Air Bags on a GQ

[doddzee]

I went on a trip the other day with a hombuilt rig with airbags and seemed to work realy well.

Would airbags work any good on a heavier truck like a GQ Shorty or are you better off sticking with coils?

[bogged]

I went on a trip the other day with a hombuilt rig with airbags and seemed to work realy well.

Would airbags work any good on a heavier truck like a GQ Shorty or are you better off sticking with coils?

cant remember who it was, someone was building a comp truck ages ago with bags on the GQ forum, he went back to normal springs in the end.

Also think that Hobbsy ran them in outback challenge but had issues with them.

[ozy1]

yeah, if your a sydney based person, you may have seen the G60 patrol called Chubby 2, that started life with air bags in the rear, and it wasnt up to scratch, it now runs coils, and he loves it,

[morkz]

I know someone whos running air bags in the back and coils in the front of their GQ wagon and they love it.

Very well setup, ideal for towing when loading and unloading the trailer.

[sideways]

I run coils in the front , and have the bags in the back of my shortie , there would be no way i would ever go back to coils , the ride is so much better , the load capacity is heaps better , when on the road i let them down (no tailshaft vibration) out in the bush air them up to what ever hight you want. I got the bags, and then made up all the required bracket it was realy quite easy

[bru21]

abt are doing a gq kit search on here, c.o.r.e. off road has an airbag 40 series and builds kits to suit anything heaps of knowledge with them too google it cheers bru

[GUJohnno]

The air bags worked well on Hobzee's GU ute. The problem he had was that they were too long in the front. They had to take them out and put coils back in the front, part way through the outback Challenge.
I think they got that sorted out in the end, though.

[Freakazoid]

I put bags front and rear. I got 13" travel per side in rear and 10" in front. Pity I can't use all 10" in the front cause of panhards. Need to go to 5-link. Mod isn't that difficult and is reversible. Bags are just expensive, especially Firestone. But they are a lot tougher than you think. The ride is also amazing and the ability to adjust ride height is great. Got stuck in a ditch this weekend with front bar htting the opposite wall. Pumped the front up 5" and bar lifted above edge of ditch and could drive through.

http://www.nissan4x4.co.za/forum/forum_ ... =1796&PN=3

[Bartso]

anyone got a rough price of air bags and the set up

[GUJohnno]

Not sure on the price, but Hobzee was saying that the Firestone bags were quite pricey. But there was another brand that he saw at SEMA that was a lot cheaper and a more viable option.

[sootygu]

anyone got a rough price of air bags and the set up

I was quoted last year US$152 ea for Firestone plus delivery. These are to suit the rear of a GU and would expect them to be the same for GQ.

[aawen4x4]

Full 'Airbagman' airbag conversion at retail prices including all the soleniods, air tubing, switches, guage, etc, but excluding air compressor and tank is in the vicinity of $1200 - $1300 per end, ie rear, $1200, front $1200, or thereabouts!

I've got full air in the rear of one of my GQ's and will not be going back to coils (except when I sell it, then I'm gonna KEEP it for the next one!) The internal bump stops have a min height that is 2" above std, and I can use anything up to 14" above that with full articulation. It's AWESOME! I've played with air for the front too, and it will get fitted once I can sort the 5-link or 3-link, 'cos the articulation without it nullifies the ability of the airbag suspension. The only real issue is that harder spring rates come at the expense of higher lift! I'm working on that, and reckon a A-frame 3 link height adjustable rear might fix it, sorta like the Range Rovers!! Still experimenting!

[challenger]

Gooday. Sounds awesome.

Can you post some pics of the rear please?

Full 'Airbagman' airbag conversion at retail prices including all the soleniods, air tubing, switches, guage, etc, but excluding air compressor and tank is in the vicinity of $1200 - $1300 per end, ie rear, $1200, front $1200, or thereabouts!

I've got full air in the rear of one of my GQ's and will not be going back to coils (except when I sell it, then I'm gonna KEEP it for the next one!) The internal bump stops have a min height that is 2" above std, and I can use anything up to 14" above that with full articulation. It's AWESOME! I've played with air for the front too, and it will get fitted once I can sort the 5-link or 3-link, 'cos the articulation without it nullifies the ability of the airbag suspension. The only real issue is that harder spring rates come at the expense of higher lift! I'm working on that, and reckon a A-frame 3 link height adjustable rear might fix it, sorta like the Range Rovers!! Still experimenting!

