1973–1987 Chevy C10 Air Suspension Guide
Bagging a 1973–1987 Chevy C10 is one of the most popular ways to get a square-body truck sitting low while keeping a usable air suspension system. The right setup depends on your front suspension choice, wheel size, rear suspension layout, and how much fabrication you want to do.
EKMW offers front cup systems, an upper-control-arm front option, a complete rear 2-link setup, welded step notches, and full front-to-rear C10 air suspension packages.
Shop all 1973–1987 Chevy C10 air suspension parts
Front option 1: Basic cup kit
The EKMW front cup setup is the simple starting point for a 1973–1987 C10 using the factory-style control-arm layout.
- Upper bag plate bolts into the upper spring pocket
- Angled lower cup helps maintain bag clearance through suspension travel
- Designed around a 3-inch drop spindle
- Can lay the frame on approximately 20-inch wheels without additional front frame modifications when installed as intended
For larger-wheel or more involved chassis builds, move beyond the basic cup-only setup and consider the upper-control-arm option.
Front option 2: Upper-control-arm kit
The EKMW upper-control-arm front package adds adjustable upper control arms to help address alignment on a heavily lowered C10.
- Upper bag plate
- Lower bag cup
- Adjustable upper control arms
- Ball joints
- Upper mounting plate
- Two shocks
- Designed around a 3-inch drop spindle
This is the better front starting point when you want more adjustment than the basic cup setup provides.
View the C10 upper-control-arm front kit
Rear suspension: 2-link, notch, bags and panhard bar
The EKMW rear kit is a complete fabrication-style air suspension setup for 1973–1987 Chevy C10 1/2-ton trucks.
- One-piece welded step notch
- 2-link bars using the factory leaf-spring hangers
- Lower bag mounts
- Lower shock mounts
- Upper bag mounts
- Panhard-bar components
- Upper shock mounts integrated into the notch crossbars
- Designed for builds running up to approximately 24-inch wheels when installed as intended
The rear system requires frame cutting, welding, and proper fabrication.
View the 1973–1987 C10 rear air suspension kit
Need only the C10 notch?
If you’re building the rear suspension piece by piece, the EKMW welded C10 notch is available separately. It includes bridge bars, upper shock mounts, the panhard-bar frame mount, and frame filler plates.
View the C10 welded notch with bridge bars
Complete C10 air suspension kit
The complete EKMW C10 package combines the front cup system, rear 2-link suspension, and the main air-management components into one kit.
- 1973–1987 Chevy C10 fitment
- Front setup designed around up to approximately 20-inch wheels
- Rear setup designed around up to approximately 24-inch wheels
- 3-inch drop spindles are required and are not included
- Includes four Air Lift Dominator 2600 bags
- VIAIR dual compressors
- 7-gallon tank
- SMC valves
- Pressure switch, relay and circuit breaker
- Gauge, DOT air line and fittings
View the complete C10 air suspension kit
Before ordering
Confirm the exact chassis, wheel and tire size, spindle setup, rear axle position, and desired laid-out height before ordering. If you are planning major frame modifications or a larger-wheel build, choose the front suspension components around that goal before fabrication begins.
Current fabrication lead time on EKMW custom suspension components is approximately 7–10 business days before shipping.