1971 Chevy Truck - Project Get Shorty

With the back squared away, the next step was to install the front ART STRONGARM kit. As you can see, everything needed is there. Now all that's left to do is bolt it together.

The ART CoolRide bag revolves around this mounting plate. The first step was to place the airbag on the plate with the mounting stud in the "C" position so we could get an idea of where the plate needed to be mounted.

Then we placed the mounting plate in the appropriate "C" mount position into the upper spring pocket, aligning the ART plate with the pocket's shape.

When the plate was in the correct position, we clamped it in place and drilled the appropriate holes.

Our next step was to secure the airbag to the plate, screw the air fitting in,...

...and install the airline in the fitting.

On the spring pocket's backside, I drilled a hole for the air line to exit toward the rear, then ran the air line out of the hole.

It was then time to bolt the airbag plate assembly to the upper pocket.

Instead of using the lone standing factory shock mounting stud, ART designed this reinforced shock mount. By removing the factory shock mount and placing the new ART mount in the correct location, the holes can be drilled in the frame to install the shock mount.

Because the new ART upper and lower A-arms come complete with cross-shafts, bushings, and ball joints, all that is left to do is bolt the upper arm to the factory location.

My last step for this installment was to bolt up the lower A-arm to the crossmember using the factory U-bolts, then fasten the airbag to the lower A-arm.