T-Rex Update

[Greg Boardman-RIP]

I just wanted to let you know how well the T-Rex is holding up. I have been abusing it daily and do I mean abusing it. There are a few good spots out here to test it. I have a 40 mile loop that I do just for fun. It starts off on a long straight dirt road. Washboard and big rolling bumps. At 75 MPH I can loft the truck at will on any of the rollers. On one of the bumps I can really air it out. ( I will post some pics in a couple of days. ) The thing is, the harder I drive off road, the better it works. It is truly amazing!!! I have a friend who is an avid desert racer who I take with me. He just cant believe how well it handles a landing from 4 feet in the air.

Next the track gets real rough, off camber turns, whoops (lots o whoops), rocks, ruts, gravel, sand, and big hills. The thing is, this thing just eats it up. I often think that I will be wadding it up and it just floats over stuff. I do drive it fast. Where I can I get up to 100 mph in a couple of washes. Its like riding my dirtbike with the A/C on and the radio playing. Just Fun Fun Fun!!! I never thought I would be so happy with the system I am currently running on my truck. This is no lift kit. It is a complete off road racing system. If you are on the fence on buying a lift kit or T-Rex, Don't even waste your money on the wimpy Skyjacker type of stuff. That stuff is for Disco trucks with big wheels and tires. This stuff is serious stuff. It took a truck that was fun to drive and made it perform off road in a way you could only dream of. DId you ever wonder what it was like to drive off road at speed like Ivan Stewart? T-Rex can fulfill that dream for you. If you like driving sports cars fast on mountain roads, It can fulfill that fantasy too. It is like driving an 8000 lb rallye car in the mountains. Slides just right, no body roll, drive out of corners faster, and power into turns. It is truly amazing!!!



Greg

DRC

 

[Dane]

That stuff is for Disco trucks with big wheels and tires

Hey! I resemble that remark :-laf



Good report, got me saving my pennies now

 

[y-knot]

I am glade you like the T-Rex set-up, amazing what a good set of shocks can do. I bought some Fox front forks for my kids mountain bike and he says the same thing, thanks me every time he rides for spending the 900. 00 bucks.

You are also right about most lift kits on the market, they are purely cosmetic and do not add to the trucks off road prowess, some even take away suspension travel. I must admit I am on the fence about this system, I do not need it but I would like to have it. I have even been thinking about buying the shocks and doing the same thing myself. I called them yesterday and they informed me they do not carry the King shocks anymore, I really like them because you can get them with 2-compression settings and 1-rebound, each has their own sch radder valve for further custom tuning. Also they are about 4-weeks behind right now, so nothing is going to come very fast, but don't worry they are worth the wait.

They did say I could keep my rear air bags which I am very fond of, that nice. I'm contacting King to get a quote on their set-up. Also don't forget that while you have a suspension system that allows you to take rough roads with easy, you do not have an "Off-Road" truck with all of it's beefy parts to support it. I would kind of take is easy ,the power train parts and pieces are very expensive. Good luck

 

[jrobinson2]

My King system has been on about 27,000 miles now and a recent inspection found no problems except what was there when the system was installed, I dont jump much but have driven it fairly hard. The main problems I've had have been cleaning the Mountain Dew off the headliner and "squinch" marks on the passenger seat :-laf I think if you drive like a normal human the system will add life to the truck, I'm sure my truck is being used up at a faster rate than before.

Jared

 

[Greg Boardman-RIP]

Y-Not,

If you look under our trucks, you will see that they are made for off road. The weak link is the suspension. I also feel like the transfer case might not last for 400k miles either. For the most part this truck is built like a tank. Some of the off road builder I am aquainted with cant believe what the truck can withstand. As for the adjustability of the valving with the Kings, the Fox shocks come so dialed in that you will not need a valving change. There are thousands of hours into the type of valving Kent uses. He designed it to work flawlessly on or off road. You get a system that will work as good or better on the HWY and surpass your wildest dreams off road.



DL5,

For the most part everything is fine. Today Kent and I had my truck apart and we inspected everything. The only noticable thing was a loose ball joint. But I pointed that out to the dealer when my truck had 8000 miles on it. That was pre T. Rex install. I just cant believe what you can do with this truck now. I know it is not a complete off road race truck but it is very close to being there from the dealer. A trussed axle, suspension, fuel cell, and cage will put you at level 10. Suspension alone can hold steady at level 9.

