Another suspension question (lower + airbag + other kits)

[shifty]

I've been hunting around at ECE and CPP and a few other places, I'm looking for something I figured someone would make, and I'm hoping someone around here has seen it.

I want a kit that will offer:

* New control arms (tubular optional, equipped w/cups for bags preferred)
* Shock mount relocation kit for the front
* Drop spindles
* Trailing arms that will support bags natively (cups already on them)
* C-notch (weld-in or bolt-in, doesn't matter to me).
* Rear shock mount relocation kit

It would be cool if it included new hardware and bushings where needed. The option to upgrade to 4-disc brakes would be nice also.

The airbags and other crap I'd be buying from Suicide Doors...

I have seen a similar "tubular" kit from Classic Performance Products (CPP) in the December 2006 issue of Custom Classic Trucks, but it appears to be equipped for springs and not 'bags. The reason I'm asking for something intended for installs with bags is simple: I want bolt-in, no fabbing, no hacking of parts - If I'm buying powdercoated tubular control arms that are going to be ~$1k+ in price, I don't want to need to hack, grind or otherwise screw them up in any way.

Has anyone seen a kit like the one I'm hunting above? All I'm getting at ECE is piecemeal stuff - you put it together and hope it all fits.

I'm going to shoot out some emails to vendors in a minute. Just thought I'd ask here also.

[Shane]

~ Most, if not all, of the tubular lower A Arms I have seen don't require lower cups. You bolt the bag straight to the arm. The way they are fabricated you don't have the worries of the bag rubbing the side of the spring pocket, and that is the main reason folks run cups on the STOCK lower fronts. Someone please correct me if I am wrong on this.

~ No cups or brackets are needed on the trailing arms. The bags bolt straight to the arm. No drilling or anything. They bolt directly in the place where the coil spring came out. Where the bag mounts on the top, you will have to drill a few holes on the underside of the frame for the bolts and the air-line fitting, but it doesn't require a bracket.

~ You won't need a shock relocation bracket on the front if you run shocks specifically designed for lowered suspensions. You are going to replace the shocks with new ones anyway, right? Go with the KYB's that ECE sells for lowered applications.

~ Everything else you require is available from ECE (spindles, rear shock relocator) or CPP (C-notch).

Hope this helps.

[see ten]

The new ART notch is already equipped with the holes to mount bags. There is a thread that I think is titled "tubular suspension upgrade" in the suspension forum that shows them.

[shifty]

Cool, I will try to find and bookmark that thread.

I talked to Jeff @ CPP today. Their new tubular tranny crossmember kicks ass and I wish I would have seen it BEFORE buying my ECE piece. Seriously - I would have never had to remove my cab if I'd have used the CPP piece, and it would have literally saved me about 10 hours of work. I highly recommend this piece to anyone doing an LS1 swap or who needs a new crossmember. I think the part number is CP9427.

Anyway, basically, their tubular kit is $1400 or less for control arms, trailing arms and everything else. I like ECE's trailing arms better, honestly, but the cost is about the same. They have a setup for everything. I basically got this, roughly:

$899 for the ART bag kit w/o compressor and controls.
$1299-1399 for the full tubular kit with lowered spindles (IIRC).
Not sure cost on 4-wheel disc brake upgrade.

So, I'm basically looking at bags, control arms and spindles right now. Actually, I would love to do this in stages...get the control arms, spindles and disc brakes in the front + new shocks, then do the rear bags on stock equipment + new shocks, then air the buggers up using my shop compressor till I can wire up the rest of the stuff and replace the rear trailing arms. This would make my power brake upgrade hella easier also.

[jimmydean]

Mine is in stages. I went with spindles, bags, tank, valves, compressor, notches, track bar, shock kit (included rear relocators), gauges, and controls.

Next phase is tubular arms, all new tie rod ends, 2nd compressor, tank gauge.

3rd phase is big ass alternator, dual batteries, and isolator so power is no longer a concern when the time comes for mobile entertainment.

I was going to do it sans compressor and valves, but I got a good deal on the initial setup.

[shifty]

Any more details on the "good deal"?

[Hart_Rod]

Y did you have to remove your cab to install the crossmember?

[Shane]

Other than they look good, why the need for tubular trailing arms?

Just curious.

[shifty]

Originally Posted by Hart_Rod

Y did you have to remove your cab to install the crossmember?

Had to drill upper holes. I am not using an auto tranny, so the xmember sits farther back and won't fit in stock holes. With the LS1, the joy of going auto = no fabbing hydraulic clutch bracket and no drilling for tranny crossmember.

[shifty]

Originally Posted by Shane

Other than they look good, why the need for tubular trailing arms?

Just curious.

No need, I don't like the tubular look. I like ECE's square ones - but might as well keep it all looking the same.

[Shane]

So what's wrong with the factory trailing arms?

Sounds like you're on a budget (aren't we all ) and that is a lot of money to replace a part with another part that is an exact copy ... the only difference being it's made of square tubing.

Again, not trying to take pot shots at ya, just curious.

[shifty]

Nothing wrong with them, except the look. It looks ... dated.

I am not planning on replacing the trailing arms, but if I can get them in a package deal for $250 instead of $500, I'd do it. The ones I have are perfectly fine and I could recoup some of that money selling the originals.

[Shane]

No worries bro ... once you bolt those bags under there no one will ever even see those dated trailing arms ... the truck will be too low.

[shifty]

Yeah, I was just primarily worried about the front, not having to notch or cut control arms, cups or other internals in order to stuff a bag in there. After more thought, I've decided to do something like:

Airbag setup (front and rear)
CPP tubular control arms + 2.5" spindles
Disc brake upgrade for front spindles
New disc/drum lines from inline tube w/a prop valve (MC optional)
Rear C-Notch - not sure if I want to go bolt-in or weld-in (prefer weld, but not sure if I can get the help)

Not sure if I'll need cups for the rear or not, or if that's just an up front thing.

[chevybill]

Shifty, you might want to check with Bill Athey and see if he can meet or beat any of those prices. He has started selling suspension sutff recently
www.s-c-t-p.com