ladder bars, split mono's or trailering arms

[GMC70c20]

I have a c20 that I am converting intoa c10. I decided to go with a fatman fab front suspension kit (polished tubular stainless control arms, rack and pinion, coilovers, the works) and for the rear I was thinking a 9 inch but I cant decide in between ladder bars, calvert racing split mono's with caltracs and a stock or fabbed trailering arm setup with coil overs. I plan on makin this one a street/strip truck, I wanna run at least 12.2's or 12.0's but it will see the street more than the strip. This is a long bed truck and I'm planning on keeping it that way so the extra ajustability of ladder bars would be nice but I've heard alot of people say If I'm gonna drive it on the street then dont use ladder bars. What do you guys think would be the best for my truck?

[Outlaw72]

Trailing Arms all the way gets my vote!

[RatPwrd72]

Keep it simple, there are plenty of fast trucks out there with trailing arms......

[djracer]

I vote trailing arms!

[Super73]

I'm pulling high 1.6's low 1.7's on the motor. I know it has a more in it with stiffening of the front suspension and then on the jug.

[bigjimzlll]

Ladder bars work too...and are pretty easy and lighter.
If you all ready had the trailing arm on the truck, I'd say leave it...but since your starting with a blank slate.

[GMC70c20]

I have the stock 3/4 ton leafs under it now so what ever I do those are coming off

[chevy72blu]

Based on all my research, I say trailing arms as well.

[bigjimzlll]

Trailing arms are fine. If you have plans of tubbing it(to put the meats under it) and to allow the full wheel and tire to be in the bedside, than a ladder bar or 4 link is the way to go.

[djracer]

Jim
Why do you think 4 link or ladder bar is better. Tom the previous owner of my truck out sixty footed every other like truck he came across including custom 40 inch ladder bars and 4 links. I'm not trying to start an arguement I'm just wondering? I personally haven't gotten as good of a sixty as he did but I plan to work on that this year.

Someone please buy my 468 short block!

[bigjimzlll]

Kevin,
It's just my opinion based on +95% of the cars that drag race with a suspension.

With trailing arms you are stuck with the IC you have. You can't shorten the rear enuff to get light weight (no back space) wheels. The trailing arm set up is heavier.
I'm sure they will work fine with a short wheel base truck. I'm surey will work fine with any truck that runs in the 10 second range...and so will ladder bars or a 4 link.

I think a LWB truck needs the adjustment capabilities of a 4 link or ladder bars.

If the trailing arm set up was best....I think you would see a lot more drag racers using them.

EDIT....Kevin your truck maybe the exception to the rule....yours works great, but I don't think you'll find many other trucks with a trailing arm sixtying in the 20's

[Super73]

Jim,

You can change IC by making adjustable front mounts like I have. I'm my video's you can see the antisquat I was trying to achieve. I think it will show more of it with more power. Once I fiure out a better front shock, I'll be hitting it with the bottle out of the hole. Right now I'm cuttin high 1.6's which arent the best, but I'm doing tht with very little seat time and suspension tuning not to mention all that much power. I bet I can get my truck to sixty in the 1.4's with some time and on the 100 shot. If I can get it workin the way I want on the 100 hit, I'll try the 200 out of the hole.

Couple of the reasons I think you don't see more guys running a truck arm set up in their car is:

1) Packain
2) People don't have much experiance with them compared to 4-links / ladder bars
3) Ladder bars / 4-links are cheap enough and easy to find

To me, a truck arm set up is as good as a ladder bar. A 4-link though is beyond both. But how many people really know how to dial in a 4-link. The margin of error is much greater.

[bigjimzlll]

As i have said...a trailing arm is fine for trucks(especially SWB) that run in the 10 second range...1.4 60 foot times. They are simular to a ladder bar with(even with adjustable front mounts) with a lot less adjustability.
My ladder bars are double adjustable. Meaning I have IC adjustment along with easy pinion angle adjustment.

Again I'm not dissing trailing arms, but for my set up...Huge rear tires...ford nine inch...long wheel base(remember the trailing arms are the same length for the SWB as the LWB)...ultra lowered(slammed) 3" ground clearance and ofcourse 850+HP and a 4.86 gear with a th400 tranny and 6000rpm stall

[GMC70c20]

I was kinda thinkin about the ladder bar setup because of the adjust ability and I am probably going to use a good adjustable shock anyway. I have heard allot of guys say that if your going to drive it on the street at all don't use them because of the ride and handing issues. Do ladder bars really ride and handle that bad in a long bed truck?

[AirMale]

Even better.....

[Super73]

Jim,

I'll give you the easy pinion adjustment and even preload adjustment. I have been trying to think of a way I can make some modifacation to make these simple for me as well. I think I have an idea for pinion adjustment.

You mention the trailing arm setup being worse for a long bed compared to a short bed. I have to disagree. Due to the wheel base lenghth, moving the front mount up 1" might have more effect on ICG on a long bed than a short bed being the arm length is the same.

You would have to mark CG for both wheel bases, then draw a line from the rear tire through the rear control arms front mount. That's your ICG line.

[aggie91]

I think that the trailing arms for the LWB truck would be fine and he would be able to achieve the ET's he is after and still drive the truck on the street. It would be the EASIEST to install since the components needed are stock parts.

AirMale - Coud you give us more spec's on the 4-link in your pictures?

[prostreet1967]

hey airmale what rate are those springs

[AirMale]

Originally Posted by prostreet1967

hey airmale what rate are those springs

qa1's with 175lb springs...great ride but gonna go with 150's for better squat

[57sailplane]

why would you want squat in the back end? when the rear squats all weight is removed from the rear tires.

[scatesracing]

I have stock trailing arms on mine.... it has went 1.48 60 ft with 5.86s a 5300 stall and 200hp nitrous. I did put a set of s&w coil overs on it.. you can fit micky 29x 18.5s under it with out cutting the frame.. a good friend of mine has done it on his and he drives it on the street. mine only has 31x14.52 on it with a 3 inch back spacing with a very "lite" set of cragar drag stars(like the aluma star onlyby cragar insteed of weld.)they dont make them anymore as far as i know..... and they "only" have a three inch back spacing..... i did build a narrowed nine inch for it........ and if i remember right right he was building a street truck that will run in the 12.00s... not a pro mod just my 2 cents... I think and Know that the trailing arms will work just fine

[Super73]

I would still go with the 150's, crank the ride height adjuster up, then change your instant center of gravity with your 4-link to premote antisquat.

[prostreet1967]

Originally Posted by AirMale

qa1's with 175lb springs...great ride but gonna go with 150's for better squat

i think im going with some 140s but im not too sure i have no suspension travel. suspension seems to be collapsed.

[prostreet1967]

Originally Posted by AirMale

Even better.....

how do u like the track bar im thinking of swapping from panhard bar to track bar.

[AirMale]

the diagonal link and four link are poly bushed so I've NEVER had any issues. Checkout cachassisworks.com for all the parts I used.