Originally posted by MTXMAN@Jun 27 2003, 12:02 PM
hi, im planning on going full out show truck with my 94 fullsize chevy. I am considering 2 options for later on(when the money comes in). my choices are: western chassis 5/7 drop with slam air, or air ride tech. easy street kit with spindles(8/8 drop). but more than $2000 on bags, ouch. Really need some help here guys. which do you think would give me a better ride quality? bagging it would allow me to raise the truck when needed and give me a lower drop. but the 5/7 is a good price and will give me an acceptable height. Hmmmm.......should i let my cheapness get the best of me? Anyone have any experience with the easy street kit? Thanks for any advise you can offer.
-MTXMAN
A static drop rides nice, but you can't adjust how firm/soft you ride. A bagged truck, if setup right, rides like a caddy (after 500 miles so the bags can break in).. ART (Air Ride Tech) is some expensive shit, but dont let it fool you, you will spend a nice chunk of change if you go the right way. Do NOT go cheap on it.. you will be stranded on the highway with a problem and wondering how to get it home when the frame is planted right on the ground. Its not easy to drag 4000 lbs of truck up onto a flat bed.
Getting the lowest drop is really just all in how its done. The front, depending on tire size, you might need to cut the inner fenders out, notch the frame for the control arms to go up further and/or cut the top of the bag cups. The rear, you'll need to cut the bed so the pumpkin wont bump a bubble in it. You'll also HAVE to notch it for the step-notch.. Do not use a c-notch (the bolt in ones) b/c they dont give you crap for travel. Bottoming out on the frame, blows.. and it blows hard.
A lot of the s-10 guys use ART's coolride up front and roadgrator in the rear. But that is only b/c its all bolt on, even the step-notch, but the problem is, the bolts are so short, they fall out all the time, the lift is sloooooooooooooow and it uses sleeved bags in the rear, they have no bump stops, so you can over depress them and ruin them or over extend them and literally pull them apart.
Basically if you want the best for the least cash, dont buy a kit.. if you need a complete list.. holla back and i'll give you the big stuff and some misc stuff.. of course, i'll forget little stuff, but you'll have an idea. Also do you want to lay frame or what?
91 s10 - bagged and bodydropped...getting rebuilt
91 nissan - backhalfed and bagged