 

[jmeehan]

I had thought about our stock ball joints and wheel bearings, when I first read about this suspension.

In my way of shade tree engineer thinking, I thought "The ball joints and wheel bearings have a better ride now too. The suspension is more supple, and will let the tires push the unsprung weight (the axle) up and over the jarring bumps that used to hammer the dog **** out of them".



Just my thoughts on the matter. I know when I need, or can afford, that type of suspension there's no place else to go.

 

[Junior]

Any reports on the Bilstien system and how that is?

 

[Greg Boardman-RIP]

Jmeehan,

I think you are right in saying the suspension and steering components will live longer. I also have 37" tires that I run at 25 PSI at all times. Yesterday I think Kent called the ride in my truck "Fluffy". That was after busting the infamous T. Rex jump. It just rides so nice that it kinda comes down Fluffy, like a cloud. I don't see how this could be harder on a truck either. This thing used to ride so rough now it floats!



Junior,

Do a search on the "t-rex bilstien setup" and you will have all the info you need.

For me, there is only one choice and that is the fox system. But if you are hauling a trailer or have a cab over in the bed, Bilstiens are a great shock/system. Much, much improved ride over stock.

What we need to see here is that the stock shocks cost DC about $3 to buy. The Bilstiens are around $350 or something. I am not sure on that price so don't quote me on that, but I think there is a huge difference in the design. Stock shocks are a joke. No compression or rebound valving. Not much dampening. Just a cheap shock. Bilstiens are built with driving in mind. Funny huh? Now add that to a perfectly designed spring and wallah! You have a great suspension system.



In closing I guess I am a little pumped up on this stuff. I can highly recommend buying either system. I would suggest spending the extra $$$ and going for the ultimate system. Remeber, you get what you pay for. I am not driving a $40K truck for nothing. If I install injectors, turbo, anything. I want the best. Why wouldn't suspension be on that list. It is the most important component on a truck.



Go for the best... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... !



Greg

 

[pwerwagn]

Please do post pics. I love seeing T-rex equipped trucks. It only makes the wait to save 3K harder!!!

 

[LEggers]

When I saw this thread I thought you were talking about this truck...

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[Greg Boardman-RIP]

If you jumped that thing it would be like taking off for the moon and then landing without a parachute!!!



I took a picture today of me jumping, I will post it tonight.



Greg

 

[LEggers]

If you jumped that thing it would be like taking off for the moon and then landing without a parachute!!!



I took a picture today of me jumping, I will post it tonight.



Greg

Had to post the pics for the cool factor. Ran accross the truck in Eastern Washington about a month ago.

 

[Doubleclutch]

Greg- did I get this right? Kent called your big red truck... "Fluffy"?

Seriously, do you have any input on the pictured truck with the "T-REX" signs, and what looks like a Kelderman set-up? Nice truck, but it looks a little too clean/detail oriented to be a fun off road ride.

The OTHER Greg.

 

[jrobinson2]

The "other" T rex

T rex airlift

Jared

 

[Greg Boardman-RIP]

I told Kent that was a bad choice of words. He was talking about the landing from the big t-rex jump. Fluffy. . I had a cat named fluffy... .....



Now for the disco truck. Looks nice but not what I would want. It is cool though!

 

[Doubleclutch]

Thanks Jared. For so long us Dodge guys had very little aftermarket improvements to choose from, now there's new stuff everywhere you turn! Somebody did a LOT of fabrication to put that system together. Has a lot of good qualities.

Greg L.

 

[4xquadrod]

Greg

Don't post the pics, your going to force me to pop over to T-Rex for some upgrades! They are only 20 minutes from my house.



Steve

 

[LEggers]

The "other" T rex

T rex airlift

Jared

I have the Chevcrewcummins too do you want the pictures of that posted. :--)

 

[Greg Boardman-RIP]

Don't post the pics, your going to force me to pop over to T-Rex for some upgrades! They are only 20 minutes from my house.



Steve

Steve,

You have been asleep at the wheel. Dune season is coming up and I wont have to buy a rail this year. How will it look shooting comp in a 8000 lb truck? Pics are on another computer. I have to save them to a disk and bring them home. I will post it today for sure.



Greg

 

[4xquadrod]

Yea but,

I already have a couple of rails for the dunes. And Comp isn't a hill anymore its a beach with no ocean.