Whats this new trend I keep seeing

It may be new to you, or not but its something I keep seeing over and over again now. All of a sudden trucks are doing the airbag setup only in the rear. Now i understand the taildraggers and stuff, but in a few mags lately it has been noted that more and more trucks have gone with bags only in the rear and the lowered stock susp in the front.

Just curious if anyone else has seen this. Im not opposed to it, I like it somewhat, but I really like when its bagged in all 4 corners.

PoPo

 

huh, and i thought the latest trendy in thing was to bag rockabilly and people who listen to it.
here in Australia it is typical to see jap utes (you guys might call mini trucks) parked with the back on the ground and the front up, i thought they copied it from usa.

 

some people do it because it gives them the ability to raise there rear end if they wanna drag so it squats better when they gun it, and it doesn't push down into the rear, while keeping a stiff sporty suspension up front.

 

Ive seen it more when they are parked then when driving. Ive always seen it on minitrucks, but its the old classic traditionals that are doing it more and more.

 

Bags in the rear only can be handy if you do any kind of towing or hauling with the truck, help even it out when you have a load but not drive around lookin like joe dirt when you're not. I've also me people who have only had the bags in the back because they could only afford to do the back and were saving for the rest of the parts to do the front. On the other hand my girlfriends Ranchero only has bags in the front because i haven't had time yet to set up the 4 link for the rear.

Another possible reason could be that a lot of mini truckers(not all, there are some excellent fabricators in the truck scene) are used to using bolt on kits, and there may not be a front end kit available for their brand of truck, while there are universal link kits that work with just about any rear axle.

 

I put a pair on the back of a 31 A sedan . The guy was real picky about the stance. A passenger in the back would change it a little
with coil overs, and also 32 fuel tank out back would change ride
height a little. When he parked it he could get the look he wanted.

 

Wonder if I can get away with putting my mother in-law under the back of my '34?

 

cheap to do back only...

cheap, stupid, and lazy

 

Maybe some people just like for thier cars to sit stupid.

My advise is to let them have thier cars sit funny, just try to make sure yours doesn't.

See ya, -Abone.

 

I agree with this.

My late model daily driver pickup is lowered 4"/6" front/back. I added Firestone Ride Rite airbags to the back so I can haul stuff. I couldn't even carry my spare tire before, without the truck bottoming out, and that's WITH a C-notch above the axle. The Firestone kit was only about $200 and pretty easy to install. You don't need an on-board compressor - I just put the shrader valves in the license plate and fill them with an air chuck.

Malcolm

 

Its so you look cool. makes people think you have money to spend at Home Depot or something.

 

Yep, 100%.

 

Building bagged trucks for a living I can tell you for a fact alot of trucks sit lower in the back when parked is because its easier to get the rear down than the front. Plus the front x-member hangs down on some trucks which makes the front setup higher.

Other than that its because they aren't skilled enough to bag the front, or have the know how to get the front x-member to lay even w/the rest of the frame.

 

I bagged the back of my 59 chevy just so I could keep the same ride height when towing or hauling. The system I have setup keeps it the same height no matter what automatically. The only reason I didnt bag the front is because I saw no real need the front sits just were I want it. I think this is the only good reason to just bag the back otherwise your just jacking off.

 

Sounds like those guys may be one fad away from slapping a wing and decals on their shit.

 

As for myself, I would bag the rear only long before I bagged all 4 corners.
I like to keep the same stance empty or loaded with the stuff necessary for a serious road trip. I don't have a hitch on the truck at the moment but I did tow a 16 ft travel trailer all around the PNW a few years ago and have towed other trailers with it in the past.

It isn't all about laying the frame on the ground all the time or making the front wheels look like the A arms are broken. Some of us actually like to use our rigs.

 

I agree, I'm adding bags over the springs on the rr of my 55 Safari to let me haul a trailer SAFELY! I don't want to be draggin my gas tank when I do haul.

 

Hell I did this to my wagon many years ago. Why, because the front was still lower then the bagged rear and it made no sense to bag the front. It was a way for me to haul shit and keep it low in the rear. When the rear was down it still sat on a slight rake thou. it was not an ass dragger.. I am probably going to do my 48 woodie the same way as the rear fenders limit the amount I can lower and still drive it (without rubbing) and the front is almost touching now (may have to raise it some.. which will kill me to do)

 

its just lack of money for both.

If airbacks were free people would have them to open their glove box and wipe their ass. But hey two on the rear axle does the job, looks cool enough till you get the cash and boredum to do the front.

 

I've seen these trucks at the mall, and I know what you are talking about. It's the new DONK thing.

 

I'm thinking about doing the rear only airbag thing for now. There's a few reasons...like other guys said if you want it low, but still want to put any kinda load in the back. You need either a front clip $1000 or new mustang II IFS (or similar) to do it right which costs about $2400 if you are starting with a stock frame with leaf springs and drums, plus compressor, tank, lines, and labor if you can't do it. For the back you can get a 4link, bags and parts for a $1000 and doesn't looks retarted up or down so much as a lifted, dropped front end.

 

if you are gonna bag it,do all 4 corners.if you set the front up lower than stock and just bag the rear,thats ok ...........but if you do your homework you can make it have good geometry@a good ride height.get a happy medium...

 

hmmm.

taildraggers are cool. Just because someone chose a late model ugly little econo truck to customize, they can't want the taildragger look?

Airbags on the rear of trucks are easy and inexpensive.
Dropping the front requires major re-constructive surgery on some of the more popular body styles.

Airbags in the back can be functional - good low stance, and still able to haul a load.

Also, rear airbags make a substantial improvement in ride quality, fronts don't necessarily. This discrepancy is exaggerated on trucks.

Factory airbags are mostly rear suspension only. Generally installed for one of the 2 last reasons. 2/3 of all of the cars I own have factory rear air ride. Some of the newer OT stuff is auto-leveling ride height. Front airbags only come from the factory (for the most part) on vehicles designed to distribute a substantial load to the front suspension when loaded. I.E. tractors.

There are lots of valid reasons to have air ride in the rear only.