Make it handle

[bdiamond]

I am in the early build stages of an 82 2wd blazer. I have rebuilt the front end with new balljoints and have installed Energy Suspension control arm bushings. I have also moved the lower arm forward 3/4". I have lowered it 5" in the front with 3" spindles and springs and rear I flipped. I haven't decided on sway bar sizes yet but plan both front and rear bars. I am working on the steering currently. I was thinking about installing a fast ratio box on it. What ratio would you recommend?

[INSIDIOUS '86]

Originally Posted by bdiamond

I am in the early build stages of an 82 2wd blazer. I have rebuilt the front end with new balljoints and have installed Energy Suspension control arm bushings. I have also moved the lower arm forward 3/4". I have lowered it 5" in the front with 3" spindles and springs and rear I flipped. I haven't decided on sway bar sizes yet but plan both front and rear bars. I am working on the steering currently. I was thinking about installing a fast ratio box on it. What ratio would you recommend?

Been looking into that myself. Agr is the only company that makes good boxes for squares. They make variable ratio and that's it no fast ratio

Ron we need to start bugging the market for steering boxes
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[gringoloco]

Don't count out RedHead steering gears. Do a little searching around the 'net on AGR- they're not always glowing reviews. Not saying its not a good product, but possibly inconsistent quality
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[undr8ed]

My $.02 on the adjustable bag mounts is it would be overkill. (Not that I'm not a fan of overkill!)

+/- ~1.5" from the bag's normal height (no pressure) is where the best ride will be. This depends on the bag, pressure, mount angle, etc. and I've also found no matter where I've put the sweet spot, I'm always driving just on the very bottom of that, lol

I would think air bag load rates and pressures you want to run would be more important.......

[Gritty454]

Does anybody know how to get a 72c10 with trailing arms to hook up.
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[gringoloco]

Originally Posted by Gritty454

Does anybody know how to get a 72c10 with trailing arms to hook up.
[i]Posted via Mobile Device[Do/i]

Try the drag racing section of the forum: "trucks haulin' more than hay". Those guys have it down to a science

[BMERDOC]

Rob, I'm sure you may have missed my last post since you were out running circles around the competition. I'll keep it short and I'll figure out the rest. How do you prefer to treat heated suspension components? We have talked about heating the steering arms to reshape them for correct bump steer. Do you prefer to let them dry naturally or quench them? I know too little about metallurgy but I think a wet rag is quicker than natural cooling but not as bad as using another method that would cool them too fast and make them brittle. Is there another method of cooling I could use? I know its all about reorganizing the molecules but I'm not sure of a homegrown method that is doable.

[hotrod1]

Rob:

How do u suggest adjusting a swaybar? Preload or no preload? Should the end links be adjustable (right hand heim and left hand heim) without unbolting either end, or can they just be a male heim and female heim together which would not let you adjust it unless you take one of the bolts out, shorten or lengthen it, and then rebolting.

Should the swaybar arm be parallel to the ground, or is it OK to be pointed up or down somewhat?

Any suggestion on pillow blocks?

[hotrod1]

Rob - Forgot:

Link perpendicular to the arm, parallel to the ground?????

[robnolimit]

Originally Posted by hotrod1

Rob - Forgot:

Link perpendicular to the arm, parallel to the ground?????

Link somewhere between perpenditular to the ground and parallel to the axle/arm motion

Arms should be between parallel to the suspension link travel and the ground.

General rules

With everything connected, pull the coil-overs and check full suspension travel for binding.

[robnolimit]

Originally Posted by hotrod1

Rob:

How do u suggest adjusting a swaybar? Preload or no preload? Should the end links be adjustable (right hand heim and left hand heim) without unbolting either end, or can they just be a male heim and female heim together which would not let you adjust it unless you take one of the bolts out, shorten or lengthen it, and then rebolting.

Should the swaybar arm be parallel to the ground, or is it OK to be pointed up or down somewhat?

Any suggestion on pillow blocks?

I like to do my baseline set ups with everything nuetral at RH. That iincludes all the weight + driver. Then set the links to a '0' pre-load. I really prefere all RH ends, harder to adjust, but never decide to make their own changes.

