JasonWW

iTrader: (2)

The upper mounts are ever easier. Just use a large plate and size the hole to slip onto the shock shaft and rest on the notch in place of the stock gold cup. Then I would take a 40mm or 55mm Koni bumpstop and slide it on. Then bolt it up like stock. Only bolt the bag on the top or bottom, but not both. That way when you jack up the car, the weight of the wheel won't try and pull the bag in two. These bags are strong when compressed, but not when pulled apart.

JasonWW

iTrader: (2)

A few pics of a bagged Vette.

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

IMO, Looks good ! But the lowering effect doesn't seem as extreme as a bagged F-body! That's the first bagged vette I've seen though, Cool!

I almost didn't the trailer hitch on the vette!

JasonWW

iTrader: (2)

C5's are lower than F-bodies stock. When their suspension compresses all the way they are less than 1" from the ground and the body kits go almost to the lowest point of the car.

On a 4th gen you have about 2" of clearance and the bodies are well off the ground even though your sitting on the K-member. To really get them slammed you need to tub all 4 wheel wells plus lower the body line slightly.
Slammed1500 is the only one I know who's done it.

JasonWW

iTrader: (2)

I updated some specs on the UVAIR Aero Sport bag.

4.0" Compressed
8" Extended Usable (Unloaded they can extend to 9.25", but that last inch or so is very difficult to use. So that's 4" of usable stroke. The shock only has 3.5" of stroke.)
5.875" Diameter

While I'm working out the details on my own special setup, I figured I'd go ahead and fab up the bags with some stock shocks, stock upper mounts and without ruining the stock lower perches, similar to what the average guy might do. When I'm done, I might sell all the fabbed parts so that all you'd need are a set of bags and everything would bolt right on.

I'm anxious to see it go up and down.

So far I've spent $220 on everything.

JasonWW

iTrader: (2)

I've got the bag mount height dailed in so that it can use the shocks full range of travel.

Now there is the issue of making sure the actual ride height is going to provide enough springrate to suit me.

Anyway, here is a pic showing the highest you want to mount the bag.


You want the inner steel sleeve on the bag to come up to the top of the shock body. Any more and you won't be able to drop the car all the way.

If you lower the bag mount, you reduce the max height the car can get, but you do make the ride firmer. So it's all a tradeoff.

All my parts so far:


Minimum and maximum shock stroke is labeled and approximate lower mount location labeled.


Lower mount looks like so:


Gold ring for bumpstop to hit has not been ground down yet. I don't have any Koni bumpstops laying around so I modded the factory one to be more progressive in it's rate.


How the whole thing fits together. The cardboard represents a steel upper plate.


I was going to fill in the gap between the stock lower perch and the bags lower mount with a length of 2" ID DOM tubing, but I can't find any local, so I may just take some 1/2" square bar and cut some short 2" pieces and weld then to the bag mount. I figure 4 per cup should be fine and still allow for wrenches and fittings to have access.

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

Sounds interesting!
Where you getting the UVAIR products from,any prefered websites?
Right now I just have threaded coilovers up front.
I've already have rear bags; a ART Coolride kit on the rear , w/manual air valves; best riding rear set-up I've had yet!

JasonWW

iTrader: (2)

Not really, I only have their bags and I got them on ebay used for $160 shipped. So I got a deal. (Assuming they don't leak, knock on wood)


This place has the bags for $175 shipped, but it's in CA so you'd have to pay tax.
stores.ebay dot com/Winning-Edge-Customs

This place carries them as well. Not in CA, but I don't know the shipping cost.
hackshacktexas dot com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=67

Another out of CA store, but costs more.
barelylegalfabrication dot com/
I don't even look at their stuff anymore. It looks like good quality, but it's very pricey for what you get. That coolride kit shows to cost $366. Those look like Firestone F9000 bags which can be bought for $65 each. That means the brackets are the priciest pieces. It's fine if you want it to bolt on, but I'd rather build it myself and save the money. Know what I mean?

JasonWW

iTrader: (2)

I just need to have my buddy fab up some upper plates for me and I can fit them on the car to check the clearance. I still need to figure out whether to put the air line on the top or the bottom of the bag. Top is better as it doesn't move with the suspension, but the damn upper control arm is right in the way.

I'll get it sorted out later on.

Oh yeah, I'm going to add some new jacking points to the car as well.

sporty_drew

Glad to see some progress on this Jason. It looks like it's going to plan. I'm looking for a DD right now so I should be able to start this project soon enough also.

firebird96

Interesting thread, and awesome ingenuity, Jason!

Just wanted to add that we (I work for Air Ride Technologies) don't use QA1's and haven't for several years now; we use Varishocks from Chris Alston's Chassisworks. We also don't use the systems to "hop". I installed a full system with the LevelPro on my '96 T/A dd and I love it. I rarely-if ever-set her down all the way, but I raise her for bumps/etc quite often. I can hook you up with info on spring rates, etc., if you'd like. Or there's a lot of interesting info on our website, www.ridetech.com (we have a forum there too, if you guys would like to quiz our tech guys), with comparisons of stock suspensions vs. air. I've always been particularly impressed with the tuneability, most highly noticed when I autocrossed her for the first time this summer.

Anyway, here's my girl at full compression:

And ride height:


I mounted my tank/compressors/valves in the back hatch but am thinking of moving the compressors, possibly in front of the front fenders (haven't really been under there to see if space allows yet).

Any other questions, feel free to ask

JasonWW

iTrader: (2)

Are you Amber?

