Bags and Handling

[jiggs]

I have no interest in laying rocker or anything like that. There was a thread here a while ago that said that a properly bagged truck can handle the corners as well as a coil sprung truck. Now the question is at what ride height? My idea was to lower my truck 5/7 and give it all the goodies for handling. If I go to bags, what height(in static drop numbers) would give me the same stiffness as a coil system, assuming that I am using drop spindles with the bags.

My understanding is that the more air in a bag, the stiffer it gets. It will also raise the truck at the same time. An aired out truck would have boat-like floating and a completly raised truck would be like a lumberwagon. Where is the middleground as far as good handling? Basically would I be carving corners with what looked like a 5/7, 4/6 or 2/4 drop.... when airing the bags for aggressive driving?

A more simple question would be: How low does your bagged truck look when normally driving?

[FirstGen]

excellent question, I would love to know also!

[N2TRUX]

That's going to be hard to answer, but let me start. What you will need to determine is where you want your truck to sit at driving height. You will also need to have an idea what bag pressure will give you the amount of body roll control you need. I suggest you contact Tony at Air Ride to help with that.

Once you have that set, you can start to establish where to set your mounts for your bags.

Take a look at this article for more info-AirRide Technologies StreetChallenge

[smbrouss70]

I just figured I'd post a couple of pics from that article that shows 67-72 chevy trucks and how they sit while set up for cornering.

[jiggs]

The blue/green truck is the feature truck in the Strong Arm article in this link. It is also linked in the Strong Arm write-up lower down the page if this link doesn't work.

http://www.webrodder.com/article.php?AID=180&SID=1

In the last pic it looks like there is an aftermarket sway bar, but I can't tell if they used drop spindles or not. I like the ride height in the pic above though.

If that truck were coil sprung, what kind of drop would it work out to be?

[FirstGen]

the black one looks like a 5/7 maybe even 8-9 in the rear because of the larger wheels...

[jiggs]

So continuing with this line of thought, and basically speaking, would this statement be true?

The Strong Arms and cool ride bag kit from ART(without modding their products) will lower my truck around 5 inches in the front with drop spindles, give me the same handling as coils, and be a lot easier on my butt when just cruising the streets or highway, compared to coils.

Has someone started a picture thread of bagged trucks when they are at driving height? They look good aired out, but what does your truck look like when you are about to drive it down the freeway?

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by jiggs

So continuing with this line of thought, and basically speaking, would this statement be true?

The Strong Arms and cool ride bag kit from ART(without modding their products) will lower my truck around 5 inches in the front with drop spindles, give me the same handling as coils, and be a lot easier on my butt when just cruising the streets or highway, compared to coils.

Has someone started a picture thread of bagged trucks when they are at driving height? They look good aired out, but what does your truck look like when you are about to drive it down the freeway?

You can get the same ride height w/o the Strong Arms. They simply offer better geometry & clearance. My truck is currently bagged on the rear only but it's @ ride height in this pic . . ....

[grnddwn]

Originally Posted by jiggs

.

Has someone started a picture thread of bagged trucks when they are at driving height? They look good aired out, but what does your truck look like when you are about to drive it down the freeway?

I drive mine about 3 to 4 inches from the ground. So it looks low.

[jiggs]

Thanks for the replies. I thought the arms were not for height, but handling, I just figured if I was going to go into this, I may as well go balls deep.

ScotI, If someone were too chop in a set of twenties onto your truck, that is exacty the look I invisioned. If you know off hand, how much clearance do you have under your front crossmember, what about the front bumper, and how tall are your tires?

Now I have a lot of thinking to do about bags.

[GMCGRANDS]

Jiggs,
My intentions are similar to what you are looking for. I am not interested in laying rockers, but do want to be low, with much improved handling, and no clearance issues. I am on my fourth version of the front suspension. I am using a modified Fatman Fabrications stage V (air ride shockwaves) and 2" drop spindles. After trying lots of other stuff I concluded the shockwaves would give me the adjustability for corning and allow me to raise the truck for major speedbumps, while getting the look I was after.I also gain the faster steering rack and pinion. I have mocked the suspension up more times than I like to admit, spent more money than I like to admit to finally get the right combination. To target the best handling and ride height combination took a while. I did this by getting the suggested ride height dimension from air ride for the shockwaves( measured eye center to eye center). I then adjusted everything else around this. I built a mock up tool by taking two pieces of pipe that would just slide into each other, welded eyes on each end and then drilled holes through both tubes at fully aired out, full up, and ride height. I could insert pins through both tubes to hold the truck at the different heights, to better visualize clearnce issues and how it will look. This takes the place of the shockwaves while in mock-up. Hope this make sence. hard to describe

[Shane65]

I got the picture. Nice idea. I'll have to remember that one.