mechanic says bags and bilsteins wont work????

[bigkevfann]

Okay... I finally got around to taking my Bilstiens to have someone install. I had a little off-road accident, and I decided it was a good time to have more done (see photo for your entertainment). I decided to take yall's advice from another thread and get bags. I liked that idea. I roll with a camper shell and a bedslide half the time. All that weight brings the rear down quite a bit. I also pull a trailer a lot. I want the truck to be level with all that weight, and it would be nice to have bags so I can adjust. I had an off-road shop look at everything. The guy there said that you can't install bags in my 4wd 2010 ram for whatever reason (something to do with the design of the suspension setup). I was unclear whether he meant with the 6"RCX lift or at all. He just said my only option was spacers in the back and the adjustable bilstiens up front. He then went on to say that he couldn't use the rear bilstiens that I bought. He said they will not work with the lift. Is he right about all this, or do I need to find another shop. Thanks in advance.

 

[DiabeticKripple]

take deflated footballs, insert into rear coil springs and inflate to 50psi.

srs

 

[Stangshcky12]

What's the part number for the shocks you bought?

 

[Statcher1]

Holy crap dude. How did you manage to run into that hole?


Sent from the Rocket in my Pocket

 

[bigkevfann]

What's the part number for the shocks you bought?

part numbers are:
24-187374 rear
24-187367 front

 

[HemiRoar]

A little off road accident.

Yep.

 

[bigkevfann]

Holy crap dude. How did you manage to run into that hole?


Sent from the Rocket in my Pocket

I was just out playing... came over a little hill and couldn't see it over the hood. I like to tell people it was a trap with sticks and leaves covering it up. But the truth is that it was just a huge hole in the ground.

 

[sbuko213]

I was just out playing... came over a little hill and couldn't see it over the hood. I like to tell people it was a trap with sticks and leaves covering it up. But the truth is that it was just a huge hole in the ground.

I can't believe your Chuck Norris bobble head didn't warn you beforehand.

 

[bigkevfann]

I can't believe your Chuck Norris bobble head didn't warn you beforehand.

I think chuck norris ended up down in that hole. Everything in my truck (including the dog) ended up at my feet... and then poured out into the hole.

 

[arod412]

Damn man....after seeing your pic, last thing I'm worried about is shocks. Any damage to the truck?

2012 Dodge ram 1500 Quad Cab Big Horn 4x4

*Bilstein 2.8" front
*Bilstein shocks on rear with 1" spacer
*Pioneer AVH 4300DVD head unit
*Polk Audio Dxi350 dash speakers
*Kicker 40CSS654 6 1/2" door speakers (x4)
*fox box 2-12" speakers holder for rear seats
*2-12" alpine subs (swe -1243l
*500 watt alpine mono sub
*LED 3rd tail light smoked
*Spyder LED smokes tail lights
havent even started on the engine..lol

 

[bigkevfann]

No major damage. It took a pretty sweet dent (more like caved in) in the driver side rear door. The bumper was pushed in a bit on that side, but nothing a 2x4 couldn't pry back into place. I was surprised too, but that thing took it like a tank. You say you gave the bilstein rear shocks... do you have a lift? I still haven't been able to figure out my questions.

 

[iam_canadian22]

ya the rear shocks you listed are for a stock height to 1 inch lift and are too short to work with your 6inch lift, the bags should work if your lift uses a spring spacer, if it uses a longer spring they wont work

 

[brandonjansen]

As stated above the rear Bilsteins meant for 0-1" of lift (essentially stock height) won't work with your 6" lift. You'll need longer rear shocks if you want to replace them. The front Bilsteins will definitely work to level out the lift though.

As far as the airbags in the back go what kind are you looking at? The Airlift 1000's that get installed within the coil or an external bag that will be installed outside of it? Either one can be made to work with the lift.

 

[bigkevfann]

As stated above the rear Bilsteins meant for 0-1" of lift (essentially stock height) won't work with your 6" lift. You'll need longer rear shocks if you want to replace them. The front Bilsteins will definitely work to level out the lift though.