Are you running the F9000 bag in the rear? If you have any spring rate data on it, I'd love to see it. The stock springs in these cars are about 110lb/in, but I prefer 150lb/in to reduce the amount of compression and improve the handling without the ride being too stiff. I'm wondering if the F9000 might be too soft for my tastes.

I know with airbags the spring rates are very progressive compared to even a progressive rate coil spring. Then the rolling lobe bags can have different shapes to the cone and it effects the spring rate as well. So any info would be appreciated. I'm going to look through your forums as well.

There's really a lot of room up in the nose of these cars. The drivers side front area has the smog pump, which can be removed and the computer code removed, so it will pass emissions tests. You could probably fit 2 compressors there.

The passenger side "pod" has less room as there is the radiator overflow tank right under the battery along with the horns, but all of that can be moved with a little work.

There is actually a lot of room between the doors and the front wheels. Just remove the plastic splash liner. I think that would be the perfect spot for the front valves.

If you cut out some of the steel front bumper and foam you'll find room enough for twin air tanks. A pair of 2 gallon tanks should easily fit, but takes a lot more work to mount. No air goes through the nose, anyway, so it doesn't block anything. It would make for a very stealthy install. I probably shouldn't give away my secrets, but there's not many folks bagging these cars, anyway.

firebird96

Yeah, that's me

I'll see what kind of info I can get tomorrow; we've got an engineer who has been doing a lot of graphing on the spring rates of the various bags, I'll see if he has anything newer than what I've got (he's out of the office today, go figure, lol). And yeah, you're right; changing that piston on the bottom of the rolling sleeves can change things dramatically.

I'm pretty sure they're 9000's in the rear but I'll have to doublecheck the number, I haven't messed with the rears (other than the shocks) since I put 'em in 2 years ago. I've put some prototype stuff on the front from time to time, but nothing on the rears yet. And we're trying out different valving configurations in the shocks that'll make a difference, too.

Yeah, there's a lot of room up there; maybe 2 months ago, I was up in there mounting some other stuff but I didn't even think until a couple weeks later that maybe I could stick the compressors in there . It's hard to get lift time around here, though, and I'm too old to do it the hard way, so it may be this winter before I get around to that I don't mind the 'psshhht' of the valves, it's the compressor noise that I want gone, lol. I may stick 'em both on one side so I don't have to move the smog pump, etc., that just sounds like more work than just dealing with the noise Just have to poke around when I get in there and see what fits. I don't mind the tank (I've got a 5-gal) in the back hatch, I painted it and stuck a decal on it and it doesn't look too horrid, although I'm sure all the rednecks around here think it's a mobile meth lab.

Anyway, I'll get you that rate info.

JasonWW

iTrader: (2)

So you mainly want both compressors on the outside of the car? I'll come up with a few different spots for you. I have lots of pics of these cars sliced up.

What model compressors do you have?

firebird96

Yeah; when they're in the back hatch they're literally like 3 feet from your head and it can get annoying. I've got the Thomas 327 CDC50/12 compressors. Wiring and airline routing or length is not an issue, I'll run a thousand feet if I have to Right now, I've got the tank/compressors/valves mounted to a board in the back, with the wiring running underneath the carpet to the ecu in the console, with the controller where my ash tray used to be. Airlines go from the board down under the carpet and out through the rear seat drain holes, then pretty much along the frame straight to the front/rear, so routing will be easy to change.

JasonWW

iTrader: (2)

I can't find the perfect picture, but here's something.

You don't relocate the smog pump. you would remove it. Assuming you have one. I'm not too keen on the LT1 cars. There should be room for a pump on each side without moving or removing anything. The horns might be in the way on the passenger side, but they are easily moved.

The black tank under the batteryin this pic is the overflow tank I was talking about.

I'll go snap some pics of my car later. The headlights are out so you can see in there pretty easily.

firebird96

Yeah, I know. I just left off the 're'
Wonder if removing that would cause problems with my engine warranty (JE&T rebuild)...

I pulled the plastic out a bit a while ago to mount some remote shock canisters in there; there was plenty of room for those, and they're not all that much smaller than the compressor cylinder itself. I might see if I can find a different brand compressor that's not quite so tall, tho.

JasonWW

iTrader: (2)

I can fit a 2 liter bottle in the space on the passenger side between the water tank and the bumper cover. I think your pump would fit there easily.

My smog pump on the drivers side is no longer there so I can't say for sure how much room is there, but probably enough.

There is also some room behind the front licence plate, but anything mounted there will get squished if you hit something. You just have to cut the plastic behind the plate and then cut out some of the foam. I included a pic of mine. That's a yellow tow strap tucked in there.

Ignore the headlights, they are temporary while I build my fixed projectors.

JasonWW

iTrader: (2)

Hey Amber, check out this pump location.



Maybe you can give me some input on this idea. Since I'm getting rid of the rear seat, what if I were to make some new lower control arms that were longer, stronger and mounted a little more inboard? It would probably soften the ride as well as give me full up and down movement. I could also play around with the bag size (6 inch to 8 inch) as well as the amount of leverage it has. What do you think?

firebird96

Am I seeing compressors next to the exhaust tips? As long as the air inlet stays dry, there shouldn't be a problem there (unless they hit something and get ripped off )

I'm not up on my suspension geometry (shock technology is more my thang), so on that count I posted the question on our forums for the tech guys to advise; I'll copy and paste replies or a link. I don't see why it wouldn't work, but there might be something I'm missing. But really, I've got everything stock except my air components, and I get a TON of travel in the rear. She looks like a 4wd when I put her all the way up. I know via your sig that I'm not supposed to question your reasons but I don't see why you would need more up and down movement..?

Oh, and you have email

I read some of your other threads about other mods and man, you've got some serious stuff running through your head