Im bagging a 96 f150 but am running into a few issues with the front i beam setup interfering with my frame. Would it be a bad idea to notch the frame out in a 3 inch section to let my ibeams slide into my frame? Any other way to fix this problem? Thanks.

 

Have you installed dropped I-beams?

 

No, but i thought drop beam (or dream beams) were for static drop?

 

You use the dropped beams to get lower and then bag them for adjustability.

 

So as far as the front goes theres no custom fabrication? Just bolt on the beams then set your bags and your good?

 

thats the jist of it.

 

So how much of a drop should i get? And if i put say a 3 in drop on the front, then bag, when im at 0psi at the bags will the truck sit level or be 3 in shorter in the front? Will I need to make that up in the back if thats the case?

 

on my 96 ranger the tubular djm dream beams cleared the frame better than dropped i beams and let me lay full frame, the rear i 4-linked. but im shure u could just shackle/hanger and remove all you leafs but one and lay frame.

 

I thought dram beams were the drop beams? I wasnt aware there was 2 different I beam set. Could you maybe dig up pics of the 2 so I could see a side by side difference? And honestly Ill probably go 4 link anyway, since Im planning on also converting my truck from long bed to short. But a friend of mine told me your supposed to take the difference out from the straight part of the frame directly behind the cab so thats still up in the air. But 4 link does look better imo and from the way I understand lets you go lower anyway, hence the c-notch. If Im misunderstood on any of these subjects let me know cause like I said before Im still pretty new at all this. Thanks again.

 

Dream beams are a brand name of dropped I-beams. I haven't seen any beams that give you more than 3" of drop, but the bags will give you the rest. Don't drive around with 0 psi in the bags, it's not recommended. There are 2 types of beams, ones that will accept either bags or springs. Get the ones for the bags so modification isn't required. Cutting and raising the frame behind the cab would create a lot of work, since you would have to cut out the bed floor and raise it so the bed would line up with the cab. C-notching and four-linking you would have to cut a hole in the bed, and you could make a tub for the exposed pieces. For a bagged ride, a four link is best, and with a deep enough c-notch and the bags on a lever system you will get more drop from them. The lever system is like putting the bags on the link bar instead of the axle. Lets say the axle moves 6", further up the link the link bar will only move 3" to acheive the 6" of axle drop. Putting the bag there will give you more adjustability because the link moves less. You have to check designs for this because you can't just put the bag on the link, you have to make sure it's strong enough to handle the weight and stress.