Is this a good beginner kit?

I'm looking to buy a stock untouched MM/D50 and I want to bag it. Wanna go with a good kit, fbss, and eventually I want to be able to lay the frame. For now I was wondering if this is a good starter kit or if this is even just a good kit in general. I was planning on getting this kit, also picking up some drop spindles from airbagit.com ( ). If anyone has any suggestion/advice, I would appreciate it. This is going to be my first bag project. I am a mechanic by hobby, so enjoy doing all the hands on stuff, just dont know much about bagging and want to learn now. Thanks in advance!

Ebay Kit from supposed AIM/AirBagIt.com seller...

alot of people dont like aim i personally have only bought drop spindles from them because there the only place that sells them for these trucks. you might want a bigger tank 3 gallons is kinda small. also the cups are most likely not gona bolt right up. baggin the front of a d50 is kinda hard theres alot of cutting and making your own stuff. i would try and find out more about that kit and get some pictures. if you go on streetsource.com aim has there own forum.

oh ya and those control arms do look nice but you dont have to have them. could save your self 500 bucks and put that to a nicer 4 link or bag parts.

Well the only reason I want the control arms is because I'm not confident that I can pie cut and weld the stock ones up right. Yes I do know how to weld, but I don't have a welder right now. Which is why I was trying to go for more of a bolt on kit, but I know there will be some welding involved regardless for like a the 4 link and what not. I can rent a welder from a local hardware store, but they charge by the hour, and the less work, the cheaper the welder will be. I would feel more confident in bolting something up then cutting and welding something. I might not cut at the right spots or what not. Alot or write ups i have seen where they do they front, they never say antyhing about how to cut it, they just cut it and go on to the next step. Is it really just a simple cut? Also isnt the lower ball joint pie cut? I have seen alot of pics of this cut and weld and I think I can do this. But the upper control arm/balljoint, not getting it.. Also for the cups, I would have to cut my old pockets and weld the cups in?

Also for the tank, yea thats really small and I figured it came with the kit, so meh. I wanted 9 gal that airbagit sells for $90, which I figured was a good deal. It's a 4 port steel tank ( ).

Oh also here's the link I'm trying to follow. They are doing a few things I dont think I will be doing like (custom strut rod? should I be doing this?).

But starting in step 5 I see how they cut, but after the cut they dont show how they weld. For the upper one since it opens the gap from where they pit cut, do you just add a piece of metal in there and weld it shut?

And for the bottom I'm assuming since the gap is closed where they pie cut, there should already be material there to weld it shut. Also in the last pic, you cant even tell where they welded 'cuz they primered it. So kinda hard to tell what's going on. I'm starting to understand more and more now, but still not clear to me. I'm just a noob!

It all depends on how low you want the truck and the wheel and tire size you are going with. Mine lays frame with the 2" drop spindles and the upper arms pie cut on 18s. I didn't do anything to the lower arms but modify for the strut rod. I did have Cando bag cups and I am in the process now of removing them and redoing it all. NO bag cups can be bolt in from my experience. They all have to be welded which is a real PITA if you have to remove the bag to do repairs for a leak or anything.

oops forgot the link in my above post. Here it is

Anyways, yea I figured the cups were gonna need to be welded, and the whole thing with having to repair a bag or replace or if something broke up there, concerned me, but I guess its the best way. Also in this article, they made 2 plates, one to weld in, and another to bolt to the bag which would then bolt to the welded in plate. I can see why they did that, because they cant put the line in or tighten bolts from the top as there is no opening. Is there another way around this, or is it best to do what they did? Also they have the plate held on by two (look to be) small allen bolts. Is that safe enough? I guess since it's on top, nothing is forcing the bag apart so in theory should be fine?

I'm going of this write up because I have never seen another write up that gives enough information. Although I still am asking/looking for one to better suit my needs.


Also whats the deal with strut rod, how does that come into play?

**And lastly. I want to be able to straight up lay frame (front crossember gonna hit unless I z the frame?) on 17" caddy escalade wheels with low pro tires. Thats all I want for now.

I'm redoing mine right now to be a direct bolt in. It has taken alot of cutting and welding but I can now remove my bag in about 5 minutes time and the air line and bolts are visible for inspection. I'm just waiting on my new balljoints and I can reinstall everything. The strut rod usually hits the wheel when turned or the bags rub against it when they are completely compressed. That's why you have to mod it some. I lay full frame and no Z. I just sectioned and welded up the engine crossmember.

Yea I was gonna ask that next, about just modding the xmember to move up a few inches. I mean it's just there for support right, nothing big is bolted up to it that needs to be relocated? Man I wish I at least had a beater truck here so I can see everything first hand. It would make things alot easier. But I'm still looking. I'd feel more comfortable moving the xmember up a bit, rather than z-ing the frame.

As for the strut rod, I have never looked at a mighty max's front end so kinda hard to see what you mean. Got any pics? I would appreciate it. I might plan a trip to the local pick-n-pull junkyard as I see quite a few of these trucks in there with at least good frames/suspension still attached. So I can get a first hand look and feel for what I'm dealing with. Thanks for all the help thus far guys. I really appreciate you helping out a noobie. I will def be taking pics when I start, so I can document what crap I get into lol.

I do have pics but I'll have to get them up later. I just cut off the bottom of the engine crossmember all the way across and welded in a plate on the bottom of it. Another reason people Z the frame is because it moves all the steering crap up and out of the way because it actually hangs lower than the crossmember when it is sectioned off. If your real careful you can get by without Z'ing the frame and still be able to lay out full frame.