Air Bar Cuda problems.

Author Topic: Air Bar Cuda problems.  (Read 2494 times)

Offline go-fish

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 2391
Air Bar Cuda problems.
« on: December 19, 2008 - 10:56:15 PM »
I bought the Air Bar for my 'cuda from Reilly Motorsports (Authorized dealer) in 2006 and installed it according to instructions and thought it looked a little weak in some areas near the upper bar mounting area.
Let's fast fwd to now. I recently got my car going under it's own power and have about 25 miles on all the components. This suspension only has about 25 MILES on it.
I have left hard but these tires wouldn't grab enough to brake anything but traction. I had it up on the lift today doing the exhaust and noticed the brackets that the top bars bolt to (back seat area) have RIPPED the metal there.
Is there any revisions Ride Tech did on this. I think I remember seeing a one piece bracket that goes over the driveshaft tunnel that was on later versions. Mine has the two L shaped brackets.
So first things first I have to fix my sheet metal and figure out a way to reinforce and re-engineer this piece.  Part of hotrodding I guess.

« Last Edit: December 22, 2008 - 06:52:25 PM by go-fish »




Offline ragtopdodge

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 4065
Re: Air Bar screwed up my car !!!!!
« Reply #1 on: December 19, 2008 - 11:43:20 PM »
Take LOTS of pictures and send them to Bill.

Bill will always take care of EVERYTHING!  He's straight up as they come.

« Last Edit: December 19, 2008 - 11:46:07 PM by ragtopchally »
'70 318-auto Chally 'vert
'71 383-auto 'Cuda 'vert (sold)
06 300c SRT8
04 2500 QCLB 4x4 HO

Offline go-fish

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 2391
Re: Air Bar screwed up my car !!!!!
« Reply #2 on: December 20, 2008 - 12:12:03 AM »
I should re-word my title. The Air Bar didn't screw anything up. I believe it is a bit of a design flaw in having backets that don't cover much area in the backseat sheetmetal. It is thin uni-body metal after all and needs more surface area. If there is a design change, which I swear I saw where there was I would life to get my hands on it.

The Air Bar is a great design by and large.

Offline GoodysGotaCuda

  • Sr. Resident
  • ******
  • Posts: 5392
Re: Air Bar screwed up my car !!!!!
« Reply #3 on: December 20, 2008 - 12:15:51 AM »
Be careful, that's probably not the only Air-Ride part that will break if you use it!
Build Page: Goody's 'Cuda Build Page
1976 Dodge Warlock
1972 Barracuda - 5.7 Hemi + T56 Magnum

Wheel & Tire Specs:Link

Offline ntstlgl1970

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 2204
  • T a c o c a t
Re: Air Bar screwed up my car !!!!!
« Reply #4 on: December 20, 2008 - 12:20:17 AM »
Can you post some pics? At least the area of the body that is damaged is somewhat invisible from the outside, so you can do whatever you want back there and I don't think anyone would notice. I do agree that it is annoying that you get to re engineer a retail product.
70 Cuda, 7.0L Gen-III Hemi, Viper T56 w/9310 gearset, 3.91's, Megasquirt MS3x v3.57, Innovate wideband, Firm Feel upper arms, torsion bars, springs and strut rods, QA1 DA shocks. I did everything on this car except the fancy paint stuff and I drive it...and I can't seem to stop messing with it....

Offline go-fish

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 2391
Re: Air Bar screwed up my car !!!!!
« Reply #5 on: December 20, 2008 - 12:30:22 AM »
I'll get some pics up tomorrow night. I am using coil-over shocks from QA1 so no air springs that can leak. The Air bar is a sturdy piece and I don't see any of the hardware failing. In this case it is the small area on thin sheetmetal that these two brackets cover. There is just not enough area covored and it needs a bracket that goes across the hump.
« Last Edit: December 22, 2008 - 06:53:15 PM by go-fish »

Offline go-fish

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 2391
Re: Air Bar screwed up my car !!!!!
« Reply #6 on: December 20, 2008 - 01:26:31 AM »
http://www.ridetech.com/instructions/docs/ABAR20700.pdf

I knew I had seen a revised one peice bracket. These newer instructions from Ride Techs website shows the updated bracket.

It is on page 2, 2nd picture.

