# VW Caddy Air ride question's



## kvbett (Jun 15, 2007)

Want to run air in my 81 caddy. Want to put the bags below in the front, But what can i run in the rear ?



















_Modified by kvbett at 7:44 PM 10-1-2008_


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## Kaos26003 (Oct 26, 2005)

*Re: VW Caddy Air ride question's (kvbett)*

4link that ****... cut the bed floor out lay that frame.


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## [email protected] (Jan 26, 2006)

*Re: VW Caddy Air ride question's (Kaos26003)*

that basically is all you have to do


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## myvwisfast (Apr 24, 2004)

*Re: VW Caddy Air ride question's ([email protected])*

OK- I'm doing this, too & need a legit answer that doesn't include hacking my precious bed floor or 4-linking anything. My last Caddy had the rear axle flipped and Corvette air shocks in the rear. It was pretty low. I'd rather use air bags... what to do with the leafs? Dumpster?


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## LiL ShuteS (Apr 6, 2008)

only way i can think of doing it is an IRS setup or a beam configuration, or you might be able to replace the shock with a short air cylinder or very short air over shock but not sure that would work without the leafs and if it did then you'd run in to problems with alignment of the rear wheels and also not sure the ride would be to brilliant (even though its never amazing in a caddy)


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## d1rtyj4k3 (Feb 25, 2007)

*Re: (LiL ShuteS)*

i dont think alignment will give him any problems since its a fixed position solid rear axel. you could probably use a setup for a s-10 or another mini truck


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## joezeeuw (Feb 23, 2003)

*Re: (d1rtyj4k3)*

Notching or whatever on a Caddy would be a waste of effort. Since the axle isn't a drive axle it doesent need to be centered on the wheel.


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## blind (Nov 26, 1999)

*Re: (joezeeuw)*

You could run a z-link suspension. Dirt cars run them to help with rear steer but you could run them on both sides. Just make mounts that bolt in at the leaf spring mounts and run a long flexible brake line. You would have to play around with the e-brake cables to see if you could run one without kinking since the rear beam will rotate when raised and lowered.
Here's a link showing what I mean.
http://www.circletrack.com/tec....html


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## caddyinny (May 6, 2007)

find pics of my truck then cut yours up like i did!


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## joezeeuw (Feb 23, 2003)

*Re: (caddyinny)*


_Quote, originally posted by *caddyinny* »_find pics of my truck then cut yours up like i did!

This you?








I remember seeing pics from Waterfest. I seem to recall a c-notch sort of setup.
I think I've seen maybe 5 or more detailed pics of caddy rear air-ride setups that people have done and no two were alike. Just have to get creative I guess. The rear is the easy part if you are trying to get really low.
Here's how I did mine. It has it's drawbacks I know but it was simple and didn't involve cutting a huge hole in the bed. Sort of copied Madcaddy16v.








The highly publicised tracerturbo build:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zer...age=1








Random pics from a search:








MIVW dude








_Modified by joezeeuw at 12:36 PM 10-26-2008_


_Modified by joezeeuw at 12:38 PM 10-26-2008_


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## myvwisfast (Apr 24, 2004)

*Re: (joezeeuw)*

That 1st pic ^^^ was awe-inspiring. Then I saw the rest of his story...can't say I'm jealous
Digging the random pics of everyone else's tho


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## caddyinny (May 6, 2007)

*Re: (myvwisfast)*

whats the problem with my p.o.s.?


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## joezeeuw (Feb 23, 2003)

*Re: (caddyinny)*

looks pretty well done to me. But I feel sorry for those poor rear quarters.


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## caddyinny (May 6, 2007)

*Re: (joezeeuw)*

that was just done to make it to waterfest.hopefully between building a new front clip and being a father of two i will have time to properly massage them!


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## coffin (Mar 30, 2008)

*Re: (caddyinny)*

would a body drop just in the bed area work for us caddy owners that want to get lower in the back ill be buying a set up this winter an was curious about taking that route


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## caddyinny (May 6, 2007)

*Re: (coffin)*

technically you can't to my knowledge bodydrop a unibody.at least in the typical framed car/truck body drop.you basically have to see what hits and relocate/fab new.you can debate this all day but to me its not the same.get some steel,a chop saw,a welder,and prob a keg cus the front is gonna suck.i'll get pics up as i progress over the winter.also the rear needs redoing as i now have more knowledge and know more about what can be done.there are not as many people willing to chop their caddy up as there is mk4 owners.







so........


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## urogolf (Dec 10, 2000)

*FV-QR*

drag it kev


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## myvwisfast (Apr 24, 2004)

*Re: (caddyinny)*


_Quote, originally posted by *caddyinny* »_whats the problem with my p.o.s.?

