KORE leveling kit

[GTani]

Lorenz,it's the most free advertising you have received from TDR. The most free advertising KORE and Kent have received is from the many satisfied customers who are using their products. Greg and DRC too.

Don't get me wrong. I think more people that enter the suspension business is great. It creates competition and hence better products.

I worked for a major aerospace company(now retired). We built space vehicles(we put the man on the moon,lunar decent module)and the majority of the cost for a satellite(85%) was engineering and test. I think this is where Kent excels. Proven products.

 

[vegasredneck]

CCOOL



I know it is off subject but



BE SAFE over there in Iraq

 

[JDerbedrossian]

Lorenz,



Dude... GIVE IT A REST!!!

Blake really why hasnt Kent replied to the question, im really curious too.



Jake.

 

[jjdiesel]

I think Blake has a point... . the baiting has gone on long enough. My guess is Kent doesn't have the time to debate on-line all day long.

 

[Lorenz]

I think Blake has a point... . the baiting has gone on long enough. My guess is Kent doesn't have the time to debate on-line all day long.

Baiting implies victomhood. Nobody is a victim of answering compare and contrast questions.



I hope your not implying Kent doesn't have the time to talk to the group of folks who helped him in growing a great company?



With respect, I understand how Blake would want to defend his purchase and not here about any negative things he spent good $ on, but were all adults. Internet Cheerleading is very transparent.

 

[kentkroeker]

Throughout this thread nice people have offered you a lot of constructive criticism that may help you develop your product. This, among other things, indicates that you're still in the formative stages of your business - and that you're not really sure about what you're doing.



But if I join in and start pointing out the flaws in your attempt to "create" a suspension system, I'll inadvertently bring you closer to the formula for KORE's success. I've said it already in other ways, but I'll try one more time: That formula isn't free; you have to work for it.



My advice: Sell several thousand suspension systems, refine your ideas, sell several thousand more, then let your customers talk for you. If you deserve it then their voice will give you credibility, not your own.



So, keep trying. You can't use high-end proprietary KORE parts made by Fox or Deaver, therefore you could, theoretically, sell suspension that looks similar to KORE's but costs less. There may be a market for low-end Dodge suspension. I don't know who would put it on a $50,000 truck, but if that market void exists, then perhaps you could fill it.



Good luck.



Kent Kroeker

 

[CCool]

Kore

Gents.

It is great to get to read all the com. both ways when it comes to upgrading the suspension on the best truck known to man. I think Mr Kroeker, when he made to statement of ( the customers voice ) said it all.

I can tell you this. When I return home, I will be spending my hard earned Hositle Fire and Hazardious Duty pay on KORE performance products.





Over and out from the heart of the Sunni Triangle



CCOOL. 51 and a wakeup.

 

[onesloryd]

Well after a lot of reading and talking with Kent, Greg & Sean I am going to try Lorenz springs & shock mounts. Currently the cash flow is kind of tight so I am probably get some used shocks & have them rebuilt and revalved.

Kent, I would still like to know why you call your new springs variable rate springs rather than dual rate spring? You new setup seems similar to a coil over with a main spring and a tender spring.



If cash was not an issue then I thing my setup would look similar to this.



Thanks for all you help and info.

 

[randrade]

CCool, be careful. Spent a couple of months (of the 12) at COP Rawah, not a good place to be. I'm down to just a wake up and i'll be stateside. My money is on Kore.

Rafael

 

[JDerbedrossian]

Well after a lot of reading and talking with Kent, Greg & Sean I am going to try Lorenz springs & shock mounts. Currently the cash flow is kind of tight so I am probably get some used shocks & have them rebuilt and revalved.

Kent, I would still like to know why you call your new springs variable rate springs rather than dual rate spring? You new setup seems similar to a coil over with a main spring and a tender spring.



If cash was not an issue then I thing my setup would look similar to this.



Thanks for all you help and info.

Who owns that truck and who did the suspension, that looks crazy.



Jake

 

[Lorenz]

Prep by Jake



It has your name all over it Jake...

 

[jjdiesel]

Baiting implies victomhood. Nobody is a victim of answering compare and contrast questions.



I hope your not implying Kent doesn't have the time to talk to the group of folks who helped him in growing a great company?



With respect, I understand how Blake would want to defend his purchase and not here about any negative things he spent good $ on, but were all adults. Internet Cheerleading is very transparent.

See what I mean?

 

[midlife crisis]

For you guys currently over there- My bro-in-law (and best friend) is flying Medivac for the 1159th. If you do have the misfortune of flying with "Smuggler 72", you couldnt be in better hands- Stay well-

Back to regular programming--

 

[CCool]

randrade,

Thank you. I hope you have a safe trip home and maybe hit Germany,or Ireland as a pit stop on the way home. I'll be on your heels out of here like a lorenz system chasing a kore truck in baja.

Mr. Kroeker do you have any secret squirrel projects in the works for the steering department? :-{} I know we have talked about this before but I keep looking for something better. I have been looking at the currie steering system that is a direct replacement for the jeep that is also a y style system.

