i have a 1990 Ford F150 and i want to put air ride on it. i can't seem to find a system for it. do i have to make one myself or does someone know where i can get a system?

 

For the rear, you could go with a weld on 4-link from KP Components
http://www.kplinks.com/home.php?cat=6

I do not know of a specific, bolt-on application for a '90s F150

For the front, a lot of folks (including myself) have that fabricated anyway.

Air Ride Technologies make bolt-on kits for the front, but they are only for late model F150s.

You can possibly use your existing control arms and just have them fabbed to adopt bag cups; and maybe you can check if Belltech has drop spindles for your application. Or you could go with some aftermarket control arms like DJM. However, the DJM balljoints suck in my opinion so I would go with Moog.

Bags, tanks, compressors, valves and all of that other stuff is not application specific, so it's really up to you in that regard.

Your best bet, if there is one available, is to have a shop evaluate your truck and give you some options.

A '90s F150 would be sick on bags.

 

here is my 82 bagged 2 link in the read and bags on the 2 link. lata jared
https://www.f150online.com/galleries...112-205669.jpg

 

ok thanks i'll look into it and see if there is anything else i have questions on.

 

This guy has an early model F150 on bags.

1995 F150 on Bags

 

which one is better/which one should i use a weld on 4 link parallel or 4 link triangulated?

 

With a triangulated 4-link, you have a bit better articulation; important if you were going with a (4-way) system. F/B/S/S. In addition you do not need to use a panhard bar. Panhard bars will pull your axle horizontally from left to right as you raise & lift. Depending on the amount of travel you have, the pull of the axle can be pretty significant and looks pretty damn ugly.

That was the case with me. I have a good range of travel and it pulled my axle way to the driver's side when I was aired up; to the point of the tire protruding past the fender. When aired out, it pushed the tire right up against the fender. There are adjustments that can be made to the actual panhard bar, but it did not help me much.

With my particular year F150, the gas tank is in a location that prohibited me with going with a triangulated 4-link, so I had no choice but to go with a parallel one.

...but I ditched the panhard bar and went with a watts-link to keep my axle in place and it stays centered & static no matter how my suspension travels.

I'd go with the triangulated if you can.

 

I had a chance to meet Clint from KP at the SEMA show a couple weeks back really cool dude... he has probably the nicest pre-fabed kits out there! Also you should run a Slam Specialties bag too.

 

k sorry to keep asking questions but.....
what do i need for everything like front and rear and where do i find it liek websites or something, i know KP weld on 4 link triangulated, but liek what else do i need bags and stuff and then for the front too what all do i need for that? sorry it might be common stuff but i'm new to everything i'm still in high school almost done but love Ford Trucks.
so if u could let me know that would be great.
thanks

 

Basically, for the front, you will need air bags & bag cups (that would need to be fabbed to your stock or aftermarket control arms). Front shocks are preferable to me; but I have heard a number of people say that their ride is fine without them.

As I mentioned, you can try to use your stock control arms, or purchase some aftermarket (lower) control arms. The latter is what I had done and then the cups for holding the bags were fabbed.

My bag cups (but you can purchase cups from KP Components as well)


Here is my DJM lower control arm that had a flat plate welded to hold the base of the air bag.


Completed deal


Other than plumbing, that is pretty much the brunt for the front. Again, you will need to evaluate the control arm selection (original or new). If you keep your old, you will need to do something to static drop the front by either using drop spindles or raising the arms or doing a stock spindle flip. I'm not familiar with the front of '90 F150, so I can't tell you which direction to go; but those are some options.

Rear wise, you will need "frame notches" for the rear; for allowing the axle to travel.


I would recommend Slam Specialties bags; RS-72's.

Shocks; I recommend Rancho 9000s for the back (front also if you choose to go with shocks).

You will need air tanks for storage; I would say at least 5 gallons but 10 would be better.

Compressor wise, I use VIAIRs and never had a problem. There are so many to go with, it's hard to suggest. The only thing I can say that if you use 1 or 2, make sure that they are 100% duty (meaning; a compressor's duty cycle determines the percentage of run time in a full cycle. A 100% duty cycle compressor can run for much longer periods of time than a 30% duty compressor under the same conditions). I'm using (3) 33% duty compressors but they pump a lot of CFM (cubic feet per minute).

You will need valves. SMCs are great but there are many to choose from. I would suggest using (8) which is mandatory for a F/B/S/S setup. However, even if you are doing a F/B setup only, the benefit of using (8) valves is that you can prevent air leak/robbing between the bags. I would go with a 3/8" or even better a 1/2" system.

Gauge wise, you can use analog (needle) gauges and be fine. You should have (1) dedicated for tank pressure and then a dual needle gauge for the bags. If you have a f/b setup, you will only need (1) dual needle gauge; (2) if you go with a F/B/S/S setup.

There are digital gauges by Dakota Digital that are clean and maybe a bit more accurate. Plus, you can use a single gauge to read all (4) bags and the tank pressure.

...more expensive though.

I'm probably missing stuff, but It's late. Maybe some other folks can chime in.

Web Sites:

KP Components
Suicide Doors
GravityWerx
Fender Bender Int'l
AIM Industries (they have some simple plug & play kits, but I don't know anything about them)

 

wow thanks i didn't actually expect that much help.
thanks for everything.
Andrew

 

No problemo.

I was where you're at, 4 years ago, trying to understand all this shiznit.

 

do you have any pictures of how the bags are set up on the rear of yours?

 

Yeah, here is a shot when it was first bagged; old wheels and no watts-link:


4-link w/cantilever; thus the reasoning why the bags are mounted forward back. You get mad lift with this.

 

ditto... only i was at that point a couple months ago. it's kinda one of those 'learn as you go things'