47-55.1 s10 swap Chev bagged, notch question.

[tetfemal]

I'm planning on bagging my 55.1 Chev once I find the donor s10 chassis. I;m trying avoid modifying the bed if possible. I was wondering if there are anybody out there that bagged their truck without cutting the bed and that could post some pictures of their setup?

Thanks in advance

[joedoh]

this is a loaded question, because there are a bunch of variables in bagging a truck.

do you want to lay running boards? or just a 1/2 inch off the ground? or 2 inches off the ground?

will you set up the s10 frame with the bottom level with the bottom of the running boards? or higher up in the chassis?

what wheel size will you use in the rear?

all of these will determine where your bed floor will need to be. if you set the frame up level with the bottom of the frame and run a 28" or larger tire, you are going to spend some money on the bagging equipment, because the front will need tubular arms and drop spindles and a toe correcting tie rod kit. I like to set the frame up inside the body 2", there isnt an s10 anywhere that cant get 2" off the ground with minor mods, and no toe kit.
In the rear, if your frame is level with the bottom of the running boards you will need at least a 6" notch (inside, I think they call it a 10" notch when selling it because its 10" from bottom edge to top edge) and that will go through the bed floor pretty readily.
if you set the frame 2" up inside the body (effectively channeling it), the s10 frame above the axle will be about an inch above the factory floor, never mind the pumpkin at full drop.

it is really pretty easy to raise the whole bed floor a couple inches using some angle, look in the project section at Albert by Hussey. or like to use a trick I learned from another guy on here, weld in the longbed s10 floor and lay wood over it. this also gives you inner wheel tubs, and all of the secure mounting points are already in the right spot. the one on the 49 took about 2 hours, I still have to lay in the wood and close out the back, but thats pretty fast too.

[tetfemal]

Originally Posted by joedoh

this is a loaded question, because there are a bunch of variables in bagging a truck.

do you want to lay running boards? or just a 1/2 inch off the ground? or 2 inches off the ground?

will you set up the s10 frame with the bottom level with the bottom of the running boards? or higher up in the chassis?

what wheel size will you use in the rear?

all of these will determine where your bed floor will need to be. if you set the frame up level with the bottom of the frame and run a 28" or larger tire, you are going to spend some money on the bagging equipment, because the front will need tubular arms and drop spindles and a toe correcting tie rod kit. I like to set the frame up inside the body 2", there isnt an s10 anywhere that cant get 2" off the ground with minor mods, and no toe kit.
In the rear, if your frame is level with the bottom of the running boards you will need at least a 6" notch (inside, I think they call it a 10" notch when selling it because its 10" from bottom edge to top edge) and that will go through the bed floor pretty readily.
if you set the frame 2" up inside the body (effectively channeling it), the s10 frame above the axle will be about an inch above the factory floor, never mind the pumpkin at full drop.

it is really pretty easy to raise the whole bed floor a couple inches using some angle, look in the project section at Albert by Hussey. or like to use a trick I learned from another guy on here, weld in the longbed s10 floor and lay wood over it. this also gives you inner wheel tubs, and all of the secure mounting points are already in the right spot. the one on the 49 took about 2 hours, I still have to lay in the wood and close out the back, but thats pretty fast too.

I want the truck to lay running boards. I also want to run smoothies but not sure what size. Probably 15 to 16 in wheel

[tetfemal]

Let's talk bag placement.

I've been looking at other's projects and was trying to determined why some people place the bags on the axle, in front of the axle, and behind the axle. Is there a particular reason why?

[joedoh]

behind, over, in front, does not matter in most cases, it is where it fits, its the same amount of lift.

bag on bar (mounted so the leverage gives more lift) is popular for a lot of lift, but the spring rate is lower.

Originally Posted by tetfemal

I want the truck to lay running boards. I also want to run smoothies but not sure what size. Probably 15 to 16 in wheel

do this. figure out what tire you will use on the rear and convert it to inches diameter. divide it in half, then add 4 inches to that. (you add 4 inches because the axle and pumpkin will be about that much higher than the axle center)
take a tape measure out to your truck and measure from the bottom of the running board up the bedside to that measurement. that is where your bed floor will need to be to have a flat floor.