How to bag that truck of yours

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dzynda

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18 inches of travel dang! So mine doesn't look right? I don't know how long the splined shaft is but can only imagine it doesn't have a hole lot left. I don't plan on really driving the truck that low but if bags or lines fail I may have to so just trying to make sure it's possible.
 

dzynda

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I'm also concerned with the front camber.
The upper control arms sit about level on the stock spindles at lowered height which pushes the tires out the furthest. I'm assuming that I would want them to be level more at ride height so lowering or lifting would bring the tires in?
I bought a set of lift spindles from BDS but they are too tall. I found 2 other companies that I'm going to call and try to find out the height measurements and if they will sell me only the spindles.
I'm sure alignment will help but I don't want to pay for one and then change it all and pay for it again. I'll get some pictures of the tires from the front.
 

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618 Syndicate

You won't...
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18 inches of travel dang! So mine doesn't look right? I don't know how long the splined shaft is but can only imagine it doesn't have a hole lot left. I don't plan on really driving the truck that low but if bags or lines fail I may have to so just trying to make sure it's possible.
With the exception of what @Erik the Awful brought up your setup looks fine. My truck had the bags way up front on the 2 link bars when I bought it, that's why it had so much travel. I moved them to bag over axle.
 

Erik the Awful

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Well, Zach at Universal air mentioned concerns about that. He mentioned to push on the side of the frame to see lateral movement but it doesn't move. I can contact air bag it to see what they suggest since that's where I bought the kit.
Pan hard bar would push the truck one direction when lowered?
Watts bar keeps it straight all times?
When you're cornering hard you'll have several hundred pounds of force (or more) trying to shove the frame sideways in relation to the axle. I don't know how big a boy you are, but unless you're secretly Jason Momoa, I doubt you'll get much deflection.

A panhard bar will cause the axle to travel sideways slightly when the suspension is loaded or unloaded, but the further the panhard bar mounts are apart, the less deflection. My Mustang came from the factory with a panhard, and I don't notice the deflection when autocrossing it. You'd have to be a pro driver to notice, and even then it doesn't hurt handling, you just have to account for it.

Watts links do not cause as much deflection; they actually cause the axle to travel in a very slight figure 8 as it cycles up and down. I believe they can cause some binding if they don't align with the roll center, and that will exhibit itself as snap oversteer in hard cornering. They're heavier and more complicated than a panhard bar.

Flipping that arm around to work as a 4-link might be the best bet, ala the '70s A-body coil suspensions. I'd widen the reach on those arms out into a V instead of a Y. The further apart the mounting ends, the better it will stabilize the rearend. Tuning the length of the arms and their mounting points will affect your pinion angle and anti-squat.
 

dzynda

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Nope I'm not that big of a guy, I will contact the company that I got the kit from to see what they offer or suggest. Ride tech makes a similar kit that's stats no panhard bar needed and no lateral movement. I didn't want to c notch my frame, move shock mounts and there kit is $2,500.
I do like a well handling vehicle no matter what it is I drive it like my race car.
I'm sure air bag it offers a panhard and I know Ride tech does that mounts frame to opposite side of rear axle housing.
I'm not sure what you mean about flipping the arm around?
The center link is made to not have to move or interfere with the gas tank, it's a 34 gallon. It may be possible to move the axle mounts out further but it would probably still be a Y. I plan on keeping a spare tire in the rear center also otherwise I'd use a burban tank.
 

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dzynda

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So I just found Mankandys garage fab videos and he simply explained suspension that helped me understand better what I was missing.
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I see what you mean now about making the V to a true triangular 4 link that would also help the pinion angle to be more consistent throughout the suspension sweep. I also understand the panhard bar vs watts link, looks like I have to ponder what I want to do about it now.
Thanks again for the advice
 

Erik the Awful

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Wow, that's a great video. I love the 1:20 mark where he calls out his mentors for not explaining things. I'm exactly the same, I need to understand in order to remember. I'm glad he's able to fill in what I wasn't able to explain with text.

Thanks again for the advice
No problem. I didn't want you to do all that work and have it not be safe and have to do it again.
 

dzynda

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Wow, that's a great video. I love the 1:20 mark where he calls out his mentors for not explaining things. I'm exactly the same, I need to understand in order to remember. I'm glad he's able to fill in what I wasn't able to explain with text.


No problem. I didn't want you to do all that work and have it not be safe and have to do it again.
There are 5 on suspension I just watched them all.
I think most of us are hands on visual learners as he was using the visual aids I was like O that's what they were trying to explain.
Light bulb!!
 

Dnytro

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If all bolts are tight, The only deflection you’ll get is from those skinny tubes flexing or the bushings. Flipping that upper wishbone bar around won’t do anything it’s not already doing now. Its just a triangulated 3 link, which is done all the time. It could be beefier (it’s on a big truck) but triangulated setups (3 or 4 links) work without watts links or panhard bars. Parallel setups need the watts or panhard.
 

Erik the Awful

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Flipping that upper wishbone bar around won’t do anything it’s not already doing now.
Compare the axle and trailing links to a weight on the end of a lever. Flipping the third link around makes a more stable base. Leaving it the way it is gives more leverage for the axle to move.
 
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