SMOKIN’ SS – Part 3
April 9, 2024
THE AUTO BUILDER
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Spotlighter
RIDING ON AIR
What’s Involved In Adding a StrongArm and AirBar Kit On an ’86 Chevy Pickup
Author
Josh Kaylor
Photography Courtesy of Air Ride Technologies
Limited Options for Classic Pickup Builders
For many years, classic pickup builders were left with little to choose from when it came to suspension enhancements, other than building custom one-off suspensions.
Traditional Lowering Methods
Lowering a truck usually involved cutting coils and shaving bump stops. Out back, the rear end was treated to lowering blocks, a few pulled leaf springs or heated coil springs. Over the years, manufacturers began to address these demands, as lowering coils, spring leaf blocks, dropped spindles and flip kits were offered. Times changed with the introduction of airbags, as owners were able to slam their pickups with full ride height adjustability.
Air Ride Technologies’ Solutions
Air Ride Technologies (ART) is one of those companies offering quality suspension solutions for truck owners, with kits that fit specific applications. The owner of this ’86 Chevrolet pickup previously lowered the truck, but was unhappy with the results of the ride quality, not to mention its stance. After searching all the available kits on the market, he was disappointed that his original plan, which called for the truck to be lowered with handling improvements and a ground-scraping stance, would be difficult to achieve. After speaking with the tech guys at ART, he decided that to accomplish his goals, his classic Chevy would have to receive a total suspension transformation. He took the pickup to the ART headquarters, where they installed the new C10 StrongArm, AirBar and MUSCLEbar, which was an ideal solution to his problem. These upgrades would improve upon the overall handling and ride quality, yet still offer the ground-scraping stance he was after.
StrongArm Kit for the Front
The ART StrongArm kit is designed for the front of the C10 pickup, and features new powder coated tubular control arms complete with ball joints and control arm shafts, for either conventional air springs or ShockWaves. Shock brackets and new shocks, along with all the mounting hardware is included. The front kit, as well as the rear kit, is designed as a true bolt-in, and requires only a few holes to be drilled.
AirBar System for the Rear
The rear AirBar is a true four-link system with bolt-in C-notches designed to locate the suspension components properly, as well as providing additional axle travel. The rear AirBar also incorporates an adjustable Panhard bar to center the axle, while air springs raise and lower the rear of the truck. To correct excessive body roll during hard cornering, a MUSCLEbar sway bar will also be installed.
Installation Process
With the kit in hand and a simple set of tools including a 1/2-inch drive ratchet, sockets, breaker bar, drill, air compressor and cut-off wheel, the entire assembly took eight hours to complete. Thanks to all the research and development work performed by ART, the bolt-in parts in the kits went together rather quickly. The installation will require extra hands to remove the bed for the installation of the rear AirBar.
Results and Benefits
The ART kits are designed to lower the truck 5-1/8 inches and 8-1/8 inches at full deflation, and they can be installed together or individually, as budgets permit. The StrongArm/AirBar combination proved worth the effort, as the truck was lowered significantly, without adversely affecting the ride and handling.
1. The owner of this square-body Chevy pickup was looking to improve on the looks of his classic pickup, but since this is his daily driver, updating the suspension and simply cutting a coil was not an option. As you can see, the truck suspension is sagging and needed improvement.
2. For the front, the owner selected the StrongArm kit, which is available with standard air springs or ShockWaves, and features tubular upper and lower control arms, ball joints, cross shafts and shocks. For this install, the owner chose the standard air spring kit, which is shown here.
3. In order to improve the cornering characteristics of the pickup, he also decided on the MUSCLEbar. This will help keep the truck flat while cornering by reducing body roll. It is a 1-3/4-inch-diameter hollow bar, and includes all of the hardware to complete the installation.
4. As you can see, the front suspension is in dire need of clean up and repair. All of the OE suspension needs to be removed from the truck including brakes, spindles, control arms, shocks and shock mounting studs.
5. Once the suspension is stripped to the bare crossmember, the upper air spring plate is mocked into position and the four 3/8-inch holes are marked for location then drilled for mounting the plate.
6. After the holes are drilled, the crossmember is cleaned and painted. Once the paint is dry, the air lines and air fittings are installed into the mounting bracket and installed onto the crossmember.
7. With the mounting plates installed, the new tubular upper control arms are bolted into position. The new control arms bolt directly into the factory mounting locations with no modifications needed. The new control arms feature a new ball joint angle to reduce bind with the new suspension.
