Need help with front bag setup!

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Need help with front bag setup!
shavedog avatar
shavedog
+1y
i have tacked my front plates in and need some help with the placement of them. From the pictures you can see I put a half inch spacer block under the lower plate right beside the LBJ as close to the mounting flange and bolts. Now I think that won't work because when the bag is deflated it sits at a crazy angle in relation to the top plate. The other pic show the truck jacked up a bit to simulate ride height and it is riding a little better.
Should I remove the lower mount and move it toward the wheel more and cover the first set of LBJ bolts, that way the bag won't want to pull in towards the frame at the bottom as bad? If I shorten the upper plate I loose all my clearance around the bag(I don't really want to notch the frame)
I am 2 inches away from having the frame onto the ground, keep in mind the tires on the truck are a 50 series/ my other rims are being machined and I will be putting on 40series rubber. I can trim some more out of the inner fenders to hopefully get another inch there.
post photo post photo post photo
mymmeryloss avatar
mymmeryloss
+1y
Honestly, you have it all wrong.

Its hard to explain over the net, but i would suggest notching the frame and bringing it in towards the pivot point.

Does the truck lay out without the bag in there?

Lemme see if i can find some pictures to help you out.
mymmeryloss avatar
mymmeryloss
+1y
This is a re7 bag on custom control arms with frame notched, but this is the angle the bag and plate need to sit when completely compressed.

sincitylocal avatar
sincitylocal
+1y
Even if you don't use aftermarket arms, or don't want to lay out completely, the key to bag setup is to do it with them completely compressed.
shavedog avatar
shavedog
+1y
I haven't completed trimming the inner fenders. I have cut a bunch out but still need to trim a bit more out. The tires are resting on the inner fender and I have 50 series on the truck. They will be swapped out to 40's when I get my other rims back. I don't think I will have a problem laying frame after that is taken care of, my problem is the lower bag mount plate. From my pictures I think moving the lower plate "outwards" toward the tire so it covers the first bolts of the LBJ would be a good idea. Then with the bag compressed it should collapse straight- not all cockeyed the way it is now. The LBJ bolts are a little long so I will add some washers on the bottom so they won't stick up past the mounting flange. That way I can rest the bag plate on the LBJ( maybe run a 1mm space between in case I ever need to remove and replace the BJ.)
post photo
sincitylocal avatar
sincitylocal
+1y
Yes, the lower plate needs to move out. If you're worried about the ball joint, build a bracket that raises the lower plate off the arm a bit.
87purplebaggedmazda avatar
87purplebaggedmazda
+1y
Ur set up is all wrong not trying to sound like a dick but ur upper plate needs to be moved over more towards the center and angled up a Lil ... There's a write up on the front on here I will find it and post it up here so it will help u more
87purplebaggedmazda avatar
87purplebaggedmazda
+1y
Here it is but its in the tech write I hope this helps u a Lil more
shavedog avatar
shavedog
+1y
When you say my upper plate needs to be moved closer to centre... Centre of what? Centered in line of the old shock tower or centre of the truck- like left to right(drivers and pass side)
In the tech write up I have read it over and over, the problem I have of it is they are showing pictures of a bunch of different trucks. They are not of the same truck throughout the whole process. Some trucks are shown with the upper plate angled up and some show the plate on a horizontal plane in line with the top of the frame.
My plate is slightly angled up( not very much) but I still can compress my bags a bit more than what they are in my pics. If you angle the plates upwards too much, does that not cause the bag to be angled while in driving height. The bag is designed to be straight-horizontally while driving so when it moves while reacting to bumps in the road it will essentially compress and extend in line. The top and bottom of the bag should always moving equally on the left and right sides of the bags.
I don't know if I'm making sense but it's like one side of the bag will bulge out if it's not compressed evenly...
You guys with your top plates at at steep angle, what do your bags look like at ride height?
87purplebaggedmazda avatar
87purplebaggedmazda
+1y
Center in line with the shock tower the biggest mistake people make is when the bag in flats it hits the upper ball joint or rubs u don't want any rubbing the angle is to help get more lift and to get it lower u so want to notch the frame and push the bag as close as u can to the frame with out anything rubbing or hitting the bag google front Mazda set ups to help u oh and u really want to be able to look through the upper control arm to see ur bolts and ur fitting