A new approach to the well known front end problem

[Ozymandias]

2WD are odd....
What we really need is an AWD Fulltime Transfercase to get the power to the ground on every road surface.
That would be a market.

 

[Charlie Lawhon]

How do I unsubscribe? This is why I never even like to source information from forums. Nothing but arguing and I've never found a single thing useful from any forum because there is never an agreement or forward motion.

2WD are odd....
What we really need is an AWD Fulltime Transfercase to get the power to the ground on every road surface.
That would be a market.

Funny you should ask. I'll just leave this here.

This is the primary components we're looking at for the second revamp on our race truck. 6 speed sequential and 4 wheel independent real deal all wheel drive. We will be cutting the fire wall and moving the harmonic balancer just behind the front spindle centers. That is approximately 24 inches to the rear. In the process the engine will get lowered following the frame curvature and dry sump.

That's $50k worth of drive line as shown.

 

[BigPapa]

Charlie,
I and everyone else here was cordial, polite, and respectful to you until this post from you talking about Gary.

If you expect me to believe you have one with 1.4 million miles on the original frame and cab and have only put 3 sets of ball joints in it I can't help but laugh.

What you're saying is impossible and if for some reason you have one duct taped together please for the love of God and public safety park it.

Then your next post was this. So, yes, I’d say you started the fire storm.

Just as I figured. This is just another BS forum with a bunch of unrealistic haters.

To answer your sarcastic question insinuating I don’t know how to inspect and maintain my truck, yes, every time I change the oil in my truck it gets the complete steering and suspension lubed and inspected. For the last five years it has been done by a man that I work with that has worked as a steering and suspension tech for the past 30 years. For the 15 years before that, it was done by another tech I worked with at another shop who had been inspecting, repairing, and aligning front ends for over 30 years. He started out on the old alignment rigs with the lights and mirrors.

If you want to “unsubscribe”, just quit posting and reading our forum. Pretty simple.

Good luck to you, sir.

 

[Charlie Lawhon]

Someone mentioned coil overs earlier. These are not coil overs. We will be using these 4 way dampers but not in a normal way. These run about $2500 each

. When I say 4 way I don't mean 4 clicks of adjustment, I mean 4 aspect control tunable while on the vehicle. You can't just slap these in your A arms. We developed a totally different path of damping orientation.

 

[Charlie Lawhon]

Charlie,
Everything was good until this post from you talking about Gary.


I see your point. But when I talk about inspection that's not what I mean.

When you are going that far outside of intended lifecycle you need to obtain the MTR's (metal traceability records) for starters. Then there is a logic path beginning with NDT's (non destructive tests) that are of lower cost and work your way up through stress analysis dynamic evaluation which would require full disassembly of the vehicle and the test are expensive.

I truly apologize for the misunderstanding and rudeness on my part. I stay under more pressure than I can convey in text.

I am a real deal original equipment manufacturer of turn key heavy equipment. We are bound to stay on top of things like this for legal and safety reasons.

Again i apologize, but if that's what you guys are really doing you honestly do not realize how dangerous your choices are to continue to test the limits as passengers in those vehicles.


Best of luck to you all as well.

 

[Cummins12V98]

"Do you guys want to totally ditch the 2wd front end issues?"

What issues? 3 sets of ball joint with almost 1.4 million. Tires last close to 100k miles. I didn't know I had a issue.

(Sorry for the font, my computer just switched to the one you posted with)

I have gotten 100-120k with 3rd gen take offs on my 98 2500 4x4 RAM. Many have called me a liar. Nice to see others doing so.

 

[Charlie Lawhon]

I have gotten 100-120k with 3rd gen take offs on my 98 2500 4x4 RAM. Many have called me a liar. Nice to see others doing so.

So what kind of ball joints were used? My guess would be cryogenically treated inconel core material with laser transfer deposited AR-500 on the wear surfaces then final treatment with hardide for direct metallic lubricious surface(atomic doping not deposition). My company actually employs metallurgical processes such as this. I'm sure that looks sarcastic but I'm being quite serious.

