Air ride front end kenworth

R

Ram12vcummins

New member
Looking to soften up my 94 w900l with some front end air ride. Who has done this with maybe removing leaf springs? And did you use a kit?

Looked at donvil and not a fan of it. Seems kinda cheaply made and attached to the truck in a hillbilly manner I can accomplish on my own without paying the $1400 usd.
 
Ram12vcummins said:
Looking to soften up my 94 w900l with some front end air ride. Who has done this with maybe removing leaf springs? And did you use a kit?

Looked at donvil and not a fan of it. Seems kinda cheaply made and attached to the truck in a hillbilly manner I can accomplish on my own without paying the $1400 usd.
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You get what you pay for, go cheap and it will bump steer.

Aftermarket finally offers the factory Paccar air ride springs for about 1/2 what the dealer wants. They’re longer so you have to move the rear hanger. My advice is do it right or don’t do it, I’ve driven bad ones and it’s not fun to drive.


59-750 Taper Spring
 
jfaulkner said:
You get what you pay for, go cheap and it will bump steer.

Aftermarket finally offers the factory Paccar air ride springs for about 1/2 what the dealer wants. They’re longer so you have to move the rear hanger. My advice is do it right or don’t do it, I’ve driven bad ones and it’s not fun to drive.


59-750 Taper Spring
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I’ve seen the ag130 online mentioned here and there. This is the air suspension your talking about?

I know of a t800 that has it from factory. But when I asked kw about it I got a no way lol. So I reuse my rear bracket and just move it further down the frame and then need to source the remainder of the kit?

Do my shims and everything get tossed? That spring should maintain my axle Center?

Ultimately I think this would be the better way to go. Let the bags do the work. As long as these suspensions are fine with rough off roads and I am in some bumpy areas sometimes. Lots of rough roads.
 
Ram12vcummins said:
I’ve seen the ag130 online mentioned here and there. This is the air suspension your talking about?

I know of a t800 that has it from factory. But when I asked kw about it I got a no way lol. So I reuse my rear bracket and just move it further down the frame and then need to source the remainder of the kit?

Do my shims and everything get tossed? That spring should maintain my axle Center?

Ultimately I think this would be the better way to go. Let the bags do the work. As long as these suspensions are fine with rough off roads and I am in some bumpy areas sometimes. Lots of rough roads.
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That is because it wasn't offered on the 900s because of the spring jfaulkner mentioned.
 
The Canadian load share stuff seems pretty decent.

Does the factory kw setup use the goofy shackle like Pete?

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 
Friend got a complete AG130 setup at auction for $1100. Don’t use the load share kit if you want to remove spring leafs. That’s what a friends W9 had and it was horrible. Bounced like an old Lincoln with no shocks.

Horst (house of air) kit is the best BUT it’s expensive because it uses those factory air ride steel springs but AG400 bags. However chances are you will never receive it. Ordered 2 kits from him (379/W9) and gave up after 6 months.
cdda783a73bf0e60d8a1aa1219d97d21.jpg

1e417549fb790388fd1b26a75690dc69.jpg
 
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chevota84 said:
The Canadian load share stuff seems pretty decent.

Does the factory kw setup use the goofy shackle like Pete?

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
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Ya I was debating using loadshare. I talked to a guy with a 91 w9 that had the load share and removed 1 spring(2 originally).

jfaulkner said:
Friend got a complete AG130 setup at auction for $1100. Don’t use the load share kit if you want to remove spring leafs. That’s what a friends W9 had and it was horrible. Bounced like an old Lincoln with no shocks.

Horst (house of air) kit is the best BUT it’s expensive because it uses those factory air ride steel springs but AG400 bags. However chances are you will never receive it. Ordered 2 kits from him (379/W9) and gave up after 6 months.
cdda783a73bf0e60d8a1aa1219d97d21.jpg

1e417549fb790388fd1b26a75690dc69.jpg
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Was contemplating loadshare but like you said I would be worried about cutting the springs out and disliking the ride.

I’m all for a good kit. Not much point in half assing the front end of my truck.

The spring you had in your first post is just a spring off a t800? Or is it something made for the 900? I tried getting some info out of Stengel bros and all I got was they sell replacement parts for ag130.

Unfortunately up here there is not much for anyone trying to do stuff out of the ordinary and can’t find the people that do.

I like the idea of the ag130. I know of 2 trucks running it and both love the ride. And drive the roads I do. But I’m never near the trucks to open the hood and look at them.
 
Ram12vcummins said:
The spring you had in your first post is just a spring off a t800? Or is it something made for the 900? I tried getting some info out of Stengel bros and all I got was they sell replacement parts for ag130.
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That spring isn’t for any specific truck, it’s just the AG130 spring. You have to move the rear hanger to make it work on any truck that didn’t come with the AG130. The pics of the red axle is a W900 with the AG130 spring and House of Air bag bracket. There isn’t anything good that’s a direct replacement.

Your not going to get any info out of Stengel bothers because like any dealer they just sell parts. They’re clueless on anything that’s not OEM to a specific truck. You just need part numbers for the AG130.

Now friend that installed the AG130 on a 379 tried to use the short hanger that was originally on the rear to lower the truck (or keep it the original height) instead of the long ones that are on the AG130. Didn’t work, you have to use the long ones. So if you want the truck to stay at least the same height or lower you need the 5” drop axle. That truck had the 3” so they just set the ride height lower at first. Ended up swapping for the 5” drop and it is much better.


