Question for the Ben Hanks guys?

[Greg]

Great point Greg... I don't think I thought it all the way through, but your right.. it would need to ride stiff. I passed on the truck for a load of reasons (the apparent abuse of the suspension, trans slipping at 10k, high EGTs and most importantly threats of castration and or divorce). Now that you've got me thinking, it likely would be a decent compromise for a trail/tow rig. I just wasn't satisfied at all with the suspension for a daily driver/tow rig combo. I like to be comfortable for the long rides.

I remember the first time I saw a 'desert truck'... it was an early 80's 2WD Chevy reg cab short bed. Still had coils w/ original A arms in front and leafs out back. I was all excited, the thought of that truck jumping and soaking up big hits offroad... I jumped on the rear bumper and the truck seriously didn't budge at ALL. That's when it set in... stiff suspension for abuse at speed.

I don't blame you for passing, sounds like the truck had plenty of issues besides just the suspension.

I think you could probably take a Hemi Dodge for less engine weight and set it up with coilovers in the front and get a better ride. I'm not well experience with building coilovers, but I think you could build the coilovers for a decent street ride with softer springs for the road, then heavier springs when the coils were compressed harder. I don't know, mabey I'm up in the night.

IMO... you're not going to have a good ride AND a badass desert truck. It's one or the other. Our '03 Dodge rides great, with a load. Pulling the TJ on the trailer the thing rides very well. It has a leveling kit, cheap Skyjacker shocks and 315/75/17 BFG's that I run at 30 PSI. The big sidewall takes some of the shock and the suspension takes the rest. Without a load it's a bit rough.

 

[Tacoma]

Someone here bought a truck I looked at about 10years ago-- 80's Chevy w/a Caddy motor in it. I had dreams of tearing through the west desert and across the PET.

Desert trucks are cool, but...

1. how often would you really use them?
2. towing is nearly a no-go, given the hassle...
3. no cargo space with the sweet coilover mount cage in the bed. You have to have one of those.

 

[jgb]

Greg,

I disagree. It depends how it is set up and how much money you want to spend into setting it up.

I went from a 4" SkyJacker lift kit to a LT set up. World of difference.
With the SkyJacker I never had ANY front suspension movement and some rear movement. The ride beat me to death.

With the LT I have lots of front AND rear susp movement. Smooth but able to handle the bigger hits. I can push down on my front and have the susp move and like wise with the rear.

My front dual rate coilovers are 350/450 with 180 psi in the remote reservoirs. The rears are custom Deaver leafs made for the weight of the truck with full gas tanks with triple bypass remote reservoir shocks.

Both anti say bars are removed for max articulation and travel.

I am strapped at 17" rear travel and about 15" front travel. with about 50% up/down travel.


Tacoma,

1. I use mine every weekend in the summer
2. I can still tow my minibuggy
3. Can't argue that point, lost a lot of bed space


On a side note, I hate the term "prerunner", a prerunner is ANY vehicle that someone "preruns" a race with. It can be a buggy, a truck, a Rhino, an El Camino, a Jeep, a Ford Taurus.....

 

[Greg]

What did I say that you disagree with? I said a lot...

 

[jgb]

oops

What did I say that you disagree with? I said a lot...

IMO... you're not going to have a good ride AND a badass desert truck. It's one or the other.

 

[Greg]

Greg,

I disagree. It depends how it is set up and how much money you want to spend into setting it up.

I went from a 4" SkyJacker lift kit to a LT set up. World of difference.
With the SkyJacker I never had ANY front suspension movement and some rear movement. The ride beat me to death.

With the LT I have lots of front AND rear susp movement. Smooth but able to handle the bigger hits. I can push down on my front and have the susp move and like wise with the rear.

My front dual rate coilovers are 350/450 with 180 psi in the remote reservoirs. The rears are custom Deaver leafs made for the weight of the truck with full gas tanks with triple bypass remote reservoir shocks.

Both anti say bars are removed for max articulation and travel.

I am strapped at 17" rear travel and about 15" front travel. with about 50% up/down travel.


Tacoma,

1. I use mine every weekend in the summer
2. I can still tow my minibuggy
3. Can't argue that point, lost a lot of bed space


On a side note, I hate the term "prerunner", a prerunner is ANY vehicle that someone "preruns" a race with. It can be a buggy, a truck, a Rhino, an El Camino, a Jeep, a Ford Taurus.....

oops

Gotcha... I should have been more clear. My frame of reference was based on the Dodge Ram with a Cummins engine, since that's what vehicle we had been talking about. That's why I followed up with talking about my truck after that sentence, just to compare the street ride. IMO a diesel Dodge is a good start for a tow rig and there's lots of good bolt-on desert suspension support out there. They're incredibly heavy though and I meant to say that I don't think you could get a Dodge diesel to ride well on the road and work amazingly well in high-speed dirt.

I still want to see your Ford in action, I like how you built it.

 

[jgb]

I still want to see your Ford in action, I like how you built it.

Thanks, but I think we lost our original poster. jdub, where are youuuuu

 

[jdub]

Just kicking back enjoying the lesson.

Laughing at Greg's video post... The girl made the ride seem out of control. Watch it again focussing on the driver and it's a casual event.

I want a truck to tow my jeep to Moab and St. George and even the snakes. I can't justify a truck if I only use on occasion BUT if I were to have a dual purpose truck then it would warrant having it around and another dimension to playing in the desert!

I just think it's worth a try, I've seen some 3/4 ton chevys with suspension and fenders and wondered how it would pull my scrambler.