 

[BigPapa]

Cummins12V98 is talking about tires.

 

[Michaelsloft]

I have gotten 100-120k with 3rd gen take offs on my 98 2500 4x4 RAM. Many have called me a liar. Nice to see others doing so.

I got more than 122K miles out of a set of 5 Michelin LTX A/S tires on the truck in my signature. So subtract 20%. There was safe usable tread remaining but due to age replacement was required. The A/S Michelin's were on the truck from the factory and the best tires I've had on the Gen 2 1999 for driving on the highway and interstates.

 

[Tractorat]

Is this a real thread ? Or is Charlie just trying (awkwardly) to sell stuff here ?

 

[Charlie Lawhon]

A little more validation. This is the touch screen on my company's latest product. We build our own CAN-BUS using J1939 protocol in house. This controller takes command from a wireless radio that is capable of full machine operation including startup and throttle of the Cummins QSB 6.7 rear gear primer mover. LHI designed and builds the entire piece of equipment shown, not just the electronics.

I worked hand in hand with Cummins engineers to seamlessly join our equipment to the Cummins ECM just like any other modern product. The touch screen on the machine controls and displays everything that is an input/ output to the Cummins power unit. If anyone wanted a custom race controller/ display for a common rail I have all the resources including direct Cummins support to offer it as a 1 off build at the OEM level.

I'm sorry to everyone I pissed off today. Being an ass hole comes with the territory for what I do. I don't care about the suspension as far as sales. It's just a personal project that has impressed me playing with it during development driving. I just thought... what the hell... this is bad ass, a few guys might want it.

 

[Charlie Lawhon]

Is this a real thread ? Or is Charlie just trying (awkwardly) to sell stuff here ?

I could care less about selling ANYTHING here. There is no money in the automotive industry for what I actually do.

 

[Charlie Lawhon]

In light of the last post that I'm awkwardly trying to sell something. I've sent a message to TDR to totally remove me.

It was a mistake for me to come here. I am one of the guys that is actually involved with the stuff behind the scenes. Just think of me as the the guy that invented that red double safety lock thing on all the electrical plugs that everyone wishes they could get their hands on.

 

[BigPapa]

Your T-shirt explains it well.

So, what is that you’re standing on, a giant floor buffer?

#ad

 

[Charlie Lawhon]

Your T-shirt explains it well.

So, what is that you’re standing on, a giant floor buffer?

#ad

What I'm standing on is a 3/4 of a million dollar diamond abrasive concrete grinder.

 

[BigPapa]

Ahhh....
So I was kinda close.

 

[Ozymandias]

People, please, give him a chance.
I know he took every pothole in this thread that was available- but don't we have more characters like him here on the TDR? I don't start with a list here but we all know them, the ones that have bad days once in a while?

 

[Cummins12V98]

Yes tires was what I was talking about.

But my 98 4x 2500 went 300k before I touched the front end. One upper ball joint showed signs of wear. So replaced ball joints, front u joints and wheel hub assemblies. All tie rod ends etc we’re still perfect.

My suspension guy said my truck should have been the poster child for RAM.

The u joints showed some rust at that time.

 

[Tractorat]

My 02 with 150k miles has only had the steering box replaced 2 years ago. Ball joints are all in good condition. Oh, I guess I did have a tie rod replaced a couple of years ago.

 

[Michaelsloft]

The '99 in my signature with more than 268,000 miles front end has only required required replacement of the front shocks at 75,000 miles (Bilstein 4600's) and the track bar (NAPA Premium) at 186,000 miles. Equipped from the factory with HD T-Style steering components and steering stabilizer shock it continues to steer and handle well with no vibration or tire wear problems etc. I'm pleased with the front end at this point and if the front end components make it to 300K before requiring parts as mentioned above I'll be very satisfied.