Airbag front suspension on the choobox

[Chris 50]

Haven't been around here much lately, but I'm still pickin' at the '50 (Ford). I've still got the original front clip on the car and my bags are in place. The problem is with the shock relocation. It's real tight whether I go in front of, or behind the control arms. I run into an issue of turning radius. No matter what, it appears that the tires would rub the shocks if you turn to far. Anyone done this? The only two solutions I came up with were A.Cut a vertical slot out of the frame forward of the crossmember to allow the shock to recess inward or B.Try using Shockwaves, thus eliminating the need to relocate shocks at all.

[C. Montgomery]

shockwaves are cool, if'n you got the money to spend, I think they're kinda high no?

[C. Montgomery]

one more thing-is it bagged all the way around? Front and back? I'd really like to see some pics..Thinking about bagging my 49 coupe. I have all the stuff just don't know how it'll all work on the front suspension. Is your frontend stock? I had the same shock problem on my 63 galaxie but now it's in pieces...Any info you have would be apprecated.

[CharlieLed]

Here's a pic of my 50 Merc frame with the Shockwave on the front...oh yeah, this is a C4 Corvette sub-frame...
Still have a little work to do on it, the rears also have Shockwaves but they are the narrow bags...

[Chris 50]

Well, let me see if I am able to post the pics that I just shot.

[Chris 50]

OK. That worked. That was the front with the bags aired up. Here is a shot of them collapsed.

And, if I do this right, here is a shot of why I'm having trouble relocating the shocks

[kustombuilder]

thats a pretty common problem when relocating shocks for bags on just about anything. usualy i'll just try to mount them as far in as i can so that it is only a (slight) problem when turning VERY sharply which would only occure when parking. the bag over shock is another option, but pricey and i don't believe you wil get quite as much lift (depends on the application and the mounting points). Airlift does have a bag over shock and they are a bit cheaper than the competition. i don't even think they have them advertised yet but i have the inside scoop and i can get you a bit fo a deal if you email me about it.

[Chris 50]

I'm not yet sure how to post more than one pic per reply but I'll try again. Bigdog, the rear was pretty easy. Airide makes a kit for this application consisting of the sleeved bags, shocks, and brackets. They recommend removing all but two of the rear leaves on either side (for lateral support) which I did, but it still didn't sit the way I wanted. I put 3" lowering blocks in it as well. When you start getting this far down, you run into clearance issues. We had already put a C notch in the framerails, but when we went to install the driveshaft, the frame crossmember forward of the rearend had to be modified to go up and over. Let me see if I can put a couple pics in here.

[Chris 50]

Kustombuilder, I sent you a PM.
Here is the car, aired out.

[Rocket88]

I've got to do something similar with my Olds.
I'm going to mount my shock on the backside (between the A arm and firewal)
Older chev trucks mount the same way.

[1LOWCHIEF]

I saw a setup once where the shock was mounted to the top of the upper A arm, and a huge tubular shock mount went over the A arms (I think it had a cage??)... that would move the shock up, and out of the way of your steering issues
I dont know what your clearence issues above your A arms are, or even how effective that setup would be (I have only seen it once)
but its a thought ?

[abe lugo]

The car 1lowcheif is talking about is a fullsize early 62-64 ford, I had a pic of this somewhere but basically the guy welded a shock mount to the top a-arm and made what would be the equivilent of an upper shock mount on a hotrod, that bolt onto the engine itself (very wierd as it has a support bar that went over the engine to the other mount) this car is in one of the littlebooks I think Rolls and Pleats. I saw this car at one of the Antiblessing, Is is a medium flat blue with lighter blue scallops.
If you get a good fix for this please make a tech post, I will need it too.

[speedaddict]

I'm curious about this also. I'll be bagging the ford next year. I have the kit already. Just got to get the Olds done first.

[JSM56]

i am going to have the same problem when i do the front, so when you figure out a solution, post it so i can get some ideas. i will be doing mine in about two weeks. how big is your notch in the back? and do you get side to side play in the rear end with only two leafs? i know some people say that a panhard rod is necessarry and some don't, just wondering.

[mikes51]

That front wheel is turned pretty far in your pic. Hang your fender in place, you may find that your wheel will hit your fenderwell before it hits the shock. set up the shock so it hits the backing plate at full turned position, not the tire or rim that could be turning.

I put mine in the front because in the rear the steering arms could get in the way.

[1LOWCHIEF]

arright, the vehicle i was talking about with the weird ass shock mounting was a mini-truck... i dint wanna mention it, didnt wanna get flamed for it LOL

anways, here is a link for the truck, the pic in the middle is one of the motor compartment (duh), unfortunately you cant see the shocks, but you can see the tube the shocks were mounted too..

http://www.gotpaint.com/theshop/Lastlook/lastpages/lastlook3.htm

[Chris 50]

Their doesn't seem to be much side to side sway with the rear, but until I actually get out and see how it is with the full weight of the car moving around, I'm not sure. Right now it still has a couple original leaves on each side, but I'll probably "spring" (get it?) for some new ones to be safe. Here is a pic of the frame notch.

[Chris 50]

As you can see, we boxed the rest of the frame back there too. I don't have a shot of the crossmember that I had to modify for the driveshaft, but here is a pic of the floor where I raised it.......hope I can still get the back seat in it!

[C. Montgomery]

when I did my galaxie, I left two leaves in the rear and when you were driving it you could feel it shift side to side especially when you let off the gas. Those were the original springs though.

[JSM56]

have you thought about running a panhard rod? it would eliminate side to side movement. so would a fourlink setup, but that is kinda expensive and alot of work to install, but it is well worth the outcome.