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Homemade Bags

PurpleGuy

PurpleGuy

New member
Those of you who know my car might know I made a set of homemade coilovers. They've since been sold. I've recently been looking into doing another set. However, I'd much rather go bagged, cause I like groceries..or something. Anyway

Here's my DIY Coilover thread. http://www.grandprixforums.net/threads/85366-So-you-want-to-make-your-own-coilovers-DIY-How-To

The idea is to start with the same base as the coilovers in that I'll be cutting off all the spring perches, sway links mounts, etc. Then sliding a coilover sleeve on just like the first time. But instead, this time I'd slide an air bag/spring over the strut instead of a coil spring.

My concern here is: The bag says max strut body size is 2.14" OD. Towards the top of the description. http://www.universalairsuspension.c...sal-suspension-aero-sport-universal-p-31.html
The sleeve's ID is 2.17" These sleeves here from A1. http://www.a1racing.com/cok12452-h.aspx
So aside from the air bag having too small of an ID for the sleeve, there's also the question of, will the bag actually clear the wheel/tire?

Discuss
 
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Well it also depends on where the bag is going to sit. For example. My coils since the spring went all he way down to the spindle basically, were extremely close to the tire. Close enough my coil covers rubbed if I didn't pay attention to where I put the Velcro strip. My coilover spring's OD was just shy of 3.5".

The stock springs are huge in OD. Like 6-7" if I had to guess. BUT they sit above the tire and not next to it. So however this works out, I'm going to need a sleeve long enough that will allow the bag to sit above the tire. The bag's OD is 5.875". So the that raises the question of what bag will actually effectively slam the dog **** out of the car but when aired up will allow it to be driveable
 
Not that I've seen. I don't believe anybody makes one for a Wbody. That's not to say one from a different car won't work though
 
I know very little about suspension stuff, but it may be worth it to look into some rear suspension stuff from a 00+ bonneville. They have some air ride thingy in the back. So those struts/springs may have some good parts for you to do this with. Or not. Like i said I'm no suspension genious. I just know my bonnie has air ride stuff in the back from the factory. Keeps it nice and level and stuff.

Food for thought. I like this idea. :-)
 


Yea. Good thought but Bonne stuff wouldn't be of much use. I'm lookin to slam the absolute piss out of it when I want
 
I know. Just thought that since there is air stuff on the stock bonnie stuff it might be easier to adapt air bags to it. But I was wrong. Oh well.
 


Off topic. But we should meet up sometime so I can look at your Camaro when you get it fixed. Curious to see how well that GenV fits under that cowl. I'm from sioux city
 
4THGENCAMAROFAN said:
Off topic. But we should meet up sometime so I can look at your Camaro when you get it fixed. Curious to see how well that GenV fits under that cowl. I'm from sioux city
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Sounds like a plan. I'll find some pics and stuff. It really clears the cowl by like a hair. I had to remove the blower cap and use a different vaccuum source. The ribs probably hit the cowl depending on how much flex the motor mounts have. But damn is it fun.
 
Hey just fyi that single bellow bag will not slam the car like a double bellow will. So you should look into getting double bellow if you want to go as low as possible.

...also im a little confused about your though process with the bag over strut... are you thinking about making coil over bags or just regular bags over struts??
 
Coilover bags. I don't think there's really any other way to do it is there? Seems to be the easiest route anyway.

Also top mounts. What kind of top mount would I need to run with this? I'll obviously still need bearings for the front for turning. Im assuming that I'll need a flat or close to flat as possible top mount
 
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So first off let me see if i am understanding what you are trying to do..so you want to put a sleeve over the strut (like the coilover we make) then you want to install the air bags over the sleeve(replacing the coilover spring with an air bag?) What will the bag be sitting on?

My first problem with what you are proposing is that if you are building them like that it will not work. Think about how much longer coil springs are than bags. You will be bottoming out the strut rod real quick if you go this route.

In order to custom make these without shorter strut rods, you will need to install a bag perch on the very top of the strut assymbly for the bottom of the bag to rest upon, then make custom top mounts to tie them together. Even this route you might bottom out the struts..

In order to make coil/over bags you have to have a threaded perch where the bag will sit, but again you will bottom out the strut real quick without having shorter rods/ revalved struts... hope i understanding what you are trying to do and this helps out a little.

... also not only are double bellows able to go lower they have a higher progressive spring rate compared to single convoluted bags.
 
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I think it can work. Yes, if the bag is wound down all the way of course its going bottom out easier. Same thing with coil overs.

I think you could get about a few inches of bag adjustability.

Heres a visual for everyone.

bag-over-coil.jpg
AIRDiagram2.jpg
 
Ya thats a good visual Jommama on how bags over coils work... but without shorter rods, you wont have but maybe .5-1" max of adjustability before they bottom out imo... look at our bags and struts and how far they compress, i feel like if the bag perch is any lower than the top of the strut body on stock struts it will bottom out.. but hey only one way to find out i guess lol;)
 
Short strut body and shortened rod is key.

But all in all, the easiest way to do it is just weld a stationary perch on top of the strut for the bag to sit on top of.
 
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