[aawen4x4]

Don't have much in the way of pics that'd help! The vehicle is on blocks right now, going thru a major refurbishment, and at this stage the rear is all pulled apart!! Try checking out the website for airbagman, www.airbagman.com.au I think??! If they don't have it on the website, they had pictures in the fitting instructions, contact them and ask!

[bogged]

but excluding air compressor and tank is in the vicinity of $1200 - $1300 per end, ie rear, $1200, front $1200, or thereabouts!

[Freakazoid]

Try the Goodyear bags, they are a lot cheaper but they don't have the 22.7" bag that Firestone has. For the front I have a Goodyear which gives me 10" of travel. This bag set me back about $270(AUS) per side. If you go with a manual setup this is all you end up paying. The rest of the mod is just angle grinder and welding work with fairly simple plates. Can post pics if required. The front is also the most work to mod but the easiest place to work.

The rear you can use the same bag if you only want 10" of travel, BUT if you want a potential 15" (if you can get the shocks) then you need the Firestone. It is just plain rude as to the expense of this bag, about $790(AUS) per bag. Unfortunately there is no bag that compares with this. The rear is the easiest to install, you need a simple round plate with 2 holes, then drill two holes in the top spring mount that coincides with airbag mounts and the top is done. The bottom end you can use the hole in the bottom spring mount but I drilled mine about 1" forward of this, makes the bag line up better with the top mount and keeps it away from the shock.

I don't know what Airbagman uses in the back of their kit, would really like to know. But at $1200(AUS) it sounds very reasonable if you look at the airbag prices. Maybe they are using Goodyear all round.

The major disadvantage of the Goodyear is that it can't take being overextended, whereas the Firetone can be stretched and pulled some. I also looked into Airlift but they didn't have the same as the Firestone.

And as far as weight carrying is concerned, these springs can carry about 2000kg each. So no problem .

I have lots of pics of my mod and can post if you need. If you can get the airbags for cheap it really is an awsome mod. GQ drives like an absolute dream now.

[challenger]

Freakazoid, you have a PM.

[GUJohnno]

Put the pics up, I'm sure there's more than a few people interested.

[RoldIT]

Yep, I'm interested but only if they can drive through gravity ...



























Someone had to say it ...

[turps]

Put the pics up, I'm sure there's more than a few people interested.

Johnno, theres some pics on this link.
http://www.nissan4x4.co.za/forum/forum_ ... =1796&PN=3
But I am sure I have seen other pics of this car before also.

[GUJohnno]

Thanks for that.... i have seen that before. Looks good. Would be great in the rear of a ute with the varying loads you'd have without much of a compromise

[Freakazoid]

It is easiest if I just add another link.

http://www.nissan4x4.co.za/forum/forum_ ... +patrollie

[beretta]

So freakazoid, how did you have yours plumbed up, did you have them on an equalising line or did you have them on separate solenoids? In other words could you inflate/deflate the bags individually?

Cheers Beretta

[botty]

i have airbags front and rear in my gu tray have found them excellent for comps and touring all are individually ajustable from in cab airbags were allready in car when purchased but set up all the in cab ajustment myself not hard truck has done 25,000km with no problems including a trip to cape york rode beautiful over the corrugations if you have any queries pm me botty

[botty]

i have airbags front and rear in my gu tray have found them excellent for comps and touring all are individually ajustable from in cab airbags were allready in car when purchased but set up all the in cab ajustment myself not hard truck has done 25,000km with no problems including a trip to cape york rode beautiful over the corrugations if you have any queries pm me botty

[challenger]

Botty: PM sent

[challenger]

I have captured this site as a word.doc if anyone is interested.

Dave

It is easiest if I just add another link.

http://www.nissan4x4.co.za/forum/forum_ ... +patrollie

[BOB_1]

Is there anywhere (ie truck spares, etc.) you could just order what you want and get them in. I.e if you have a part no. for a goodyear airbag, is there anywhere you could just order them (other than airbag man- nothing against the bloke just wondering).

Also I used to deliver things to Hercules truck bodies in Kilsyth and they used to have pallets of airbags for the trailers, I am guessing they are a bit over rated for the job but would something like that work at a lot lower pressures obviously.

[sideways]

I have put the firestone bags ( the part number for anyone thats interested is it14c )in the back of my shortie, and the longest rancho shockers and the shockers top out before the bag does , it still has another 3 inches in it , the cost me around $420 per bag My brother made up the simple plates to bolt them all in . If you go to www.airsprings.com.au they have all different types ,sizes ,dimentions,travel that you need.