Spring to air ride suspension conversion - pete379

You don't have to believe it but it is true. Harder steel is more brittle. A grade bolt well brake if you bend it and grade 3 will bend because it is soft. A grade 8 is still stronger though. Research it and you will see I'm right.

 

Okay bending I believe but you said shear. Not the same thing

 

I had to drill holes to add 4 extra fuel tank strap brackets to my frame, the mag drill is the only way to go. Drilling through the hardened steel frame with a hand drill is for the birds.
Use a grease pencil and lay out a grid for all the holes that need cutting so you can center the cutter bit accurately. As per Peterbilt do not use a scribe lines on the frame it causes stress risers.
Another caution from Peterbilt is not to weld on the frame as it is heat treated.

 

Your bringing your backyard farming terminology to the table here or I am bringing truck driver terminology. Either way If it breaks it sheared if it bends its stretching.

 

Anyone make a after market kit to convert a front end to air ride suspension?

 

Some Peterbilts came with air ride steer about 10-15 years ago. Everyone took them and converted to spring do to poor handling.

 

12 gauge and a couple other places make kits.

 

As @SAR stated 10.9 is equivilent to grade 8.
What you are saying about grade 8 vs 5 is complete B.S.

Below is quoted from Grade 5 vs Grade 8 Fasteners - TineLok

Again, you can see that the grade 8 will support over 1000 lbs more or a 1/2-ton more. But there’s something more important to note. The grade 5 fastener has already reached its ultimate load and FAILED BEFORE the grade 8 starts to yield or stretch. Therefore, the argument that you should not use grade 8’s because they are more brittle than grade 5’s is not a true statement in most applications.

 

Also Peterbilts still come with air ride front end. They do ride alot smoother then spring ride especially with twin leveling arms.

 

I already said 8 was stronger, and I never told anybody to use anything buddy. My original reply was to post 15. You need to climb down off your high horse chief.