8. ART includes this new upper shock mount in the kit. It has a small tab that locates off the factory shock hole and aligns with the lower part of the frame. The mounting holes are marked and drilled to accommodate the 3/8-inch mounting bolts.
9. The new 2-inch-dropped spindle and brake assembly are bolted into place, followed by the new ART lower control arms. This owner chose to make the swap to a five-lug wheel bolt pattern during the assembly. Like the upper A-arms, the lower arms also feature new ball joints, cross shafts and bushings. These simply bolt into the factory position.
10. The new lower control arms can now be raised and the lower ball joint nut can be installed, along with the outer tie rods. The new cotter pins included in the kit are used.
11. With the assembly complete, the air spring is aligned with the hole in the lower control arm, and the airbag is bolted to the lower control arm.
12. The billet aluminum shocks are next. They are installed by sliding the supplied stud through the shock along with the spacer toward the control arm. Once the bottom is tight, install the upper shock mount bolt and bushings.
13. The front StrongArm installation is complete and looks great. The new suspension will provide an improved ride and a ground-scraping stance on demand. Now itÕs time to install the new MUSCLEbar.
14. When compared to the original sway bar, the MUSCLEbar is a great improvement. It is designed to decrease roll and improve cornering characteristics.
15. The MUSCLEbar kit includes these PosiLink end links, which are a great improvement over traditional-style end links. The PosiLinks will not break down from binding.
16. The first step in installing the MUSCLEbar is installing the clamshell mounts. The mount uses the rear-mounting hole to locate the new location. The front hole will simply need to be drilled out.
17. Finally, the new PosiLink ends are installed into the lower control arms. It is time to move to the rear of the truck.
18. The AirBar rear kit shown here consists of everything to complete the installation for the rear. The AirBar replaces the entire leaf spring assembly and includes a set of bolt-in C-notches for improved axle clearance.
19. Before beginning the installation of the AirBar, the bed was removed. This will make the installation much easier.
20. The first step in the installation of the rear are the C-notches. The C-notches are placed in position to trace the opening. This will need to be cut out to provide clearance for the axle when the airbags are fully deflated.
21. Once the C-notch relief was cut out using a cut-off wheel, the C-notch was positioned into the frame. With the C-notch in place and the rear hole lined up, the remaining holes are drilled. The C-notch assembly also includes the upper bag mounts.
22. After loosely bolting the C-notch plates in place, the upper shock crossmember is installed and connected to the C-notches. This way the unit is tied together, and it will allow the truck to be used for daily activities with no interference.
23. Next, the lower AirBar is lowered into position and mounted into place. The clamshells are bolted around the factory leaf spring pad. The lower bar provides the mounting points for the four-link bars, lower shock mounts and lower air spring mounts.
24. The front leaf-spring mount location will provide mounting for the four bars. Remove the leaf spring mount, and the four-link bracket will bolt directly into place. Do not worry about pinion angle and adjusting the four-link bars, they are pre-adjusted, so there is no need to set pinion angle.
25. The upper bars are bolted to the clamshell assembly. The brake lines are moved out of the way so not to damage them during installation.
26. In order to locate the lower Panhard bar mount, ART includes this billet aluminum Panhard mount. It bolts directly into place using longer grade 8 bolts and features a small L-tab for the brake line clip.
27. The upper Panhard mount is then bolted into position. The upper mount is integrated into the C-notch bracket to keep the geometry correct and for easy installation. The new Panhard bar is fully adjustable, allowing the axle to be properly centered, as well as controlling side-to-side movement.
28. With the four-bar and Panhard bar in place, the air springs and shocks can be installed. Be sure to run the suspension through its entire travel to ensure proper clearance between any other components.
29. Before reinstalling the bed, a small section will need to be removed to avoid interfering with the C-notch assembly. ART recommends removing 7-1/2 inches from the wheel well and inboard another 4 inches.
30. The installation is now complete. All that is left is the addition of the air compressor and the five-gallon air tank. The AirBar will allow the truck to remain a truck, yet provide a cool lowered stance at local cruise-ins.
Before & After
The results are pretty remarkable. The new stance completely changes the look of the truck.
Editor’s Note
Got a classic car or truck you want to lower for that perfect stance but prefer to leave the hard work to the pros? Look no further than the experts at R.S.Restorations. Renowned for their specialized skills in customizing C10s, they deliver the impeccable low ride that enthusiasts crave. Trust them to transform your vehicle into a head-turning masterpiece.
ARTICLE SOURCES
Ridetech
Formerly Air Ride Technologies Inc.