[robnolimit]

Originally Posted by BMERDOC

Rob, I'm sure you may have missed my last post since you were out running circles around the competition. I'll keep it short and I'll figure out the rest. How do you prefer to treat heated suspension components? We have talked about heating the steering arms to reshape them for correct bump steer. Do you prefer to let them dry naturally or quench them? I know too little about metallurgy but I think a wet rag is quicker than natural cooling but not as bad as using another method that would cool them too fast and make them brittle. Is there another method of cooling I could use? I know its all about reorganizing the molecules but I'm not sure of a homegrown method that is doable.

Usually I let them cool on their own. Oil cooling, in some old motor oil is a good method, but smells.

[dmw319]

Question for you Rob... would it be of any benefit to weld the seam that is on top of the rear trailing arms for a c10 1/2 ton? I know ECE sells the reinforcement steel plates that would be a better solution.. but would welding that seam yield any positive results or would it be a waste of time? Thanks

[oldblue1968chevy]

I welded and bolted mine (not a full seam but in spots) after Mine split in 2 On the ends...

[dmw319]

Originally Posted by oldblue1968chevy

I welded and bolted mine (not a full seam but in spots) after Mine split in 2 On the ends...

mine are in good condition and are not splitting on the ends, but I am wondering it if will strengthen them to weld the seam to keep them together/stronger.

This top seam right here:

[aggie91]

dmw319 - it will make them stronger since the two parts are only spot welded together from the factory. I would weld about an inch long, skip a space and weld about an inch long the entire length of the arm. Do the top AND the bottom of the arm. Before welding, make sure to get all the paint and junk out of the seam. I will be doing mine once I get my son's truck rolling on it wheels and I have room to take mine apart again...

[robnolimit]

I am in favor of 'capping', 'plating', and 'boxing' the ends of the arms. They do need a little help here. I also think it's OK to add some weld, like Aggie suggested to the seams. But, I'm not sure it's such a good idea to box or plate the entire arm,- for ride and handling. For drag racing - yes. Show truck - yes. Canyon carver -no. The arm needs to 'twist' to let the suspension articulate freely. We want to control movement with springs, shocks, sway bars, not with 'binding' or suspension 'friction'.

[jimmydean]

Originally Posted by robnolimit

I am in favor of 'capping', 'plating', and 'boxing' the ends of the arms. They do need a little help here. I also think it's OK to add some weld, like Aggie suggested to the seams. But, I'm not sure it's such a good idea to box or plate the entire arm,- for ride and handling. For drag racing - yes. Show truck - yes. Canyon carver -no. The arm needs to 'twist' to let the suspension articulate freely. We want to control movement with springs, shocks, sway bars, not with 'binding' or suspension 'friction'.

So what about a tube arm vs the stock arm? Does the tube arm allow the same flex to let the suspension articulate?

I know there is a kit that bolts a plate to the bottom to stiffen the stock arms, but based on your input, Rob, this might not be a good idea from a touring performance standpoint.

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by jimmydean

So what about a tube arm vs the stock arm? Does the tube arm allow the same flex to let the suspension articulate?

I know there is a kit that bolts a plate to the bottom to stiffen the stock arms, but based on your input, Rob, this might not be a good idea from a touring performance standpoint.

Tube arms need more flexible joints than the original style bushings. This thread shows what's needed.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=387475
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[jimmydean]

Originally Posted by theastronaut

Tube arms need more flexible joints than the original style bushings. This thread shows what's needed.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=387475
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I recall Nate talking about these when another member made his own arms. I didn't think about the flex being in the joint. Thanks.

[dmw319]

awesome thanks for your suggestions guys! my truck is just a weekend driver, occasional non-pro show, occasional haul of mulch, etc. So my idea was to just beefen them up just a little and keep them from splitting down the road.

[derrickmanx1]

Loving the thread guys. Keep it up.

[derrickmanx1]

I just bought a cpp rear trailing arm coil spring kit w/3" springs, but it's to convert from leaf springs. I got their rear sway bar. I also got their a-arms and 2.5" drop spindles w/bilstien shocks. I hope this will help out a bunch. I want to run 18" rims. I like the JD wheels ridler 18x8's or 18x9.5. I want to run the same size on front and rear. I just wish I could figure out what back spacing to run.

[gringoloco]

It's tough to run the same BS front and rear on these trucks due to the difference in track width front/rear. Did you get the new 'school/old school' spindles? That would help get them closer. And you could probably get away with ~4 to 5" of backspacing all the way around, depending on your wheel width and the look you're going for, ie tucked or flush...
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[fatgump]

I installed the Nolimit wideride which is going to allow me to run 20×10 , same bs, with 285x40x20 on all four.