Has anyone ever changed to air ride suspension on a B?

[clemson_tiger29678]

Bigdogtrucker...any idea where that image came from? I'd like to find out a little more about how they did the air ride on it.

[j hancock]

On the IH lowrider, my guess is they mounted the sheet metal on a motorhome chassis that uses A arm front suspension instead of a straight axle.

It would be a trick to get a straight axle that low.

[Freightrain]

I think, at least for the rear, use a 4 link or even just a three link(ladderbar), panhard bar and tall bags. I don't think the stock suspension from the rear of a B will give you enough travel even with one spring as a locator. If you look closely at your B, the rearend is held in location by the pivot pin(in the center of the spring pack) but the track location(and weight bearing) is held by the end supports. That is not going to give you much articulation.

My Neway has maybe 4" of drop when I dump the bags, but it will not get it any where near the look of that IH. I'm betting that IH was not that tall of a truck to begin with(KB4? 5?). Not like the B model. Plus they used really short sidewall tires.

It is all doable, but likely not use any of the original Mack suspension.

[thomastractorsvc]

My $.02 = whatever you do, don't start the project without the money/skills to do it. It looks like you have a decent straight truck and if chop it up and don't finish it no one is likely to want it and it will end up becoming a Wal-Mart bicycle. There was a truck that was posted on here from CL, I think from Ohio, that was chopped and railed and never finished the guy was asking a fair price for it to try and recoup his money, was on a 1.5 ton frame I think, anyways just something to keep in mind. Truck components like the engine & transmission in your truck are very heavy so with all the chopping and lowering on a stock frame you need to make sure the work is engineered right otherwise it is a rolling wreck just waiting to break or kill someone.

After restoring and working on many trucks, it will be north of $30K to do what you want and do it right, even if you do most of the work yourself and have the equipment. This is not to discourage you but make you think about what you are getting into.

Several of your posts said you wanted to pull a car trailer and add a flat bed. The way the truck is now you can drive it around, it will gain a lot of looks and if you did some small upgrades like stacks and some other accents it will be cool without a lot of money spent and you will be able to haul your trailer anytime with out having to wait to use the truck because it is scattered all over the shop waiting to get finished.

Like I said, this is just my $.02 and something to ponder.

[Ezrider]

to get as low as your wanting you going to have to notch the frame your axle will hit the frame long before your as low as your wanting to go

freighttrain, i read your thread nice work on your truck, and your sig pic does not do your truck justice.

[thomastractorsvc]

Here is the link to the folks that custom fab the air ride on the "Gears" show truck

https://kelderman.com/

If you are that serious about doing it, I would make a call to them and see if they can't give you some tips. The truck they lowered kept a solid front axel but it was cut and modified here is the link to "Gears" and you watch the episode video

https://www.staceydavid.com/projects/19427/heavy-metal-2291

[ws721]

OP,is this what your talkin about?

I have never seen a pimped out Loadstar. Maybe now I have seen it all

[Freightrain]

Wow...after not seeing that show for a few years, I kinda wondered what ever happened to that old Binder he had. I got to admit, I like the shorty tow truck look. It is following in line with a 70's hot wheels kinda look.

Ezrider. Thanks. The truck will never be a show stopper. I just keep updating stuff as time/money allow.

[clemson_tiger29678]

Here's a couple pics of the front and rear suspension as is.

[Freightrain]

Pretty much typical B model. You will notice, like I mentioned above, the rear suspension is in two parts. The lower forward arm holds the suspension in place. The springs sit in pockets and that suppports the truck and keeps it tracking straight. To try to get all that to work properly and have it drop 5-6" will be difficult. Better to make a 4bar setup and bag the rear. All the travel in the world and no suspension binding.