Offline thedodgeboys

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 3633
  • ''Normal’s Overrated''
    • THE DODGE BOYS
Re: Air Bar screwed up my car !!!!!
« Reply #7 on: December 20, 2008 - 09:36:58 AM »
If ride tech won’t stand behind sending you the updated part Bill probably will.
Go Fast & Have Fun...
70 6.1 HEMI 6-speed Drop Top...

Offline GoodysGotaCuda

  • Sr. Resident
  • ******
  • Posts: 5392
Re: Air Bar screwed up my car !!!!!
« Reply #8 on: December 20, 2008 - 09:42:31 AM »
I'll get some pics up tomorrow night. I am using coil-over shocks from QA1 so no air springs that leak. The Air bar is a sturdy piece and I on't see any of the hardware failing. In this case it is the small area on thin sheetmetal that these two brackets cover. There is just not enough area covored and it needs a bracket that goes across the hump.

Can you please share what QA1 shocks you are running, and where you got them? We have the air-bar system in the rear and shockwaves up front. That air ride installed themselves, which has now had TWO shocks fail on.

Thanks!
Build Page: Goody's 'Cuda Build Page
1976 Dodge Warlock
1972 Barracuda - 5.7 Hemi + T56 Magnum

Wheel & Tire Specs:Link

Offline go-fish

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 2391
Re: Air Bar screwed up my car !!!!!
« Reply #9 on: December 20, 2008 - 11:33:16 AM »
I got all my stuff from Bill Reilly. On all his stuff he offers Shockwaves or coil-overs. He also offers a different coil-over since, this was in 2005 I ordered the AlterK and early 2006 for the Air Bar. Along with the QA1 and QA1 double adjustable, there is now an AFCO T2 double adj. shock option which is a $299.00 option on the Alter K tion. They are the same shock for the Air Bar coil over option. That's not too bad at all to switch from Shockwaves.

For the front, if you have the Strong Arm from Air Ride, they mount to the stock shock mount point in the inner fender. If you are looking at mounting a coil over there, stop! If you just want to get rid of the Shockwaves due to leaking, the quickets and cheapest thing would just be to get regular shocks, a high rate coilover wouldn't be much benefit on a car with a variable rate spring system (tosion bars) already installed.

I would recommend, if you want to rid the front of the Air Ride, you buy some adjustable UCA's so you can get decent front end geometry and get it low with the torsion bars.

My invoice just says "Air Bar w/ coilovers", no part #. Call him up and he'll shoot you in the right direction.
« Last Edit: December 22, 2008 - 06:55:33 PM by go-fish »

Offline go-fish

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 2391
Re: Air Bar screwed up my car !!!!!
« Reply #10 on: December 20, 2008 - 06:23:56 PM »
Sorry, no pics tomight. I was working on the VW and couldn't make it over to where the 'cuda is.

Offline MoparCar

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 611
Re: Air Bar screwed up my car !!!!!
« Reply #11 on: December 24, 2008 - 07:32:43 AM »
Can you please share what QA1 shocks you are running, and where you got them? We have the air-bar system in the rear and shockwaves up front. That air ride installed themselves, which has now had TWO shocks fail on.

Goody,
Was it the actual shock or the bag that failed? 
Thanks, Wes

Offline GoodysGotaCuda

  • Sr. Resident
  • ******
  • Posts: 5392
Re: Air Bar Cuda problems.
« Reply #12 on: December 24, 2008 - 08:55:11 AM »
Bag on the shock, twice. They just aren't very durable for street use I guess  :dunno:
Build Page: Goody's 'Cuda Build Page
1976 Dodge Warlock
1972 Barracuda - 5.7 Hemi + T56 Magnum

Wheel & Tire Specs:Link

Offline Travis72

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 894
Re: Air Bar Cuda problems.
« Reply #13 on: December 24, 2008 - 04:05:42 PM »
Go-fish,

Here's a picture of the revised bracket on mine.

Travis
72 Cuda

Offline go-fish

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 2391
Re: Air Bar Cuda problems.
« Reply #14 on: December 24, 2008 - 08:10:01 PM »
Thanks Travis. I just got mine in the mail today. I am going to start working on the repair the day after Christmas and put this thing on.
My Dad gets down here on Jan. 8th.  Hopefully we can take a hot lap around the interstate when he gets here.