Air lift bags installed tonight

quick66ss · Oct 29, 2009

Well I picked up a set of Auto Lift bags for the rear of the Hoe. I have the Pedders kit and found that when I had 8 people in the SUV I was just about sitting on the bump stops. Plus my dad wants to use the Hoe to pull his speed boat next summer. I put 35 psi in them to test them out and it raised the rear end about 1.5 inches. I am going to play with air pressure over the next week to find a setting that works for me.

Mike

1sikyukon · Oct 29, 2009

How was the install...hard?

quick66ss · Oct 30, 2009

It was pretty smooth on the install. I unbolted the sway bar endlinks and the shocks so the springs dropped right out. I also droppped the spare tire. Getting the bags into the Pedders rear spring was a challenge. The air lines are a tight fit at all the connections so my hands are sore from both of those things. Overall it was pretty easy. I am looking forward to see if the ride improves.

GalaxyBlackEsky · Oct 30, 2009

let me know I just picked up some as well. I have the ground force 2/3 kit and when I have a bunch of people in the truck it rubs all the time and also when I put my car trailer on it sags. So hopefully this well keep it level when having a load on it. where did you run the lines to? Any pics of the install?

quick66ss · Oct 30, 2009

Ride to work with 9 psi in the bags was an improvement over just the springs. I might put the 3rd row seats back in now. I took them out as you could really notice the tire rub when making left turns. They weigh in at just over 100 LBS (heck thats a tenth in the quarter mile) . Taking them out helped and while doing the bag install I trimmed out the area that was scuffed up.

BlackedoutLT3 - I would have snapped some pics but the batteries were dead in my camera.

I ran the lines over the metal brace the spare tire resides. (found my spare had only 18 psi in it. You might want to check yours as it would suck to get a flat and find your spare was flat as well) I have the air fill valve located just to the side of the trailer light plug.

From the drive to work my impression is the rear feels more stable. I travel on some crappy roads here in Columbus and the rear suspension seemed to jump around alot. It just did not feel solid. That being said with the bags it feels much more firm and less springy. I am going to mess around with the PSI to find the sweet spot.

SabrToothSqrl · Oct 30, 2009

bags

we are putting air bags on an excursion this weekend

My dad tows with it, and when hooked to the boat, the excursion ends up looking lifted in the front it's so high!!!

My 09 LTZ does it automatically whenever I start it... heck if the rear is higher or lower, soon as I start it, it's level...

but it is a PITA when launching a boat... i had to buy a 6" drop hitch for mine.

quick66ss · Oct 30, 2009

SabrToothSqrl - When mine was stock height I had a 6 inch drop hitch on it as well. It was left over from when I had my GMC Sonoma but on it I used it as a 6 inch rise as it was lowered. Now the Tahoe uses a 3 inch drop hitch for most towing. Who knows what I will need now that I have installed the bags.

I had the auto ride on my Trailblazer SS and really liked it. I can imagine it would have been a headache once it had some high miles on it. I see those Lincoln towne cars rolling around with the front or rear dragging as they get older and become beaters. I will stick with good old coil springs thank you.

Zed 71 · Oct 30, 2009

Are you guys talking about the Airlift 1000s that fit in the springs? If you are, I like mine for heavy loads (camping), but I went the other way (lift vs drop).

Sounds like the ride quality really suffers when a drop kit is installed. I guess we all knew that, but no one really gives a realistic longterm review.

quick66ss · Oct 30, 2009

Zed 71

Yes I am talking about the Airlift 1000 bags. I was surprised to get such a choppy ride from the Pedders kit as I heard so much hype about it. Then when I loaded up the family I was rubbing the tires on the inner wheel well. I do like the stance and with the addition of the bags I am very happy with the overall ride that I have.

Modded · Oct 30, 2009

Offtopic but Zed how do you liek your EBC rotors/pads, any neg. issues with them?
And Quick66ss, did the Airlift bags make much of a normal difference w/o carrying heavy loads?

quick66ss · Oct 30, 2009

Nnaboy

So far I have not had a load on them so all my driving today has been with just me in the Tahoe. I have found that with 5 or 6 psi in the bags it rides like they are not there ( bumpy, not solid ). If I put 10 psi I can feel the added firmness and I like the ride, but this raises the rear about 1/4 inch. With no bags I have just over 2 inches of rake so I would not want to add much more.

Zed 71 · Oct 31, 2009

Nnaboy said:
Offtopic but Zed how do you liek your EBC rotors/pads, any neg. issues with them?

The EBC slotted rotors and green EBC pads are awesome. Just took a trip to Yellowstone and the brakes were outstanding in the mountains.

The only minor issue I had were during break-in. They were really squeaky the first few hundred miles, but after that they are finally quiet. EBC has a different break-in then I am used to. Mild use during the 1st 200 miles, then the typical 60-0 hard stops to bed the rotors.

I would definitely buy them again.

Modded · Oct 31, 2009

Thanks guys, should help in the future.

Hurlz07Tahoe · May 1, 2010

I know this is an old topic but its the only one I could find. I'm about to FINALLY install my airlift 1000 bags in the rear of my leveled (lifted) 07 Tahoe. I was thinking of putting the air fill valves inside the rear cargo area, on the driver side, inside the little compartment that faces the rear of the truck and opens with two quarter turn clips. Anyone think of doing this? Any reason why I shouldn't? Seems like a good place to hide them and keep them clean.

I also got the wireless controller with the on-board air compressor. Going to install both of these as soon as the rain stops here in Seattle (don't have a garage "sad face").

PhxIrn · May 15, 2010

This post is exactly what I was looking for too. I am planning a 2/3 drop on my 07 LT 2wd. Does anyone know if these helper air-springs fit into the bell-tech 3" coil?

LILC509 · Jun 25, 2010

I'm in the process of putting in a sound system that is going to weigh couple hundred pounds. This question came up to install these bags to help for it not sag but also if I go with a 2-3 drop kit do the bags fit in the aftermarket coils. Anybody has done this let us know.

quick66ss · Jun 26, 2010

LILC509

I had them installed in my Pedders springs with no problem.

LILC509 · Jun 28, 2010

Thanks for the info. Was yours a 2-3 drop? I was planning on your drop kit or the belltech drop kit 2-3 drop. Anybody with the belltech kit with the Airlift bags on? Since its a shorter spring the drop doesnt get caught between the coils due to it colapsing couple inches?

quick66ss · Jun 28, 2010

LILC509

I just swapped the bags out of the Pedders springs to the stockers this weekend. I was going to include them with the Pedders kit but since my dad might use the Tahoe to tow his boat I transfered them to the stock coils. The fit is very close to the Pedders spring. The only difference is when you air them up on the drop spring the rear will rise up an inch. With the stockers the Tahoe did not rise up at all.

Mike

LILC509 · Jun 29, 2010

Thanks for all the info. Now I will not hesistate to buy a drop kit. Since I do some traveling to LA at least once a year. I load up the back with lugage and rims that I buy over there and bringing back home. Also with the custom audio that I will be putting in its approximately two to three hundred pounds.

Air lift bags installed tonight

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