[Astari]

Hello All,

Here is my first post....i bought a 95 Chevy Astro Van about 4wks ago, i put in drop spindles and a rear flip kit from belltech about 3 weeks ago and now i want bags. I'm kinda kicking myself for buying the flip kit cause it's all going to be a waste once i put in a 4 link. For now i want to bag the rear cause the rear leafs are worn out and i need a c-notch. I do not want to cut out the frame with out some kind of extra support and i thought i saw somewhere that there is a bolt on 2" C-Notch for the Astro or Safari Vans.

Can someone tell me if there is and where i can get it. If not i can make my own but bolt on is sometimes so much easier. Also what air bags are people using for the front as well as what airbag cups?

Thanks in advance

 

[AstroAustin]

Hi and welcome!

You are correct. The flip kit is, for the most part, a waste once you decide to put air bags in the rear. You can do what I did and use part of it as an axle mount to mount your bag on. I'm not aware of any aftermarket, bolt-on, C-Notch. As far as I know you'll have to make your own.
For the cups up front I would suggest suicidedoors.com.
For bags on the front, make sure you go with a very large one because most of the weight in these vans is in the front end. I found that out the hard way when my 2500 lb. bags would barely lift the front end. I ended up replacing them with 7" Slam Specialties (2600 lb.). However for the larger bags you have to cut out/expand the spring pocket so that they will fit. I would not go with any less than 1/2" air lines to the front as well.

 

[Astari]

Thanks for the tips. I haven't purchased my front bags yet, but what if i make my own cups and
have them longer at the top so that the bag is mostly out of the spring pocket? My goal is not to
hop this truck or have it dance around. I want air bags strickly for the ride and so that i can adjust
the height in the rear for added weight. Since the rear will be connected to a tank and switches
i figured i might as well do the front.

Would it be fine to run 3/8" lines in the front so that i can modulate the height better. I would rather
it go up slower so that i can fine tune it. I would be fine if it took MAX 5 seconds to fully air up the front.

Also i don't like doing things twice. If i leave the floor in the van i can install my bags, notch the frame 2"
maybe 2.5" and i will be able to have the back end riding at the height i want (1" lower than it is). At this
height the airbag will be inflated 1" more than it's compressed height. I don't have much experience with
air ride, so my question is: will the bag work properly or should i need to have it sit at it's "neutral position
which is 5"-6"???

Basically i didn't want to cut the floor to run bags - if i have to i will, but i dont was to do a huge C-notch to
do the same. Please advise

Thanks