To bag or not to bag..

[ColinOpseth]

Hey guys, first time posting here again in a LONG time. I've been busy with my V8 Vega project and I'm just getting back around to my trucks.

I have two shortbeds, a '70 CST 402 with original paint and a '72 Cheyenne Super (clone, took the cab and front clip off a longbed).

I have Early Classic dropped spindles on the '72 Cheyenne Super with stock springs. Should I ditch the springs and bag the truck? I am running the stock coil rear spring setup, too.

I have access to a welder and do have 'some' welding experience but I'm far from being a professional welder. Are there any close-to-bolt-on airbag setups? I like the Shockwave systems but I'm sure they're out of my price range and modification skills.

So, what would oyu guys do? If you have pics of what you've done with your truck could you post it so that I can get an idea of how your ride looks with the mods you installed? My goal is to run 22s on the truck in the rear with 20s on the front. I don't really want to slam the truck just have a nice, low ride-height.

Thanks a lot,
Colin

[ColinOpseth]

I guess I'll add that I have a C4 Corvette IRS that I could also install but I'm not sure how easy it would be to setup. If anyone is running a C4 IRS with a stock bedfloor could you post pictures, please? Thanks!

[72highlander]

no welding required, if you c-notch it will require a sawzall, a torch, or plasma cutter, but you can get a bolt in notch. if you did your lowering, you can do the bags. i'm not mechanic and i did all of mine. i really like it, but each to their own.

[Longhorn Man]

i want bags just for the tuneability, better ride, and increased payload capacity.

[cflvulcan]

i still havent seen a bolt in notch in person or how they held up. but if your gonna run 22s in the rear, your gonna need a pretty big notch. if you still use the stock trailing arms, your gonna have to find a way to clear the frame cause the trailing arms will hit the frame before the axle will hit the notch. i guess you could cheat and put 3 inch or so blocks under the axle to clear the frame...

[BACKYARD88]

If it were mine, which it isn't, I'd bag it. Drilling some holes and cutting a section of frame if you notch the rear is about the only "fabricating" you'd have to do.

[Tom Vogel]

Save your money, then go Air-Ride Technologies. You will thank me. And youll never want a spring car/truck again. Period.
By the way, you dont need a c-notch unless you want a frame dragger/sled. If you are interested in everything else, a c-notch is not a benefit.

[Spray-Bomb]

Most of the above depends on how low you want to go

If you want stock height & just want a smooth ride, you don't need to notch
Just run cups front and rear with your bags & you'll be good

If you want a little lower, run shorter cups up front & no cups on the rear

If you want lower then that either get lowering A-arms or build some like I did & run a bolt in notch with lowering blocks in the rear

Past that, go to the suspension forum

[Spray-Bomb]

Originally Posted by Tom Vogel

Save your money, then go Air-Ride Technologies. You will thank me. And youll never want a spring car/truck again. Period.
By the way, you dont need a c-notch unless you want a frame dragger/sled. If you are interested in everything else, a c-notch is not a benefit.

I agree for the most part

If you have the money to spend, I think that ART builds some of the best air ride stuff there is
If it were me I would use Slam Specialties bags, but thats just me

The big advantage to running a ART system is that you'll have prolly the most up to date electronic ride control, which means that it'll have all the sensors & goodies to keep your truck level at all times going down the road & if you ever put a load on it it'll level itself back out (there is a lot more info, but I don't feel like typing it all)

[shifty]

bag it