Improved handling?

You could probably run the coilovers if you made tubular A-arms - I had the torsions from sway-a-way and found that in my old truck with the 5.0 motor they sagged after a while - I now wonder what the difference is in spring rate between the OEM 4x4 and sway-a-ways.

I also think a big difference comes from the Bilstein shocks - I had the DT, the Ground force and QA1 before - Bilstein are by far better and not really expensive either.

Yeah with custom A-arms anything is possible. However I wanted to try it with stock arms...keep costs down. I haven't notice any decrease in spring rate with my torsions. Maybe I'll just try upgrading to the Bilstiens one day. Do they have any 7.5" or shorter?

The QA1's are 2.5". You could take a chunk of 2.5" exhaust pipe and see if it will fit through the stock control arm.

But, the upper shock mount is weak, and a 7.5" coilover only has about 3" of travel total. That means only 1.5" of up travel, you will hit the stops constantly.

A bit of stiffening on the upper shock mount and an air shock would probably get you what you want.

I'll help a bit, the stock shock for a mazda is 9.59" compressed, and 15.2" full extend. Look through the mounting length list in this pdf. " and find a shock that is close.

I have the QA1's on my maz, but have not driven the setup.

Always loved your set up Bob.

The 7.5" is compressed length...My DT's are actually a lil less than 7.5" compressed. Not sure of the uncompressed length. My ride is decent with them. Again if I were to do coilovers I'd do them WITH the torsions in tact, sot here wouldn't be too much stress ont he factory mounts...but maybe a gusset or two would be in store. I'd think an extra 150lbs of spring rate would probably do what I'd want.

I have never measured the opening in our factory control arms, but I did think along the same lines as you in getting a piece of pipe the length and width I'd need and check the travel. Will have to do that one day.

Thanks for jumping in bro.

Long time no see guys lol! I got a set of 17x8.5 alloy eskies from a bone yard for 25$ a rim (no center caps), and currently choosing parts for a tare down come spring time....

The big thing is the rear set up... I want to ditch the blocks for 3" leafs but debating if I'll need a rear sway bar then or not.

regardless the trucks getting new shocks and the new spring tires and beltech front swaybar. All that will deff help me in the right direction. Just gotta wait til spring now I'm scrapping the coil over idea ATM as I'm unsure how the truck will handle with just that list of mods and I'd rather spend the money on a diff or motor swap if I like the handling. After I get my hombre running of course