As far as the airbags in the back go what kind are you looking at? The Airlift 1000's that get installed within the coil or an external bag that will be installed outside of it? Either one can be made to work with the lift.

I haven't began to look. Honestly, I was just going to let the install place tell me what to get. I'm done buying stuff online and then having intallers tell they are the wrong thing. He didn't give me any option. He just claimed none would work.

 

[RyanJM]

I have 3" rear lift coils on my Ram and a airlift 1000 kit with spacers. Some said it wouldn't work but haven't had a issue for them from Bully's on here. He got me the air lift 1000 kit and the 4" spacer kit. I ended up using 3 instead of all 4 and haven't had any problems. I loaded some stuff in the bed the other weekend to help out a friend get some stuff to his shop. Just grabbed my tire inflater with pressure gauge and aired up each bag till it was level again. I ran my lines independent so I could lift each side incase I have a big air compressor strapped to one side and a some tool boxes on the other side. .

 

[brandonjansen]

I have 3" rear lift coils on my Ram and a airlift 1000 kit with spacers. Some said it wouldn't work but haven't had a issue for them from Bully's on here. He got me the air lift 1000 kit and the 4" spacer kit. I ended up using 3 instead of all 4 and haven't had any problems. I loaded some stuff in the bed the other weekend to help out a friend get some stuff to his shop. Just grabbed my tire inflater with pressure gauge and aired up each bag till it was level again. I ran my lines independent so I could lift each side incase I have a big air compressor strapped to one side and a some tool boxes on the other side. .

Did Andrew give you that idea by chance? Cause I'm pretty sure he got the idea from me. I was one of the first guys to install the Lift N Lock spacers with the Airlift bags when I had my 1500 with the 6" RCX kit.

I haven't began to look. Honestly, I was just going to let the install place tell me what to get. I'm done buying stuff online and then having intallers tell they are the wrong thing. He didn't give me any option. He just claimed none would work.

Sounds like it's time for a new shop to me As stated above I used the Airlift 1000 bags with the Lift N Lock spacers for a 6" lift and it worked no problem. The Airlift bags actually work by putting outward pressure on the coil spring to reduce sagging, not by lifting the truck with air. As a cheaper option that's what I'd recommend however you can go to a full external bag with a custom built mount/spacer as well.

 

[bigkevfann]

It sounds like it can be done. There are a few other shops in my area that I can approach with this. If they can make sense of it, and tell me they can do it, then I'll go for it. Most all of that makes no sense to me, so there is no way I'll attempt it myself.

 

[RyanJM]

I had the idea after looking at the airlift website. Then a few messages to Andrew to confirm that it would work. Glad you tested it out. Since I had a few people tell me it wouldn't but I could see why not since I had seen it done on 4x4's.

 

[bigkevfann]

I had the idea after looking at the airlift website. Then a few messages to Andrew to confirm that it would work. Glad you tested it out. Since I had a few people tell me it wouldn't but I could see why not since I had seen it done on 4x4's.

Looks like you are in the Houston area... is this "Anderew" someone that does installs around here? I'd really like to use someone that has done it before and not practicing the first time on mine.

 

[RyanJM]

No Andrew is the guy from Bully's that I got the parts from. We installed mine down the street at my friends Midas. My friend threw the bags in while I ran the air lines and took no time to do. It's a pretty straightforward install. Although we pulled the coils and installed the bags and lock n lift spacers as it was fast and easy that way. My buddy that owns the Midas could install them for you if you don't want to do them since he already knows how the setup goes in after we did mine. I also chose to run my lines independent so I could adjust each side independently. His name is Jerry and his Midas is on Hwy6 and Clay Rd. In west houston which is just down the street from me. Much faster and easier with a lift as opposed to using a jack with stands. Just tell him you know Ryan with the Black Ram and white Trans Am and he will give you a decent price. If you want to make it faster also you can mount the air fittings ahead of time so they are already where you want them and just have to do bags, spacers, and run a couple lines after that.