Very, very nice work. Haven't seen it done this way, so I look forward to a detailed description and explanation of approach taken.

Always a pleasure to see someone go all out.

 

Looks cool and all, just my 2 cents why would you possibly ever spend that much money on air bags and I see you have 22 inch rims?
A Lightning is not a show truck and its meant to go fast! those rims and bags arent going to help you out in the fast department.... Should of modded a stock F-150, if you wanted a bagged truck, you would of saved a lot of money!
I used to own a fully bagged silverado and it rode like shi* just my 2 cents

 

How is it going to be slower? It still has the same amount of horsepower it had. I don't see how I would have saved money buying an F-150. It still would not have been a Lightning with a supercharger. I had a bagged Mustang prior to the Lightning. Surprisingly, it got better traction at Atlanta Dragway than with the prior coil spring suspension. It was nice to be able to adjust my suspension when launching. It also road better than before. The only person who can talk shiat about my Supension on here is Pitstain and Tim Skelton, being they are the only ones who know a damn about suspension and even they gave it the "ok, badass"
Let me help you.... Bags + Boost= Badazz Lightning. Shoot, one of my fellow L buddies who replied on this very post is slammed on 22's and I promise you newb, you don't want none of his.

 

Right, but with all the extra steel tubing, tanks, and compressors, you have to be adding wieght, and most 22s are pig heavy. So it will be a little slower. But unless you are racing for pinks, I don't see a reason to give two sh*ts about a tenth or two.

 

Ahh, I know this, but I can't be a smart *** when facts and technicalities exist . To let it be known, I don't care. If I would have bagged an f-150 it wouln't be as fast, bags or not. As you said Tim, unless Im on Speed Vision, it does not matter. I do fine at the track w/ the 22's and there are way to many Lightnings that will be beat me with them on or off. Its fast for me and the Cog setup that is about to go on will make it sound fast too. Im not sure if any of yall have seen alot of back halfs, four links, cantilevers, etc, but you are looking at one of the strongest four links for bags. Thats all "1/2 steel and a back half. It won't break and I bet it gets better traction than before

 

Silly noobisaurus.....

Sad,

I aggree the 22s are pretty heavy, and yes your truck will have a bit of burger king syndrome, but F' it, I see some real nice fab work going on, I too am bagging my truck, although more G-machine oriented as I plan to open track it, I will be using double adjustable AirRide shockwaves and a custom fabbed 3-link, I think I will end up a wash on the weight, and may even save a pound or three. I will of course not be able to lay frame and plant the chassis in the grass at carshows.

I am seriously interested in seeing any and all detailed pictures of your setup, it may give me some fresh ideas for my project.

Keep up the good work I think the world needs a few bagged show trucks that can actually put up when the pedal is smashed in anger.

 

While my tastes are for an ultra-quick street/strip truck, that chassis work looks top notch! I can't wait to see the finished project.
I must say I believe the combination of adding weight(instead of reducing weight), and running 22s, will slow you down SIGNIFICANTLY vs a similar powered drag oriented Lightning. We all have to make our own choices though.
Jim

 

sick, i don't think you will even be able to notice the difference if there is any speed loss. it will be so insignificant you will not realize, maybe 2 /10ths. I swap back to my 18's i can not tell the difference from my 22's except a little better traction on the 18's from a dig.

 

Sad,
The work is beautiful, Also can't wait to see it together.. Thanks for sharing...
Ted O.

 

 

Numbers like these are like statistics, you can make them say anything you want them to, especially when mounted to a non-performance vehicle.

I have seen extensive testing on an 03 Cobra where the authors didn't have any stake in the results. Using same style/brand wheels and tires in 16, 17 and 18", the best performing size was clearly the 17" with 16" coming in a close second. I remember that they commented that based on the 18" results, they expected handling to sharply drop off with anything bigger than 18". The current trend in the OEM to larger wheels isn't dictated by better performance but rather by customer preference. Maybe its genetic nostalgia to the wagon wheel era...

If an owner is seeking optimal handling performance, 20"+ wheels is certainly less than desirable.

 

WOW! If 0-60 times slowing by close to a full second is not a "disaster" performance wise, I would like to know the authors definition. In our trucks that would equate to at least 1.5 seconds slower in the quarter mile.
Jim

 

Its a stupid argument that has been going on since latemodel L's came out. Plenty can say how stupid it is to put 22's on a "performance truck". Something else I hear stated on many performance automobile forums is how stupid it is to race a truck. All are dumb opinions. Just like Im not going to get better traction with a 22" wheel I can go alot faster in an 03" Cobra. So what. We do the things we do because we like it. Every time I post a comment regarding air suspension or an upsized wheel someone out there who probably can't afford or does not have the know how to perform such a task has to point out how stupid it is for me to bag a Lightning. Then they tell me I should of done it to reg. f-150. If I was a die hard, drag racing', good ole boy then It would not be the best thing to run 22's or possibly use air suspension (we shall see how my times react to this extensive modification because, by the looks of it, my plan of building a strong-azz four link setup looks to be going well). The thing is that if I bought a f-150 I wouldnt have a Lightning, plain and simple. Plenty of cars, espectially custom retros that are fast as shiat, are using air suspensions. Its going to be a sick rod and I promise I will have a feature in Sport Truck or another related mag when all is done (maybe after this or a few more things). Hell, I already was put in Sport Truck last year before it was bagged and a few more things were done. It wasnt a feature and it was just a pic, but it was a start. I do understand by me posting pictures on a message board its open season for any bashing, so your opinions are welcome no matter what

 

Sadf,
Just in case, my comments weren't intended to criticize your use of larger wheels. My comments only related to the posted article and for those seeking optimal handling performance, which I don't believe is your objective.

I may post comments but I always respect another owner's vision, especially one as well builts as yours.

TB

 

Not you, nothing you said offended me as you seem you have plenty of sense. In every forum I see regarding bigger wheels someone always points out the negative aspects of a bigger wheel/tire combo. Its like they post it thinking know one has ever dwelled on the concept of the negative effects of bigger wheels. I also noticed a few variables on that lil article and while they are small, since we are getting technical I thought the information is more than fair. First off that is a 23" wheel and the tire being used is a 305/40/23. Thats huge! I used 295/30/22 on my first set of 22's I had and now I use a 285/35/22 out back and a 265/35/22 up front. The difference is apparent. Obviously 23" rims are bigger, less common, and heavier. The big killer there is how big of a tire is used. Thats like something you would put on a 2008 Tahoe which is a big truck and can handled a huge tire on a bigger wheel. Most of us who are a little conscious about performance even though the use of a bigger wheel has come into play would know that a bigger wheel calls for a change in the profile of the tire. Especially since I am going lower (well, laying frame in fact) I can't just use a 22" wheel with the same 45 sidewall use on a factory 18" wheel. So, a 295/30/23 tries to commensate the bigger wheel to make the over all tire/wheel combo close to the overall height of the factory 18" wheel combo. A 305/40/22 does not help this strategy at all.