the stereo up more :D

The plate will get cleaned up...in fact gonna trick it up a bit I think....
Oh and I thought I would try it in the engine compartment because I live in Vancouver...We get about 4000mm (157 inches) of rain every year...and I think that motor will be beter protected up there...

I got the first air tank in today..outside the frame between the front of the bed and the front of the rear wheel fender...It is a 5 gallon tank and I will put one on the other side too...
 
#13 ·
kryptonite said:
The plate will get cleaned up...in fact gonna trick it up a bit I think....
Oh and I thought I would try it in the engine compartment because I live in Vancouver...We get about 4000mm (157 inches) of rain every year...and I think that motor will be beter protected up there......
I have a similar situation. I have a low water bridge going to my house and occassionaly it is underwater. I do not want to mount my back up compressors on the low part of an already lowered truck.

kryptonite said:
I got the first air tank in today..outside the frame between the front of the bed and the front of the rear wheel fender...It is a 5 gallon tank and I will put one on the other side too...
I am glad you showed this. I was thinking about doing mine this way to give more room in counter sinking my fuel cell between the rear frame rails. I thought about running tanks along the frame rails under the extended cab, but would be limited with the dual exhaust from my LS6.
Can you show me more of the tanks and how you fabbed and attached the brackets?
I guess you went to the bed supports?
Looks good.
 
#14 ·
Can you show me more of the tanks and how you fabbed and attached the brackets?
I guess you went to the bed supports?
Ya, I welded a piece of angle iron to the side of the brackets.
Then I made a 1 1/2 inch wide by about 4 inch long rectangular washer with a 1 1/2" long 5/16 bolt welded to the washer so that the whole assembly slides into the bed support and then drops out through the hole I drilled...
that way I don't need to try to get a wrench in there...
I also had to make two 1/4" spacers to keep the angle Iron away from the filler neck for the gas tank...
Then I put the tank in and bolt everything together
:think: I think I will take a picture on tuesday (next time I will work on the truck)
 
#18 ·
Beyond Static said:
Great idea. I may have to do that. Is that the Air Ride 5 gallon tank? :head:
Its a 5 gallon tank but not an air ride...its about 7 inches in diameter...
Also my truck is a long box, I dont know what would fit on a short box but there is still a lot of space in that area...so much that I may attach my valves directly to the tank in that area...
 
#19 ·
Other than the noise factor with the compressor in the engine compartment, It is going to run hotter, which in time, could lead to burning the compressor up easier.
 
#20 ·
Chris99GMC said:
Other than the noise factor with the compressor in the engine compartment, It is going to run hotter, which in time, could lead to burning the compressor up easier.
Hmmm thats a good point anyone know how hot an engine compartment gets?

my average yearly temperature is 50 f( compared with your 65 f in Santa Barbra) so that might help a bit. I have it mounted on a large aluminium plate which will help act like a heat sink. The compressor is a Vivair 550 which is 100% duty rated...

I will try it for now but I will keep a close watch on it...hey maybe I should mount a compressor temperature guage :D
 
#22 ·
Yup I think I will have to watch the compressor temp... :flame:

Oh and here is a picture of one of my rear brackets to hold the top of the airbag...Yup its gonna be on the axle...It is made of 1/4 inch steel



Next summer I want to do some kind of 4 link but for now I just want to get something working..
 
#24 ·
I am gonna have the bags in those brackets on the rear axle and then will take off the bottom 2 leafs in the leaf spring so that it "sags" down to the bump stops. then with a little air...up she goes...So I guess that is air over leaf with the air moved to the axle area?

I have heard the ride is "rougher" with the bags over the axle (as compared to the spring) but I will have to live with it until I do the 4 link thing...

Did you do the KP 4-link?
 
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