Which setup to use?

[PRPLHAZ]

I have an 84 C-10, I am wondering which set up to use on the back. I would like a 4-link setup. And which set up to put in the front. I would like to do tubular upper and lower control arms with bags. Which set up would work with this year of truck?

[MattM1683]

I recently bagged my 85 C-10 using ART products. I used the parallel 4-link in the rear, and coolride kit for the front. The front lays hard on the crossmember and a-arms. Doesnt lay frame in the rear because of the gas tank, but it' s still about 1 inch away from laying out. If your going with tubular arms, then I would probably look into using the shockwaves for the front. But thats a question to ask Darren or Tony. I hope I helped. Good luck with the bags and SWEET TRUCK!:D

[clynt11]

Hey Matt, Whatever happened to the pics of your truck??? I am thinking of going with the parallel 4 link in the rear of my 76 and would like some suggestions on how you like it and how easy it was to install???

[MattM1683]

Clynt,

Sorry I never posted new pics of my truck. I was in the process of fixing a few things and never got around to doing it. Hopefully one day soon I can get some better pics up! About the parallel 4-link, it' s totally the way to go. The install was easy, just make sure your axel is located (side to side) and make sure your drive shaft is perfectly parallel at 0 degrees. It functions great and looks awesome! Install on the 4-link took about 2 hours at the most. Good luck! Post some pics of your truck soon too:D

[MattM1683]

PRPLHAZ,

Also...for the front, get a set of 2.5' ' dropped spindles. Then your all set!

Matt M

[darren@ridetech.com]

At ride height you want to make sure you get cancellation. In other words the angle at the tranny should be equal but opposite to the angle at the axle.

[clynt11]

Hey matt. i cant even find you pics that you had on here...did you take them off?

[MattM1683]

No, I didnt take my pics off the site. I just went and checked, their still there. Goto " customer cars" , project ID# 12328, and hit enter. Then my pics will pop up. For some reason my pics don' t appear when you try looking for them any other way. Enjoy!

-Matt M-

[PRPLHAZ]

Hey Matt thanks for the info, do you have any part# of the kits you ordered.How is the ride? Would there have been alot of welding if you didn' t c-notch.

[MattM1683]

If your going with a parallel 4-link, then you must do the large step notch if you want it to lay frame. I used a 7" step notch to accomodate my 4-link. I don' t think you can get by without having one, wouldnt go as low. Here are the kits I used:

Front: ARF11800 (coolride kit w/shocks) for 63-87 GM/C-10 truck
and 2.5" dropped spindles

Rear: ARS14500 (parallel 4-link)

I' m using the 4 way ride pro compressor system, and it works great! But if speed is and issue, then get the big red max 4 way compressor kit. You might want to spend the extra $600 bucks to get the big red valves. If I would have known better, I would have done that in the 1st place. I hope I helped

-Matt M-

[PRPLHAZ]

Hey matt huge help. I don' t know if I want a huge c-notch because I still need the truck to function like a truck. I just want it to be the sweetest daily driver to roll the streets. As much as I would love to lay it out right now I have to suppress that urge for the time being. I will try and get some photos of it scanned to post for you. Not many people taking this model of truck to the extreme. And to think in not to many years they will be antiques. The body is done and the drive train and the wheels are done, it still needs the suspension done and the interior finnished. Stereo is done, so another major expense out of the way. If you are looking to put a 350 in yours and haven' t already I strongly suggest the ZZ4 from gm performance well worth the money. I have the ZZ4 bolted to a 700R4 I had built up to handle 500hp, with a 2500 stall and put a 3:73 detroit locker in the diff. which I swapped out so it is a 12 bolt. I can take a 5.0 stang in the 1/4 also ran door to door with an older vette, but no slips or official times since the 1/4 is painted on a flat stretch of highway. Hope to get some slips and times this year.

Thanks again for the help, if you have any questions about your ride let me know have done alot with everything else (but the suspension) so maybe able to pass along a few ideas.

