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Question for the Ben Hanks guys?

jdub

jdub

Scrambler
Location
Provo, Utah.
I guess this could be directed to any of the similar shops too.

Would it be a possibility to tow behind a prerunner/trophy type fullsize truck?

I know it would depend on the suspension that you choose but I was wondering if there was a possibility or if you have ever built a truck-Chevy for example with fenders and suspension and still were able to pull a trailer with say a rock crawler behind it (5,000 lbs)?
 
Tacoma

Tacoma

Et incurventur ante non
Location
far enough away
I would imagine that it would be prohibitive to work out the suspension details on something like that-- softish prerunner springs and valving probably don't like towed loads I'd imagine. Ever see "Dust To Glory" when the trucks lift the inside wheel cranking around the turn onto the city street??? :D Imagine that with a Jeep behind you.

But yeah, money makes lots of impossible things possible. :D
 
J

jgb

Active Member
Location
West Desert
jdub,

I have a desert truck, a "prerunner" to some:

http://www.rockymountainextreme.com/showthread.php?t=58859

Built by Mt Logan with a lot of Camburg hardware and custom Deaver springs.

I have no problem towing my buggy and trailer, total wieght about 1600 lbs.

Call Camburg or some of the other long travel companies, and Deaver or some of the other spring manufacturers and discuss how you want to do the rear (leafs versus coils and links) and see what recommendations they may give you.
 
V

Vonski

nothing to see here...
Location
Payson, Utah
Well, its just like a rig built for both street and off-road. The more capable off-road generally equals a less "streetable" rig (and vice-versa). The same goes for a pre-runner style truck and towing. There is a happy medium there, somewhere I suppose. Depending on how much travel the rear has, you could possibly incorporate airbags for towing duty.
 
neagtea

neagtea

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Location
farmington
To get the rear to work well it has to be on the soft side. This doesen't like tongue weight. You could set it up with a stiffer rate but it would abuse your back at speed without the same weight on the rear. I had a chase/prerun truck with a set of nationals in the rear and hooked up the race car and trailer 6500lbs it pretty much sat on the bump stops. You may get away putting a equilizer hitch and cranking up the bars to take weight off of the rear of the truck. a lot of money for experimentation with the good prices to be had on 3/4t trucks these days.
just my 2 pennies worth
 
V

Vonski

nothing to see here...
Location
Payson, Utah
The more I think about this, the more I think its a bad idea. I really don't want to dash anyone's hopes, but I think you'll just end up with a rig that is (at best) a mediocre desert truck that still doesn't tow very well.

The buggy you're talking about has got to be atleast 3000 lbs. and your trailer isn't a lightweight either.

Unfortunately, I think you're a prime candidate for a tow rig that can handle a gooseneck trailer accomodating a buggy and a desert truck.
 
Corban_White

Corban_White

Well-Known Member
Location
Payson, AZ
What about a desert truck woth a set of airbags with easy on easy off mounts? It would take a bit of engineering and fabwork but should get the job done.
 
Greg

Greg

I run a tight ship... wreck
Admin
Location
Grand Junction, CO
It's going to take money, that has already been established. I'd just call the guys at Carli Suspensions. Buy a Dodge Ram and let the guys at Carli set it up. I think they prefer trucks with the Cummins and of course that would be a great tow rig to start with, but add their Dominator 3.0 suspension (their most dirt-worthy suspension) and mabey some Carli air bags to help with trailer tongue weight.

http://www.thecarlisuspension.com/

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A '03 Dodge Ram like mine is worth about $18k (and I'll sell it for that!), looks like Poly Performance sells the Carli Dominator 3.0 for just over $7 Grand.

http://www.polyperformance.com/shop/03-08-Dodge-2500-3500-4x4-Dominator-3.0-p-2751.html

Carli long-travel air bags-

http://www.thecarlisuspension.com/dodge-ram/components/longtravelairbags.html


You could probably have the guys at Ben Hanks Racing install it, not sure what that would run. But in the end you'd have a streetable 4x4 that can tow a Jeep, that you could also go play in Baja with. I bet you would end up in the neighborhood of $30k, which isn't bad for a multi-use truck. And you could do stuff like this-


ORM_Jump_resize500.jpg
 
Z

Zombie

Random Dead Guy
Location
Sandy Utah
I test drove a mega cab with the Carli 3.0 kit on it. It wander, clunked and generally drove like poo. The tuck had been driven hard, but not jumped, and only saw maintained dirt roads. I was pretty disappointed with the Carli setup... lots of wander, and VERY noisy. I'd look elsewhere, IMO...
 
Greg

Greg

I run a tight ship... wreck
Admin
Location
Grand Junction, CO
Zombie said:
I test drove a mega cab with the Carli 3.0 kit on it. It wander, clunked and generally drove like poo. The tuck had been driven hard, but not jumped, and only saw maintained dirt roads. I was pretty disappointed with the Carli setup... lots of wander, and VERY noisy. I'd look elsewhere, IMO...
Click to expand...

Well, it's an option for a truck that could tow & play. There's others out there. I wonder if the joints were worn out? If so, a simple rebuild ought to fix the problems. I'm sure a truck that's been driven hard has parts that wear, just like rod ends on rockcrawlers.
 
Z

Zombie

Random Dead Guy
Location
Sandy Utah
Yeah... I thought about that, but the thing only had 10K on it, and 5k on the Carli kit. It also rode REALLY stiff. I kind of expected more from such a top end manufacturer, and a softer ride from something pre-runner designed. Maybe it was just a bad truck all around, and somehow infected the carli kit with it's badness.
 
Greg

Greg

I run a tight ship... wreck
Admin
Location
Grand Junction, CO
Zombie said:
Yeah... I thought about that, but the thing only had 10K on it, and 5k on the Carli kit. It also rode REALLY stiff. I kind of expected more from such a top end manufacturer, and a softer ride from something pre-runner designed. Maybe it was just a bad truck all around, and somehow infected the carli kit with it's badness.
Click to expand...

Interesting... I've never ridden in a Carli equipped truck, so I'm just going off what I've seen. Obviously more research on the suspension need to be done.

I honestly would expect a truck with that suspension to ride pretty poorly on the street. If the suspension is designed to handle whoops, jumps and related offroad beatings at speed, the suspension needs to be pretty stiff. Especially with the weight of a Cummins over the front axle. A trophy truck with 3 feet if travel is a different story, but then you're talking a truck that's got a tube frame, aluminum motor, light as possible but still strong as can be.
 
Z

Zombie

Random Dead Guy
Location
Sandy Utah
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.
 
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