That’s the long AG130 hanger. Old one was removed, holes welded shut and drilled new in the new location.
505cbd1c412bb87a4fd640da3bdb8c9f.jpg


With the 5” drop axle.
9d114a03b6100b621fab1c67761cd019.jpg
 
jfaulkner said:
That spring isn’t for any specific truck, it’s just the AG130 spring. You have to move the rear hanger to make it work on any truck that didn’t come with the AG130. The pics of the red axle is a W900 with the AG130 spring and House of Air bag bracket. There isn’t anything good that’s a direct replacement.

Your not going to get any info out of Stengel bothers because like any dealer they just sell parts. They’re clueless on anything that’s not OEM to a specific truck. You just need part numbers for the AG130.

Now friend that installed the AG130 on a 379 tried to use the short hanger that was originally on the rear to lower the truck (or keep it the original height) instead of the long ones that are on the AG130. Didn’t work, you have to use the long ones. So if you want the truck to stay at least the same height or lower you need the 5” drop axle. That truck had the 3” so they just set the ride height lower at first. Ended up swapping for the 5” drop and it is much better.


That’s the long AG130 hanger. Old one was removed, holes welded shut and drilled new in the new location.
505cbd1c412bb87a4fd640da3bdb8c9f.jpg


With the 5” drop axle.
9d114a03b6100b621fab1c67761cd019.jpg
Click to expand...

John, is there a difference on the hanger length, or are the shackles different lengths, or are the both different lengths? I was thinking that the hanger was the same, and there were 2 different length shackles.

Rig Wrench said:
Im pretty sure there is a sticker on the frame that specifically says not to weld on the rails
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I welded up 58 holes on my frame. I’d like to see if anyone could find those spots. :hehe:
 
Rig Wrench said:
Im pretty sure there is a sticker on the frame that specifically says not to weld on the rails
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Mine says not to drill or weld flanges. I know this because I drilled directly through the sticker.

How do you lengthen frame rails where your from, glue and tape?
 
bracker8040 said:
John, is there a difference on the hanger length, or are the shackles different lengths, or are the both different lengths? I was thinking that the hanger was the same, and there were 2 different length shackles.



I welded up 58 holes on my frame. I’d like to see if anyone could find those spots. :hehe:
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I don’t know. I’ll have to look at them when I see them to see if they’re all the same.

I welded up probably 10/12 on my frame, you can’t see them unless you look inside.
 
jfaulkner said:
That spring isn’t for any specific truck, it’s just the AG130 spring. You have to move the rear hanger to make it work on any truck that didn’t come with the AG130. The pics of the red axle is a W900 with the AG130 spring and House of Air bag bracket. There isn’t anything good that’s a direct replacement.

Your not going to get any info out of Stengel bothers because like any dealer they just sell parts. They’re clueless on anything that’s not OEM to a specific truck. You just need part numbers for the AG130.

Now friend that installed the AG130 on a 379 tried to use the short hanger that was originally on the rear to lower the truck (or keep it the original height) instead of the long ones that are on the AG130. Didn’t work, you have to use the long ones. So if you want the truck to stay at least the same height or lower you need the 5” drop axle. That truck had the 3” so they just set the ride height lower at first. Ended up swapping for the 5” drop and it is much better.


That’s the long AG130 hanger. Old one was removed, holes welded shut and drilled new in the new location.
505cbd1c412bb87a4fd640da3bdb8c9f.jpg


With the 5” drop axle.
9d114a03b6100b621fab1c67761cd019.jpg
Click to expand...


When your saying drop axle your meaning drop hanger? Because a 5” drop axle would be lower than a 3” right?

My existing hanger is 5.5” roughly to pin from bottom of frame. And my axle has a 5” step from top of perch to where the spring sits. Not sure if that’s a thing or matters.

I was loooking for measurements on that spring to see how far a guy has to move it or what would dictate that. Also measurement on cantering pin or does that get tossed out the window?

I thought maybe Stengel was into figuring that stuff out but I guess not.

So I would need the long ag130 hanger instead of mine? Which would keep my truck up at the height it should be with spring sitting right on axle. I don’t want my truck any lower some of the stuff we drive in would bend my bumper if I was any lower.


The bushing pins aren’t greasable or is the zirk spun inside?
 
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jfaulkner said:
Mine says not to drill or weld flanges. I know this because I drilled directly through the sticker.

How do you lengthen frame rails where your from, glue and tape?
Click to expand...

If you have to alter the truck that much you obviously have the wrong one to start with
 
Ram12vcummins said:
When your saying drop axle your meaning drop hanger? Because a 5” drop axle would be lower than a 3” right?

My existing hanger is 5.5” roughly to pin from bottom of frame. And my axle has a 5” step from top of perch to where the spring sits. Not sure if that’s a thing or matters.

I was loooking for measurements on that spring to see how far a guy has to move it or what would dictate that. Also measurement on cantering pin or does that get tossed out the window?

I thought maybe Stengel was into figuring that stuff out but I guess not.

So I would need the long ag130 hanger instead of mine? Which would keep my truck up at the height it should be with spring sitting right on axle. I don’t want my truck any lower some of the stuff we drive in would bend my bumper if I was any lower.


The bushing pins aren’t greasable or is the zirk spun inside?
Click to expand...



No, drop axle meaning the center of the spindle is higher than the spring pads. Center where the springs set is lower.

You need to use ALL of the parts off a stock AG130 truck. That’s the problem they ran into, tried to mix the parts and it drove like crap. Tried a 3” drop axle and short shackles or hangers (I can’t remember which) and lowered the bags to compensate so it wasn’t sitting high in the front.

If your spring pins don’t have grease zirk’s it’s because someone ordered it that way. You can change them because if they’re not popping now they will be. Grease guns are hard to operate for some fleets I guess.
 
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