Air Bags

[Phil Timmons]

Anyone use something like this (or anything like) in a home-build or custom equipment application?

Air Lift D2600 Air Bag Dominator 58616

Air Lift Dominator D2600 delivers 9.7″ stroke, 600 PSI pressure, and 3,055 lb capacity for trucks and custom air ride suspension builds.

airslamit.com

What was / is Good+Bad+Ugly about these?

Thinking about using as a lift and lower for Road Wheels, under a piece of field equipment.

Would generally do that with Hydraulics, but trying to keep Hydraulics off this application.

I guess other choice (all Electric) could be a screw jack.

 

[4570Man]

Hydraulics are probably easier. The air bag can only push. You’ll have to have a second set of bags to lift the axel off the ground. But the idea can work. Virtually every tag axel on dump trucks is moved with air bags.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

A 12,000 pound 12 volt DC screw jack kit can be had off of eBay for less than $200.00, any air bag system that I have ever seen was considerably more than that, and if you are like most of the rest of us profitability on the farm usually depends on the purchases we make on all the little things.Good luck.

 

[JJT]

A few years ago I bought a 10K# high lift airbag jack. Since then I have not used any of my 7 or 8 hydraulic jacks. It was a no named brand under $200. I've been very pleased.

 

[Phil Timmons]

Hydraulics are probably easier. The air bag can only push. You’ll have to have a second set of bags to lift the axel off the ground. But the idea can work. Virtually every tag axel on dump trucks is moved with air bags.

Thanks for the perspective. Have a kid (student, school) using some of these as robotic load levelers at school. I have never played with these before, and was sort of amazed at the numbers (weight) they can lift and how simple they seem to operate.

Good point on the full lift aspect. I was just looking to get to neutral (wheels still resting on ground, but not carrying weight. This is for sort of a tractor-less rototiller, and I need to turn and re-align at the row ends. That part is "automatic," but you are correct, nothing less than zero on these. For real travel (road wheels, as it were) to come out of the field, I suppose I could use a long bar (manual).

Now you are making me ponder to go all hydraulics (for the tiller shaft, as well) was planning Chain/Gears from a VFD + 3 Phase Motor for the main (rotary) tiller drive shaft.

 

[Phil Timmons]

A 12,000 pound 12 volt DC screw jack kit can be had off of eBay for less than $200.00, any air bag system that I have ever seen was considerably more than that, and if you are like most of the rest of us profitability on the farm usually depends on the purchases we make on all the little things.Good luck.

Lineman (your name?). We talking Electric?

And for me, ALL Electric is very appealing. Talking line power, no less. I can run up to 50 HP (combined loads) pretty cheaply, but keeping individual motor loads under 5 HP each is optimal on the equipment and money.

You are very correct -- ebay has a ton (lift, hahaha) of choices. Even some scissor style, with motors built in. Forgot that we had built something like that in the past, as a sort of platform lift.

Yes, profitability is a Very Real thing. In this case driving low-cost choices, up front.

Seems almost Ben Franklin at times -- yunno -- "A Penny saved is a Penny earned."

 

[Phil Timmons]

A few years ago I bought a 10K# high lift airbag jack. Since then I have not used any of my 7 or 8 hydraulic jacks. It was a no named brand under $200. I've been very pleased.

Understood. since starting playing with these -- it is like I keep seeing different (generally wrong) ways to mis-use them.

 

[not2old]

Seems almost Ben Franklin at times -- yunno -- "A Penny saved is a Penny earned."

Don't forget the leach in your pocket. If you save a penny, you have it in your pocket. Before I retired I'd need to earn two pennies before I could have one in my pocket.
The more correct expression should be "A penny saved is two pennies earned".

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Lineman (your name?). We talking Electric?

And for me, ALL Electric is very appealing. Talking line power, no less. I can run up to 50 HP (combined loads) pretty cheaply, but keeping individual motor loads under 5 HP each is optimal on the equipment and money.

You are very correct -- ebay has a ton (lift, hahaha) of choices. Even some scissor style, with motors built in. Forgot that we had built something like that in the past, as a sort of platform lift.

Yes, profitability is a Very Real thing. In this case driving low-cost choices, up front.

Seems almost Ben Franklin at times -- yunno -- "A Penny saved is a Penny earned."

Yes sir I was an electric lineman and retired after 35 years, now days I run a few cows, bale some hay and I have a little skid steer business that keeps me steady.