1997 Ranger on airbags

[gtcobra302]

HI
My borther has a 1997 fleetside single cab 4.0 automatic ranger that I am going to be inheriting due to wrecking my 99 dakota. His truck is lowered in the front with airbags and in the back with blocks. It appears to not have spring cups on the front, top or bottom. What can I do to either
a. make the truck not bounce like a basketball
b. put springs and a stock suspension under the front.
c. at least stop the airbags from leaking.

The airbags are new I am pretty sure (99%) that the air lines are the problem. We put a barbed fitting(with hose clamp) in the top of each and ran an airline to a "T" (with hose clamp) with a schrader valve, so they are technically hooked together. I am not really sure what is supposed to be there. I am thinkin of putting a fitting in the top of each one seperately and filling them to the desired level and leave them alone. Is that the best way to go?

 

[mentalbreakdown00]

This will likely be moved into the suspension forum, but if he hasn't hacked up the stock mounts there really isn't a reason you can't get a set of stock front springs, and take out the lowering blocks and realign it.

 

[slammedxonair]

OK this is an interesting one. 97 ranger would have Ibeams on it and most likely will have bag brackets welded to the Ibeams and the frame. Bags should have individual corner control for best handing. Also make sure the truck has shocks on the front as well if not you will want them to tighten up the suspension rebound. Does the truck have an air management system on it? Compressor, tank, valves, gauges, switchbox? If you can take pics of the setup and post them up.

 

[gtcobra302]

No, god no I wish I had all that stuff. I would have more to blame in that case. I only have airbags on the front. And yes it has Ibeams, and I am pretty sure they are aftermarket I beams, and yes there are spring cups welded to the frame. It didnt have shocks on it when we got it or any kind of air management system. I drove it home when we bought it with no air in the bags at all. I had to weld shock brackets to the frame for a place to mount the top of the shock. All I have is an air line between the two bags and a "T" with a schrader valve in the middle so they will have the same air pressure. But all my places (4) where an air line attaches to something there is a hose clamp. When I want more air in them I pump up the air compressor in the shop and fill them up like I do my tires.

 

[slammedxonair]

oh so is there like bent tubing or soemthing coming off the upper cups to the frame then? I hope by drove home with no air in the bags you ment like across the street because that will destroy the truck does the front lay out? see if you can get some pics of the front end and I can better help you out that way. Are you interested in keeping the air ride or do you want to put coils back on it? I can set you up with an air management system if you want to keep building the truck.

 

[TS6034]

Stick with the air and set up an air management system. You'll like it. Sounds like it's kinda hacked right now.

 

[Captain Ledd]

Having a line between the bags (so they have the same pressure) will make them work VERY differently as well. When one side compresses it shoots all the air (or as much as it can) to the other bag pushing it down and firming it up. Basically if you compress one bag all the way, ALL of that air goes to the other bag, and will make for some strange suspension movement. Ideally each bag should be sealed with the same pressure as the other side, but since it's a Ranger, potentially a tiny bit more on the drivers side to avoid "Ranger Lean", or at least so it sit's level and has correct Camber.

It does sound hacked, very hacked. I'd still at least realistically look into what it would take to get the air bags set up as they should be. With the backup being back to stock. Air bags have the advantage of being a bit more tunable to one's liking.