I also was reading an article in 4 wheeler mag. about steering systems. There they point out that a "y" link system in a "lifted or raised" truck has a negative effect of toeing in and then out as the suspension passes through it's range of motion. This is Caused by the drag link and tie rod "flattening out" as the suspension moves. Could this be a factor with death wobble?

The same article states that a cross over system like the (Thurenfab) is ideal for lifted stright axle applications.

Well all take care and look forward to talking to you later

CCool

 

[kentkroeker]

onesloryd,



We call these new springs "Variable Rate" instead of "Dual Rate" because they have more than two distinct rates. Additionally, the transition zones between rates vary from almost imperceptible to quite abrupt. That's why we use the term, "variable" instead of dual or triple stage.



CCool



We've found that despite minor toe changes as the suspension cycles, DW can usually be traced to improper tires or worn/defective steering components. Many TDR threads corroborate these findings. Nevertheless, KORE has two steering-related projects we've been testing for some time. One of these projects contains another very unique, never-been-done-before KORE design. The other is our HD track bar.



For obvious reasons, steering-related parts have to be perfect. Although we couldn't race-prove them because they would have been illegal in our class, thousands of miles of Baja during the past year have validated the performance and safety of these new parts. If a large enough demand exists to warrant production we may eventually release a complete replacement steering system. For now, we feel that with proper set up, the OE stuff works pretty well.



Best Regards,



Kent Kroeker

 

[kparker]

CCool



I went to great pains making a DOM, heim jointed replacement steering system work well on my Dodge. The system began very similar to the Thuren set ups I have seen pictures of. To say that a true cross over arrangement is better for a lifted, solid axle application, is a very subjective statement. Better for what? Of critical importance is the the angle and length of both the trac bar and the drag link. You flatten the angle of the drag link out when you mount it atop the steering knuckle. It looks like some of Thuren's systems use a drop trac bar mount which might negate some of this. If these angles deviate much from one another(tie rod and trac bar), bump steer becomes a problem. I ended up attaching my drag link to the tie-rod, like a T type steering arrangement. This solved my bump-steer issues. Bump steer might not be as much of an issue rock crawling, as opposed to blasting down a desert road at speed? The other thing to consider is that heim joints are not as good a single shear arrangement as ball joints. So to properly build a set-up like this, you need to double shear your knuckles, pitman arm, and draglink attachment point. Lot's of work for what gain? I am still not sure. Looks tough, but stock steering can be replaced pretty inexpensively and has a reasonably good life expectancy. Good heims are expensive, and in my experience wear faster than stock type tie rod ends.



If KORE decides to offer a steering system, I would hope it comes with heavy duty tie rod ends threaded into DOM tubing. I am sure they would nail the geometry and performance requirements spot on. It will be interesting to me to see what direction they take. It will probably **** me off once I realize I could have waited and bought it right the first time though, ha ha.



Anyways, to summarize my ramblings here. I would recommend sticking to a stock steering arrangement, and replacing components as they wear. Dodge did a decent job for the price.



On a side note, I only had DW while running BFG's.



I hope this helps a little.





KP

 

[onesloryd]

Kent,

Thanks for the explanation; I thought that’s what you were talking about; just calling it a “variable rate” had me a little confused. I have seen similar springs on cup cars during test sessions, some had four different rates, but needless to say they are illegal.

 

[CCool]

steering

Mr. Kroeker.

what ever you have in the works (for steering replacement) count me in. I have already talked to Greg about getting the new track bar and steel control arms when I return home. I am also going with the Dynatrac manual hub conversion kit. I have talk to people on the TDR and Dynatrac. I feel this is right for me, stop the front axle from turning all the time (daily driver), pick up a little MPG?, and have a serviceable hub. I will be holding off installing the hubs due to waiting for moog the come out with lower ball joints to go with the adj. uppers. Do you have any inside info on the moog lower ball joints? Do you have any feed back on the Dynatrac hub kit?





KP

Thank you for the info, You said the same thing Mr. Kroeker said to me the first time we had talked about steering. I too have only had DW with the BFG 315's, also had 2 warn tie rod ends, both hubs shot, and my steering box had play. My dealer adjusted the box and changed all the warn parts. All of this with only 32,000 on the ticker. Now I am running the Toyo MT's and love them so far. I also have seen that moog has all the factory steering parts with M2 tech. As soon as the lower ball joints come out I will order upper adjt. and lower ball joints along with replacing all steering parts with moog.



Mr. Kroeker I would love to join you for a trip to Baja, and pick your brain housing group to learn as much as I can about my TOY.

If that honor of sharing a "camp" is poss. please let me know.



P. S. Kent did you have a great birthday (10 Nov. ) ?

CCool.

 

[kentkroeker]

I had a great birthday.



Semper Fi,



Maj. Kroeker

USMCR

 

[MNielsen]

Major Kroeker,

It figures it would take a military person to create such an awesome suspension system, way to go military pride!!! No really, this comes from Construction Mechanic 1st. Class nielsen, seabees, USNR. "CAN DO".