bagged or race suspension opinion needed??

[lowlowchevy]

Hi im in the middle of dropping in a lm7 in my 98 reg cab short bed with a 5 speed, i moved the motor back 7 inches and dropped it 4 n half and half. iv picked up a pair of 6.0 heads ported n polished that will go on once i get my turbo kit done. with all this my friends are saying its point less to bag it with all that power and living in vegas i have 3 tracks around me. so im trying to decide bag or a race suspensions set up. if any of you guys have done a race set up suspension could you give me some advice and ideas bout how and what and price. and you bag guys too?

[lowlowchevy]

any suggestion?? i was looking at coil over shocks for a 4link set up and custom adjustable a arms

[someotherguy]

Exactly how you plan to use the truck would help others offer their suggestions.

Richard

[custm2500]

You can bag it and drag it. I have bags and run my truck at the strip.

I don't understand why you feel you have to choose? You need a 3 or 4 link for coil overs or bags so it doesn't matter what is holding the the truck up.

[lowlowchevy]

i wana road coarse the truck so i wana be able to set up the truck to corner im not to much for strait line racing

[bored&stroked]

You don't see bags on actual race vehicles for a reason.

[lowlowchevy]

ya i know im looking at coil over shocks there adjustable tci all american 400 ib coil overs 10 inch to 14inch shocks im not sure on what weight i need to go with and what size. id like eibach but 3 grand just for the shocks

[lowlife113]

bags with qa1 adjustables ftmfw!

[custm2500]

Bags can and will out handle springs. I know it is advertising but you see demos all the time that they take 3-5 cars run a road corse then install air ride kits on them and they most often improve there time tremodously.

I would guess that a small tank, compressor, and lines togather weigh about the same as coil overs. That is a guess but if you look at materials it seems about the same.

[1badgmc]

Bags can and will out handle springs. I know it is advertising but you see demos all the time that they take 3-5 cars run a road corse then install air ride kits on them and they most often improve there time tremodously.

Agreed. Ride Tech is famous for building some amazing handling vehicles on air. My truck's setup isn't anything really fancy, especially in the rear where I just have a KP 4-link/panhard with the bags on the axle and some Doetsch Tech drop shocks. I have ShockWaves up front and that's what pays a key role in my truck's awesome handling. I thought my truck handled the twisties pretty good when I had my 5/8 static drop with Eibach springs and such, but when I first took it for a drive with the ShockWaves, I was totally blown away.

[lowlowchevy]

thanks alot guys good advice i just found the website and i like the set up they have for my truck. now what would be better for the rear end as in 4 link talk? And the front end set up with arms i already have 3 inch drop spindles

[1badgmc]

You mean you have 2" spindles?

I just have 2" spindles and the ShockWaves on the front of mine.

[Tigwldr]

Agreed. Ride Tech is famous for building some amazing handling vehicles on air. My truck's setup isn't anything really fancy, especially in the rear where I just have a KP 4-link/panhard with the bags on the axle and some Doetsch Tech drop shocks. I have ShockWaves up front and that's what pays a key role in my truck's awesome handling. I thought my truck handled the twisties pretty good when I had my 5/8 static drop with Eibach springs and such, but when I first took it for a drive with the ShockWaves, I was totally blown away.

What model shockwave do you have? It was really that noticeable?
I have never been into air UNTIL I started reading about how much better they handle with the addition of air, well shockwaves to be exact. I would like to convert but am having problems finding a rear set up. I'm thinking about a truck arm/watts set up.

[1badgmc]

What model shockwave do you have? It was really that noticeable?
I have never been into air UNTIL I started reading about how much better they handle with the addition of air, well shockwaves to be exact. I would like to convert but am having problems finding a rear set up. I'm thinking about a truck arm/watts set up.

I have ShockWave 1.0; first generation. I got them only a few years after they came out with them. I guarantee the newer ShockWaves would only be that much better than mine.

[custm2500]

What model shockwave do you have? It was really that noticeable?
I have never been into air UNTIL I started reading about how much better they handle with the addition of air, well shockwaves to be exact. I would like to convert but am having problems finding a rear set up. I'm thinking about a truck arm/watts set up.

Your screen name implies you can weld. If that is true then build your rear link setup. It isn't hard and generally cheaper then a bought boring bolt in kit.

[Tigwldr]

Your screen name implies you can weld. If that is true then build your rear link setup. It isn't hard and generally cheaper then a bought boring bolt in kit.

Yeah, the screen name gave it away, and while I do have a stock pile of thick wall DOM. You say it isnt hard. Have you built one? I have no issues getting dimensions and measuring until my fingers bleed. In all honesty, I'm a little intimidated. Its the math involved in finding the IC and AS. That and I dont really have a decent "flat" place to layout the set up on my Hoe.

That is why I'm thinking about going with truck arms, its more basic and the fab involved is not as indepth as going with a 4-link. That and I wont have to cut up my floors. I think that with a watts would be a decent set up. Though I would love to go with a linked set up

[1badgmc]

Yeah, the screen name gave it away, and while I do have a stock pile of thick wall DOM. You say it isnt hard. Have you built one? I have no issues getting dimensions and measuring until my fingers bleed. In all honesty, I'm a little intimidated. Its the math involved in finding the IC and AS. That and I dont really have a decent "flat" place to layout the set up on my Hoe.

That is why I'm thinking about going with truck arms, its more basic and the fab involved is not as indepth as going with a 4-link. That and I wont have to cut up my floors. I think that with a watts would be a decent set up. Though I would love to go with a linked set up

You don't have to cut your floor just because you have a 4-link. My truck is 4-linked with a panhard and there is not a single slice into my bed floor.

[Tigwldr]

You don't have to cut your floor just because you have a 4-link. My truck is 4-linked with a panhard and there is not a single slice into my bed floor.

True if I went parallel. I wanted to go triangulated to eliminate using PHB or watts.

How would you guys go about building a 4 link? If I have to use a PHB or watts so be it. I just want a 4 link and that figuring out crap gets to me.
Thanks

[lowlowchevy]

ya my bad 2inch spindles, and im just going with there bags and air ride controll and building my own 4 link and upper control arms just gonna buy there lower strong arms, iv found websites online that pretty much do all the math for you and have pre made diagrams for some trucks

[custm2500]

The answer to your question is yes. We will see how it launches with 500+ hp then adding nitrous but cutting 1.8-1.9 60ft. on MT ET streets it left straight and didn't have any issues. I also trapped just over 100 mph and drove a good deal on the street with out one issuee. I have a pan hard par that I think is 33 or 36"s long and to me a watts link is a waist of time unless you have a very short panhard bar. With the length of mine the axle moves just over half an inch with 18+ inches of lift.

My truck is compleatly custom but you would be able to install a 4 link just like mine with no modifications to the truck other then the 4 link. Mine worked out perfectly due to me shortening it from the long bed the links hit the frame at a lower point so that they are close to level. The only think I will modify down the road is the fact the I used suicide doors bag mounting plates and they offset the bag on the bar. The tiny bit I drive the truck it won't make a differance on my truck but someday I will move the bag into the middle of the bar and notch the frame so there is room for it. Again these are off the shelf parts from SD so i would guess the offset isn't the end of the world but logical thinking tells you twisting the bushings at all times isn't ideal.