[MattM1683]

PRPLHAZ,

I know that the GM ZZ4 crate motor is a good one. A few guys at my local cruise nights have that in their classics. I' m rebuilding a 350 out of a 77' full size blazer. Did $800 worth of head work, and buying all the right parts to make it sizzle! I do have a few questions about the transmission, and rear end though. I want to make it posi in the rear, but still want to keep my 10-bolt (dont want to buy new rims for a 12-bolt) What gears do you recommend? Engine will probably pump 350-400hp. Also, what torque converter did you get? What company? Also, what kind of carburetor are you using? How much cfm? Just trying to get an idea of what other people are doing. Then I' m going to order all my parts. Thanks for your help! I' ve done all my suspension work on my 85' . Gonna do the engine this winter, along with changing my rear end gears. Then all I need is paint job and some 20' s! Truck will be done in 2 years. I' m only 19 years old, going to college fulltime, so I don' t have tons of time and $. Slowly but surely is my theory. So if you have any more questions about the suspension, let me know.

-Matt M-

[PRPLHAZ]

I strongly suggest that you swap it out for a 12bolt. I am running 3:73 gears in it and as I said I went with the detroit locker, you will want a locker just because with a clutch type of posi they don' t always get both tires to drive. And belive me when you don' t get a both tires driving you end up going no where fast when you are pushing close to 400hp. I blew the 10 bolt non-posi up in my truck about a month and a half after putting the ZZ4 in it, I was hitting about 50mph before I could get hooked up good. After I changed out the diff. and went with the locker it took no time at all to kill the trans. Also check and see if you will have to change rims, if it the bolt pattern you are worried about they are both a 5 on 5 bolt pattern. I had the tranny shop put in the 2500 stall so I am not sure what brand it was. But they knew what they were bolting it up to and made sure that the tranny could handle it. They doubled up all the clutch plates and then some on the overdive, also put racing bands in it, bumped up the pump pressure, put a street/strip stage 2 shift kit in it, and then bolted the corvette valvebody to it. I had them put the lock out spring in the valve body so that i have to shift it manually out of OD. that way I can get the 4 barrels wide open in overdrive. By doing that when those stangs that you kill in the 1/4 want to keep going and take you top end they begin to worry when they have trouble catching you(est. top speed is 130mph). I am running a 650 speed demon carb being fed by a Carter electric fuel pump, and headman 2 5/8 headers into 2 1/2 inch. dual exhaust. I plan on swapping out the steel/brass rad this winter for an alum. and then changing the front of the engine from the v-belts to a serpentine off of a 91 chev. also going to put dual electric fans and get rid of the stupid fan clutch (keep blowing them up when the engine gets hot and they kick in when I am at 6000rpm). Also you can get a power pully kit for the 91 set up. By doing that I should be able to shed a few more pounds, and pick up a few ponys at the same time. Part of the reason I want to get my suspension set up the way I explained is to also shed more weight. Have cut a lot of weight off of it just by getting rid of the cast iron boat anchor 305 and going to the lighter ZZ4. Any more questions let me know.

[MattM1683]

Not sure what I' m going to do just yet for the rear end. All I' m worried about this winter is the engine and transmission. Probably work on the rear end this coming summer (04' ). It' s not going to be a race track truck, just something streetable that whoops some ass! The 305 is just slow and restricted by so much emissions crap it' s unbelieveable! I think I' m going to order a Holley 750cfm 4-barrel carb with electric choke (vacumm secondary). I wanted to get a demon, but so darn exspensive. I can get the same performance from a Holley thats only $300. But demons are nice. I ordered recently dyno-max headers (hot jet coated) which will eventually run into 3' ' dual exhaust. I need my exhaust to be really tight to the cab floor because my truck is so low! Right now my truck sits on my a-arms and my exhaust pipes:D It' s kinda funny. It seems were both on the same page engine wise. I' m also planning on ordering an aluminum radiator and 16' ' dual electric cooling fan. Anyways, if I have any more questions I' ll let you know. Thanks for your help!

-Matt M-

[PRPLHAZ]

Sounds good, the only thing that I would be carefull about is the dual 3" exhaust if you don' t have enough back pressure on the small block it will drive all you power way up into the top of your rpm. Giving you next to nothing off the line. I wouldn' t recommend anything bigger than 2 1/2" especially if you are going to run duals. Don' t forget to add the area of the duals. They don' t even recommend 6" for the big diesels.