Hey man, to each his own...
I'm just sayin' there's a lot that looks scary there. Mostly the cutting...I actually use my bed, so that setup would be useless to me. Plus IMO it looks bad-arse from the side or the rear, but the hackjob of a rear setup looks like vomit. Screw those fender flares, too. http://****************.com/smile/emthdown.gif


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## CasualDays (Sep 1, 2005)

*Re: (myvwisfast)*

What about using the corvette air shocks in the rear with drop plates?
That'll get you damn low, but then you won't have to sacrifice the truck bed.
Bolts straight in, very little modification needed!

http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## caddyinny (May 6, 2007)

*Re: (myvwisfast)*

i love people that talk $h!t via internet.those flares are courtesy of a sledge hammer,and your opinion is worthless so i'm gonna stop typing now.


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## jackripper1984 (Oct 15, 2005)

*Re: (CasualDays)*

seems like you can go with some 3 inch plates, then flip your axle. Run a C channel across the bottom of the floor from frame rail to frame rail then mount two bags on each side of the axle. 
I am running this now without the flip and it rides low and my bags are having about 3 more inches before they bottom out. so the flip would drag azz.
right now my bags are 1/2 extended when empty but full, they just stiffen up my ride and lift me up two inches. with the exception of some bolts protruding through the floor, the bed is clear


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## kvbett (Jun 15, 2007)

*Re: (jackripper1984)*


_Quote, originally posted by *jackripper1984* »_seems like you can go with some 3 inch plates, then flip your axle. Run a C channel across the bottom of the floor from frame rail to frame rail then mount two bags on each side of the axle. 
I am running this now without the flip and it rides low and my bags are having about 3 more inches before they bottom out. so the flip would drag azz.
right now my bags are 1/2 extended when empty but full, they just stiffen up my ride and lift me up two inches. with the exception of some bolts protruding through the floor, the bed is clear

post pics if you get a chance http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## jackripper1984 (Oct 15, 2005)

*Re: (kvbett)*

I put this together in haste. I had some balloons for tires and my drop plates were too low. rubbing fender big time. 
since then I sprayed some flyers and 185-55-14's let the drop plates work for me. The bags are aired up to take a pic of it, but the sit about an inch lower without the air. 
If I flip the axle I will still have room for bags to be empty and not bottom out. then they will bring me back to this stance with air. 








This is with no air in the bags and lots of room to flip the axle.
In other words if I flip the axle I will be around 3 inches lower than than this pic. right?!!!! http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif

















up with no flares and some paint.








_Modified by jackripper1984 at 8:16 PM 11-21-2008_


_Modified by jackripper1984 at 8:21 PM 11-21-2008_


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## myvwisfast (Apr 24, 2004)

*Re: (caddyinny)*


_Quote, originally posted by *caddyinny* »_i love people that talk $h!t via internet.those flares are courtesy of a sledge hammer,and your opinion is worthless so i'm gonna stop typing now.

You asked for it. So I told you. I love you, too.


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## jackripper1984 (Oct 15, 2005)

*Re: (myvwisfast)*

I always said that if there is metal in the way just move/beat,or cut it. give that guy some time and you probably not even know that he beat that with a sledge. ripper


_Modified by jackripper1984 at 7:41 PM 11-24-2008_


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## GreatPenguinVW (Mar 26, 2004)

*Re: (jackripper1984)*


_Quote, originally posted by *jackripper1984* »_seems like you can go with some 3 inch plates, then flip your axle. Run a C channel across the bottom of the floor from frame rail to frame rail then mount two bags on each side of the axle. 
I am running this now without the flip and it rides low and my bags are having about 3 more inches before they bottom out. so the flip would drag azz.
right now my bags are 1/2 extended when empty but full, they just stiffen up my ride and lift me up two inches. with the exception of some bolts protruding through the floor, the bed is clear

So, basically with your setup you just running a 3" drop from the drop plates, then you can go back up to only a 1" drop, and a stiff as hell ride??
Flipping the axle will just make this worse in my opinion.
Would you be able to run this setup but remove all but one leaf. That would pretty much eliminate the leaf springs from holding the car and put that on the bags, while still providing support to keep it all aligned????


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## jackripper1984 (Oct 15, 2005)

*Re: (GreatPenguinVW)*


_Quote, originally posted by *GreatPenguinVW* »_
So, basically with your setup you just running a 3" drop from the drop plates, then you can go back up to only a 1" drop, and a stiff as hell ride??
Flipping the axle will just make this worse in my opinion.
Would you be able to run this setup but remove all but one leaf. That would pretty much eliminate the leaf springs from holding the car and put that on the bags, while still providing support to keep it all aligned???? 

flipping the axle will lower me the thickness of the axle around 3 inches more. 
I have a stiff ride at 60-100psi and I have reason for it. I move backhoe buckets with this truck all the time. two buckets weigh more than 500 lbs. I can still run 90 down the highway running around 60-100psi and I have a smooth ride. 
I don't think this is a problem at all. 
most minitruckers use a single leaf. the leafsprings are there to hold the axle in place. the bags are for your ride hight.


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## joeslow (Sep 22, 2007)

caddyinny,








i parked next to you in p.o.s. class at fall SnG i had the black mkIII







i was laughin when u kept droppin the back while we were in traffic driving to the back http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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