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Ted
Dodge Dakota
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6/12/2003
01:18:15
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 Subject: Monoleaf/ Rear Air??
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I think this is what you call what I want to do. My bags are going on the front early this coming week, and im now going to order for the back. I do not want to cut/modify my frame in the rear at all. How would I go about installing this monoleaf setup that I have heard people mention? Do you just take a few leafs out, then mount the universal upper and lower bag brackets back there? Do my stock shocks have to come off and stay off? I am not looking to go cheap I just want bags without modifying my frame. Aims says they make rear dakota brackets, should I buy those? I know aim sucks majorly (I buy from Gauge Mag.) but they say they make brackets, or should I just by the universal upper and lower mounts from Gauge? Are they hard to install? Where do I install them and is it posible to bolt them on? Any and all help would be appreciated, also if anyone would be kind enough to give me a few pics of where they relocated their front shocks I would REALLY appreciate it!
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Justice
Dodge Dakota
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6/12/2003
02:08:27
|  RE: Monoleaf/ Rear Air??
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If you want lift put them between axle and cab. If you want load handling put them between the axle and the rear bumper. The universal bracket will prolly allow you to install them either in front or behind the axle so its up to you. WIth a monoleaf I would be worried that the flexing of the leaf from airing up and down would cause it to be weakened. Hope this helps.
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d_fl8ted1
Dodge Dakota
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6/17/2003
17:27:37
| RE: Monoleaf/ Rear Air??
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the question you have to ask yoru self is do you want your truck to lay on the frame or not, if you do then you have no choice but to knotch the frame of your truck to give the travel needed to do so, as far as the monoleaf goes, you just take out all the leafs but the one, it will not hurt the leaf at all, in fact the bag takes most the pressure off the leaf, but you still have to have a two inch block in the leaf to make it lay on the ground, as far as the brackets the are fairly simply to install if you have a welder and know how to use it,,,, your shocks may have to be relocated in order to keep them on the truck, or go with shorter shocks, for when yoru truck is down the shocks may be too long and hold you up off the ground,
i hope this helps
if you need anything else just ask away
d_fl8ted1
www.pureevilkustoms.com
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Jeremy
Dodge Dakota
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6/18/2003
22:38:05
| RE: Monoleaf/ Rear Air??
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Also to clear up your question a bit more, I don't think there is anyway to install an air system without modifying the frame to some extent. Like d fl8ted1 said, you will need to use a welder or somebody will need to weld the plates on at least. If you don't notch it you won't sit that low unless you probably run 15 or 16's. I don't know of any bracket that bolt on unless you get that air-assist junk. You might be able to fabricate it and bolt it on the side of the frame to provide lift. Just don't let it interfere with your wheel or tire. If you ain't rolling wide 275's or anything you should be ok there. I'm slammed out on 20's and I didn't have to relocate my rear shocks. Again they are virtually non existent when skimming off the ground a few inches cause they are more horizontal than vertical. Again I speak about my 94 and nobody include their year they are working with. But pretty much all leaf spring under the axle trucks will be the same to bag. Also to get you started out a well I'm selling a new set of twenties for 1100 that would look killer. They are AR Pirahnas. I've got something new I'm going to throw out this show season. These rims will tuck in the front but will only tuck in the rear if you narrow your axle and housing. Again you will have to be slammed to tuck. If you don't notch the rear this will not be a problem for you.
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Ted
Dodge Dakota
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6/19/2003
01:26:45
|  RE: Monoleaf/ Rear Air??
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Hey, thanks for all the info. I am running 245/45/17's and I think they will tuck or at least go pretty low. Like mentioned above, I am not trying to go extreme like laying frame (although it would be cool) I just want a bagged truck. As far as the monoleaf goes, what all do I have to do? And where do I mount these upper and lower mounts? This doesnt seem to difficult. Also I already have the 5" DJM hanger/shackle kit on, will that affect it, or do I still need 2" blocks? Pretty much from what I see about a monoleaf is that I need to take all my leafs out but the one, then weld the upper and lower bag mounts (but where) then throw the blocks on and get different shocks? Am I on the right track or way off? Any help will be greatly appreciated.
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Jeremy
Dodge Dakota
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6/19/2003
12:48:40
| RE: Monoleaf/ Rear Air??
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Keep in mind that you lower your truck to the lowest point you want it to sit. for example for you this would be the frame sitting on the axle and then you use the air bag to lift you up. This is how a monoleaf works. With all your leafs intact you wouldn't be able to get any adjustment. Just keep in mind why many people don't like monoleafs is that they run good when lowered but when you air up it makes the single remaining leaf super stiff so you have a bounce in your ride. Also you get more wheelhop cause you don't have as much oomph connecting the axle to the chassis. So if your not going to notch I would lower the truck all the way till the frame or bumpstop (I would probably cut it down)sits on the axle. You can keep the drop shackles and hangers. I would first disassembly the leaf pack and see how low that sits you. If you need more then lower the remaining leaf down with blocks. Then go get the air assit kit and the lower bracket bolts to the axle and the upper I think you can drill holes and mount it to the side of your frame. With your truck sitting all the way down mount the mounts so that the air bag is squished together. Then when you fit the lines to the tank and compressor and air it up it should lift the rear of your truck back up. Your stock shocks will be too long so get drop shocks. You don't have to relocate them but if you do it will ride better when lowered. But to lay frame, I welded brackets on my axle housing on my rearend and then a welded a thick piece of angle iron from step notch to step notch and then welded the upper mount to this. This allows my axle to go deep into my notch and rest the rear of the frame all the way on the ground. I hope this helps.
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Ted
Dodge Dakota
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6/20/2003
01:30:37
| RE: Monoleaf/ Rear Air??
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Ok thanks a lot for all the info. that doesnt sound too hard. About the mounts, do I have to get the air assist mounts or are there better ones? Also set up like this will I get a lot of play with side to side? It doesnt matter if I get a lot but I want some. I have 4 smc valves up front and want to add 4 more in the rear. THANKS again.
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Jeremy
Dodge Dakota
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6/20/2003
13:23:16
| RE: Monoleaf/ Rear Air??
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You will get some but not alot. You would need a 2 or 4 link to get some serious side to side. You'll just have to shop around for the right brackets. You could use some regular univeral brackets but that would require taking the bed off and welding a crossmember into the frame abover the axle and then welding the univerisal plate to that. You would then weld the axle pad mounting plate to the axle. I just mentioned the air assist ones cause you didn't want a notch so It would be easier since much of these bolt on. Most of them are pretty universal as well. With the bottome plate attaching to the axle around the u-bolt area and the top part bolts to the side of the frame. I never fooled with this setup cause it would not sit low enough for me. I had to have brackets welded to a crossmember welded between my monster notches. This way you can achieve maximum drop.
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